NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man who claimed to be a pastor of a church in Orange, New Jersey was indicted on April 25, 2025, for sex trafficking, forced labor, and, along with his wife, conspiring to commit forced labor, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today.
The indictment, which was unsealed on May 7, 2025, charges Treva Edwards, 60, and Christine Edwards, 63, with conspiracy to commit forced labor. It also charges Treva Edwards with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and forced labor. Both defendants were arrested on May 7, 2025 and made their initial appearances on May 8, 2025 and were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa and were detained.
“These charges are an example of my office’s tireless commitment to combatting human trafficking in our community. If you engage in human trafficking, we will find you, and we will prosecute you. We are committed to working alongside our partners to ensure that those who target the most vulnerable are brought to justice.”
– U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith or community,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Civil Rights Division is committed to holding accountable those who abuse positions of trust to manipulate and control others for personal gain. These charges reflect our unwavering focus on protecting victims and prosecuting those who commit forced labor and sex trafficking.”
“Treva and Christine Edwards turned a source of hope into a tool of fear by allegedly exploiting religious faith to manipulate victims and expose them to sexual violence and forced labor conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of HSI Newark Division. “Seeking justice for human trafficking victims in cases like this is of utmost importance to HSI Newark. Anyone who may believe they are a victim of trafficking can be assured our investigations are victim-centered and that we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for anyone’s freedom that has been held ransom.”
“An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of labor trafficking involving the use of coercion or force,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
According to the indictment and statements made in court:
Defendants Treva Edwards and Christine Edwards were the founders and pastors of a church they named “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” which they operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, New Jersey, and where they conspired to coax and coerce vulnerable victims to work with no pay.
Between 2011 and 2020, the defendants identified and recruited victims who were facing struggles in their personal lives, including financial and familial struggles, to join the church and live and worship at the church building. Treva Edwards told the victims that he was a prophet who could communicate directly with God and that disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution from God, as well as physical, emotional, and financial harm.
The defendants preached to the victims that it was God’s will for them to work, and that members had to perform labor to serve God. The defendants secured labor contracts to provide manual labor in and around Orange, New Jersey, and the defendants dispatched the victims to perform the contracted labor. The defendants did not pay wages to the victims for their work and kept the money earned from their labor.
The defendants convinced the victims that they would lose favor with God if they did not perform labor. Treva Edwards spread fear among the victims through verbal and emotional abuse and threats of reputational harm, homelessness, hunger, spiritual retribution, punishments, and more hard labor to gain their obedience and compel them to perform unpaid labor. The defendants instituted and enforced strict rules about when and whether the victims could eat or sleep, when and for how long they were to pray and work, and whether they could speak to non-members or leave the church building. The defendants isolated the victims, monitored their communications and whereabouts, and by convincing them that non-members were evil or possessed by the devil. The defendants deprived the victims of sleep, typically fed them only once a day after they completed their work.
According to the allegations in the indictment, Treva Edwards controlled and subjected one victim to repeated physical and sexual assaults, impregnated her, and instructed her to get an abortion.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion against Treva Edwards carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The forced labor charge against Treva Edwards carries a maximum sentence of twenty years or life imprisonment if the government proves at trial that the violation included aggravated sexual abuse. The conspiracy to commit forced labor charge against both defendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to this indictment.
This investigation was conducted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2025. The Task Force brings together federal and state agencies to collaborate and dedicate resources to combat human trafficking and prosecute human trafficking offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Human Trafficking Task Force is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Chenoweth and Susan Millenky, and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
HSI is asking anyone with information about the defendants to contact the HSI Human Trafficking Hotline at (866) 347-2423 (option 2), and reference Edwards or Jesus is Lord Church, or to email hsinewarkhumantrafficking@hsi.dhs.gov. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Treva Edwards: Michael Thomas, Esq., AFPD
Christine Edwards: F.R. “Chip” Dunne, III, Esq., Hoboken, NJ
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — Three passenger routes were launched between northeastern China’s Heilongjiang Province and Russia on the Heilongjiang (Amur) River this week.
Ferries operate between Fuyuan and Khabarovsk /Khabarovsk Krai/, Heihe and Blagoveshchensk /Amur Region/, and Tongjiang and Nizhneleninsky /Jewish Autonomous Region/, reports the Zhongxinshe news agency.
In particular, the Russian high-speed motor ship “70 Years of Victory” with 22 passengers on board left the Khabarovsk river port on Friday, heading to Fuyuan. Compared to a regular motor ship, the new vessel allows to reduce the travel time from 2 hours 30 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes.
The motor ship “70 Years of Victory”, which is capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h, will make two trips a day according to the schedule.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Chinese cargo-passenger ro-ro Lundu-004 made its first voyage this year along the Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye route.
According to available information, Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye is an important water trade channel between China and Russia. The capacity of the eastern part of the Tongjiang port is 600 thousand tons of cargo per year.
On the same day, the river service between Heihe and Blagoveshchensk also began to operate. On the first day of its operation, the Chinese and Russian sides allocated one motor ship each, which is designed to carry up to 240 passengers.
As the summer season approaches, Fuyuan, Tongjiang, Heihe and other border points with Russia will soon see a tourism boom, according to local border officials. -0-
NERMEEN SHAIKH:We begin today’s show looking at Israel’s ongoing targeting of Palestinian journalists. A recent report by the Costs of War Project at Brown University described the war in Gaza as the “worst ever conflict for reporters” in history.
By one count, Israel has killed 214 Palestinian journalists in Gaza over the past 18 months, including two journalists killed on Wednesday — Yahya Subaih and Nour El-Din Abdo. Yahya Subaih died just hours after his wife gave birth to their first child.
Meanwhile, new details have emerged about the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, the renowned Palestinian American Al Jazeera journalist who was fatally shot by an Israeli soldier three years ago on 11 May 2022.
She was killed while covering an Israeli army assault on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Shireen and another reporter were against a stone wall, wearing blue helmets and blue flak jackets clearly emblazoned with the word “Press”.
Shireen was shot in the head. She was known throughout the Arab world for her decades of tireless reporting on Palestine.
AMY GOODMAN: Israel initially claimed she had been shot by Palestinian militants, but later acknowledged she was most likely shot by an Israeli soldier. But Israel has never identified the soldier who fired the fatal shot, or allowed the soldier to be questioned by US investigators.
But a new documentary just released by Zeteo has identified and named the Israeli soldier for the first time. Below is the trailer to the documentary Who Killed Shireen?
DION NISSENBAUM: That soldier looked down his scope and could see the blue vest and that it said “press.”
ISRAELI SOLDIER: That’s what I think, yes.
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: US personnel have never had access to those who are believed to have committed those shootings.
DION NISSENBAUM: No one has been held to account. Justice has not been served.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: She is the first American Palestinian journalist who has been killed by Israeli forces.
DION NISSENBAUM: I want to know: Who killed Shireen?
CONOR POWELL: Are we going to find the shooter?
DION NISSENBAUM: He’s got a phone call set up with this Israeli soldier that was there that day.
CONOR POWELL: We just have to go over to Israel.
DION NISSENBAUM: Did you ever talk to the guy who fired those shots?
ISRAELI SOLDIER: Of course. I know him personally. The US should have actually come forward and actually pressed the fact that an American citizen was killed intentionally by IDF.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: The drones are still ongoing, the explosions going off.
CONOR POWELL: Holy [bleep]! We’ve got a name.
DION NISSENBAUM: But here’s the twist.
Who Shot Shireen Abu Akleh? Video: Zeteo/Democracy Now!
NERMEEN SHAIKH:The trailer for the new Zeteo documentary Who Killed Shireen? The film identifies the Israeli soldier who allegedly killed Shireen Abu Akleh as Alon Scagio, who would later be killed during an Israeli military operation last June in Jenin, the same city where Shireen was fatally shot.
