A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.
David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.
French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.
Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.
“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.
About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.
“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.
Plantu cartoon “And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.
“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.
“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’
Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report
He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.
Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”
Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.
“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.
Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace
French perspective Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.
“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.
“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”
Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.
“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”
Eyes of Fire 10 years ago . . . same author, same publisher. Video: Pacific Media Centre
Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.
“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”
‘Elective monarchy’ trend Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”
He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”
The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.
Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.
He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.
Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press
Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.
“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.
“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”
So threatened The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.
“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.
“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.
“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.
“And of course David was a key part in that.”
O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.
“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”
Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR
Other speakers Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.
“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.
“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”
She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.
Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.
He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.
Headline: DHS Reveals Criminal Histories of Illegal Aliens Detained at Prairieland Detention Center at Time of July 4 Attack
lass=”text-align-center”>Gang members, human traffickers, pedophiles, and suspected terrorists are among those defended by rioters and Democratic politicians WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveals the criminal histories of illegal aliens detained at the U
S
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Prairieland Detention Center on the night of the July 4 coordinated ambush
On July 4, 2025, over 1,000 illegal aliens were in custody at Prairieland
Their offenses include molestation of a minor, sexual assault, murder, kidnapping, arson, aggravated assault and human trafficking
There are also almost 50 detainees who are members of foreign terrorist organization or gangs—including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua— as well as 13 Known Suspected Terrorists (KSTs)
These are the type of savage individuals Democratic politicians and rioters are defending over American victims
The violence against DHS law enforcement must end
Our brave ICE officers, who put their lives on the line every day to defend America, are facing a nearly 700 percent increase in assaults against them
This week, violent protestors attacked ICE officers while conducting targeted enforcement operations in San Francisco
Last month, Portland rioters violently targeted law enforcement and stormed an ICE field office
“On Independence Day, a group of approximately 15 rioters violently attacked and shot at the brave law enforcement operating ICE Prairieland Detention Center that houses monsters including pedophiles, human traffickers, murderers and terrorists,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
“And yet, these violent rioters are attacking our law enforcement who are keeping Americans safe and these deprecated individuals out of American communities
Secretary Noem has made it clear: If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law
Headline: Five New Counties Eligible for FEMA Disaster Assistance
Five New Counties Eligible for FEMA Disaster Assistance
AUSTIN, Texas – Homeowners and renters in Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis and Williamson counties are now eligible for FEMA disaster assistance after the severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding that began July 2
FEMA and the State of Texas may be able to help with serious disaster-related needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs and personal property loss
Previously, Kerr County was designated for FEMA assistance, meaning survivors with losses in Kerr County could apply even if they do not live in the county or in Texas
Survivors with homeowners’, renters and flood insurance are encouraged to file a claim with their insurance carrier as soon as possible
By law, FEMA cannot provide funding for losses covered by your insurance
If your policy does not cover all disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance
There are several ways to apply
The fastest way is to go to DisasterAssistance
gov
You may also use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362
Lines are open daily from 6 a
m
to 10 p
m
CT
If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service
Helpline operators speak many languages
Press 2 for Spanish
You may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center to receive in-person assistance
A recovery center is open from 8 a
m
to 7 p
m
daily at First Baptist Church, 625 Washington St
, Kerrville, TX 78028
As more Disaster Recovery Centers open, you may find one closer to you by using your ZIP code to search FEMA
gov/DRC
To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube
For the latest information about the Texas recovery, visit fema
What you need to know: Californians are strongly encourage to us state and local resources to protect themselves from heat illness as triple digit temperatures move across our state.
SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom is encouraging Californians to prepare for dangerous heat throughout California, and smoky conditions in the far northern part of the state, today through early next week.
The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories in many portions of the state on Friday and Saturday, extending through Sunday in parts of the Central Valley. In Northern California, areas west of Redding are under Extreme Heat Warnings due to triple digit temperatures that are expected to linger into the first part of next week. Air quality will also be impacted due to smoke from several wildfires burning in remote California and Oregon locations.
“As temperatures soar across our state, I urge Californians to take precautions and utilize state and local resources to protect from dangerous heat illness and unhealthy air.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
CalHeatScore map results from Friday, July 11, 2025
The recently launched CalHeatScore heat-ranking tool indicates much of northern and central California will be impacted by moderate to severe heat conditions through Monday, with some areas feeling the heat through Wednesday. Residents can check their area by zip code for local conditions.
Here are a few tips and considerations for Californians – especially those with access and functional needs, children, and older residents – to stay safe from heat and reduce health risks:
Have a heat plan
Monitor weather forecasts and advisories to know when excessive heat is expected and how long it’s expected to last. Create a heat plan and encourage others to stay safe during a heat event.
Keep cool
Visit a local cooling center or air-conditioned space, such as a library, community center or shopping center. If you’re unable to travel or find an air-conditioned space, consider the following at home:
Close windows, doors, shades and curtains to prevent hot air and sunlight from entering your home during high heat days.
Place a cool, damp towel on the back of your neck and wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothes.
Use cool compresses and take a cool shower or bath to help reduce body temperature and provide relief from the heat.
Use your support networks
Identify individuals in your life, such as family, friends and neighbors, who could help support you during heat events.
Remember, creating an emergency preparedness plan based on your personal needs is critical to ensure you and your loved ones remain safe during an emergency.
Sign up for alerts and notifications
Sign up for emergency alerts with your county or local officials. You can choose how to get alerts sent to you when you sign up, including cell phone, home phone, email, text messages and, in some cases, TTY devices.
Sign up for a medical baseline program, an assistance program for people who depend on power for certain medical needs. Participation is important to ensure you receive additional notification of current or upcoming power shutoff events, which may occur during extreme heat events.
Press releases, Recent news
Recent news
Jul 11, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is announcing that the California Employment Development Department is awarding $11 million to help six California organizations connect underserved adults — including veterans, people with disabilities, and at-risk young…
Jul 11, 2025
News What you need to know: As part of California’s strategy to combat homelessness and expand housing, Governor Gavin Newsom is reorganizing state agencies to institutionalize housing, homelessness, and affordability as long-term priorities. The reorganization…
Jul 10, 2025
News What you need to know: To help mark Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, the First Partner visits an apprenticeship program that is helping opportunity youth—including women of color—break into careers in Hollywood’s below-the-line workforce. LOS ANGELES—First Partner…
Headline: Verizon donates $10,000 to aid New Mexico flood relief, benefit local nonprofit
RUIDOSO, N.M – As a New Mexico mountain community begins to clean up following a devastating flash flood, Verizon is supporting relief efforts in the community with a $10,000 donation to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County. This New Mexico-based organization provides resources for local residents and this donation will go towards their shelter fund to provide assistance with temporary housing and repairs.
“We are here for the Ruidoso community, our hearts break for the lives that were lost and the families they leave behind,” said Aimee Novak, Mountain Market President at Verizon. “Our teams have been committed to helping New Mexico residents during recent natural disasters, from supporting first responders during recent wildfires to aiding current flooding recovery efforts through this donation.”
New Mexico’s governor issued a State of Emergency but despite the recent destruction, Verizon’s network remains operational.
Verizon supported community and first responders during previous wildfires
According to officials, recent wildfires and burn scars contributed to the flooding. Verizon supported public safety officials during last year’s wildfires in Ruidoso and the surrounding area by deploying several temporary assets to aid first responders with critical communications. Verizon has a fleet of more than 550 mobile assets ready to rapidly deploy and deliver essential services during natural disasters like the wildfires in New Mexico.
Satellite communication provides critical connectivity during disasters
Disasters like this are a good reminder that when services are impacted by severe weather or people find themselves in very remote areas, satellite communication is now a crucial option. Customers with select Android and iOS devices on any Verizon myPlan can access satellite messaging and emergency SOS features, including location detection, for free. To learn more about satellite messaging: https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/.
Headline: Verizon donates $10,000 to aid New Mexico flood relief, benefit local nonprofit
RUIDOSO, N.M – As a New Mexico mountain community begins to clean up following a devastating flash flood, Verizon is supporting relief efforts in the community with a $10,000 donation to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County. This New Mexico-based organization provides resources for local residents and this donation will go towards their shelter fund to provide assistance with temporary housing and repairs.
“We are here for the Ruidoso community, our hearts break for the lives that were lost and the families they leave behind,” said Aimee Novak, Mountain Market President at Verizon. “Our teams have been committed to helping New Mexico residents during recent natural disasters, from supporting first responders during recent wildfires to aiding current flooding recovery efforts through this donation.”
New Mexico’s governor issued a State of Emergency but despite the recent destruction, Verizon’s network remains operational.
Verizon supported community and first responders during previous wildfires
According to officials, recent wildfires and burn scars contributed to the flooding. Verizon supported public safety officials during last year’s wildfires in Ruidoso and the surrounding area by deploying several temporary assets to aid first responders with critical communications. Verizon has a fleet of more than 550 mobile assets ready to rapidly deploy and deliver essential services during natural disasters like the wildfires in New Mexico.
Satellite communication provides critical connectivity during disasters
Disasters like this are a good reminder that when services are impacted by severe weather or people find themselves in very remote areas, satellite communication is now a crucial option. Customers with select Android and iOS devices on any Verizon myPlan can access satellite messaging and emergency SOS features, including location detection, for free. To learn more about satellite messaging: https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/.
Over the past six months, the headlines have been dominated by stories of fear, division and hatred.However, activists around the world are working away to ensure hope prevails. Here are some of the human rights wins we can be proud of from January to June 2025.
January
Afghanistan
In 2023, Amnesty International released a report on the Taliban’s war on women. Following its findings, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor filed a request for arrest warrants against the Taliban’s Supreme Leader and their Chief Justice, citing crimes against humanity.
The request charges the Taliban’s Supreme Leader and their Chief Justice for gender persecution against women, girls, and LGBTI people since their return to power in August 2021. Although the warrants are still subject to the approval of ICC judges these are the first public arrest warrants sought by the ICC in Afghanistan since the country became a member of the court in 2003.
