Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Great South Road, Penrose is closed at the intersection with Southdown Road following a crash.
The three-vehicle crash was reported to Police just after 2pm.
Initial indications are that there are serious injuries.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Motorists are advised to expect delays after a crash on Waioeka Road (SH2) this evening.
Emergency services were called to the scene, between Waiata Road and Waioeka Pa Road, about 5.30pm, after a truck rolled.
One person has sustained minor injuries. The road is completely blocked and has been closed.
Anyone travelling through the area is advised to take an alternate route, or expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson:
Hamilton Police have made an arrest in relation to the death of a man, and wounding of a second man, on Beatty Street in Melville yesterday.
A 41-year-old man sought by Police was arrested this morning and is expected to appear in Hamilton District Court on Monday.
He is charged with murder and with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The injured man remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Police would like to thank the public for their assistance, and continue to ask for anyone with information or CCTV of the incident, in the early hours of yesterday, to contact the enquiry team.
You can contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz and clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please use the reference number 250315/0371.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Attributable to Detective Sergeant Simon Evans:
Police are appealing for witnesses to a suspicious fire in Huntly overnight.
Emergency services were called to a commercial premises on Great South Road, just south of Alder Lane, about 1:30am.
Police, together with Fire and Emergency NZ, are back at the scene today conducting a scene examination.
As part of our inquiries, Police are seeking any witnesses to what happened.
If you can help, you can contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz and clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please reference file number 250316/3289.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Whangārei Police have charged a man in relation to a homicide in the city yesterday.
Emergency services were called to a Norfolk Street property yesterday evening, where a man had died.
Another man, known to the victim, was arrested at the property and has now been charged with murder.
The 53-year-old is due to appear in Whangārei District Court tomorrow.
A scene examination is ongoing at the property.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Please attribute to Inspector Peter Raynes of Tāmaki Makaurau Police:
One person has died, and two others have been critically injured, after a driver allegedly fled from Police and crashed early this afternoon.
Shortly before 2pm, a Police vehicle sighted a car travelling at excess speed along Great South Road, Penrose, and signalled for it to stop.
It failed to do so and instead fled, crashing with two other cars.
The driver of the vehicle which allegedly failed to stop was transported to hospital in a critical condition.
One person from one of the other vehicles died at the scene, while another was also critically injured.
Another person was in moderate condition.
The Serious Crash Unit is examining the scene, and the road remains closed.
A Critical Incident Investigation has been launched and staff are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.
We are also working to support those affected and their families, as well as our staff who were involved.
Police have also referred this matter to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Press Release Service – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Advocate Argues for Methamphetamine Treatment Introduction
Jas Brosnan, a passionate advocate for marginalised communities, has submitted a groundbreaking proposal to the Law Commission, aiming to revolutionise methamphetamine addiction treatment in New Zealand. This evidence-based approach, modelled after the success of opioid replacement therapy, proposes legal access to prescription stimulants like Desoxyn and Vyvanse to mitigate addiction’s harmful effects.
The post Advocate Argues for Methamphetamine Treatment Introduction first appeared on PR.co.nz.
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Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Myanmar authorities have seized 30.8 kg of heroin and 154,000 stimulant tablets in central Myanmar’s Mandalay region, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Pyigyitagon township of Mandalay region on March 9 and confiscated the narcotics, and arrested three suspects.
Three other suspects in connection with the case were later arrested.
The seized narcotics are approximately worth over 1 billion kyats (about 476,190 U.S. dollars).
The suspects have been charged under the country’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigations were ongoing.
Source: South Australia Police
Police are investigating the death of a man at North Adelaide this morning.
About 7.45am on Sunday 16 March, police and paramedics responded to reports of a man collapsed on a walking path within Brougham Gardens between Brougham Place and King William Road.
A 54-year-old man from Marden was found unresponsive when police arrived.
Paramedics commenced CPR at the scene before he was rushed to hospital but sadly, the man died.
Eastern District Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death with assistance of Major Crime officers and Forensic Response.
A postmortem is expected to be carried out tomorrow.
Anyone who was in the vicinity of O’Connell Street or Brougham Gardens between 6am and 8am this morning is asked to contact police.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has recalled that 20 journalists were killed during the six-year Philippines presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, a regime marked by fierce repression of the press.
Former president Duterte was arrested earlier this week as part of an International Criminal Court investigation into crimes against humanity linked to his merciless war on drugs. He is now in The Hague awaiting trial.
The watchdog has called on the administration of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to take strong measures to fully restore the country’s press freedom and combat impunity for the crimes against media committed by Duterte’s regime.
“Just because you’re a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you’re a son of a bitch,” Rodrigo Duterte said in his inauguration speech on 30 June 2016, which set the tone for the rest of his mandate — unrestrained violence against journalists and total disregard for press freedom, said RSF in a statement.
During the Duterte regime’s rule, RSF recorded 20 cases of journalists killed while working.
Among them was Jesus Yutrago Malabanan, shot dead after covering Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war for Reuters.
Online harassment surged, particularly targeting women journalists.
Maria Ressa troll target
The most prominent victim was Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the news site Rappler, who faced an orchestrated hate campaign led by troll armies allied with the government in response to her commitment to exposing the then-president’s bloody war.
Media outlets critical of President Duterte’s authoritarian excesses were systematically muzzled: the country’s leading television network, ABS-CBN, was forced to shut down; Rappler and Maria Ressa faced repeated lawsuits; and a businessman close to the president took over the country’s leading newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, raising concerns over its editorial independence.