AMY GOODMAN:We’re joined right now by four guests, including two members of Shireen Abu Akleh’s family: her brother Anton, or Tony, and her niece Lina. They’re both in North Bergen, New Jersey. We’re also joined by Mehdi Hasan, the founder and editor-in-chief of Zeteo, and by Dion Nissenbaum, the executive producer of Who Killed Shireen?, the correspondent on the documentary, longtime Wall Street Journal foreign correspondent based in Jerusalem and other cities, a former foreign correspondent. He was twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
We welcome you all toDemocracy Now!Dion, we’re going to begin with you. This is the third anniversary, May 11th exactly, of the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. Talk about your revelation, what you exposed in this documentary.
DION NISSENBAUM: Well, there were two things that were very important for the documentary. The first thing was we wanted to find the soldier who killed Shireen. It had been one of the most closely guarded secrets in Israel. US officials said that if they wanted to determine if there was a crime here, if there was a human rights violation, they needed to talk to this soldier to find out what he was thinking when he shot her.
And we set out to find him. And we did. We did what the US government never did. And it turned out he had been killed, so we were never able to answer that question — what he was thinking.
But the other revelation that I think is as significant in this documentary is that the initial US assessment of her shooting was that that soldier intentionally shot her and that he could tell that she was wearing a blue flak jacket with “Press” across it.
That assessment was essentially overruled by the Biden administration, which came out and said exactly the opposite. That’s a fairly startling revelation, that the Biden administration and the Israeli government essentially were doing everything they could to cover up what happened that day to Shireen Abu Akleh.
‘Who Killed Shireen?’ Zeteo premiered an explosive investigative documentary that reveals the identity of the soldier who shot Shireen Abu Akleh.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, let’s go to a clip from the documentary Who Killed Shireen?, in which Dion Nissenbaum, our guest, speaks with former State Department official Andrew Miller. He was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs in 2022 when Shireen was killed.
ANDREW MILLER: It’s nearly 100 percent certain that an Israeli soldier, likely a sniper, fired the shot that killed or the shots that killed Shireen Abu Akleh. Based on all the information we have, it is not credible to suggest that there were targets either in front of or behind Shireen Abu Akleh.
The fact that the official Israeli position remains that this was a case of crossfire, the entire episode was a mistake, as opposed to potentially a mistaken identification or the deliberate targeting of this individual, points to, I think, a broader policy of seeking to manage the narrative.
DION NISSENBAUM: And did the Israelis ever make the soldier available to the US to talk about it?
ANDREW MILLER: No. And the Israelis were not willing to present the person for even informal questioning.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: That was State Department official — former State Department official Andrew Miller, speaking in the Zeteo documentary Who Killed Shireen? He was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs in 2022 when Shireen was killed.
I want to go to Shireen’s family, whom we have as guests, Anton Abu Akleh and Lina, who are joining us from New Jersey. You both watched the film for the first time last night when it premiered here in New York City. Lina, if you could begin by responding to the revelations in the film?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Hi, Amy. Hi. Thank you for having us.
Honestly, we always welcome and we appreciate journalists who try to uncover the killing of Shireen, but also who shed light on her legacy. And the documentary that was released by Zeteo and by Dion, it really revealed findings that we didn’t know before, but we’ve always known that it was an Israeli soldier who killed Shireen. And we know how the US administration failed our family, failed a US citizen and failed a journalist, really.
And that should be a scandal in and of itself.
But most importantly, for us as a family, it’s not just about one soldier. It’s about the entire chain of command. It’s not just the person who pulled the trigger, but who ordered the killing, and the military commanders, the elected officials.
So, really, it’s the entire chain of command that needs to be held to account for the killing of a journalist who was in a clear press vest, press gear, marked as a journalist.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: And, Anton, if you could respond? Shireen, of course, was your younger sister. What was your response watching the documentary last night?
ANTON ABU AKLEH: It’s very painful to look at all these scenes again, but I really extend my appreciation to Zeteo and all those who supported and worked on this documentary, which was very revealing, many things we didn’t know. The cover-up by the Biden administration, this thing was new to us.
He promised. First statements came out from the White House and from the State Department stressed on the importance of holding those responsible accountable. And apparently, in one of the interviews heard in this documentary, he never raised — President Biden never raised this issue with Bennett, at that time the prime minister.
So, that’s shocking to us to know it was a total cover-up, contradictory to what they promised us. And that’s — like Lina just said, it’s a betrayal, not only to the family, not only to Shireen, but the whole American nation.
AMY GOODMAN: Mehdi Hasan, you’ve backed this documentary. It’s the first big documentary Zeteo is putting out. It’s also the first anniversary of the founding of Zeteo. Can you talk about the proof that you feel is here in the documentary that Alon Scagio, this — and explain who he is and the unit he was a part of? Dion, it’s quite something when you go to his grave. But how you can absolutely be sure this is the man?
MEHDI HASAN:So, Amy, Nermeen, thanks for having us here. I’ve been on this show many times. I just want to say, great to be here on set with both of you. Thank you for what you do.
This is actually our second documentary, but it is our biggest so far, because the revelations in this film that Dion and the team put out are huge in many ways — identifying the soldier, as you mentioned, Alon Scagio, identifying the Biden cover-up, which we just heard Tony Abu Akleh point out. People didn’t realise just how big that cover-up was.
Remember, Joe Biden was the man who said, “If you harm an American, we will respond.” And what is very clear in the case of Shireen Abu Akleh, an American citizen who spent a lot of her life in New Jersey, they did not respond.
In terms of the soldier itself, when Dion came to me and said, “We want to make this film. It’ll be almost like a true crime documentary. We’re going to go out and find out who did it” — because we all — everyone followed the story. You guys covered it in 2022. It was a huge story in the world.
But three years later, to not even know the name of the shooter — and I was, “Well, will we be able to find this out? It’s one of Israel’s most closely guarded secrets.” And yet, Dion and his team were able to do the reporting that got inside of Duvdevan, this elite special forces unit in Israel.
It literally means “the cherry on top.” That’s how proud they are of their eliteness. And yet, no matter how elite you are, Israel’s way of fighting wars means you kill innocent people.
And what comes out in the film from interviews, not just with a soldier, an Israeli soldier, who speaks in the film and talks about how, “Hey, if you see a camera, you take the shot,” but also speaking to Chris Van Hollen, United States Senator from Maryland, who’s been one of the few Democratic voices critical of Biden in the Senate, who says there’s been no change in Israel’s rules of engagement over the years.
And therefore, it was so important on multiple levels to do this film, to identify the shooter, because, of course, as you pointed out in your news headlines, Amy, they just killed a hundred Palestinians yesterday.
So this is not some old story from history where this happened in 2022 and we’re going back. Everything that happened since, you could argue, flows from that — the Americans who have been killed, the journalists who have been killed in Gaza, Palestinians, the sense of impunity that Israel has and Israel’s soldiers have.
There are reports that Israeli soldiers are saying to Palestinians, “Hey, Trump has our back. Hey, the US government has our back.” And it wasn’t just Trump. It was Joe Biden, too.
And that was why it was so important to make this film, to identify the shooter, to call out Israel’s practices when it comes to journalists, and to call out the US role.
AMY GOODMAN: I just want to go to Dion, for people who aren’t familiar with the progression of what the Biden administration said, the serious cover-up not only by Israel, but of its main military weapons supplier and supporter of its war on Gaza, and that is Joe Biden, from the beginning.
First Israel said it was a Palestinian militant. At that point, what did President Biden say?
DION NISSENBAUM: So, at the very beginning, they said that they wanted the shooter to be prosecuted. They used that word at the State Department and said, “This person who killed an American journalist should be prosecuted.” But when it started to become clear that it was probably an Israeli soldier, their tone shifted, and it became talking about vague calls for accountability or changes to the rules of engagement, which never actually happened.
So, you got to a point where the Israeli government admitted it was likely them, the US government called for them to change the rules of engagement, and the Israeli government said no. And we have this interview in the film with Senator Chris Van Hollen, who says that, essentially, Israel was giving the middle finger to the US government on this.
And we have seen, since that time, more Americans being killed in the West Bank, dozens and dozens and dozens of journalists being killed, with no accountability. And we would like to see that change.
This is a trajectory that you’re seeing. You know, the blue vest no longer provides any protection for journalists in Israel. The Israeli military itself has said that wearing a blue vest with “Press” on it does not necessarily mean that you are a journalist.