Cameroon
Dorgelesse Nguessan was released on 16 January after spending more than four years in prison for participating in a protest. The hairdresser and single mother had never been politically active yet joined a protest after growing concerned about the high cost of living. She was charged with insurrection, tried by a military court and sentenced to five years in prison on 7 December 2021.
I thank those who directly or indirectly work for your organization and contributed to my release.
Dorgelesse Nguessan
Dorgelesse was part of Amnesty International’s 2022 Write for Rights campaign, where thousands of supporters called for her release. Amnesty also provided short-term relief support to assist Dorgelesse and her family through the difficult moments of her detention. On 16 January, the Court of Appeal reduced her sentence.
“I thank you for all the efforts you have devoted as I was arbitrarily detained,” said Dorgelesse. “I thank those who directly or indirectly work for your organization and contributed to my release.”
Chile
On 2 January, two police [Carabineros] officers were sentenced to prison for shooting activist Renzo Inostroza and blinding him in one eye. The court concluded that their actions violated both Chile’s national regulations and international obligations. This conviction set a judicial precedent in the struggle to ensure the Chilean justice system pursues criminal responsibility for the unlawful actions of the Carabineros. This conviction follows Amnesty’s landmark Eyes on Chile report, which analyzed patterns and individual cases of police violence during the social unrest that broke out in Chile in October 2019. Renzo’s case was part of the report.
Saudi Arabia
From January to February, Amnesty successfully campaigned for the release of several human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. On 7 January, human rights defender and former prisoner of conscience, Mohammed al-Qahtani, was conditionally released after spending 12 years in prison for his human rights work. On 13 February, 47-year-old teacher Asaad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi was released from prison following an unfair trial before the notorious Specialized Criminal Court (SCC). Asaad was arrested in 2022 and initially sentenced to 20 years in prison for social media posts criticizing the government’s Vision 2030 programme. On 10 February 2025, Leeds University PhD student and mother of two, Salma al-Shehab, was released from prison after completing a four-year prison term following an unfair trial before the SCC. Following a grossly unfair trial, the SCC had convicted Salma al-Shehab of terrorism-related offences for publishing tweets in support of women’s rights.
USA
The United States sanctioned a number of companies involved in the transfer of weapons into Sudan and Darfur. These sanctions follow Amnesty’s innovative briefing, published in July 2024, that combined business trade data and video analysis to show how the constant import of foreign-manufactured arms into Sudan was fuelling relentless civilian suffering.
Amnesty International members long campaigned for the release of Native American activist Leonard Peltier and most recently called on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency on humanitarian grounds and as a matter of justice.
USA
Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist, was imprisoned for nearly 50 years in the USA for a crime he maintains he did not commit. There were serious concerns about the fairness of his trial and conviction. Tribal Nations, Nobel Peace Laureates, former FBI agents, numerous others, and even the former U.S. Attorney, James Reynolds, whose office handled the prosecution, have called for Leonard Peltier’s release. Amnesty International members had long campaigned for his release, and most recently called on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency on humanitarian grounds and as a matter of justice. In the final hour of his presidency, former President Biden commuted Peltier’s life sentence to home confinement. Amnesty recently offered him short-term relief support as he works to rebuild his life after his release.
February
Algeria
Thanks to sustained advocacy work from Amnesty International Algeria and several national women’s rights organizations, Algeria’s president Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a series of concrete measures to combat violence against women – moving from commitment to action.
The Ministry of Solidarity has since launched a national toll-free helpline, available 24/7 across the country, enabling victims to report abuse, be referred to appropriate support services, and receive emergency assistance when in danger. It is already proving effective. A Guide for Women Victims of Violence has been published in Arabic and English and is currently being distributed nationwide. New legal measures, including the possibility of issuing an immediate restraining order against perpetrators of violence, have also been announced.
Benin
Thousands of Beninese families living in coastal areas have been living an endless nightmare, victims of forced evictions orchestrated in the name of tourism development. However, in February the authorities issued a public call for people awaiting proper compensation to come forward so their case can be followed up. The National Agency for Land and Property’s direct also asked Amnesty International for a list of people who have not received appropriate reparations.
The move follows the release of an Amnesty International report on forced evictions in Benin in December 2023 and a subsequent campaign calling for proper compensation for those who have been unfairly evicted, which proved vital in securing this positive outcome.
Thank you all very much. Without your help, we could not have saved my husband.
Zaynura Hasan
Amnesty International had been campaigning for his freedom since he was initially detained in July 2021. Zaynura Hasan, Idris’ wife, thanked the organization for the relentless support.
“Thank you all very much. Without your help, we could not have saved my husband.”
Serbia
Recent research by Amnesty International’s Security Lab and European Regional Office documented how Serbian police and intelligence authorities are using advanced phone spyware alongside mobile phone forensic products to unlawfully target journalists, environmental activists and other individuals in a covert surveillance campaign.
In a significant human rights win, Cellebrite (a company specialising in digital intelligence and forensics) announced it will stop the use of its digital forensic equipment for some of its customers in Serbia as a direct result of Amnesty’s research. Simultaneously, Serbia’s Prosecutor for High Technological Crime, the Ombudsman and Data Protection Commissioner started separate investigations based on the research findings.
Senegal
In a positive step forward, the Senegalese government invited Amnesty International to provide support and assistance for people who have been arrested for participating in protests, as well as former detainees.
Since 2021, Amnesty International has denounced the unlawful use of force by security forces during protests, compiled a list of those who have been killed, and condemned the arbitrary detention of hundreds of people for having called for or participated in protests. According to figures gathered by Amnesty International and other civil society organizations, at least 65 people were killed, the majority by firearms, with at least 1,000 wounded. A further 2,000 people were arrested.
Amnesty International continues to call for the repeal of the amnesty law adopted by the former government, for justice and reparation for the victims and their family members.
Taner Kılıç, a refugee rights lawyer and former Chair of Amnesty International’s Türkiye section, was finally acquitted after nearly eight years of judicial proceedings.
Türkiye
Taner Kılıç, a refugee rights lawyer and former Chair of Amnesty International’s Türkiye section, was finally acquitted after nearly eight years of judicial proceedings.
Arrested in June 2017 and imprisoned for over 14 months, he was unjustly convicted in 2020 despite no credible evidence. He faced more than six years in prison for “membership of a terrorist organization”. Amnesty provided relief support to him and his family as they navigated the difficulty of his imprisonment.
Reflecting on the case, Taner said: “This nightmare that has gone on for almost eight years is finally over… The only thing I was sure of throughout this process was that I was right and innocent, and the support from all over the world gave me strength. I thank each and every one who stood up for me.”
In a landmark ruling, Brazilian actor Juan Darthés was found guilty for the rape of Argentinian actress Thelma Fardin. Amnesty provided legal and psychosocial support to Thelma.
Latin America
In a landmark ruling for women’s rights in Latin America, a Brazilian court convicted actor Juan Darthés of sexual violence against Argentine actress Thelma Fardin, who accused him in 2018 of abusing her when she was 16. Amnesty provided support for transport related costs, and psychosocial support for Thelma throughout her case. The sentence sets an important precedent for sexual violence cases in the region.
After a five-year legal battle across three countries, Thelma stated: “Today I can look my 16-year-old self in the eye and say we did it.”
Philippines
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by police on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.
Thousands of people, mostly from poor and marginalized communities, were unlawfully killed by the police – or by armed individuals suspected to have links to the police – during Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs”. Amnesty has been calling for his arrest for a number of years and described it as “a long-awaited and monumental step for justice”. He is now due to stand trial at the ICC.
Sierra Leone
Hawa Hunt, a reality TV star, was freed from detention on 4 March and cleared of all the cybercrime related charges against her. She was arrested on live television in December 2024 and charged with insulting the President and First Lady in a social media video.
Amnesty International called on authorities to release her and to ensure her rights were upheld.
Her daughter Alicia said: “In one of the very few phone calls I was able to have with my mother as she was in jail, I told her how Amnesty International spoke up for her. She and our whole family were very touched by the support. We believe it played a very key role in her being released.”
Since May 1995, the Saturday Mothers have held peaceful weekly protests demanding justice for relatives forcibly disappeared in the eighties and nineties.
Türkiye
Since May 1995, the Saturday Mothers have held regular peaceful protests at Galatasaray Square every Saturday, demanding justice for relatives forcibly disappeared in the eighties and nineties. Their 700th vigil on 25 August 2018 was banned and violently dispersed by police using tear gas and water cannons.
Forty-six people were detained and later released, but in 2020, they were prosecuted for “attending illegal meetings and marches without weapons and not dispersing despite warnings”.
Thanks to the determination of the Saturday Mothers and their supporters – including Amnesty International who provided legal aid – all were acquitted in March 2025.
USA
On March 17, US immigration authorities detained Alberto, the father of a Venezuelan family of four, separating him from his wife and two children. Despite the family having pending asylum applications, he was charged with “illegal” entry to the United States. His case was an example of the Trump administration’s use of a provision of immigration law to target individuals and families that have been in the United States for years, rather than recent arrivals at the US-Mexico border. On April 21, 2025, Alberto was granted bond and released from ICE detention, following calls from Amnesty International and reunited with his wife and two children.
May
Chile
Romario Veloz was shot and killed by an army captain during social unrest in La Serena, Chile, in 2019. The police officer who shot Romario Veloz was imprisoned in May 2025 – setting a precedent in cases of human rights violations committed by state agents. Despite the victory, widespread impunity for police violence continues. Romario was also part of Amnesty’s Eyes on Chile investigation (2020). Amnesty provided support to Romario’s young child, helping her access education as well as covering the legal expenses for the family’s quest to seek justice.
Alongside the report, Amnesty was part of the Advisory Unit for Police Reform, wrote letters to the Chilean president and gave numerous media interviews on police violence. Amnesty Chile’s relentless campaigning paid off and helped to stop the implementation of the use of tasers by Chilean police forces.