“The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte is good news for the Filipino journalism community, who were the direct targets of his campaign of terror,” said RSF’s Asia-Pacific bureau director Cédric Alviani.
“President Marcos and his administration must immediately investigate Duterte’s past crimes and take strong measures to fully restore the country’s press freedom.”
The repression carried out during Duterte’s tenure continues to impact on Filipino journalism: investigative journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio has been languishing in prison since her arrest in 2020, still awaiting a verdict in her trial for “financing terrorism” and “illegal possession of firearms” — trumped-up charges that could see her sentenced to 40 years in prison.
With 147 journalists murdered since the restoration of democracy in 1986, the Philippines remains one of the deadliest countries for media workers.
The republic ranked 134th out of 180 in the 2024 RSF World Press Freedom Index.
Source report from Reporters Without Borders. Pacific Media Watch collaborates with RSF.
Source: US State of Vermont
“Tonight, a DC trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans. TdA is represented by the ACLU. This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk. The Department of Justice is undeterred in its efforts to work with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and all of our partners to stop this invasion and Make America Safe Again.”
Source: United States Attorneys General 4
“Tonight, a DC trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans. TdA is represented by the ACLU. This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk. The Department of Justice is undeterred in its efforts to work with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and all of our partners to stop this invasion and Make America Safe Again.”
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan in Hagatna, Guam
Debate on Guam’s future as a US territory has intensified with its legislature due to vote on a non-binding resolution to become a US state amid mounting Pacific geostrategic tensions and expansionist declarations by the Trump administration.
Located closer to Beijing than Hawai’i, Guam serves as a key US strategic asset, known as the “tip of the spear,” with 10,000 military personnel, an air base for F-35 fighters and B-2 bombers and home port for Virginia-class nuclear submarines.
The small US territory of 166,000 people is also listed by the UN for decolonisation and last year became an associate member at the Pacific Islands Forum.
Local Senator William A. Parkinson introduced the resolution to the legislature last Wednesday and called for Guam to be fully integrated into the American union, possibly as the 51st state.
“We are standing in a moment of history where two great empires are standing face-to-face with each other, about to go to war,” Parkinson said at a press conference on Thursday.
“We have to be real about what’s going on in this part of the world. We are a tiny island but we are too strategically important to be left alone. Stay with America or do we let ourselves be absorbed by China?”
His resolution states the decision “must be built upon the informed consent of the people of Guam through a referendum”.
Trump’s expansionist policies
Parkinson’s resolution comes as US President Donald Trump advocates territorially expansionist policies, particularly towards the strategically located Danish-ruled autonomous territory of Greenland and America’s northern neighbour, Canada.
“This one moment in time, this one moment in history, the stars are aligning so that the geopolitics of the United States favour statehood for Guam,” Parkinson said. “This is an opportunity we cannot pass up.”
As a territory, Guam residents are American citizens but they cannot vote for the US president and their lone delegate to the Congress has no voting power on the floor.
The US acquired Guam, along with Puerto Rico, in 1898 after winning the Spanish-American War, and both remain unincorporated territories to this day.
Independence advocates and representatives from the Guam Commission on Decolonisation regularly testify at the UN’s Decolonisation Committee, where the island has been listed as a Non-Self-Governing Territory since 1946.
Commission on Decolonisation executive director Melvin Won Pat-Borja said he was not opposed to statehood but is concerned if any decision on Guam’s status was left to the US.
“Decolonisation is the right of the colonised,” he said while attending Parkinson’s press conference, the Pacific Daily News reported.
‘Hands of our coloniser’
“It’s counterintuitive to say that, ‘we’re seeking a path forward, a path out of this inequity,’ and then turn around and put it right back in the hands of our coloniser.
“No matter what status any of us prefer, ultimately that is not for any one of us to decide, but it is up to a collective decision that we have to come to, and the only way to do it is via referendum,” he said, reports Kuam News.
With the geostrategic competition between the US and China in the Pacific, Guam has become increasingly significant in supporting American naval and air operations, especially in the event of a conflict over Taiwan or in the South China Sea.
The two US bases have seen Guam’s economy become heavily reliant on military investments and tourism.
The Defence Department holds about 25 percent of Guam’s land and is preparing to spend billions to upgrade the island’s military infrastructure as another 5000 American marines relocate there from Japan’s Okinawa islands.
Guam is also within range of Chinese and North Korean ballistic missiles and the US has trialed a defence system, with the first tests held in December.
The “moment in history” for statehood may also be defined by the Trump administration spending cuts, Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero warned in her “state of the island” address on Wednesday.
Military presence leveraged
The island has in recent years leveraged the increased military presence to demand federal assistance and the territory’s treasury relies on at least US$0.5 billion in annual funding.
“Let us be clear about this: Guam cannot be the linchpin of American security in the Asian-Pacific if nearly 14,000 of our residents are without shelter, because housing aid to Guam is cut, or if 36,000 of our people lose access to Medicaid and Medicare coverage keeping them healthy, alive and out of poverty,” Guerrero said.
Parkinson’s proposed legislative resolution calls for an end to 125-plus years of US colonial uncertainty.
“The people of Guam, as the rightful stewards of their homeland, must assert their inalienable right to self-determination,” states the resolution, including that there be a “full examination of statehood or enhanced autonomous status for Guam.”
“Granting Guam equal political status would signal unequivocally that Guam is an integral part of the United States, deterring adversaries who might otherwise perceive Guam as a mere expendable outpost.”