They are saying that terrorists wear blue vests, too. So, if you are a journalist operating in the West Bank now, you have to assume that the Israeli military could target you.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, let’s go to another clip from the film Who Killed Shireen?, which features Ali Samoudi, Shireen Abu Akleh’s producer, who was with Shireen when she was killed, and was himself shot and injured. In the clip, he speaks to the journalist Fatima AbdulKarim.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: We are set up here now, even though we were supposed to meet at the location where you got injured and Shireen got killed.
ALI SAMOUDI: [translated] We are five minutes from the location in Maidan al-Awdah. But you could lose your soul in the five minutes it would take us to reach it. You could be hit by army bullets. They could arrest you.
So it is essentially impossible to get there. I believe the big disaster which prevented the occupation from being punished and repeating these crimes is the neglect and indifference by many of the institutions, especially American ones, which continue to defend the occupation.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: [translated] We’re now approaching the third anniversary of Shireen’s death. How did that affect you?
ALI SAMOUDI: [translated] During that period, the occupation was making preparations for a dangerous scenario in the Jenin refugee camp. And for this reason, they didn’t want witnesses.
They opened fire on us in order to terroriSe us enough that we wouldn’t go back to the camp. And in that sense, they partially succeeded.
Since then, we have been overcome by fear. From the moment Shireen was killed, I said and continue to say and will continue to say that this bullet was meant to prevent the Palestinian media from the documentation and exposure of the occupation’s crimes.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: That was Ali Samoudi, Shireen Abu Akleh’s producer, who was with Shireen when she was killed, and was himself shot and injured.
We should note, Ali Samoudi was just detained by Israeli forces in late April. The Palestinian journalist Mariam Barghouti recently wrote, “Ali Samoudi was beaten so bad by Israeli soldiers he was immediately hospitalised. This man has been one of the few journalists that continues reporting on Israeli military abuses north of the West Bank despite the continued risk on his life,” Mariam Barghouti wrote.
The Committee to Protect Journalists spoke to the journalist’s son, Mohammed Al Samoudi, who told CPJ, quote, “My father suffers from several illnesses, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and a stomach ulcer . . . He needs a diabetes injection every two days and a specific diet. It appears he was subjected to assault and medical neglect at the interrogation center . . .
“Our lawyer told us he was transferred to an Israeli hospital after a major setback in his health. We don’t know where he is being held, interrogated, or even the hospital to which he was taken. My father has been forcibly disappeared,” he said.
So, Dion Nissenbaum, if you could give us the latest? You spoke to Ali Samoudi for the documentary, and now he’s been detained.
DION NISSENBAUM: Yeah. His words were prophetic, right? He talks about this was an attempt to silence journalists. And my colleague Fatima says the same thing, that these are ongoing, progressive efforts to silence Palestinian journalists.
And we don’t know where Ali is. He has not actually been charged with anything yet. He is one of the most respected journalists in the West Bank. And we are just seeing this progression going on.
AMY GOODMAN: So, the latest we know is he was supposed to have a hearing, and that hearing has now been delayed to May 13th, Ali Samoudi?
DION NISSENBAUM: That’s right. And he has yet to be charged, so . . .
AMY GOODMAN:I want to go back to Lina Abu Akleh, who’s in New Jersey, where Shireen grew up. Lina, you were listed on Time magazine’s 100 emerging leaders for publicly demanding scrutiny of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, the horror.
And again, our condolences on the death of your aunt, on the killing of your aunt, and also to Anton, Shireen’s brother. Lina, you’ve also, of course, spoken to Ali Samoudi. This continues now. He’s in detention — his son says, “just disappeared”.
What are you demanding right now? We have a new administration. We’ve moved from the Biden administration to the Trump administration. And are you in touch with them? Are they speaking to you?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Well, our demands haven’t changed. From day one, we’re calling for the US administration to complete its investigation, or for the FBI to continue its investigation, and to finally release — to finally hold someone to account.
And we have enough evidence that could have been — that the administration could have used to expedite this case. But, unfortunately, this new administration, as well, no one has spoken to us. We haven’t been in touch with anyone, and it’s just been radio silence since.
For us, as I said, our demands have never changed. It’s been always to hold the entire system to account, the entire chain of command, the military, for the killing of an American citizen, a journalist, a Palestinian, Palestinian American journalist.
As we’ve been talking, targeting journalists isn’t happening just by shooting at them or killing them. There’s so many different forms of targeting journalists, especially in Gaza and the West Bank and Jerusalem.
So, for us, it’s really important as a family that we don’t see other families experience what we are going through, for this — for impunity, for Israel’s impunity, to end, because, at the end of the day, accountability is the only way to put an end to this impunity.
AMY GOODMAN: I am horrified to ask this question to Shireen’s family members, to Lina, to Tony, Shireen’s brother, but the revelation in the film — we were all there last night at its premiere in New York — that the Israeli soldiers are using a photograph of Shireen’s face for target practice. Tony Abu Akleh, if you could respond?
ANTON ABU AKLEH: You know, there is no words to describe our sorrow and pain hearing this. But, you know, I would just want to know why. Why would they do this thing? What did Shireen do to them for them to use her as a target practice? You know, this is absolutely barbaric act, unjustified. Unjustified.
And we really hope that this US administration will be able to put an end to all this impunity they are enjoying. If they didn’t enjoy all this impunity, they wouldn’t have been doing this. Practising on a journalist? Why? You know, you can practice on anything, but on a journalist?
This shows that this targeting of more journalists, whether in Gaza, in Palestine, it’s systematic. It’s been planned for. And they’ve been targeting and shutting off those voices, those reports, from reaching anywhere in the world.
NERMEEN SHAIKH:And, Anton, if you could say — you know, you mentioned last night, as well, Shireen was, in fact, extremely cautious as a journalist. If you could elaborate on that? What precisely —
ANTON ABU AKLEH: Absolutely. Absolutely. Shireen was very careful. Every time she’s in the field, she would take her time to put on the gear, the required helmet, the vest with “press” written on it, before going there. She also tried to identify herself as a journalist, whether to the Israelis or to the Palestinians, so she’s not attacked.
And she always went by the book, followed the rules, how to act, how to be careful, how to speak to those people involved, so she can protect herself. But, unfortunately, he was — this soldier, as stated in the documentary, targeted Shireen just because she’s Shireen and she’s a journalist. That’s it. There is no other explanation.
Sixteen bullets were fired on Shireen. Not even her helmet, nor the vest she was wearing, were able to protect her, unfortunately.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Mehdi Hasan, you wanted to respond.
MEHDI HASAN: So, Tony asks, “Why? Why would you do this? Why would you target not just a journalist in the field, but then use her face for target practice?” — as Dion and his team reveal in the film. And there is, unfortunately, a very simple answer to that question, which is that the Israeli military — and not just the Israeli military, but many people in our world today — have dehumanised Palestinians.
There is the removal of humanity from the people you are oppressing, occupying, subjugating and killing. It doesn’t matter if you’re an American citizen. It doesn’t matter if you have a press jacket on. It only matters that you are Palestinian in the sniper’s sights.
And that is how they have managed to pull of the killing of so many journalists, so many children. The first documentary we commissioned last year was called Israel’s Real Extremism, and it was about the Israeli soldiers who go into Gaza and make TikTok videos wearing Palestinian women’s underwear, playing with Palestinian children’s toys. It is the ultimate form of dehumanisation, the idea that these people don’t count, their lives have no value.
And what’s so tragic and shocking — and the film exposes this — is that Joe Biden — forget the Israeli military — Joe Biden also joined in that dehumanisation. Do you remember at the start of this conflict when he comes out and he says, “Well, I’m not sure I believe the Palestinian death toll numbers,” when he puts out a statement at the hundred days after October 7th and doesn’t mention Palestinian casualties.
And that has been the fundamental problem. This was the great comforter-in-chief. Joe Biden was supposed to be the empath. And yet, as Tony points out, what was so shocking in the film is he didn’t even raise Shireen’s case with Naftali Bennett, the prime minister of Israel at the time.
Again, would he have done that if it was an American journalist in Moscow? We know that’s not the case. We know when American journalists, especially white American journalists, are taken elsewhere in the world, the government gives a damn. And yet, in the case of Shireen, the only explanation is because she was a Palestinian American journalist.