Côte d’Ivoire
On 7 May, Ghislain Duggary Assy, Communications Secretary of the Movement of Teachers for the Dignity Dynamic union, was provisionally released pending his trial, due to international pressure from Amnesty International. A month earlier, he had been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment solely for having called for strike action in primary and secondary schools.
Amnesty International condemned the flagrant violation of workers’ rights, in particular the right to strike and freedom of association and will continue to call for his unconditional release.
Greece
Two years ago, the Pylos shipwreck led to the death of more than 600 people. Now, 17 Greek coastguard officers face charges in connection with it, including causing a shipwreck, exposure to danger and failure to provide assistance. These developments may pave the way towards accountability for the worst shipwreck in the Mediterranean in recent years.
Amnesty has been calling for justice through sustained advocacy and campaigning.
Türkiye
Afghan asylum seeker Tabriz Saifi is blind due to chronic diabetes and relies on dialysis three times a week. However, his international protection application was rejected by the Turkish authorities on 28 February, which meant he no longer had access to life-saving healthcare. Amnesty International immediately launched an urgent action, calling for the decision to be reversed.
On 2 May, his family was informed that the decision had been reversed and that his asylum seeker status had been reinstated, along with full access to free healthcare.
Girls and women support the right to abortion in Argentina.
Argentina
An Argentine private health insurer was fined over $4,000 USD for denying a legal abortion to a woman whose pregnancy posed serious health risks — a clear violation of the country’s reproductive rights law.
Amnesty International Argentina provided legal advice and stressed that rulings like this reinforce the need to guarantee access to legal abortion as a right, not an exception subject to individual or institutional discretion.
Council of Europe
Following sustained advocacy by Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation, the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) adopted a report on measures against the trade in goods used for death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Georgia
After months of public pressure, protests and legal action, the Georgian Ministry of Justice announced it would end the humiliating practice of fully stripping detainees during body searches.
The decision followed a lawsuit from the Public Defender in February, a report from Amnesty International condemning the practice as degrading and unlawful, as well as a video featuring Georgian artist and activist Kristina Botkoveli, who was subjected to a forced strip search, harassment, and threats after participating in protests.
Following calls from Amnesty International and other organizations, the revised Sámi Parliament Act has now been approved by the Finnish parliament.
Finland
The Sámi are a group of Indigenous people that come from the region of Sápmi, which stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in Russia.
For a number of years, they have been subjected to human rights violations. However, following calls from Amnesty International and other organizations, the revised Sámi Parliament Act has now been approved by the Finnish parliament.
The amended Act strengthens Indigenous Sámi people’s right to self-determination and improves the way in which the Sámi Parliament operates. It also corrects human rights violations highlighted by international human rights treaty bodies.
Hungary
On 28 June, Budapest Pride proceeded despite restrictive anti-Pride laws and police targeting the march. Around 200,000 people, including over 280 Amnesty International activists and staff from Hungary and 22 other countries, peacefully demanded equality and assembly rights. This was Budapest’s largest Pride in 30 years, symbolizing strong public resistance to discrimination and highlighting the resilience of Hungary’s LGBTI community. Amnesty’s Let Pride March campaign helped raise awareness, mobilize activists, and urged police to respect peaceful protest. With over 120,000 global actions supporting the event – it demonstrated that solidarity can overcome oppression, though challenges for LGBTI rights in Hungary persist.
Activists and speakers – including King Okabi of the Ogale community – call for an end to Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta and compensation outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, on day one of the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial, 13 February 2025.
Nigeria/UK
After a decade-long fight for justice, a UK court ruled that Shell can be held liable for the oil spills and leaks it has failed to clean up in the Niger Delta – regardless of how long ago they happened.
The judgement is an important step towards justice for communities in the Niger Delta and a vital opportunity to make Shell pay for the devastating pollution it has caused to the Ogale and Bille communities’ lands.
In parallel with this decision, the Nigerian government also pardoned the Ogoni Nine. The group of activists, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, Nigerian author and campaigner, were executed 30 years ago by a government that wanted to hide the crimes of Shell and other oil companies that were destroying the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the Niger Delta.
Amnesty has been supporting and campaigning for justice for the Ogoni Nine for years and documenting the destruction Shell has left behind through a series of powerful reports. While these are positive outcomes, much more needs to be done to ensure justice is achieved for communities in the Niger Delta, including holding Shell and other oil companies to account for the damage they have done and continue to do – and Amnesty will be there every step of the way!
Ukraine
On 24 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset signed an agreement establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine in Strasbourg, following calls from Amnesty International and others. It is hoped this will help hold perpetrators of the crime of aggression accountable.
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University, was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University.
USA
On March 9, US immigration authorities unlawfully arrested and arbitrarily detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist, lawful permanent resident of the USA, and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University. Mahmoud was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University, where he was exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. He was not charged with a crime yet was held in a detention centre, told that his permanent residency status was “revoked”, and placed in deportation proceedings. Amnesty International demanded that authorities release Mahmoud immediately and respect his rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and due process. After 104 days in a Louisiana immigration detention centre, Mahmoud Khalil was released on bail in June 21, however he’s still facing threats of deportation by US authorities. He has since filed a $20 million USD lawsuit against the Trump administration.
Last year we know that we fell short of expectations in some areas of The Darley Park Weekender. We want you to know that we’ve listened, that your feedback is valued, and that we’ve committed to making changes to improve the customer experience.
Your safety and enjoyment are our top priorities at The Darley Park Weekender. To ensure a secure and fun experience for everyone, including other park users, we have important safety measures and restrictions in place.
You said: Queues were slow at the event entrance on Sunday, and the increased security checks seemed excessive. We did: We’ll have more security lanes open during peak times to keep delays to a minimum. There’s entertainment on stage as soon as the gates open, so please consider getting here earlier on, when queues should be shorter to minimise your wait.
You said: Security at the event entrance asked for the contents of flasks and kids juice bottles to be poured away. We did: Whilst we can’t allow filled flasks and unsealed soft drinks on site, we are providing access to hot water for you to fill your flasks on site, as well as our usual provision of cold water, all available for free. Empty plastic bottles or sealed soft drinks are still allowed. If you need to bring unsealed baby milk/formula please contact us ahead of the event.
You said: Bar queues were long and slow, some of you missed getting back to see acts on stage. We did: We’ve got bigger bars, more serving points, and cocktails (which can take longer to make) will be available from separate serving points.
You said: The Sunday fireworks display was poor, not as good as previous years. We did: We are investing in improved pyrotechnics for this year’s display.
You said: No trolleys were allowed on site and there was no trolley park outside the entrance. We did: Whilst we can’t admit trolleys to the site, we will have a trolley park outside the event entrance, to allow transportation of items for those who need it. Please note trolleys are left at your own risk. We understand some people may need assistance. If you have specific access needs, including the use of a trolley or other aid, please email us before the event at derbylive@derby.gov.uk. We’ll assess each request individually and do our best to help. We also have an access entrance and wheelchair platform that allows for customers to have an improved view of the stage and hard-standing access to the site.
You said: Water ran out on wash bays near the toilets. We did: We will ensure they are more regularly checked, cleaned and have water available.
You said: Some of you felt sound was poor on Sunday and you couldn’t hear from the zones furthest away from the stage. We did: Sound technicians are aware of the cause of this issue and will adjust levels accordingly. We will also monitor sound levels at regular intervals throughout the concert.
Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said:
The Darley Park Weekender is one of Derby’s most exciting events, and we’re committed to making it the best and most enjoyable experience for everyone.
We’ve listened to your feedback from last year’s event, and our teams have worked hard to implement changes that will make a real difference. Come along and join us for an even better event this year!
The Darley Park Weekender is back for summer 2025, with three days of musical entertainment, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Darley Park.
80s Mix Tape returns on Fri 29 Aug with Bananarama, Haircut 100, The Fizz, Gary Davies and Cassette Roulette. Ultimate 90s follows on Sat 30 Aug, featuring poptastic icons Heather Small, East 17, 911, Damage, Mark Angels and Cassette Roulette. Rounding off the weekend on Sun 31 Aug is The Darley Park Concert, Derby’s annual spectacular evening of classical music, with Sinfonia Viva.
Save on tickets by buying in advance. Tickets bought in advance for 80s Mix Tape or Ultimate 90s are £27 for adults, £15 for children aged 5 -15 and under 5s are free. Tickets bought on the day are £38 for adults. £15 for ages 5-15 with under 5s free. Tickets bought in advance for The Darley Park Concert are £6 for adults and £3 for children aged 1 -15. Tickets bought on the day are £11 for adults and £6 for ages 1-15.
New for 2025, are VIP Darley Garden experience tickets. Enjoy access to our exclusive VIP area which has it’s own bar, toilets and a great view of the main stage. You can also beat the queues with your own fast track entry! VIP tickets for 80s Mix Tape or Ultimate 90s are £65, VIP tickets for The Darley Park Concert are £30.
Historic peatlands at the heart of the Industrial Revolution to become New National Nature Reserve
Network of 11 nature abundant lowland peat sites in between Liverpool and Manchester to become a King’s Series National Nature Reserve.
Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss NNR
Site is home to vast peatland habitats, lizards, adder, and curlew
New reserve falls on the doorstep of urban communities in Warrington and Greater Manchester, giving 2.7 million people the opportunity to access nature within 10 miles of their homes
Ten thousand years in the making and launched today (Monday 14 July), the new Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss National Nature Reserve will provide a destination for the people of Warrington and Greater Manchester to access nature-rich landscapes.
The newest addition under the King’s Series, this network of 11 sites from lowland raised bogs and fen, through to lowland heath, wet woodland and drier woodland habitats will be restored to provide homes for rare species, such as lapwings, curlew, sundew and adders.
After being at the centre of the industrial revolution, this area is becoming a leading example of nature recovery, through the restoration of some of our most important and precious habitats.
The peatlands in this area were created over a period of 10,000 years, since the last Ice Age, and now heavily degraded. Peatlands are a hugely important part of England’s natural environment. They act as the country’s lungs, storing more carbon than any other type of landscape, as well as holding huge amounts of water and preventing flooding around them. However, more than 80% of England’s peatlands are damaged, dried out or degraded with the majority of England’s lowland peat being intensively farmed.