If adopted by the Guam legislature, the non-binding resolution would be transmitted to the White House.
A local statute enacted in 2000 for a political status plebiscite on statehood, independence or free association has become bogged down in US courts.
‘Reject colonial status quo’
Neil Weare, a former Guam resident and co-director of Right to Democracy, said the self-determination process must be centred on what the people of Guam want, “not just what’s best for US national security”.
“Right to Democracy does not take a position on political status, other than to reject the undemocratic and colonial status quo,” Weare said on behalf of the nonprofit organisation that advocates for rights and self-determination in US territories.
“People can have different views on what is the best solution to this problem, but we should all be in agreement that the continued undemocratic rule of millions of people in US territories is wrong and needs to end.”
He said the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence next year can open a new venue for a conversation about key concepts — such as the “consent of the governed” — involving Guam and other US territories.
Republished from BenarNews with permission.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
A symposium held in Beijing on Friday to mark the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of China’s Anti-Secession Law has drawn significant attention from Taiwan.
Multiple media outlets in Taiwan reported that the symposium highlighted the Chinese mainland’s stance on opposing “Taiwan independence” and punishing separatist forces, emphasizing its complete control and initiative in handling cross-Strait relations.
In an article published Saturday, the Taipei-based China Times highlighted the call made at the symposium that compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait must work together to overcome interference, break down obstacles, and promote exchanges and cooperation across the Strait.
The United Daily News, in an article published on the same day, mentioned the guidelines issued by the Chinese mainland last June on imposing criminal punishments on diehard “Taiwan independence” separatists. It noted that the rollout of further measures depends on whether Lai Ching-te chooses confrontation with the mainland or cooperation.
The Chinese mainland’s red line is clear, with a firm resolve to oppose, curb, and punish “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, and its capability to do so continues to strengthen, according to a commentary on Taiwan-based website China Review.
The symposium signaled the mainland’s strengthened efforts in leveraging legal tools to punish “Taiwan independence,” said Chang Wu-ueh, director of the Center for Cross-Strait Relations at Tamkang University.
Chao Chien-min, a professor at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, noted that the Anti-Secession Law not only opposes “Taiwan independence” but also promotes reunification, viewing the two as closely interconnected.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Myanmar authorities have seized 30.8 kg of heroin and 154,000 stimulant tablets in central Myanmar’s Mandalay region, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Pyigyitagon township of Mandalay region on March 9 and confiscated the narcotics, and arrested three suspects.
Three other suspects in connection with the case were later arrested.
The seized narcotics are approximately worth over 1 billion kyats (about 476,190 U.S. dollars).
The suspects have been charged under the country’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigations were ongoing.
Source: South Australia Police
Police are investigating the death of a man at North Adelaide this morning.
About 7.45am on Sunday 16 March, police and paramedics responded to reports of a man collapsed on a walking path between Brougham Place and King William Road.
The man was unresponsive when police arrived.
Paramedics commenced CPR at the scene and was then rushed to hospital but sadly, the man died.
Eastern District Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
Police are asking anyone who was in the area early this morning and noticed anything suspicious to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
Source: United States Navy
PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown for a scheduled deployment to the U.S. Northern Command Area of Responsibility (USNORTHCOM AOR), March 15. The ship will operate in U.S. and international waters.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Jevaughn Mark, 33, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a conspiracy that distributed large amounts of fentanyl and cocaine in the metropolitan area, and included the sale of fentanyl that resulted in the December 2023 deaths of two District men.
Mark, aka “Ledo,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, and to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2025.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mark had been charged with eight counts of unlawful distribution (of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin) and distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl between January 10, 2024, and March 13, 2024. The charges stemmed from six controlled purchases in which undercover DEA and MPD taskforce officers (UC-DEA/MPD) contacted Mark and purchased narcotics. In each instance, the UC-DEA/MPD agents requested to buy “Special K” or ketamine. In every instance, he supplied a mixture of fentanyl and other substances, including heroin, but not ketamine.
After obtaining an indictment, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mark’s primary residence and recovered two firearms, cocaine, fentanyl, about $38,000 in cash, body armor vests, and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
On June 13, 2024, Jevaughn Mark was charged in a second superseding indictment in connection with distributing fentanyl and cocaine on December 26, 2023, that resulted in the deaths of two men, Brandon Román and Robert Barletta, at their home in Northwest Washington. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Mark admitted to causing the death of both individuals by selling “ketamine” (which was actually fentanyl) to one victim who shared the drugs with the other victim. Both men were found unresponsive the day after Mark sold them the “ketamine.”
The case is being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Dan Seidel, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) section.
24cr143
Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia
Issued for KATARAPKO ISLAND approximately 10 km from Berri in the Riverland, South Australia.
The CFS, SA Metropolitan Fire Service, Department for Environment and Water, SA Police and SA State Emergency Services are responding to multiple ignitions near Katarapko Island.
Firefighters on approximately 26 trucks, supported by aircraft and boats, are on scene working to quickly extinguish the blazes.
The cause of the fires is yet to be determined and Fire Investigators have been notified.
Smoke may be impacting communities and roads in the area, and visibility may be reduced. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.
Emergency services may be working on and around roads in the area, and motorists are advised to stay away. If you need to travel on roads in the area, please take care and drive to the local conditions.
Message ID 0008374
Source: Tasmania Police
GLENORCHY MAN CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE THEFTS
Sunday, 16 March 2025 – 8:48 am.