AMY GOODMAN:You know, in the United States, the US government is responsible for American citizens, which Biden pointed out at the beginning, when he thought it was a Palestinian militant who had killed her. But, Lina, you yourself are a journalist. And I’m thinking I want to hear your response to using her face, because, of course, that is not just the face of Shireen, but I think it’s the face of journalism.
And it’s not just American journalism, of course. I mean, in fact, she’s known to hundreds of millions of people around world as the face and voice of Al Jazeera Arabic. She spoke in Arabic. She was known as that to the rest of the world. But to see that and that revealed in this documentary?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Yeah, it was horrifying, actually. And it just goes on to show how the Israeli military is built. It’s barbarism. It’s the character of revenge, of hate. And that is part of the entire system. And as Mehdi and as my father just mentioned, this is all about dehumanizing Palestinians, regardless if they’re journalists, if they’re doctors, they’re officials. For them, they simply don’t care about Palestinian lives.
And for us, Shireen will always be the voice of Palestine. And she continues to be remembered for the legacy that she left behind. And she continues to live through so many, so many journalists, who have picked up the microphone, who have picked up the camera, just because of Shireen.
So, regardless of how the Israeli military continues to dehumanise journalists and how the US fails to protect Palestinian American journalists, we will continue to push forward to continue to highlight the life and the legacy that Shireen left behind.
NERMEEN SHAIKH:Well, let’s turn to Shireen Abu Akleh in her own words. This is an excerpt from the Al Jazeera English documentary The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh.
SHIREEN ABU AKLEH: [translated] Sometimes the Israeli army doesn’t want you there, so they target you, even if they later say it was an accident. They might say, “We saw some young men around you.” So they target you on purpose, as a way of scaring you off because they don’t want you there.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: So, that was Shireen in her own words in an Al Jazeera documentary. So, Lina, I know you have to go soon, but if you could just tell us: What do you want people to know about Shireen, as an aunt, a sister and a journalist?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Yes, so, we know Shireen as the journalist, but behind the camera, she was one of the most empathetic people. She was very sincere. And something not a lot of people know, but she was a very funny person. She had a very unique sense of humor, that she lit up every room she entered. She cared about everyone and anyone. She enjoyed life.
Shireen, at the end of the day, loved life. She had plans. She had dreams that she still wanted to achieve. But her life was cut short by that small bullet, which would change our lives entirely.
But at the end of the day, Shireen was a professional journalist who always advocated for truth, for justice. And at the end of the day, all she wanted to do was humanise Palestinians and talk about the struggles of living under occupation. But at the same time, she wanted to celebrate their achievements.
She shed light on all the happy moments, all the accomplishments of the Palestinian people. And this is something that really touched millions of Palestinians, of Arabs around the world. She was able to enter the hearts of the people through the small camera lens. And until this day, she continues to be remembered for that.
AMY GOODMAN: Before we go, we’re going to keep you on, Mehdi, to talk about other issues during the Trump administration, but how can people access Who Killed Shireen?
MEHDI HASAN: So, it’s available online at WhoKilledShireen.com, is where you can go to watch it. We are releasing the film right now only to paid subscribers. We hope to change that in the forthcoming days.
People often say to me, “How can you put it behind a paywall?” Journalism — a free press isn’t free, sadly. We have to fund films like this. Dion came to us because a lot of other people didn’t want to fund a topic like this, didn’t want to fund an investigation like this.
So, we’re proud to be able to fund such documentaries, but we also need support from our contributors, our subscribers and the viewers. But it’s an important film, and I hope as many people will watch it as possible, WhoKilledShireen.com.
AMY GOODMAN:We want to thank Lina, the niece of Shireen Abu Akleh, and Anton, Tony, the older brother of Shireen Abu Akleh, for joining us from New Jersey. Together, we saw the documentary last night, Who Killed Shireen? And we want to thank Dion Nissenbaum, who is the filmmaker, the correspondent on this film, formerly a correspondent with The Wall Street Journal. The founder of Zeteo, on this first anniversary of Zeteo, is Mehdi Hasan.
This morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV met with the members of the College of Cardinals, to whom he delivered the following address, followed by a conversation that returned to some of the topics and proposals that emerged during the speeches in the General Congregations. The following is the text of the address delivered by the Holy Father:
Address of the Holy Father
Thank you very much, Your Eminence. Before taking our seats, let us begin with a prayer, asking the Lord to continue to accompany this College, and above all the entire Church with this spirit, with enthusiasm, but also with deep faith. Let us pray together in Latin.
Pater noster… Ave Maria…
In the first part of this meeting, there will be a short talk with some reflections that I would like to share with you. But then there will be a second part, a bit like the opportunity that many of you had asked for: a sort of dialogue with the College of Cardinals to hear what advice, suggestions, proposals, concrete things, which have already been discussed in the days leading up to the Conclave.
Dear Brother Cardinals,
I greet all of you with gratitude for this meeting and for the days that preceded it. Days that were sad because of the loss of the Holy Father Pope Francis and demanding due to the responsibilities we confronted together, yet at the same time, in accordance with the promise Jesus himself made to us, days rich in grace and consolation in the Spirit (cf. Jn 14:25-27).
You, dear Cardinals, are the closest collaborators of the Pope. This has proved a great comfort to me in accepting a yoke clearly far beyond my own limited powers, as it would be for any of us. Your presence reminds me that the Lord, who has entrusted me with this mission, will not leave me alone in bearing its responsibility. I know, before all else, that I can always count on his help, the help of the Lord, and through his grace and providence, on your closeness and that of so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world who believe in God, love the Church and support the Vicar of Christ by their prayers and good works.
I thank the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re – who deserves applause, at least once, if not more – whose wisdom, the fruit of a long life and many years of faithful service to the Apostolic See, has helped us greatly during this time. I thank the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell – I believe he is present today – for the important and demanding work that he has done throughout the period of the Vacant See and for the convocation of the Conclave. My thoughts also go to our brother Cardinals who, for reasons of health, were unable to be present, and I join you in embracing them in communion of affection and prayer.
At this moment, both sad and joyful, providentially bathed in the light of Easter, I would like all of us to see the passing of our beloved Holy Father Pope Francis and the Conclave as a paschal event, a stage in that long exodus through which the Lord continues to guide us towards the fullness of life. In this perspective, we entrust to the “merciful Father and God of all consolation” (2 Cor 1:3) the soul of the late Pontiff and also the future of the Church.
Beginning with Saint Peter and up to myself, his unworthy Successor, the Pope has been a humble servant of God and of his brothers and sisters, and nothing more than this. It has been clearly seen in the example of so many of my Predecessors, and most recently by Pope Francis himself, with his example of complete dedication to service and to sober simplicity of life, his abandonment to God throughout his ministry and his serene trust at the moment of his return to the Father’s house. Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith.
It is the Risen Lord, present among us, who protects and guides the Church, and continues to fill her with hope through the love “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). It is up to us to be docile listeners to his voice and faithful ministers of his plan of salvation, mindful that God loves to communicate himself, not in the roar of thunder and earthquakes, but in the “whisper of a gentle breeze” (1 Kings 19:12) or, as some translate it, in a “sound of sheer silence.” It is this essential and important encounter to which we must guide and accompany all the holy People of God entrusted to our care.
In these days, we have been able to see the beauty and feel the strength of this immense community, which with such affection and devotion has greeted and mourned its Shepherd, accompanying him with faith and prayer at the time of his final encounter with the Lord. We have seen the true grandeur of the Church, which is alive in the rich variety of her members in union with her one Head, Christ, “the shepherd and guardian” (1 Peter 2:25) of our souls. She is the womb from which we were born and at the same time the flock (cf. Jn 21:15-17), the field (cf. Mk 4:1-20) entrusted to us to protect and cultivate, to nourish with the sacraments of salvation and to make fruitful by our sowing the seed of the Word, so that, steadfast in one accord and enthusiastic in mission, she may press forward, like the Israelites in the desert, in the shadow of the cloud and in the light of God’s fire (cf. Ex 13:21).