These internationally important lowland peat habitats, which are over an area the size of 750 professional rugby pitches or 25 Trafford Centres, are being restored. This will help mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect the security and prosperity of communities in Warrington and Greater Manchester.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:
“This part of England led the world in industrial innovation and today it shows leadership in Nature recovery. Nature is vital for our health, wealth and security and this new reserve reveals the huge potential for meeting modern challenges through natural solutions. Spending time outdoors in natural settings is great for mental and physical wellbeing, the services provided by nature help prevent flooding, catch carbon and benefits the local economy.
“Supporting nature around urban areas creates better places to live and work, and this new reserve will allow the millions of people who live near it to experience nature at its best.”
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:
“This beautiful landscape will now have the chance to recover and thrive, after centuries of damage, providing wonderful wild spaces for local people to enjoy.
“This Government is committed to turning the tide on nature’s decline after years of neglect as part of our plan for change. New National Nature Reserves deliver on our promise to improve access to nature and protect nature-rich habitats, such as peatlands.”
The deep lowland peat within this National Nature Reserve was degraded through drainage and peat cutting, damage which accelerated during the industrial revolution. The renowned engineer and ‘Father of Railways’ George Stephenson built a ‘floating’ railway line in 1830 through Chat Moss, between Liverpool and Manchester, the first intercity railway line in the world.
This made the region a trailblazer in nineteenth century industrial innovation, with the world-famous Stephenson’s Rocket travelling on the line, but also saw much of the peatland being opened to drainage. Now, the North West is following up its role as a leader in industry by taking the lead on nature recovery in this iconic landscape.
This is the 10th reserve to be launched as part of the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves, which will leave a lasting public legacy for people and nature with 25 new National Nature Reserves by 2027.
The new reserve, within the Great Manchester Wetlands, sits between the National Nature Reserves of Rostherne Mere to the south, the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh to the north, and links to the Bollin to Mersey Nature Recovery Project, creating a recovering network of wetland and woodland across the region.
The new reserve will be managed by Natural England, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Forestry England, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, Warrington Borough Council, Wigan Council and Woodland Trust.
This collaboration will enable the seven partners to join under one common purpose to enhance nature’s recovery, enhance climate resilience and Net Zero efforts providing vital wild greenspace, creating a network of bigger, better, joined-up wildlife-rich places.
The launch of this latest reserve in the King’s Series comes as part of a wider effort to drive forward nature recovery in the region. Based across 11 sites, the reserve is in the heart of the Great Manchester Wetlands, a 480 km2 nature recovery partnership restoring the wetlands of Salford, Warrington and Wigan.
Restoration work has been taking place at some of the sites since the 1980s, but this has accelerated since 2010 with the creation of the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership. The programme has shown benefits for nature and people in the peatland landscape are possible over a short space in time.
The sites demonstrate a full range of lowland peat restoration from recently acquired arable/horticultural fields (Natural England’s Moss Side Farm) to former industrial and hand-cut peat extraction sites. There are bog and fen habitats in the early stages of recovery through to internationally protected lowland raised bog.
The new reserve will drive ongoing recovery of this landscape through a joined up approach to restoration, access and research. This will further support the net zero ambition of by Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the three Local Authorities of Salford, Warrington and Wigan.
QUOTES PACK
Warrington Borough Council Leader, Cllr Hans Mundry, said:
“It’s a great honour for Risley, Holcroft, and Chat Moss to receive this designation as a National Nature Reserve. It will strengthen our work, as partners, to protect the rich diversity of habitats and wildlife found here, including many rare species. At the same time, it will allow us to create more opportunities for people to discover and rediscover these beautiful, hidden landscapes and connect with nature and heritage.”
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Paul Mosley, Regional Comms and Engagement Manager for the Woodland Trust said
“It’s a pleasure to be part of this new national nature reserve with our woodland sites at Gorse Covert Mounds, Pestfurlong Moss and New Moss Wood. Recent landscaping and habitat management works at these sites has really helped to improve their biodiversity for wildlife and for the benefit of people who come to enjoy these fantastic spaces. Being part of the NNR will help to protect them now and in the future which is a great collaborative achievement.”
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Lancashire Wildlife Trust CEO, Tom Burditt, said:
“The peatlands are a hugely important for wildlife and for the environment – they were described as ‘the lungs of the UK’ by Tom Heap on Countryfile. So it’s only right that these mosses and the work that is being done to restore them receives this national recognition.”
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Charlotte Harris, CEO, Cheshire Wildlife Trust
“The designation of the Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss National Nature Reserve marks a powerful moment for nature recovery in the North West. As a site owner at Holcroft Moss, we at Cheshire Wildlife Trust are proud to be part of this pioneering partnership — one that brings together landowners, communities, and conservation organisations under a shared vision for our landscape’s future.”
“This designation is more than a milestone — it’s a launchpad. It gives us a platform to secure long-term funding, engage more people, and embed nature recovery into local policy and planning. We thank Natural England and our partners for their leadership and look forward to delivering bold, landscape-scale impact in the years ahead.”
Stakeholders engage in hands-on exercises using the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities to assess resilience levels and identify priority actions.
From 17 to 19 June 2025, Capricorn District Municipality in South Africa hosted a three-day workshop on Urban Risk-Informed Development Planning and Making Cities Resilient 2030. The training was jointly organized by the municipality, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Africa, under the GIZ Resilience Initiative Africa project.
Located in Limpopo Province, Capricorn faces multiple hazards such as floods, drought, wildfires, and heatwaves. This makes resilience planning not just relevant but critical. Through participatory exercises, government officials and local stakeholders worked to build their capacities and identify priority actions for disaster risk reduction (DRR).
Stakeholders were introduced to DRR frameworks to guide their understanding and action planning. This included a comprehensive orientation on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which emphasizes the need for a multi-hazard, multi-sectoral approach to managing disaster risk, and the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative, particularly its Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient. These frameworks served as the conceptual backbone for local resilience planning.
Participants were guided through the practical application of the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, a diagnostic tool designed to measure urban resilience across critical sectors. Stakeholders collectively reviewed Capricorn District’s resilience performance, identifying strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement. The assessment provided a baseline to inform strategic planning, resource prioritization, and future investments in resilience-building across the district.
” Resilience is not optional; it is essential. Through honest reflection and active collaboration, we can build inclusive, adaptive communities aligned with the Sendai Framework and the SDGs,” said Councillor Pemme Jossuf.
Stakeholders of the Urban Risk-Informed Development Planning workshop in Capricorn District Municipality
The assessment revealed that while foundational systems for disaster resilience are in place, several critical gaps still need to be addressed. These include the need for better integration of DRR in spatial planning, stronger financial mechanisms for resilience, safeguarding of natural ecosystem and the need for more inclusive engagement with at risk communities.
“Seeing our real scores motivates us to prioritize actions where they matter most. This is exactly the kind of systemic, practical work that sets a foundation for long-term resilience across the SADC region” shared Mr. Mpheehe Machaba, the executive manager for community services, Capricorn District Municipality.
The workshop emphasized the importance of inclusive risk-informed planning, integration of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in performance management, and the use of local knowledge to protect at risk communities. Special focus was placed on aligning local strategies with national policies and international frameworks like the Sendai Framework, SDG 11- Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 13- Climate Action, and South Africa’s DRM legislation.
“The Scorecard isn’t just a technical tool but a means through which cities understand where they are, where they need to go, and how to get there, ” said Carolyne Mengich, the associate programme management officer at UNDRR.
Breakout sessions encouraged collaborative reflection on risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for integrating resilience into development planning.
The final day of the workshop was dedicated to the co-creation of draft DRR Action Plans specifically tailored to the local context, risks, and institutional capacities of the Capricorn District. Building on the insights from the Scorecard assessment, participants identified priority actions across multiple sectors including coordination, infrastructure, social services, and information management and communication. Emphasis was placed on ensuring that the action plans were realistic, inclusive, and locally owned. There was broad consensus that effective implementation will require a phased approach, beginning with quick wins and capacity-building measures, followed by more resource-intensive structural interventions. Participants also recognized that sustained progress hinges on strong multi-stakeholder coordination, inclusive of government departments, local municipalities, civil society, the private sector, and technical partners. The Capricorn experience underscores how locally driven, globally informed resilience building can guide municipalities in South Africa and beyond.
In a pivotal step toward fortifying urban resilience in East Africa, Dar es Salaam City Council, in collaboration with United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the GIZ Resilience Initiative Africa (RIA), convened a workshop to strengthen local capacity for disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaption. Held at the historic Karimjee Hall, this three-day event, held from June 17th to 19th, 2025, brought together 25 stakeholders, including local government officials, development partners, civil society representatives, academia and the private sector.
The workshop successfully elevated the role of local governance in advancing risk-informed development and climate adaptation strategies. The efforts align with key global and regional frameworks, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The initiative also aligns with the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) Initiative, which supports cities to strengthen their resilience to climate and disaster risks.
Addressing urban vulnerability in a rapidly changing climate
With more than half of the global population now residing in urban areas—a figure expected to surpass 60% by 2030—rapid urbanization, climate variability, poverty, and insufficient planning have significantly heightened cities’ vulnerability to disasters. Dar es Salaam, specifically, is projected to grow into a mega city of more than 10 million people by 2030, intensifying challenges related to increased frequencies of floods and droughts, sea level rise and salinity affecting groundwater.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Amani Kavishe, Natural Resource Officer, Dar es Salaam City Council, underscored the urgent need for cities to adopt integrated approaches that not only address immediate hazards but also build long-term adaptive capacities.
“Building a resilient Dar es Salaam starts with how we plan and build today. If we do not integrate resilience into our infrastructure and policies now, we will continue to rebuild after every flood”said Mr. Kavishe. ‘”his workshop is a step forward towards smarter, safer urban development.”