Taskforce Saturate have arrested and charged a 31-year-old Glenorchy man with 19 thefts across the greater Hobart area.
The arrest on Saturday occurred as a result of a targeted operation over several weeks. He has also been charged with multiple breaches of bail and failing to appear in Court.
The thefts were committed over a three-month period, and consisted primarily of electric scooters, electric bicycles, and bicycles that were secured in areas accessible to the public.
The total value of the property stolen is just under $60,000.
Taskforce Saturate has located a quantity of stolen property as a result of the investigation and resultant search yesterday and will be conducting further enquiries regarding ownership.
The man was detained and will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court today.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
US Senate News:
Source: The White House
President Donald J. Trump’s executive order on Friday will ensure that taxpayers are no longer on the hook for radical propaganda.
Dan Robinson, a 34-year veteran of Voice of America and its former White House correspondent, wrote last year: “I have monitored the agency’s bureaucracy along with many of its reporters and concluded that it has essentially become a hubris-filled rogue operation often reflecting a leftist bias aligned with partisan national media. It has sought to avoid accountability for violations of journalistic standards and mismanagement.”
Voice of America’s management told staff not to call Hamas and its members terrorists, “except when quoting statements.”
Daily Caller: “Multiple Voice Of America Reporters Have Posted Anti-Trump Content On Social Media”
“Multiple Voice of America (VOA) reporters have repeatedly posted anti-Trump comments on their professional Twitter accounts, despite a social media policy requiring employee impartiality on social media platforms.”
Rep. Scott Perry wrote in a 2022 letter that Voice of America has “grown exceedingly partisan over the past several years.”
A 2016 report from Office of Personnel Management cited by Rep. Perry revealed that Voice of America Persian employees said that outlet tolerated “coercion for partisan political purposes.”
The Washington Free Beacon: “VOA Misallocates Funds and Suppresses Negative Stories About Iran. This Lawmaker Wants To Investigate.”
Voice of America: “What Is ‘White Privilege’ and Whom Does It Help?”
“Today, the phrase is used passionately and widely in the context of racial profiling — police treatment of people as criminal suspects based on their race.”
A 2022 lawsuit claimed Voice of America has “been infiltrated by anti-American, pro-Islamic state interests, and that the message of VOA had been compromised in a manner that was biased toward the Islamic state factions in Iran.”
In October 2020, Voice of America wrote that the “allegations that Russia played a role in perpetuating the scandal to benefit Trump could undermine the emails’ credibility” downplaying the validity of the Hunter Biden laptop story.
In July 2020, Voice of America faced criticism for “sharing a story and video appearing too favorable to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.”
In September 2019, the Daily Caller reported that Voice of America employed a Russian anti-U.S. propagandist.
In May 2019, Voice of America fired reporters for their roles in canceling a broadcast midstream after pressure from the Chinese government.
In March 2019, Voice of America ran a segment about transgender migrants seeking asylum in the United States.
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2
FEMA urges West Virginians to protect their identity and stay informed
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a natural disaster, it is important to protect your identity against fraud and identity theft. In some cases, criminals may try to get information by pretending to be disaster workers. Scam artists may try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses, and Social Security numbers they have stolen from people affected by a disaster. Keep these things in mind to protect your identity and stay informed: Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. Don’t trust anyone who offers financial or contracting help and then asks for money.FEMA will only call or e-mail you if you have contacted FEMA first or registered for assistance. Do not disclose information to any unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be FEMA or federal employees. If you receive suspicious e-mails or phone calls, you can call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 to verify if a FEMA call or e-mail is legitimate.Always ask to see I.D. FEMA personnel will always have an official identification badge. A FEMA shirt or jacket is not proof of identity.Do not offer any personal information, including your Social Security number and bank information, unless you are speaking with a verified FEMA representative.Be on alert if someone asks for your 9-digit FEMA registration ID, which you will receive when you apply for disaster assistance through FEMA.Stay tuned to trusted local media for updates from local officials on disaster fraud and scams.After you apply for FEMA assistance, a home inspection may be necessary. FEMA inspectors will make an appointment before coming to your house. They may verify your identity using the last four digits of the 9-digit registration number but will not ask for all nine numbers. FEMA inspectors will also not ask you for your Social Security number.FEMA does not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs. A FEMA inspector’s job is to verify damage.
Graphic
To report scams, fraud, and identity-theft contact: Toll-free Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721The Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster- complaint-formWhen in doubt, report any suspicious behavior to your local authorities. Residents of Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming counties are eligible to apply for assistance from FEMA to help with costs from damage and losses caused by the Feb. 15 – 18, 2025, flooding. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 28.There are four ways to apply:Apply by phone at 800-621-3362Apply online at DisasterAssistance.govApply with the FEMA AppDownload the free FEMA mobile app, available at Google Play or the Apple App StoreApply in person at one of our FEMA West Virginia Disaster Recovery Centers:Mercer County Disaster Recovery CenterMcDowell County Disaster Recovery CenterLifeline Princeton Church of God250 Oakvale Road Princeton, WV 24740 Hours of operation:Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.Closed Sundays Closed March 15, March 22, April 19Bradshaw Town Hall10002 Marshall HwyBradshaw, WV 24817 Hours of operation:Monday to Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Closed SundaysMingo County Disaster Recovery CenterWyoming County Disaster Recovery CenterWilliamson Campus1601 Armory DriveWilliamson, WV 25661 Hours of operation:Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on SundaysWyoming Court House24 Main AvePineville, WV 24874 Hours of operation:Monday through Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on SundaysIf you have insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA can’t pay for losses your insurance will cover. For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit emd.wv.gov, West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, www.fema.gov/disaster/4861 and www.facebook.com/FEMA.### FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters.Follow FEMA online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account. Also, follow on X FEMA_Cam. For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready.gov, on Instagram @Ready.gov or on the Ready Facebook page.