In this regard, I would like us to renew together today our complete commitment to the path that the universal Church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. Pope Francis masterfully and concretely set it forth in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, from which I would like to highlight several fundamental points: the return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation (cf. No. 11); the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community (cf. No. 9); growth in collegiality and synodality (cf. No. 33); attention to the sensus fidei (cf. Nos. 119-120), especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, such as popular piety (cf. No. 123); loving care for the least and the rejected (cf. No. 53); courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities (cf. No. 84; Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 1-2).
These are evangelical principles that have always inspired and guided the life and activity of God’s Family. In these values, the merciful face of the Father has been revealed and continues to be revealed in his incarnate Son, the ultimate hope of all who sincerely seek truth, justice, peace and fraternity (cf. Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, 2; Francis, Spes Non Confundit, 3).
Sensing myself called to continue in this same path, I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.
Dear brothers, I would like to conclude the first part of our meeting by making my own – and proposing to you as well – the hope that Saint Paul VI expressed at the inauguration of his Petrine Ministry in 1963: “May it pass over the whole world like a great flame of faith and love kindled in all men and women of good will. May it shed light on paths of mutual cooperation and bless humanity abundantly, now and always, with the very strength of God, without whose help nothing is valid, nothing is holy” (Message Qui Fausto Die addressed to the entire human family, 22 June 1963).
May these also be our sentiments, to be translated into prayer and commitment, with the Lord’s help. Thank you!
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You can also find plenty of places that run workshops and classes. Some of these include:
Note: This is but a small selection on what you can find in our crafty capital.
Why craft?
Whichever your craft of choice, it likely offers benefits beyond the final product.
The activity is known to improve wellbeing. Crafting of all kinds can promote mindfulness, relieve stress and improve dexterity for people of all ages.
Crafting groups also allow people to
build social connections
learn new skills
volunteer their time and talent
practise English.
And of course, it’s lots of fun.
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Social grant fraudster,Anele Gxumeka, was on Thursday sentenced to six months of direct imprisonment on charges of fraud, by the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court.
In a statement on Friday, the Eastern Cape South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) said the sentence stems from an incident on 9 February 2023, when the 41-year-old visited the SASSA Lusikisiki Local Office for a medical assessment after securing an appointment with a doctor.
On that day, customer care officials conducted queue walks and noted that there were discrepancies in the details of the accused’s medical document.
The gender listed on the medical card did not match that on the Identity Document (ID); and the age reflected in the submitted document also contradicted the medical card.
“These discrepancies were further confirmed by the attending doctor, who contacted the Holy Cross hospital where the accused claimed to have been examined. The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital confirmed that there were no records of such a client,” the statement read.
The matter was subsequently handled by the SASSA Risk and Compliance Unit, which referred the case to the South African Police Services.
The accused was apprehended and later released pending further investigation and court appearances.
On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to six months of direct imprisonment.
In response to the sentencing, SASSA Eastern Cape Regional Executive Manager, Bandile Maqetuka, commended the front-line desk staff for their diligence.
He noted that most fraudulent activities are discovered only after significant financial losses.
“It is commendable that the agency has not incurred any financial loss in this case. We appreciate the collaborative efforts of SAPS and SASSA in ensuring that justice was served.
“While this may seem like a minor fraudulent case, the sentence sends a strong message that fraud will not be tolerated at SASSA,” Maqetuka said. – SAnews.gov.za
Women disproportionately shoulder the heaviest burdens during times of regional conflict and rising geo-political divisions – a stark reality underscored by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola.
The Minister was speaking at the Solidarity Conference on Women, Peace and Security, held in Tshwane, on Friday.
Lamola said the world is currently in a rapidly evolving geo-political environment “defined by rising global competition, changing alliances, contested international norms, economic volatility and escalating geo-political tensions”.
“These deepening geo-political divisions are fuelling mistrust and threatening to undo hard-won progress in addressing global challenges such as poverty, armed conflicts, climate change, pandemics, nuclear proliferation and the rights and wellbeing of women and children.
“In the midst of these constantly changing global dynamics, the world currently faces more than 50 ongoing armed conflicts spanning a wide range of regions and scales. In these conflicts, no region is spared. These conflicts have caused millions of deaths and displacement of refugees, human rights violations and infrastructure destruction.
“In all of this, women bear the heaviest burden as caregivers, as survivors, as protectors of families and communities. But some women are also actively fighting in the field, side by side with men,” the Minister said.
According to United Nations Women, more than 600 million women and girls lived within 50km of conflict zones in 2023 – a rise of some 50% in the past decade.
The international body also reports that the proportion of women killed in conflict doubled in 2023 and more than 3 500 cases of conflict-related sexual violence was recorded.
Lamola said despite the circumstances, women are leaders in their own right and called on the international community to “also listen, learn and follow their lead”.
“But women are not only victims. African women are leaders, mediators, healers and architects of peace. From the townships of South Africa to the highlands of Ethiopia and from the marketplace of the DRC to the refugee camps of Sudan, women are doing the daily, often invisible work of conflict resolution, mending broken social fabric, advocating for justice and demanding a seat at decision making processes.
“African women are pioneering local peace processes, creating community resilience programmes, leading truth and reconciliation efforts and holding armed actors accountable,” he said.
The Minister noted that although much has been done to foster women inclusion in security structures in Africa, “women are not easily found in peace negotiation tables”.
“We cannot talk about Africa’s future without talking about the safety and dignity of African women.
“We cannot dream of unity while half the population is still denied a voice in decisions that shape our collective destiny, and we cannot build peace without those who have always been its most consistent guardians – our mothers, sisters, daughters and grandmothers,” Lamola said. – SAnews.gov.za
NERMEEN SHAIKH:We begin today’s show looking at Israel’s ongoing targeting of Palestinian journalists. A recent report by the Costs of War Project at Brown University described the war in Gaza as the “worst ever conflict for reporters” in history.
By one count, Israel has killed 214 Palestinian journalists in Gaza over the past 18 months, including two journalists killed on Wednesday — Yahya Subaih and Nour El-Din Abdo. Yahya Subaih died just hours after his wife gave birth to their first child.
Meanwhile, new details have emerged about the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, the renowned Palestinian American Al Jazeera journalist who was fatally shot by an Israeli soldier three years ago on 11 May 2022.
She was killed while covering an Israeli army assault on the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Shireen and another reporter were against a stone wall, wearing blue helmets and blue flak jackets clearly emblazoned with the word “Press”.
Shireen was shot in the head. She was known throughout the Arab world for her decades of tireless reporting on Palestine.
AMY GOODMAN: Israel initially claimed she had been shot by Palestinian militants, but later acknowledged she was most likely shot by an Israeli soldier. But Israel has never identified the soldier who fired the fatal shot, or allowed the soldier to be questioned by US investigators.
But a new documentary just released by Zeteo has identified and named the Israeli soldier for the first time. This is the trailer to the documentary Who Killed Shireen?
DION NISSENBAUM: That soldier looked down his scope and could see the blue vest and that it said “press.”
ISRAELI SOLDIER: That’s what I think, yes.
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: US personnel have never had access to those who are believed to have committed those shootings.
DION NISSENBAUM: No one has been held to account. Justice has not been served.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: She is the first American Palestinian journalist who has been killed by Israeli forces.
DION NISSENBAUM: I want to know: Who killed Shireen?
CONOR POWELL: Are we going to find the shooter?
DION NISSENBAUM: He’s got a phone call set up with this Israeli soldier that was there that day.
CONOR POWELL: We just have to go over to Israel.
DION NISSENBAUM: Did you ever talk to the guy who fired those shots?
ISRAELI SOLDIER: Of course. I know him personally. The US should have actually come forward and actually pressed the fact that an American citizen was killed intentionally by IDF.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: The drones are still ongoing, the explosions going off.
CONOR POWELL: Holy [bleep]! We’ve got a name.
DION NISSENBAUM: But here’s the twist.
NERMEEN SHAIKH:The trailer for the new Zeteo documentary Who Killed Shireen? The film identifies the Israeli soldier who allegedly killed Shireen Abu Akleh as Alon Scagio, who would later be killed during an Israeli military operation last June in Jenin, the same city where Shireen was fatally shot.