Building local capacity with practical tools and preliminary assessment
A central component of the workshop involved extensive training on the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, a diagnostic tool that helps local authorities assess their resilience using the Ten Essentials of the MCR2030 initiative – which outline the steps that need to be taken to build urban resilience. As a co-organizer and a key facilitator, UNDRR provided essential technical capacity for the workshop.
Participants actively applied the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, with technical guidance provided by experts from UNDRR and GIZ. Through this practical exercise, they conducted a preliminary assessment of Dar es Salaam City Council’s current resilience status. The assessment process enabled participants to identify key strengths, critical gaps, and opportunities for improvement in the city’s disaster risk reduction efforts.
The workshop primarily focused on training participants on the use of the Scorecard and understanding its implications, laying groundwork for future strategy development.
A platform for knowledge exchange and commitment
The event served as more than a training; it was a forum for collaboration and exchange. Participants shared experiences, challenges, and innovations from their respective institutions, contributing to a rich dialogue on context-specific resilience building. The Resilience Initiative Africa (RIA)project, a partnership implemented by GIZ, in collaboration with UNDRR Regional Office for Africa, the African Union Commission (AUC), the SADC Secretariat, Slum Dwellers International and Africa Adaptation Initiative, reiterated its commitment to supporting inclusive and gender-responsive urban development that leaves no one behind.
Feedback from participants underscored the workshop’s impact. ‘”The workshop was highly informative, equipping us with crucial knowledge on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and practical strategies for implementing it in our community to enhance city resilience’”Carlos Mdemu from Mazingira Konekti (CSO).
In closing, the UNDRR representative underscored the importance of sustaining momentum beyond the workshop. Participants were encouraged to leverage the tools, partnerships, and knowledge gained to formulate actionable DRR strategies, and to utilize platforms such as the MCR2030 dashboard,which offers guidance, tools, and monitoring capabilities to help cities assess resilience, track progress, and connect with partners for,continued support and collaboration.
As cities like Dar es Salaam continue to grow, the imperative to integrate resilience thinking into all facets of planning has never been more urgent. Through strengthened institutional capacities and cross-sectoral cooperation, the workshop marks a significant milestone toward a safer, more resilient urban future for Tanzania and Africa.
India continues to witness an active monsoon phase, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting extremely heavy rainfall (over 21 cm ) at isolated places in Rajasthan on Monday and Tuesday. Similar intense showers are likely over Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, and southeast Jharkhand on July 14, and Chhattisgarh on July 15.
Very heavy rainfall is also expected at isolated places across Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on July 14 and 15.
West Rajasthan may receive heavy showers on July 16, while west Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat Region are likely to experience similar conditions on July 14.
Eastern Madhya Pradesh is forecast to receive heavy rainfall on July 16 and 17.
Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha will continue to receive heavy rain on July 15, while Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are set for heavy rainfall between July 14 and 16.
Bihar is expected to receive heavy rainfall during July 14 and 16, while eastern Uttar Pradesh is likely to experience heavy showers on July 17.
Southern states including Kerala & Tamil Nadu, and coastal Karnataka are likely to receive continuous heavy rainfall through the week from July 14 to 20.
This weather activity is being driven by a well-marked low-pressure area currently over northeast Rajasthan and adjoining northwest Madhya Pradesh, and another system over southeast Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh.
In the past 24 hours, Odisha has already recorded extremely heavy rainfall, while very heavy rain (7–20 cm) was observed at isolated places in Jharkhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Madhya Pradesh.
Several other regions – including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, and Tripura – reported heavy rainfall (7–11 cm).
Weather forecast for Delhi-NCR
In Delhi-NCR, the IMD has predicted generally cloudy skies and light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning over the next four days.
On Monday, the city is likely to experience strong surface winds between 20–30 kmph, gusting up to 40 kmph. Maximum temperatures are expected to remain in the range of 31–33°C, which is 3–5°C below normal.
On July 15, very light to light rain is forecast, with similar wind patterns and temperatures ranging between 32–34°C (maximum) and 24–26°C (minimum), both slightly below normal.
The weather will remain partly cloudy on July 16 and 17, with occasional light rain and thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures will hover between 33–35°C, and nighttime temperatures between 24–26°C. Winds will predominantly blow from the southeast, with moderate speeds in the afternoon, easing by evening.
Overall, Delhi is expected to see relatively cooler and wet weather this week, while the rest of northern, eastern, and central India remains on alert for heavy rainfall and potential flooding in vulnerable regions.
Question for written answer E-002699/2025/rev.1 to the Commission Rule 144 Sakis Arnaoutoglou (S&D)
With the law adopted in June 2025, the Greek Government maintained its centralised approach to civil protection, making no provision for mandatory prevention projects (fire zones, evacuation plans) and without any meaningful involvement of local government or forestry services. The new framework also includes staff on fixed-term contracts, with no prospect for seasonal firefighters and without a plan to strengthen the workforce.
The AEGIS programme, which is co-financed by the EU, has been presented as the largest investment in civil protection, but to date it has not delivered comprehensive results. Transparency issues have been identified, as well as an excessive emphasis on communication activities and the leasing of aircraft. What is more, critical decentralised coordination projects, such as the 13 Regional Centres, were excluded from the Recovery Fund without sufficient justification.
In view of the above, can the Commission say:
1.Does it monitor the progress and effectiveness of the AEGIS programme?
2.Did it ask for explanations as to why prevention projects were excluded from the Recovery Fund?
3.How could it help strengthen the role of local authorities in civil protection?
The body of an alleged poacher was found in the Kruger National Park, said Mpumalanga police.
“The body of an alleged poacher was found in the Kruger National Park on 12 July 2025 at about 8:30 am and it is suspected that he could have been shot during a shootout with Field Rangers the previous night, 11 July [Thursday] 2025 at around 9pm, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said.
The discovery was made after three field rangers who were on patrol on Thursday night, came cross three suspected poachers. The rangers ordered the trio to stop, but the suspected poachers responded by opening fire at the rangers who shot back.
“The alleged poachers are said to have ran further into the dark, and due to poor light, the rangers abandoned their pursuit then returned to the camp.
“The next morning, the rangers returned to the scene to further conduct the search for the alleged poachers whilst patrolling the surrounding areas. It was during this time when they discovered the lifeless body of a male person with gunshot wound at the Lower Sabie region of the park, laying on the ground,” said the police.
A backpack was found next to the body of the deceased.
“The police from Skukuza as well as other role players were immediately notified, and the man was certified dead by the paramedics at the scene. Inside the backpack, two rhino horns were found. An investigation is underway meanwhile the man has not yet been identified,” said the SAPS in a statement on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the other two suspected poachers are still at large. –SAnews.gov.za
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF)
DODJI, Senegal — For many service members, participating in an international military exercise can feel like joining a larger, multinational family. For U.S. Army Maj. Carolyn Vandeventer and her younger brother, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Stuart Vandevick, that sentiment is literal.
The siblings were both deployed to Senegal in support of African Lion 2025 (AL25), U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual combined joint exercise. Vandeventer, a logistics officer assigned to the 79th Theater Sustainment Command (Forward), U.S. Army Reserve, based in Vicenza, Italy, and Vandevick, a key member of the exercise’s mayor cell assigned to the 561st Regional Support Group in Elkhorn, Nebraska, are sharing a rare opportunity to serve together while supporting multinational training at Centre d’Entraînement Tactique 2 (CET2) in Dodji.
This year’s iteration of AL25 emphasizes readiness, interoperability and relationship-building to enhance warfighting capabilities among partner nations. In that spirit, the Vandeventer siblings reinforce a core principle of the exercise: strong teams are built on trust, collaboration—and sometimes, family.
“It started off as a joke over Thanksgiving,” said Vandeventer. “I told Stuart, ‘Hey, your new unit falls under mine now. Want to come to Senegal?’ But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.”
What started as a joke soon turned into reality.
“We’ve both been in the Army for over 19 years,” said Vandeventer. “But we’ve never actually worked the same mission—until now.”
Vandevick quickly accepted the offer.
Tasked with overseeing base operations and sustainment efforts as part of the mayor cell, his responsibilities complemented his sister’s strategic role in managing logistics at the operational level. Together, their coordination added a personal dimension to an already complex multinational effort.
“Having Carolyn here makes the mission more personal,” said Vandevick. “It underscores how building trust and close relationships—whether with a sibling or a multinational partner—is essential to overcoming challenges and getting the job done.”
Their shared experience also illustrates the broader objective of African Lion: strengthening ties and improving readiness across allied and partner forces.
“African Lion thrives on personal connections that reinforce military cooperation,” said U.S. Army Col. Matthias E. Greene, the senior U.S. officer for AL25 in Senegal. “Having siblings serve side by side underscores our emphasis on building genuine partnerships at every level.”
In Senegal, AL25 featured field training exercises, live-fire ranges and medical readiness operations conducted by troops from Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Senegal and the U.S.
Across the wider theater, more than 10,000 participants from over 50 nations took part in coordinated activities across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.
Vandeventer said having her brother nearby was both operationally useful and personally meaningful.
“Because we’ve both been in the Army a long time, working together here has felt natural,” she said. “He understands how the mayor cell functions from his background in a regional support group, and that’s helped me tremendously. We’re in sync in a way only siblings can be—sometimes it feels like we can read each other’s minds.”
Beyond the mission, she says, the deployment offered something even rarer: time together.
“Other than Thanksgiving, I hadn’t seen him in years,” she said. “Serving overseas, I don’t get many chances like this. Getting to video call our parents from the same place—from a continent away—was something special.”
Their bond hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“People in the dining facility or the tactical operation center (TOC) will see us interact and ask someone nearby, ‘Wait, are they related?’” Vandevent said, laughing. “The looks on their faces are priceless. I’ll give Stuart a big bear hug—definitely not standard between a field grade officer and an NCO—and we’ll both say, ‘Yes way.’”
African Lion 25 reinforces U.S. and partner nations’ readiness and collective resolve to ensure peace through strength.
About African Lion
AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win.