lianza.yap
Sat, 03/15/2025 – 14:15
Source: US State of California 2
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Janessa Goldbeck, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Veterans Board. Goldbeck has been the Chief Executive Officer of Vet Voice Foundation since 2022 and the Principal of Sui Generis Strategies since 2017. She was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps from 2012 to 2019. Goldbeck was the National Field Director at Genocide Intervention Network from 2007 to 2011. She is a board member of the San Diego LGBT Community Center and Equality California. Goldbeck is a member of the San Diego Rotary Club 33 and the Truman National Security Project. She earned a Master of the Arts degree in Public Leadership from the University of San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Goldbeck is a Democrat.
Courtney Welch, of Emeryville, has been appointed to the California Housing Partnership Corporation. Welch has been the Director of External Affairs of the California Housing Defense Fund since 2023 and a City Councilmember of the City of Emeryville since 2021. She held multiple roles at the City of Emeryville from 2022 to 2024, including Mayor and Vice-Mayor. She was the Director of Planning and Investigation at the California Housing Defense Fund from 2022 to 2023. She was the Director of Policy and Communications of the Bay Area Community Land Trust from 2021 to 2022. Welch was a Continuum of Care Specialist at EveryOne Home from 2020 to 2021. She was an Affordable Housing Program Coordinator at HomeownershipSF from 2018 to 2020. Welch is a member of the Alameda County Housing and Community Development Advisory Board, and the Children’s Hospital Consumer Advisory Board. She studied General Studies at Hampton University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Welch is a Democrat.
Indira Cameron-Banks, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Civil Rights Council. Cameron-Banks has been a Founding Partner of Cameron Banks Law, Cameron Jones LLP since 2021. She was Director at the Lawyers Preventing and Ending Homelessness Project, Inner City Law Center from 2020 to 2021. Cameron-Banks held multiple positions at the United States Attorneys’ Office for the Central District of California from 2007 to 2020, including Assistant United States Attorney, Special Counsel to the United States Attorney, and Chief of Financial Litigation Section. She is a member of the Social and Economic Policy Advisory Board for the RAND Corporation. Cameron-Banks earned her Juris Doctor degree from Boston University and her Bachelor of the Arts degree from the University of Chicago. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cameron-Banks is a Democrat.
Ricardo Sanchez, of Hollister, has been appointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy. Sanchez has been an Investigator at the California Department of Motor Vehicles since 1989. He is the Chief Financial Officer for the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association and a Member of the San Benito Masonic Temple #211, Order of Eastern Star, Athena #46, California Mexican American Veteran Memorial Beautification and Enhancement Committee and El Solado Latino. Sanchez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Union Institute and University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sanchez is a Democrat.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Police investigating the homicide in Kaikohe have filed a murder charge.
Emergency services were called to a Mangakahia Road property yesterday morning, where a man located with stab wounds eventually died at the scene.
A man taken into custody at the time has now been charged with murder.
The 44-year-old will appear in Kaikohe District Court tomorrow [Monday].
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 15 MAR 2025 7:04PM by PIB Delhi
INS Imphal completed her port visit to Mauritius and left Port Louis on 14 Mar 25. The ship was at Mauritius to participate in the 57th Mauritius National Day celebrations, representing India with a marching contingent, the Indian Navy band and flypast by two MH 60R helicopters. Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister was the Chief Guest at the spectacular parade.
During the port visit, the ship also held several professional interactions, cultural engagements, sports fixtures and community outreach activities to further strengthen the robust bonds between the two countries.
Training capsules were conducted onboard the ship for Mauritius National Coast Guard (NCG) personnel on practical aspects of harbour and sea watchkeeping, VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure), force protection, shipborne helicopter operations, firefighting and damage control.
A medical camp for the elderly at Gayasingh Ashram was also conducted by the ship’s crew.
The ship was opened to the public on 12 March on the occasion of Mauritius National Day and saw over 1,300 visitors.
The ship’s crew visited key security establishments at Port Louis, including the Mauritius Police and NCG Headquarters.
Capt Kamal K Choudhury, the ship’s Commanding Officer, called on key dignitaries and high-ranking officials of the Mauritius Government and Mauritius Police Force (MPF).
The ship hosted a deck reception along with the High Commission of India, that was attended by senior ministers and officials from Mauritius and members of local diplomatic corps.
After her departure from Port Louis, INS Imphal undertook a bilateral Passage Exercise and Joint EEZ surveillance with MCGS Victory, to consolidate the synergy and collaboration between the Indian Navy and the National Coast Guard of Mauritius.
This landmark deployment of INS Imphal provided a renewed impetus to the robust bilateral ties between the two nations and reaffirmed India’s commitment to act swiftly as the ‘First Responder’ and the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ to address maritime challenges in the IOR.