AMY GOODMAN:We’re joined right now by four guests, including two members of Shireen Abu Akleh’s family: her brother Anton, or Tony, and her niece Lina. They’re both in North Bergen, New Jersey. We’re also joined by Mehdi Hasan, the founder and editor-in-chief of Zeteo, and by Dion Nissenbaum, the executive producer of Who Killed Shireen?, the correspondent on the documentary, longtime Wall Street Journal foreign correspondent based in Jerusalem and other cities, a former foreign correspondent. He was twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
We welcome you all toDemocracy Now!Dion, we’re going to begin with you. This is the third anniversary, May 11th exactly, of the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. Talk about your revelation, what you exposed in this documentary.
DION NISSENBAUM: Well, there were two things that were very important for the documentary. The first thing was we wanted to find the soldier who killed Shireen. It had been one of the most closely guarded secrets in Israel. US officials said that if they wanted to determine if there was a crime here, if there was a human rights violation, they needed to talk to this soldier to find out what he was thinking when he shot her.
And we set out to find him. And we did. We did what the US government never did. And it turned out he had been killed, so we were never able to answer that question — what he was thinking.
But the other revelation that I think is as significant in this documentary is that the initial US assessment of her shooting was that that soldier intentionally shot her and that he could tell that she was wearing a blue flak jacket with “Press” across it.
That assessment was essentially overruled by the Biden administration, which came out and said exactly the opposite. That’s a fairly startling revelation, that the Biden administration and the Israeli government essentially were doing everything they could to cover up what happened that day to Shireen Abu Akleh.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, let’s go to a clip from the documentary Who Killed Shireen?, in which Dion Nissenbaum, our guest, speaks with former State Department official Andrew Miller. He was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs in 2022 when Shireen was killed.
ANDREW MILLER: It’s nearly 100 percent certain that an Israeli soldier, likely a sniper, fired the shot that killed or the shots that killed Shireen Abu Akleh. Based on all the information we have, it is not credible to suggest that there were targets either in front of or behind Shireen Abu Akleh.
The fact that the official Israeli position remains that this was a case of crossfire, the entire episode was a mistake, as opposed to potentially a mistaken identification or the deliberate targeting of this individual, points to, I think, a broader policy of seeking to manage the narrative.
DION NISSENBAUM: And did the Israelis ever make the soldier available to the US to talk about it?
ANDREW MILLER: No. And the Israelis were not willing to present the person for even informal questioning.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: That was State Department official — former State Department official Andrew Miller, speaking in the Zeteo documentary Who Killed Shireen? He was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs in 2022 when Shireen was killed.
I want to go to Shireen’s family, whom we have as guests, Anton Abu Akleh and Lina, who are joining us from New Jersey. You both watched the film for the first time last night when it premiered here in New York City. Lina, if you could begin by responding to the revelations in the film?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Hi, Amy. Hi. Thank you for having us.
Honestly, we always welcome and we appreciate journalists who try to uncover the killing of Shireen, but also who shed light on her legacy. And the documentary that was released by Zeteo and by Dion, it really revealed findings that we didn’t know before, but we’ve always known that it was an Israeli soldier who killed Shireen. And we know how the US administration failed our family, failed a US citizen and failed a journalist, really.
And that should be a scandal in and of itself.
But most importantly, for us as a family, it’s not just about one soldier. It’s about the entire chain of command. It’s not just the person who pulled the trigger, but who ordered the killing, and the military commanders, the elected officials.
So, really, it’s the entire chain of command that needs to be held to account for the killing of a journalist who was in a clear press vest, press gear, marked as a journalist.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: And, Anton, if you could respond? Shireen, of course, was your younger sister. What was your response watching the documentary last night?
ANTON ABU AKLEH: It’s very painful to look at all these scenes again, but I really extend my appreciation to Zeteo and all those who supported and worked on this documentary, which was very revealing, many things we didn’t know. The cover-up by the Biden administration, this thing was new to us.
He promised. First statements came out from the White House and from the State Department stressed on the importance of holding those responsible accountable. And apparently, in one of the interviews heard in this documentary, he never raised — President Biden never raised this issue with Bennett, at that time the prime minister.
So, that’s shocking to us to know it was a total cover-up, contradictory to what they promised us. And that’s — like Lina just said, it’s a betrayal, not only to the family, not only to Shireen, but the whole American nation.
AMY GOODMAN: Mehdi Hasan, you’ve backed this documentary. It’s the first big documentary Zeteo is putting out. It’s also the first anniversary of the founding of Zeteo. Can you talk about the proof that you feel is here in the documentary that Alon Scagio, this — and explain who he is and the unit he was a part of? Dion, it’s quite something when you go to his grave. But how you can absolutely be sure this is the man?
MEHDI HASAN:So, Amy, Nermeen, thanks for having us here. I’ve been on this show many times. I just want to say, great to be here on set with both of you. Thank you for what you do.
This is actually our second documentary, but it is our biggest so far, because the revelations in this film that Dion and the team put out are huge in many ways — identifying the soldier, as you mentioned, Alon Scagio, identifying the Biden cover-up, which we just heard Tony Abu Akleh point out. People didn’t realise just how big that cover-up was.
Remember, Joe Biden was the man who said, “If you harm an American, we will respond.” And what is very clear in the case of Shireen Abu Akleh, an American citizen who spent a lot of her life in New Jersey, they did not respond.
In terms of the soldier itself, when Dion came to me and said, “We want to make this film. It’ll be almost like a true crime documentary. We’re going to go out and find out who did it” — because we all — everyone followed the story. You guys covered it in 2022. It was a huge story in the world.
But three years later, to not even know the name of the shooter — and I was, “Well, will we be able to find this out? It’s one of Israel’s most closely guarded secrets.” And yet, Dion and his team were able to do the reporting that got inside of Duvdevan, this elite special forces unit in Israel.
It literally means “the cherry on top.” That’s how proud they are of their eliteness. And yet, no matter how elite you are, Israel’s way of fighting wars means you kill innocent people.
And what comes out in the film from interviews, not just with a soldier, an Israeli soldier, who speaks in the film and talks about how, “Hey, if you see a camera, you take the shot,” but also speaking to Chris Van Hollen, United States Senator from Maryland, who’s been one of the few Democratic voices critical of Biden in the Senate, who says there’s been no change in Israel’s rules of engagement over the years.
And therefore, it was so important on multiple levels to do this film, to identify the shooter, because, of course, as you pointed out in your news headlines, Amy, they just killed a hundred Palestinians yesterday.
So this is not some old story from history where this happened in 2022 and we’re going back. Everything that happened since, you could argue, flows from that — the Americans who have been killed, the journalists who have been killed in Gaza, Palestinians, the sense of impunity that Israel has and Israel’s soldiers have.
There are reports that Israeli soldiers are saying to Palestinians, “Hey, Trump has our back. Hey, the US government has our back.” And it wasn’t just Trump. It was Joe Biden, too.
And that was why it was so important to make this film, to identify the shooter, to call out Israel’s practices when it comes to journalists, and to call out the US role.
AMY GOODMAN: I just want to go to Dion, for people who aren’t familiar with the progression of what the Biden administration said, the serious cover-up not only by Israel, but of its main military weapons supplier and supporter of its war on Gaza, and that is Joe Biden, from the beginning.
First Israel said it was a Palestinian militant. At that point, what did President Biden say?
DION NISSENBAUM: So, at the very beginning, they said that they wanted the shooter to be prosecuted. They used that word at the State Department and said, “This person who killed an American journalist should be prosecuted.” But when it started to become clear that it was probably an Israeli soldier, their tone shifted, and it became talking about vague calls for accountability or changes to the rules of engagement, which never actually happened.
So, you got to a point where the Israeli government admitted it was likely them, the US government called for them to change the rules of engagement, and the Israeli government said no. And we have this interview in the film with Senator Chris Van Hollen, who says that, essentially, Israel was giving the middle finger to the US government on this.
And we have seen, since that time, more Americans being killed in the West Bank, dozens and dozens and dozens of journalists being killed, with no accountability. And we would like to see that change.