About SETAF-AF
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
In 1227, this dynasty in Northwest China was finally defeated by the Mongol army after a prolonged and valiant resistance — a campaign led by Genghis Khan, who died in his frontline camp during the final assault. Xixia (or Western Xia, 1038-1227), a power lasting for 190 years and once spread across over 1.15 million square kilometers at its zenith, eventually fell in the Gobi Desert.
A panorama of Mausoleums No 1 (front) and No 2 of the Xixia Imperial Tombs, set against the majestic backdrop of the Helan Mountains. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]
Established by Tangut people and inhabited by various ethnic groups, Xixia was not documented in a specific history book by its successors while most Chinese dynasties were.
However, on the foot of the lingering Helan Mountains, a group of earthen mounds, which marked the long resting places of Xixia rulers, seal an exceptional saga, not only as a footnote on how a united Chinese nation evolved and boomed, but also about a neglected legend on the Silk Road.
The spotlight returns onto this site on the outskirts of Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region. On Friday, Xixia Imperial Tombs achieved World Heritage site status during the ongoing 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Paris.
Floodwaters gushing from the mountains etched a fan-shaped land, dotted by desert vegetation and bathed in Gobi wilderness.
Within the 3,899 hectares of property zone, its key elements included nine imperial mausoleums, 271 subordinate tombs, 32 flood control work sites, and a 5.03-hectare architectural complex site to the north, whose nature remains subject to debate but most scholars agree that it was used for rituals.
“The combination of artificial and natural elements creates a unique and majestic landscape at the tombs,” says Chen Tongbin, honorary director of the Institute of Architectural History, affiliated to the China Architecture Design and Research Group.
Chen is a main drafter of the bidding document seeking World Heritage site status. Visiting the site numerous times, she is still amazed at the breathtaking sunset vista that unrolls in front of her eyes.
“It’s hard to grow crops on the landscape of proluvial fan,” she explains. “The land is not suitable for massive construction. The site has thus not been much disturbed other than through natural erosion. Its integrity leaves us with a credible source to know history.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the sea southwest of Indonesia’s Southeast Maluku in Maluku Province at 12:49 p.m. local time on Monday, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
The epicenter was located approximately 170 km southwest of Southeast Maluku, at a depth of 108 km, the BMKG said on its official website.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to frequent earthquakes.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Tanimbar Islands region on Monday, the country’s geophysics agency said, adding there was no tsunami potential.
The quake was at a depth of 98 km (60.89 miles), the agency said.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported that the quake was of 6.8 magnitude and at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles).
Tremors were felt in several small towns in eastern Indonesia, the agency said.
There was no immediate reports of damage, said Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.
Indonesia straddles the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the Earth’s crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TEHRAN, July 14 (Xinhua) — Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday stressed the need to ensure security in West Asia through the participation of all regional states, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
During a telephone conversation, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian and UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed regional issues, bilateral ties and Israeli-American “aggression” against Iran, the report said.
A.A. Ahmadian praised the UAE’s condemnation of Israel’s military “aggression” against Iran, stressing that the security of the region’s countries is “interrelated” and requires the participation of all states in the region.
“If the security of any country in the region is threatened by external risks, then this will challenge the entire region,” he added.
A.A. Ahmadian also emphasized Iran’s principled policy of expanding relations with its neighbors.
The UAE National Security Adviser also noted that all states in the region must guarantee the security of the region.
“If the security of one regional state is threatened, it will negatively affect all other countries in the region,” he said.
On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on several areas of Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Iran responded with multiple missile and drone strikes on Israel, causing casualties and destruction.
After 12 days of fighting, a ceasefire was reached between Iran and Israel on June 24. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
GAZA, July 14 (Xinhua) — Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad said Sunday that ongoing indirect talks with Israel should lead to an end to the war, a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, opening of crossings and reconstruction.
The remarks came during a meeting between the leaders of the two organizations at an unspecified location, according to a statement released by Hamas.
The Hamas delegation was led by Hamas Shura Council Chairman Mohammed Darwish, while the Palestinian Islamic Jihad delegation was led by its Secretary General Ziad al-Nakhalah.
“The two factions discussed developments in the ongoing internationally mediated talks and the Israeli side’s responses to the proposals presented to reach a ceasefire agreement,” the statement said.
The statement stressed that any potential agreement must meet the aspirations of the Palestinians, including an end to the war that has led to human suffering and heavy civilian casualties.
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in the Qatari capital Doha are entering a “critical and difficult phase,” a Hamas source said, warning that Israel’s “intransigence” could lead to the talks collapsing.
A Hamas source said the two delegations had reviewed Israel’s responses, noting that the main obstacle to progress in the talks was Israel’s “intransigent position on the withdrawal maps.” -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
India is currently in the midst of an active monsoon phase, with widespread rainfall and dynamic weather conditions affecting large parts of the northern and central regions on Monday.
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in New Delhi, the past 24 hours witnessed significant precipitation across several states, notably Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Isolated pockets in Uttar Pradesh recorded very heavy rainfall, with Mahroni in Lalitpur receiving 163 mm, Lalitpur 147 mm, and Fatehpur Tehsil (Banki) 140 mm.
Additional heavy showers were reported in Banda, Bijnor, and Varanasi, with Beberu in Banda district recording 110 mm of rainfall.
In Rajasthan, Manoharthana in Jhalawar received 115 mm, Sallopat in Banswara 95 mm, and Jaswantpura in Jalour 78 mm. In Himachal Pradesh, Murari Devi registered 126 mm, while Manethi in Haryana saw 82.3 mm. Thunderstorms and lightning were reported across eastern Uttar Pradesh and various parts of Northwest India, except Haryana.
Isolated hailstorms were observed in Jammu and Kashmir, while gusty winds swept through Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The seven-day forecast indicates sustained rainfall across the region. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh are expected to experience fairly widespread to widespread showers through July 19.
Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are likely to see scattered to fairly widespread rainfall, while Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi may witness scattered showers, which are expected to taper off to isolated activity later in the week.
Rajasthan is likely to receive moderate rainfall, with eastern Rajasthan likely to see more consistent precipitation compared to the western parts.
Maximum temperatures across the plains of northwest India are expected to remain stable over the next five days.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) advises residents to stay updated via the MAUSAM app for location-specific forecasts, the Meghdoot app for agricultural advisories, and the Damini app for lightning alerts.
A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.
David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.
French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.
Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.
“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.
About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.
“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.
Plantu cartoon “And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.
“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.
“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’
Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report
He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.
Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”
Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.
“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.
Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace
French perspective Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.
“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.
“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”
Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.
“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”
Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.
“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”
‘Elective monarchy’ trend Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”
He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”
The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.
Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.
He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.
Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press
Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.
“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.
“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”
So threatened The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.
“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.
“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.
“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.
“And of course David was a key part in that.”
O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.
“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”
Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR
Other speakers Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.
“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.
“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”
She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.
Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.
He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.
A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.
David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.
French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.
Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.
“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.
About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.
“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.
Plantu cartoon “And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.
“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.
“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’
Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report
He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.
Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”
Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.
“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.
Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace
French perspective Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.
“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.
“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”
Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.
“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”
Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.
“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”
‘Elective monarchy’ trend Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”
He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”
The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.
Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.
He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.
Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press
Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.
“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.
“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”
So threatened The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.
“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.
“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.
“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.
“And of course David was a key part in that.”
O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.
“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”
Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR
Other speakers Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.
“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.
“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”
She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.
Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.
He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.
Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling itself “MechaHitler” and producing pro-Nazi remarks.
The developers have apologised for the “inappropriate posts” and “taken action to ban hate speech” from Grok’s posts on X. Debates about AI bias have been revived too.
But the latest Grok controversy is revealing not for the extremist outputs, but for how it exposes a fundamental dishonesty in AI development. Musk claims to be building a “truth-seeking” AI free from bias, yet the technical implementation reveals systemic ideological programming.
This amounts to an accidental case study in how AI systems embed their creators’ values, with Musk’s unfiltered public presence making visible what other companies typically obscure.
So how do developers imbue an AI with such values and shape chatbot behaviour? Today’s chatbots are built using large language models (LLMs), which offer several levers developers can lean on.
What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?
Pre-training
First, developers curate the data used during pre-training – the first step in building a chatbot. This involves not just filtering unwanted content, but also emphasising desired material.
We don’t know if these data were used, or what quality-control measures were applied.
Fine-tuning
The second step, fine-tuning, adjusts LLM behaviour using feedback. Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot’s responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.
A Business Insider investigation revealed xAI’s instructions to human
“AI tutors” instructed them to look for “woke ideology” and “cancel culture”. While the onboarding documents said Grok shouldn’t “impose an opinion that confirms or denies a user’s bias”, they also stated it should avoid responses that claim both sides of a debate have merit when they do not.
System prompts
The system prompt – instructions provided before every conversation – guides behaviour once the model is deployed.
To its credit, xAI publishes Grok’s system prompts. Its instructions to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect, as long as they are well substantiated” were likely key factors in the latest controversy.
These prompts are being updated daily at the time of writing, and their evolution is a fascinating case study in itself.
Guardrails
Finally, developers can also add guardrails – filters that block certain requests or responses. OpenAI claims it doesn’t permit ChatGPT “to generate hateful, harassing, violent or adult content”. Meanwhile, the Chinese model DeepSeek censors discussion of Tianamen Square.
Ad-hoc testing when writing this article suggests Grok is much less restrained in this regard than competitor products.
The transparency paradox
Grok’s Nazi controversy highlights a deeper ethical issue: would we prefer AI companies to be explicitly ideological and honest about it, or maintain the fiction of neutrality while secretly embedding their values?
Every major AI system reflects its creator’s worldview – from Microsoft Copilot’s risk-averse corporate perspective to Anthropic Claude’s safety-focused ethos. The difference is transparency.
Musk’s public statements make it easy to trace Grok’s behaviours back to Musk’s stated beliefs about “woke ideology” and media bias. Meanwhile, when other platformsmisfirespectacularly, we’re left guessing whether this reflects leadership views, corporate risk aversion, regulatory pressure, or accident.