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VM/SKS 58/25
(Release ID: 2111518) Visitor Counter : 82
Source: Government of India (2)
The seed planted today in the form of Lachit Barphukan Police Academy will one day grow into a banyan tree, and will serve the cause of policing in the entire country
The saga of great warrior Lachit Barphukan was once limited to Assam, but under the Modi government, his biography is now available in 23 languages in libraries across the country
In Assam, once known for movements, insurgency, and gunfights, efforts are underway to establish a semiconductor industry worth ₹27,000 crore
The double-engine government has increased the conviction rate in Assam from 5 per cent to 25 per cent
In Assam, the police, which were once limited to fighting terrorism, are now working to protect the rights of citizens
Earlier, Assam was plunged into the flames of riots, keeping the region in a state of unrest, however, under the Modi government, peace has been established here, and with world-class infrastructure, large industries are now being set up
Posted On: 15 MAR 2025 5:15PM by PIB Delhi
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, today inaugurated the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, Assam. On this occasion, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, and many other dignitaries were present.
In his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that in the next 5 years, the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy will be ranked first among all police academies across the country. He mentioned that Assam’s brave warrior and legendary, Lachit Barphukan, had led Assam to victory against the Mughals. He further stated that saga of bravery of Lachit Barphukan was once kept limited to Assam, but due to the efforts of the Modi Government, today his biography has been translated into 23 languages and is available in libraries across the country for children. Shri Shah praised the Assam government for ensuring that the entire nation learns about and draws inspiration from this great son of Assam. He added that the seed planted today in the form of the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy would one day grow into a banyan tree, and will serve the cause of policing in the entire country. It will be an apex police academy not only for Assam but for entire Northeast, similar to Kashi among pilgrimage sites; the site will be a new beginning for peace in the region
Shri Amit Shah said that the first phase of the Lachit Barphukan Academy has been completed at a cost of ₹167 crore, and a total of ₹1050 crore will be spent on all three phases. He mentioned that the academy is equipped with several state-of-the-art facilities and will become the best police academy in the entire country. He further highlighted that earlier, Assam’s police had to go to other states for training, but in the last 8 years, under the state’s governance, such a transformation has taken place that now, 2,000 police personnel from Goa and Manipur have received training at this police academy.
Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Assam is now progressing on the path of development. He mentioned that in the last 10 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, several peace agreements have been signed: the Assam-Bodoland Agreement in 2020, the Karbi Anglong Agreement in 2021, the Tribal Peace Agreement in 2022, and the ULFA, Assam-Meghalaya, and Assam-Arunachal Agreements in the year 2023. Shri Shah stated that as a result of these peace agreements made by the Modi government, more than 10,000 youths have laid down their weapons and joined the mainstream. He added that in Assam, once known for movements, insurgency, and gunfights, efforts are underway to establish a semiconductor industry worth ₹27,000 crore.
Shri Amit Shah said that a recent investment and infrastructure conference named Advantage Assam 2.0 was held in Assam, where MoUs worth ₹5.18 lakh crore were signed, and most of these MoUs will be implemented on the ground. He further mentioned that the Modi government is bringing infrastructure projects worth ₹3 lakh crore for the development of Assam. He emphasized that these projects, totaling ₹8 lakh crore, will create a large number of employment opportunities for the youth of Assam.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that during the 10 years of the previous government’s rule, Assam received a devolution grant and grant-in-aid of ₹1.27 lakh crore, which has been increased fourfold to₹4.95 lakh crore in Prime Minister Modi’s 10 years. He further stated that the previous governments had pushed Assam into the fire of riots for many years, did not provide grants, failed to set up proper education systems, did not build infrastructure, and did not allow peace to prevail.Shri Shah said that during Prime Minister Modi’s 10-year tenure, infrastructure has been developed, peace has prevailed, and various industries have been established. He mentioned several projects undertaken by the Modi government, including the Bharat Mala project, which is more than 200 kilometers long and worth ₹10,000 crore, the Dhubri-Phulwari bridge worth ₹3,000 crore, rural roads spanning 3,700 kilometers at a cost of ₹3,400 crore, and the four-laning of the Silchar-Churaibari corridor. Additionally, he highlighted the work being done on a new embankment and road on Majuli Island worth ₹1,000 crore. He further stated that a six-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra River is under construction, and at a cost of ₹382 crore, National Highway 715-K is connecting Majuli and Jorhat. He also mentioned the expansion of an airport named after Gopinath Ji at a cost of ₹1,100 crore, the inauguration of ₹9,000 crore worth of railway projects, a ₹1,000 crore AIIMS project, and the establishment of medical colleges in Tamulpur, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, and Dhubri, along with many other infrastructure projects under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.
Shri Amit Shah said that the Modi government and the Assam government have carried out several welfare programs for the poor. He mentioned that for the first time, tap water was provided to 58 lakh homes, free treatment up to ₹5 lakh was provided to 1.8 crore people, toilets were built in 43 lakh homes, 2.32 crore poor people were given 5 kilograms of free rice per person every month, and the Modi government and Assam government also provided 51 lakh gas cylinders and 21 lakh houses.
Union Home Minister said that the Modi government has not only made efforts to bring peace to Assam but has successfully established it. He mentioned that the Modi government has built infrastructure, and now, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, an investment of ₹5 lakh crore is coming into the state, which will lay the foundation for a golden future for the youth of Assam. He further stated that the conviction ratio in Assam has increased from 5 per cent to 25 per cent. He highlighted that earlier, people did not want to file FIRs because the police were only seen as fighting against terrorists, but today, the police are focused on protecting the rights of citizens and effectively implementing the three new criminal laws introduced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
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RK/VV/ASH/PS
(Release ID: 2111498) Visitor Counter : 65
Source: Amnesty International –
Itai Dzamara is a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was forcibly disappeared ten years ago on 9 March 2015 after he criticized the Zimbabwean government about the deteriorating economic conditions in the country. He has not been seen or heard from since and his fate and whereabouts remain unknown. Ten years on, Itai’s wife, Sheffra, has shared her story with Amnesty International
Everyone knew Itai Dzamara as a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was forcibly disappeared on 9 March 2015 after he criticised the Zimbabwean government.