This is a trajectory that you’re seeing. You know, the blue vest no longer provides any protection for journalists in Israel. The Israeli military itself has said that wearing a blue vest with “Press” on it does not necessarily mean that you are a journalist.
They are saying that terrorists wear blue vests, too. So, if you are a journalist operating in the West Bank now, you have to assume that the Israeli military could target you.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, let’s go to another clip from the film Who Killed Shireen?, which features Ali Samoudi, Shireen Abu Akleh’s producer, who was with Shireen when she was killed, and was himself shot and injured. In the clip, he speaks to the journalist Fatima AbdulKarim.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: We are set up here now, even though we were supposed to meet at the location where you got injured and Shireen got killed.
ALI SAMOUDI: [translated] We are five minutes from the location in Maidan al-Awdah. But you could lose your soul in the five minutes it would take us to reach it. You could be hit by army bullets. They could arrest you.
So it is essentially impossible to get there. I believe the big disaster which prevented the occupation from being punished and repeating these crimes is the neglect and indifference by many of the institutions, especially American ones, which continue to defend the occupation.
FATIMA ABDULKARIM: [translated] We’re now approaching the third anniversary of Shireen’s death. How did that affect you?
ALI SAMOUDI: [translated] During that period, the occupation was making preparations for a dangerous scenario in the Jenin refugee camp. And for this reason, they didn’t want witnesses.
They opened fire on us in order to terroriSe us enough that we wouldn’t go back to the camp. And in that sense, they partially succeeded.
Since then, we have been overcome by fear. From the moment Shireen was killed, I said and continue to say and will continue to say that this bullet was meant to prevent the Palestinian media from the documentation and exposure of the occupation’s crimes.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: That was Ali Samoudi, Shireen Abu Akleh’s producer, who was with Shireen when she was killed, and was himself shot and injured.
We should note, Ali Samoudi was just detained by Israeli forces in late April. The Palestinian journalist Mariam Barghouti recently wrote, “Ali Samoudi was beaten so bad by Israeli soldiers he was immediately hospitalised. This man has been one of the few journalists that continues reporting on Israeli military abuses north of the West Bank despite the continued risk on his life,” Mariam Barghouti wrote.
The Committee to Protect Journalists spoke to the journalist’s son, Mohammed Al Samoudi, who told CPJ, quote, “My father suffers from several illnesses, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and a stomach ulcer . . . He needs a diabetes injection every two days and a specific diet. It appears he was subjected to assault and medical neglect at the interrogation center . . .
“Our lawyer told us he was transferred to an Israeli hospital after a major setback in his health. We don’t know where he is being held, interrogated, or even the hospital to which he was taken. My father has been forcibly disappeared,” he said.
So, Dion Nissenbaum, if you could give us the latest? You spoke to Ali Samoudi for the documentary, and now he’s been detained.
DION NISSENBAUM: Yeah. His words were prophetic, right? He talks about this was an attempt to silence journalists. And my colleague Fatima says the same thing, that these are ongoing, progressive efforts to silence Palestinian journalists.
And we don’t know where Ali is. He has not actually been charged with anything yet. He is one of the most respected journalists in the West Bank. And we are just seeing this progression going on.
AMY GOODMAN: So, the latest we know is he was supposed to have a hearing, and that hearing has now been delayed to May 13th, Ali Samoudi?
DION NISSENBAUM: That’s right. And he has yet to be charged, so . . .
AMY GOODMAN:I want to go back to Lina Abu Akleh, who’s in New Jersey, where Shireen grew up. Lina, you were listed on Time magazine’s 100 emerging leaders for publicly demanding scrutiny of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, the horror.
And again, our condolences on the death of your aunt, on the killing of your aunt, and also to Anton, Shireen’s brother. Lina, you’ve also, of course, spoken to Ali Samoudi. This continues now. He’s in detention — his son says, “just disappeared”.
What are you demanding right now? We have a new administration. We’ve moved from the Biden administration to the Trump administration. And are you in touch with them? Are they speaking to you?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Well, our demands haven’t changed. From day one, we’re calling for the US administration to complete its investigation, or for the FBI to continue its investigation, and to finally release — to finally hold someone to account.
And we have enough evidence that could have been — that the administration could have used to expedite this case. But, unfortunately, this new administration, as well, no one has spoken to us. We haven’t been in touch with anyone, and it’s just been radio silence since.
For us, as I said, our demands have never changed. It’s been always to hold the entire system to account, the entire chain of command, the military, for the killing of an American citizen, a journalist, a Palestinian, Palestinian American journalist.
As we’ve been talking, targeting journalists isn’t happening just by shooting at them or killing them. There’s so many different forms of targeting journalists, especially in Gaza and the West Bank and Jerusalem.
So, for us, it’s really important as a family that we don’t see other families experience what we are going through, for this — for impunity, for Israel’s impunity, to end, because, at the end of the day, accountability is the only way to put an end to this impunity.
AMY GOODMAN: I am horrified to ask this question to Shireen’s family members, to Lina, to Tony, Shireen’s brother, but the revelation in the film — we were all there last night at its premiere in New York — that the Israeli soldiers are using a photograph of Shireen’s face for target practice. Tony Abu Akleh, if you could respond?
ANTON ABU AKLEH: You know, there is no words to describe our sorrow and pain hearing this. But, you know, I would just want to know why. Why would they do this thing? What did Shireen do to them for them to use her as a target practice? You know, this is absolutely barbaric act, unjustified. Unjustified.
And we really hope that this US administration will be able to put an end to all this impunity they are enjoying. If they didn’t enjoy all this impunity, they wouldn’t have been doing this. Practising on a journalist? Why? You know, you can practice on anything, but on a journalist?
This shows that this targeting of more journalists, whether in Gaza, in Palestine, it’s systematic. It’s been planned for. And they’ve been targeting and shutting off those voices, those reports, from reaching anywhere in the world.
NERMEEN SHAIKH:And, Anton, if you could say — you know, you mentioned last night, as well, Shireen was, in fact, extremely cautious as a journalist. If you could elaborate on that? What precisely —
ANTON ABU AKLEH: Absolutely. Absolutely. Shireen was very careful. Every time she’s in the field, she would take her time to put on the gear, the required helmet, the vest with “press” written on it, before going there. She also tried to identify herself as a journalist, whether to the Israelis or to the Palestinians, so she’s not attacked.
And she always went by the book, followed the rules, how to act, how to be careful, how to speak to those people involved, so she can protect herself. But, unfortunately, he was — this soldier, as stated in the documentary, targeted Shireen just because she’s Shireen and she’s a journalist. That’s it. There is no other explanation.
Sixteen bullets were fired on Shireen. Not even her helmet, nor the vest she was wearing, were able to protect her, unfortunately.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Mehdi Hasan, you wanted to respond.
MEHDI HASAN: So, Tony asks, “Why? Why would you do this? Why would you target not just a journalist in the field, but then use her face for target practice?” — as Dion and his team reveal in the film. And there is, unfortunately, a very simple answer to that question, which is that the Israeli military — and not just the Israeli military, but many people in our world today — have dehumanised Palestinians.
There is the removal of humanity from the people you are oppressing, occupying, subjugating and killing. It doesn’t matter if you’re an American citizen. It doesn’t matter if you have a press jacket on. It only matters that you are Palestinian in the sniper’s sights.
And that is how they have managed to pull of the killing of so many journalists, so many children. The first documentary we commissioned last year was called Israel’s Real Extremism, and it was about the Israeli soldiers who go into Gaza and make TikTok videos wearing Palestinian women’s underwear, playing with Palestinian children’s toys. It is the ultimate form of dehumanisation, the idea that these people don’t count, their lives have no value.
And what’s so tragic and shocking — and the film exposes this — is that Joe Biden — forget the Israeli military — Joe Biden also joined in that dehumanisation. Do you remember at the start of this conflict when he comes out and he says, “Well, I’m not sure I believe the Palestinian death toll numbers,” when he puts out a statement at the hundred days after October 7th and doesn’t mention Palestinian casualties.