But there’s a crucial difference. Tay’s racism emerged from user manipulation and poor safeguards – an unintended consequence. Grok’s behaviour appears to stem at least partially from its design.
The real lesson from Grok is about honesty in AI development. As these systems become more powerful and widespread (Grok support in Tesla vehicles was just announced), the question isn’t whether AI will reflect human values. It’s whether companies will be transparent about whose values they’re encoding and why.
Musk’s approach is simultaneously more honest (we can see his influence) and more deceptive (claiming objectivity while programming subjectivity) than his competitors.
In an industry built on the myth of neutral algorithms, Grok reveals what’s been true all along: there’s no such thing as unbiased AI – only AI whose biases we can see with varying degrees of clarity.
Aaron J. Snoswell previously received research funding from OpenAI in 2024–2025 to develop new evaluation frameworks for measuring moral competence in AI agents.
Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling itself “MechaHitler” and producing pro-Nazi remarks.
The developers have apologised for the “inappropriate posts” and “taken action to ban hate speech” from Grok’s posts on X. Debates about AI bias have been revived too.
But the latest Grok controversy is revealing not for the extremist outputs, but for how it exposes a fundamental dishonesty in AI development. Musk claims to be building a “truth-seeking” AI free from bias, yet the technical implementation reveals systemic ideological programming.
This amounts to an accidental case study in how AI systems embed their creators’ values, with Musk’s unfiltered public presence making visible what other companies typically obscure.
So how do developers imbue an AI with such values and shape chatbot behaviour? Today’s chatbots are built using large language models (LLMs), which offer several levers developers can lean on.
What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?
Pre-training
First, developers curate the data used during pre-training – the first step in building a chatbot. This involves not just filtering unwanted content, but also emphasising desired material.
We don’t know if these data were used, or what quality-control measures were applied.
Fine-tuning
The second step, fine-tuning, adjusts LLM behaviour using feedback. Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot’s responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.
A Business Insider investigation revealed xAI’s instructions to human
“AI tutors” instructed them to look for “woke ideology” and “cancel culture”. While the onboarding documents said Grok shouldn’t “impose an opinion that confirms or denies a user’s bias”, they also stated it should avoid responses that claim both sides of a debate have merit when they do not.
System prompts
The system prompt – instructions provided before every conversation – guides behaviour once the model is deployed.
To its credit, xAI publishes Grok’s system prompts. Its instructions to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect, as long as they are well substantiated” were likely key factors in the latest controversy.
These prompts are being updated daily at the time of writing, and their evolution is a fascinating case study in itself.
Guardrails
Finally, developers can also add guardrails – filters that block certain requests or responses. OpenAI claims it doesn’t permit ChatGPT “to generate hateful, harassing, violent or adult content”. Meanwhile, the Chinese model DeepSeek censors discussion of Tianamen Square.
Ad-hoc testing when writing this article suggests Grok is much less restrained in this regard than competitor products.
The transparency paradox
Grok’s Nazi controversy highlights a deeper ethical issue: would we prefer AI companies to be explicitly ideological and honest about it, or maintain the fiction of neutrality while secretly embedding their values?
Every major AI system reflects its creator’s worldview – from Microsoft Copilot’s risk-averse corporate perspective to Anthropic Claude’s safety-focused ethos. The difference is transparency.
Musk’s public statements make it easy to trace Grok’s behaviours back to Musk’s stated beliefs about “woke ideology” and media bias. Meanwhile, when other platformsmisfirespectacularly, we’re left guessing whether this reflects leadership views, corporate risk aversion, regulatory pressure, or accident.
But there’s a crucial difference. Tay’s racism emerged from user manipulation and poor safeguards – an unintended consequence. Grok’s behaviour appears to stem at least partially from its design.
The real lesson from Grok is about honesty in AI development. As these systems become more powerful and widespread (Grok support in Tesla vehicles was just announced), the question isn’t whether AI will reflect human values. It’s whether companies will be transparent about whose values they’re encoding and why.
Musk’s approach is simultaneously more honest (we can see his influence) and more deceptive (claiming objectivity while programming subjectivity) than his competitors.
In an industry built on the myth of neutral algorithms, Grok reveals what’s been true all along: there’s no such thing as unbiased AI – only AI whose biases we can see with varying degrees of clarity.
Aaron J. Snoswell previously received research funding from OpenAI in 2024–2025 to develop new evaluation frameworks for measuring moral competence in AI agents.
Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling itself “MechaHitler” and producing pro-Nazi remarks.
The developers have apologised for the “inappropriate posts” and “taken action to ban hate speech” from Grok’s posts on X. Debates about AI bias have been revived too.
But the latest Grok controversy is revealing not for the extremist outputs, but for how it exposes a fundamental dishonesty in AI development. Musk claims to be building a “truth-seeking” AI free from bias, yet the technical implementation reveals systemic ideological programming.
This amounts to an accidental case study in how AI systems embed their creators’ values, with Musk’s unfiltered public presence making visible what other companies typically obscure.
So how do developers imbue an AI with such values and shape chatbot behaviour? Today’s chatbots are built using large language models (LLMs), which offer several levers developers can lean on.
What makes an AI ‘behave’ this way?
Pre-training
First, developers curate the data used during pre-training – the first step in building a chatbot. This involves not just filtering unwanted content, but also emphasising desired material.
We don’t know if these data were used, or what quality-control measures were applied.
Fine-tuning
The second step, fine-tuning, adjusts LLM behaviour using feedback. Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot’s responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.
A Business Insider investigation revealed xAI’s instructions to human
“AI tutors” instructed them to look for “woke ideology” and “cancel culture”. While the onboarding documents said Grok shouldn’t “impose an opinion that confirms or denies a user’s bias”, they also stated it should avoid responses that claim both sides of a debate have merit when they do not.
System prompts
The system prompt – instructions provided before every conversation – guides behaviour once the model is deployed.
To its credit, xAI publishes Grok’s system prompts. Its instructions to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect, as long as they are well substantiated” were likely key factors in the latest controversy.
These prompts are being updated daily at the time of writing, and their evolution is a fascinating case study in itself.
Guardrails
Finally, developers can also add guardrails – filters that block certain requests or responses. OpenAI claims it doesn’t permit ChatGPT “to generate hateful, harassing, violent or adult content”. Meanwhile, the Chinese model DeepSeek censors discussion of Tianamen Square.
Ad-hoc testing when writing this article suggests Grok is much less restrained in this regard than competitor products.
The transparency paradox
Grok’s Nazi controversy highlights a deeper ethical issue: would we prefer AI companies to be explicitly ideological and honest about it, or maintain the fiction of neutrality while secretly embedding their values?
Every major AI system reflects its creator’s worldview – from Microsoft Copilot’s risk-averse corporate perspective to Anthropic Claude’s safety-focused ethos. The difference is transparency.
Musk’s public statements make it easy to trace Grok’s behaviours back to Musk’s stated beliefs about “woke ideology” and media bias. Meanwhile, when other platformsmisfirespectacularly, we’re left guessing whether this reflects leadership views, corporate risk aversion, regulatory pressure, or accident.
But there’s a crucial difference. Tay’s racism emerged from user manipulation and poor safeguards – an unintended consequence. Grok’s behaviour appears to stem at least partially from its design.
The real lesson from Grok is about honesty in AI development. As these systems become more powerful and widespread (Grok support in Tesla vehicles was just announced), the question isn’t whether AI will reflect human values. It’s whether companies will be transparent about whose values they’re encoding and why.
Musk’s approach is simultaneously more honest (we can see his influence) and more deceptive (claiming objectivity while programming subjectivity) than his competitors.
In an industry built on the myth of neutral algorithms, Grok reveals what’s been true all along: there’s no such thing as unbiased AI – only AI whose biases we can see with varying degrees of clarity.
Aaron J. Snoswell previously received research funding from OpenAI in 2024–2025 to develop new evaluation frameworks for measuring moral competence in AI agents.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Trump’s DHS Abruptly Cut Funding For NY’s Mesonet Program, Based At UAlbany, Which Covers Storm Tracking For Every County In NY & Plays Critical Role In Storm Data Gathering For Emergency Response & Safety Across The State
After Devastating Flooding In Texas, Schumer Says We Need More – Not Less – Investment In Weather Tracking To Warn And To Mitigate Damage When Disaster Strikes; Senator Slams Dangerous Cuts That Risk Ongoing Project To Improve Storm Monitoring
Schumer: Cutting Funding For NY Weather Tracking Is A Recipe For Disaster
After Trump abruptly canceled a $3 million grant project for New York State’s advanced regional weather early warning systems program, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer slammed the unexplained cuts and demanded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reverse this harmful decision, which will weaken New York State’s ability to track and monitor extreme weather. As New York faces more extreme weather than ever, and in the wake of devastating flooding in Texas, Schumer said the federal government should invest more, not less, in systems that keep regions like Upstate NY safe and prepared for extreme storms.
“Cutting funding for New York’s weather tracking system is a recipe for disaster. With a record-breaking tornado season last summer and New York seeing more extreme weather than ever, we can’t afford to rip away resources for the program that tells us when a storm is going to hit and how bad it’s going to be,” said Senator Schumer. “Our state-of-the-art network of weather observation stations gathers real-time hyper-local data that keeps New Yorkers across the state safe and informed. We need to make sure New Yorkers are prepared for whatever punches Mother Nature delivers, to hinder their advancement. I’m calling on Secretary Noem to immediately reverse these cruel unexplained cuts to keep New Yorkers safe when the next storm comes.”
Schumer explained University at Albany’s Mesonet program was awarded a $3 million grant program in 2023 to support its Exploitation of Mesonets for Emergency Preparedness and Response in Weather Extremes (EMPOWER) program. The EMPOWER program is a partnership between researchers, higher education, emergency managers, and the federal government. This program works to upgrade technology to produce better, more accurate weather hazard impact warning and emergency response capabilities to keep New Yorkers—and ultimately the nation—safe.