Itai was my husband and best friend. He was a great father to our two children Nokutenda and Nenyasha. He was always there for us making sure that we are happy.
Itai was amazing. He loved to eat sadza (staple food made from white corn) and fish, and would cook it for us on Sundays after church. He used to play soccer on weekends, and he was a big fan of Manchester United. Itai would always wear his Man U jersey whenever they played matches.
My husband was a kind man. He had people at heart, and that is what led him to write a petition to Zimbabwe’s then-president Robert Mugabe on 17 October 2014, demanding he step down. Following this petition, police arrested Itai and fellow activists and interrogated them for eight hours at Harare Central police station. Itai was fighting for every Zimbabwean regardless of political parties.
The man who stood against former President Mugabe
The Constitution of Zimbabwe and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which the country is a state party guarantee the right to peaceful assembly. When Itai started these peaceful protests, the Zimbabwe Republic Police would beat and arrest him and his colleagues.
Their group, Occupy Africa Unity Square, would hold peaceful protests at a public park opposite Zimbabwe’s parliament building. At one protest in November 2014, police beat Itai until he collapsed. Then they kept on beating him while he was unconscious. He was admitted for treatment for his injuries for two weeks.
9 March 2015, the day Itai was abducted, was a normal day.
He went to the barbershop at 9am wearing black shorts and his Manchester United jersey. Looking back at that morning, there are so many things I wish I had said to him. As I was preparing his breakfast for when he returned, my brother came running in, and told me that my husband was taken from the barbershop, by men driving a white Isuzu with no registration number.
When I heard this, fear engulfed me. I knew that it was an abduction. It was bad, I started shaking and crying. I did not know what to do or who to call, but I wanted to hear the facts directly from the people who witnessed the abduction. I took my daughter and put her on my back – she was two years old then – and went straight to the barbershop. When I arrived, I was still shaking. Even the barber and his colleague were shaking too as they told me what happened.
“They told me the whole thing was like a movie.”
It was very fast. Five men walked in and said they were looking for a cattle thief. While Itai was perplexed, the men grabbed him and said they were taking him to the police to be questioned. Itai has not been seen since then.
I walked back from the barber like a zombie. I felt the whole world falling down on me. My head was spinning. I was not myself; I was confused and did not know what to do. I was shattered. I wanted to scream and cry but when I looked at my daughter and son, I knew I had to control myself.
I got home and changed my clothes, not realizing that I was wearing my skirt inside out. That’s how confused I was. I left my kids with my sister, and went with Itai’s brother Patson, and our lawyer to report the case to the police, who promised to investigate.
When I returned home around 6pm, I was afraid to go through the gate thinking maybe the abductors would come back and abduct us as well. I had to be strong for my kids. I did not sleep that night. My heart was pounding so hard. At 4am, I left the house and went to the barbershop hoping, praying that maybe, they would have brought him back, but he was not there.
The next day, my kids and I were taken to an organization where we stayed for a month for our safety. I lost weight from fasting and praying for my husband to be released from his abductors. I could not eat or sleep. My heart was always beating fast. I would cry at night so that my kids didn’t t see me.
10 years later and everyone is still asking ‘where is Itai?’
Life has not been the same since Itai was abducted. The last 10 years have been hard. I am reminded of him every time I look at my kids because both look like their dad. It hurts not to have Itai in my life and to see my kids missing him and growing up without a father who loved them so dearly. I don’t have any answers, but I feel blessed to have my two kids. When I look at them l feel God’s grace.
The police never came back to give any update. As far as I know, they never even investigated the case. They were not interested in finding Itai. Even the Zimbabwe High Court order could not get the police find my husband or tell us what happened to him.
As a family we did everything to get answers. For the past 10 years the government of Zimbabwe has ignored my requests and turned a blind eye to the demand for answers by everyone including friends, activists, civil society organizations, media and the international community.
I will not stop asking until I know the fate and whereabouts of my husband.
I wish for Itai to one day walk through the front door and hug me and the kids or to wake up to find that this was all a bad dream. If I must live without him, then I need answers, I need to know where he is.
Source: Amnesty International –
Reacting to the acquittal of 45 members of the Saturday Mothers, prosecuted after their 700th peaceful vigil for their forcibly disappeared loved ones was banned and violently dispersed in August 2018, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe, Dinushika Dissanayake said:
“Almost seven years after the Saturday Mothers’ 700th peaceful vigil was violently broken up by riot police, 45 people standing trial for participating in the vigil have finally been acquitted and their ordeal ended. A prosecution that should have never seen the light of day, dragged on for years.
For more than one thousand Saturdays, the Saturday Mothers have become a powerful symbol of the importance of peaceful protest
“The authorities must draw the necessary conclusion from this long-awaited outcome: Saturday Mothers/People have the right to meet on Galatasaray Square every Saturday to demand justice for their disappeared loved ones. We call on the Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya to ensure that all ongoing restrictions on the Square are lifted immediately and permanently.
“For more than one thousand Saturdays since 1995, the Saturday Mothers and their supporters have become a powerful symbol of the importance of peaceful protest. We must defend this right even in the face of crackdown, violence, detention and prosecutions.”
Background
Members of the Saturday Mothers/People are relatives of victims of enforced disappearances during the 1980s and 1990s who have been holding a peaceful vigil every Saturday at the same spot since May 1995. The 700th vigil, on 25 August 2018, was subject to a ban by the Beyoğlu district governor on the spurious grounds that the authorities had not been notified 48 hours prior to the vigil.
Police broke up the vigil using tear gas and water cannons and detained 46 people who were later released but indicted two years later in 2020 on the charge of “attending illegal meetings and marches without weapons and not dispersing despite warning.” The first hearing in the trial, initially of 46 people, took place in March 2021. In 2024, one of the 46 defendants was separated from the case because of their absence from the trial proceedings. If found guilty, the 45 defendants could each have faced up to three years in prison.
Source: Amnesty International –
The 45 protesters were prosecuted after their 700th peaceful vigil for their forcibly disappeared loved ones was banned and violently dispersed in 2018
This was a “prosecution that should have never seen the light of day, dragged on for years”- Dinushika Dissanayake
Reacting to the acquittal of 45 members of the Saturday Mothers, prosecuted after their 700th peaceful vigil for their forcibly disappeared loved ones was banned and violently dispersed in August 2018, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe, Dinushika Dissanayake said:
“Almost seven years after the Saturday Mothers’ 700th peaceful vigil was violently broken up by riot police, 45 people standing trial for participating in the vigil have finally been acquitted and their ordeal ended. A prosecution that should have never seen the light of day, dragged on for years.
“The authorities must draw the necessary conclusion from this long-awaited outcome: Saturday Mothers/People have the right to meet on Galatasaray Square every Saturday to demand justice for their disappeared loved ones. We call on the Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya to ensure that all ongoing restrictions on the Square are lifted immediately and permanently.
“For more than one thousand Saturdays since 1995, the Saturday Mothers and their supporters have become a powerful symbol of the importance of peaceful protest. We must defend this right even in the face of crackdown, violence, detention and prosecutions.”
Saturday Mothers
Members of the Saturday Mothers/People are relatives of victims of enforced disappearances during the 1980s and 1990s who have been holding a peaceful vigil every Saturday at the same spot since May 1995. The 700th vigil, on 25 August 2018, was subject to a ban by the Beyoğlu district governor on the spurious grounds that the authorities had not been notified 48 hours prior to the vigil.
Police broke up the vigil using tear gas and water cannons and detained 46 people who were later released but indicted two years later in 2020 on the charge of “attending illegal meetings and marches without weapons and not dispersing despite warning.” The first hearing in the trial, initially of 46 people, took place in March 2021. In 2024, one of the 46 defendants was separated from the case because of their absence from the trial proceedings.
Source: Amnesty International –
‘The report exposes yet again the horrors of Israeli atrocity crimes in Gaza, and how they specifically impact women’ – Lauren Aarons
Responding to a report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel published today, which concluded Israel has systematically used sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence against Palestinians since October 2023 and carried out “genocidal acts” against Palestinians in Gaza by destroying women’s healthcare and reproductive health facilities and blocking access to reproductive healthcare, Lauren Aarons, Amnesty International’s Senior Adviser on Gender, Conflict and International Justice, said:
“These damning findings are another clear illustration of the devastating impact of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its use of gender-based violence to oppress Palestinian women and girls across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to use sexual violence to perpetuate oppression on Palestinians of all genders, especially in Israeli detention centres.
“The report exposes yet again the horrors of Israeli atrocity crimes in Gaza, and how they specifically impact women.
“Palestinian women in Gaza have been subjected to a range of gendered forms of bodily and mental harm, including reproductive and other gender-based violence.
“Even after the first phase of the ceasefire came into force, horrific conditions of life inflicted by Israel during the offensive have continued to disproportionately affect women and girls. This includes damage and destruction of homes, medical facilities including maternity wards, maternal care clinics and other life-sustaining infrastructure as well as to shelters protecting women and girls from gender-based violence.
“Israel’s decision to completely block entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza for the past 12 days has already exacerbated the catastrophic conditions facing women and girls.
“Even prior to the imposition of these measures as a clear form of collective punishment, Israel had banned the entry of mobile homes and heavy machinery to remove the rubble. This means that hundreds of thousands of women and girls continue to live in dire conditions in tents or crowded schools, exposed to violence and with scarce access to clean water contributing to a hygiene crisis.
“Palestinians released from Israeli detention centres have also told Amnesty that they were subjected to torture and sexual violence while in detention.
“The publication of the report must prompt the international community to take urgent action to protect the rights of Palestinian women and address gendered crimes being committed against women and men.
“In addition to a long-lasting ceasefire, urgent measures are needed to repair hospitals, clinics and sanitation facilities. Israel must lift its genocidal siege on the occupied Gaza Strip and restore the electricity supply. It must also repeal its ban on UNRWA, whose work is vital to addressing the humanitarian catastrophe including the needs of women and girls.”
In a December 2024 report, Amnesty concluded that Israeli authorities committed and are committing genocide in Gaza. Acts included the killing and seriously injuring tens of thousands of women and girls and deliberately subjecting them to conditions calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza, in whole or in part. The organisation has also documented violations of international law by Hamas and other armed groups including launching indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel as well as deliberate killings of civilians and hostage-taking since 7 October 2023.