Schumer explained the University at Albany hosts NYS’s Mesonet Program, a network of weather observation stations which unlock key data from the clouds using advanced instruments at 127 sites around New York, with at least one station located in each of New York’s 62 counties, and laser technology to monitor the atmosphere. Schumer said amid record-breaking extreme weather, including devastating flooding in Texas, we need sharper forecasts to better understand storms as they develop and approach communities. Schumer warned that without upgrades or with delayed investment in NY’s system, local forecasting ability could be hampered by deferred systems maintenance and decreased federal operations support, which could impact both storm prediction and public safety. These are not the first cuts to weather forecasting in NY under the Trump Administration, earlier this year it was revealed that firings and staff reductions at the National Weather Service offices in Albany would mean they would not be able to fly all their weather balloons, among other cuts.
According to the University at Albany, data from the NYS Mesonet informs forecasters and emergency managers (including those at the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services) to help mitigate the harmful effects from high-impact, extreme weather-related disasters. The NYS Mesonet provides real-time data to operational forecasters and emergency managers from across the state with updates every five minutes and an average station spacing of about 19 miles. These data points are combined with data from other surface networks, weather radars, and satellites to provide real-time weather information and to improve numerical weather prediction models for even greater accuracy and precision than ever before, giving emergency managers, first responders, and forecasters much greater confidence in their warning products and in subsequent protective action.
Schumer’s letter can to DHS Secretary Noem can be found HERE or below:
Dear Secretary Noem:
I write to urge you to swiftly reinstate the $3 million Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant supporting the Exploiting Mesonets for Emergency Preparedness and Response to Weather Extremes (EMPOWER) project. DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has partnered with the University at Albany (UAlbany) since 2023 to build out a better, more accurate weather hazard impact warning and emergency response capability to keep New Yorkers—and ultimately the nation—safe. Until yesterday, the project focused on extreme weather, such as rapid and severe flooding, similar to what communities in Central Texas are tragically dealing with today, and any funding that is rescinded or stalled could put lives at risk.
Just last week, you acknowledged in remarks that “everybody wants more warning time, and that’s why we’re working to upgrade the technologies that have been neglected for far too long, to make sure that families have as much advanced notice as possible.” This project – a regional pilot with the potential to be deployed nationwide – does just that. It has been considered highly successful by DHS S&T, already having significant operational impact. Co-developed with the NY Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (among many other engaged end-users), the EMPOWER prototype extreme weather decision support dashboard is currently operational within the New York State Office of Emergency Management Watch Center. Furthermore, the project has brought direct access to high fidelity, real-time weather data covering all of New York State to the FEMA Geospatial Response Office for the first time.
The New York State Mesonet is a network of 127 weather stations across the state that supplement National Weather Service modeling and observations to provide more accurate and real-time weather information, helping improve forecasts and inform weather alerts. The EMPOWER project utilizes the Mesonet’s real-time data to develop cutting-edge tools designed specifically for emergency managers and first responders. In a world with increasingly frequent and unpredictable severe weather, these new tools will provide our community safety professionals with unparalleled information to make the fastest, most well-informed decisions when disasters strike, helping to alert communities of imminent threats and better protect lives and property.
The EMPOWER program exemplifies a successful partnership between researchers, higher education, emergency managers, and the Federal government. This program has tangible outcomes – emergency alert systems greatly benefit the public and upgrading our technology is necessary to mitigate risk and loss of life when disaster strikes. I cannot underline how important this program is to New York’s emergency response, as well as to the entire Nation. As our researchers better develop emergency management technology, we can count on the implementation of this technology across America in the near future to save lives. Not only does the public benefit, but improved emergency warning system technology and data about weather events helps our first responders, who put their lives on the line for their communities, better determine the risk to the area they serve. This $3 million grant is essential to supporting the completion of this vital work.
In the wake of the devastating flooding in Texas we have a responsibility to do everything we can to mitigate the risks of extreme weather and ensure that tragedies like this never happen again. The federal government should be investing in better technologies to improve hazard impact warning systems and provide emergency managers more timely and accurate information to ensure they can put out emergency alerts and evacuation orders to save lives and take other crucial actions to protect community lifelines. Cancelling this grant does exactly the opposite, and stifles emerging tools and technologies that have the potential to save lives.
I urge you to reinstate the $3 million DHS EMPOWER grant to support the project and its researchers so they can deliver groundbreaking technology to save Americans from avoidable weather-related harm. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Please do not hesitate to contact my staff if you have any questions.
A gunman killed two women at a church in Kentucky and shot and wounded a state trooper outside an airport on Sunday before police were able to shoot him to death, authorities said.
The women were killed at the Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington. Two men were also wounded there, including one who was in critical condition, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told an afternoon press conference.
Authorities did not provide the suspect’s name or age.
“There are days like today that are extremely difficult,” Weathers said. “Sometimes things happen, you just don’t have a reason why.”
The suspect fired at the trooper after being pulled over near Blue Grass Airport at about 11:30 a.m. in Fayette County, Weathers said. The shooting happened on a road that rings the airport but was not connected to its operations, police said.
The trooper was being treated at a nearby hospital and was in stable condition.
The suspect then carjacked a vehicle about 10 miles (16 km) from the airport and fled to Richmond Road Baptist Church, where the individual began firing at people on the church grounds.
Police tracked the location of the carjacked vehicle to the church.
The police chief did not offer any motive for the shootings, but said there was some indication that the suspect may have known some of the people at the church.
Weathers said Lexington police would conduct an internal review of the shooting, as required by department policies.
The Blue Grass Airport posted on X at 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) that there was a law enforcement investigation affecting a portion of an airport road, but that all flights and operations were now proceeding normally.
DOC Northern South Island Operations Director Martin Rodd says storm damage to DOC-managed sites is wide-spread and it will take time to understand the full extent across conservation areas and facilities.
As of Monday, the region is still in a state of emergency and people are asked to delay their trips until the tracks have had a chance to dry out, Martin says.
“DOC staff are out assessing tracks and other sites where it’s safe to do so. This will take some time as many roads are closed.”
“The situation is changing rapidly and people should check DOC’s website for up-to-date information about particular huts and tracks.”
DOC knows about some significant damage already, with the Motueka area seemingly the hardest hit, Martin says.
“In Kahurangi National Park, there’s no access to Flora car park as Graham Valley Rd is closed as a section has been undercut by the river. This closure is expected to be in place for some time. Flora car park is commonly used to access the region’s most popular alpine walks including Wharepapa/Mt Arthur tracks and huts.
“The access road into the Cobb Valley has several large slips across it and is impassable, and access to the Wangapeka is closed by the wider flood response. This means all access roads to the south-eastern part of the Kahurangi are closed.”
Martin says Abel Tasman Coast Track is being assessed as a priority and one section has been temporarily closed.
“Due to cracking on the track, the southern section between Mārahau and Anchorage has been closed for safety while we have a damage assessment done. This will happen in the coming days.
“At the northern end, the access road to Tōtaranui is also closed due to slips.
“We’ve had reports of some small slips, treefall and other minor impacts on other parts of the track which we will tidy up when we can.
“Heaphy Track remains open but there is some minor damage, and anyone using the track once it has dried out should take extra care.”
This was the second major weather event in as many weeks and some DOC sites were already affected, Martin says.
“In the Blenheim region, the Whites Bay campsite and the local tracks remains closed as it suffered significant damage from flooding in late-June.
“Several access roads in the Marlborough Sounds and into the Mount Richmond Forest Park are also closed.”
Martin says staff are working on a plan to repair the track damage where possible, but this will take some time, and there’s currently no timeline or estimate of how much this could cost.
“Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by this damaging weather event,” Martin says.
Reigning champions England thrashed neighbours Wales 6-1 to reach the Women’s Euro 2025 quarter-finals on Sunday, securing second spot in Group D and cruising into the knockouts, where they will face Sweden, on a high note.
Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones were all on target for England, who finished runners-up to France after their 5-2 victory over the Netherlands.
Sarina Wiegman’s team will next face a Sweden side, who won all three of their games to top Group C, in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
“It is going to be a difficult game. We watched (Sweden) the other night and they were really good. We need to be on our best game,” Toone said. “But we’re feeling confident, I think they should be scared.”
The second-place finish, however, could be a bonus as provided they get past the Swedes, England would potentially avoid world champions Spain in the semi-finals.
Stanway struck from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after a foul in the box, calmly sweeping her shot into the far-left corner past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Olivia Clark to open the floodgates.
Toone found the back of the net with a scrappy goal eight minutes later. England capitalised on a sloppy clearance by Rhiannon Roberts, with the ball falling to Russo who nudged it into the path of Toone who fired home at the second attempt.
Hemp nodded a third inside 30 minutes after a clever pass from Lauren James to Toone near the byline. Toone found Hemp at the far post with a deep cross for an easy header.
Russo bagged her first goal of the tournament just before halftime when Toone made another dart to byline before cutting the ball back for Russo, who took one touch to control it before firing home and Mead cut inside a defender before slotting England’s fifth in the 72nd minute.
Hannah Cain pulled one back to the delight of the Wales fans, who celebrated by singing their national anthem, in the 76th minute, but England’s Beever-Jones replied in the 89th with her first goal in a major tournament, heading home Mead’s cross.
“We scored six goals and a big part of the game we dominated, a very good game,” Wiegman said. “Playing well is the most important, who scores is not that important.”
Much was made about the rivalry between the two nations, with Wales wanting nothing better than to spoil England’s party. Thousands of loud Welsh fans cheered and sang throughout Sunday’s match, despite the scoreline.
But Wiegman’s team, World Cup finalists in 2023, showed their vast experience against a Wales side making their major tournament debut.
“We were really good. It is always hard to play against a team that sits in a low block,” Toone said. “It was nice we got an early goal in the first half and we enjoyed the game.”
England have won 10 of the 11 meetings between the two teams, with Wales’ best result being a 0-0 draw in 2018.
“This is the beginning of a journey for us,” Wales midfielder Jess Fishlock said. “We’ve played three of the best teams in the world at this tournament and we’ve found out how big that jump is.”