And that has been the fundamental problem. This was the great comforter-in-chief. Joe Biden was supposed to be the empath. And yet, as Tony points out, what was so shocking in the film is he didn’t even raise Shireen’s case with Naftali Bennett, the prime minister of Israel at the time.
Again, would he have done that if it was an American journalist in Moscow? We know that’s not the case. We know when American journalists, especially white American journalists, are taken elsewhere in the world, the government gives a damn. And yet, in the case of Shireen, the only explanation is because she was a Palestinian American journalist.
AMY GOODMAN:You know, in the United States, the US government is responsible for American citizens, which Biden pointed out at the beginning, when he thought it was a Palestinian militant who had killed her. But, Lina, you yourself are a journalist. And I’m thinking I want to hear your response to using her face, because, of course, that is not just the face of Shireen, but I think it’s the face of journalism.
And it’s not just American journalism, of course. I mean, in fact, she’s known to hundreds of millions of people around world as the face and voice of Al Jazeera Arabic. She spoke in Arabic. She was known as that to the rest of the world. But to see that and that revealed in this documentary?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Yeah, it was horrifying, actually. And it just goes on to show how the Israeli military is built. It’s barbarism. It’s the character of revenge, of hate. And that is part of the entire system. And as Mehdi and as my father just mentioned, this is all about dehumanizing Palestinians, regardless if they’re journalists, if they’re doctors, they’re officials. For them, they simply don’t care about Palestinian lives.
And for us, Shireen will always be the voice of Palestine. And she continues to be remembered for the legacy that she left behind. And she continues to live through so many, so many journalists, who have picked up the microphone, who have picked up the camera, just because of Shireen.
So, regardless of how the Israeli military continues to dehumanise journalists and how the US fails to protect Palestinian American journalists, we will continue to push forward to continue to highlight the life and the legacy that Shireen left behind.
NERMEEN SHAIKH:Well, let’s turn to Shireen Abu Akleh in her own words. This is an excerpt from the Al Jazeera English documentary The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh.
SHIREEN ABU AKLEH: [translated] Sometimes the Israeli army doesn’t want you there, so they target you, even if they later say it was an accident. They might say, “We saw some young men around you.” So they target you on purpose, as a way of scaring you off because they don’t want you there.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: So, that was Shireen in her own words in an Al Jazeera documentary. So, Lina, I know you have to go soon, but if you could just tell us: What do you want people to know about Shireen, as an aunt, a sister and a journalist?
LINA ABU AKLEH: Yes, so, we know Shireen as the journalist, but behind the camera, she was one of the most empathetic people. She was very sincere. And something not a lot of people know, but she was a very funny person. She had a very unique sense of humor, that she lit up every room she entered. She cared about everyone and anyone. She enjoyed life.
Shireen, at the end of the day, loved life. She had plans. She had dreams that she still wanted to achieve. But her life was cut short by that small bullet, which would change our lives entirely.
But at the end of the day, Shireen was a professional journalist who always advocated for truth, for justice. And at the end of the day, all she wanted to do was humanise Palestinians and talk about the struggles of living under occupation. But at the same time, she wanted to celebrate their achievements.
She shed light on all the happy moments, all the accomplishments of the Palestinian people. And this is something that really touched millions of Palestinians, of Arabs around the world. She was able to enter the hearts of the people through the small camera lens. And until this day, she continues to be remembered for that.
AMY GOODMAN: Before we go, we’re going to keep you on, Mehdi, to talk about other issues during the Trump administration, but how can people access Who Killed Shireen?
MEHDI HASAN: So, it’s available online at WhoKilledShireen.com, is where you can go to watch it. We are releasing the film right now only to paid subscribers. We hope to change that in the forthcoming days.
People often say to me, “How can you put it behind a paywall?” Journalism — a free press isn’t free, sadly. We have to fund films like this. Dion came to us because a lot of other people didn’t want to fund a topic like this, didn’t want to fund an investigation like this.
So, we’re proud to be able to fund such documentaries, but we also need support from our contributors, our subscribers and the viewers. But it’s an important film, and I hope as many people will watch it as possible, WhoKilledShireen.com.
AMY GOODMAN:We want to thank Lina, the niece of Shireen Abu Akleh, and Anton, Tony, the older brother of Shireen Abu Akleh, for joining us from New Jersey. Together, we saw the documentary last night, Who Killed Shireen? And we want to thank Dion Nissenbaum, who is the filmmaker, the correspondent on this film, formerly a correspondent with The Wall Street Journal. The founder of Zeteo, on this first anniversary of Zeteo, is Mehdi Hasan.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — China’s revised Marriage Registration Regulations took effect Saturday, simplifying paperwork and giving couples more flexibility.
Under the new provisions, couples will no longer need to register their relationship at their place of residence or registration, which for many years was necessary to submit marriage applications.
Now, to formalize their relationship, couples from mainland China will only need identification cards and a signed statement saying they are not currently married to anyone and have no blood relatives within three generations to the other party.
In addition, under the new provisions, couples will be able to register their marriage at any relevant authority throughout the country, regardless of where their families are registered.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs said the change also applies to couples where one of the prospective spouses is a mainland Chinese resident and the other is a foreign national, a resident of the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, Taiwan, or a Chinese expatriate.
Currently, couples can marry, divorce or apply for re-issuance of marriage certificates at any authorized registration authority, regardless of the place of registration of the family of one of the spouses in the mainland part of the country.
The revised provisions are part of China’s efforts to streamline government services and ease the burden on those who live and work far from their place of residence.
According to official data, 1.81 million marriages were registered in China in the first quarter of this year, down 8 percent from a year earlier.
In 2023, the country saw an increase in registered marriages after nine consecutive years of decline. However, in 2024, the downward trend resumed, with registrations falling to their lowest level since 1980. -0-
Leo, 69, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, is originally from Chicago, and has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru.
He became a cardinal only in 2023 and has become the first-ever US pope.
PCC general secretary Reverend James Bhagwan said he was not a Vatican insider, but there had been talk of cardinals feeling that the new pope should be a “middle-of-the-road person”.
Reverend Bhagwan said there had been prayers for God’s wisdom to guide the decisions made at the Conclave.
“I think if we look at where the decisions perhaps were made or based on, there had been a lot of talk that the cardinals going into Conclave had felt that a new pope would need to be someone who could take forward the legacy of Pope Francis, reaching out to those in the margins, but also be a sort of a middle-of-the-road person,” he said.
Hopes for climate response Reverend Bhagwan said the Pacific hoped that Pope Leo carried on the late Pope Francis’s connection to the climate change response.
He said Pope Francis released his “laudate deum” exhortation on the climate shortly before the United Nations climate summit in Dubai last year.
“The focus on care for creation, the focus for ending fossil fuels and climate justice, the focus on people from the margins — I think that’s important for the Pacific people at this time.
“I know that the Catholic Church in the Pacific has been focused on on its synodal process, and so he spoke about synodality as well.
“I know that there were hopes for an Oceania synod, just as Pope Francis held a synod of the Amazon. And I think that is still something that’s in the hearts of many of our Catholic leaders and Catholic members.
“We hope that this will be an opportunity to still bring that focus to the Pacific.”
He said they were confident Pope Leo would pick up many of the issues Francis was well known for, like speaking up for climate change, human trafficking and the plight of refugees; and within the church, a different way of meeting and talking with one another — known as synodality — which is an ongoing process.
“I think any pope needs to be able to challenge things that are happening around the world, especially if it is affecting the lives of people, where the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer.”
Pope Leo appeared to be a very calm person, he added.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
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If you’re after the best bad credit loans guaranteed approval, look for lenders that offer flexible repayment terms, competitive rates, and no credit check policies. Platforms like IOnline Payday Loans are known for connecting borrowers to the best bad credit loan options, making it easier to manage unexpected costs without extra financial stress.
How to Apply for Guaranteed Installment Loans for Bad Credit?
Getting unsecured installment loans with no credit check is an easy, hassle-free process, particularly when dealing with direct lenders who specialize in assisting borrowers with poor credit. Below is a step-by-step, brief guide to assist applicants for bad credit personal loans guaranteed approval for $5,000 or less without a credit check.
Step 1: Choose the loan amount and repayment period Begin by choosing the sum you want to borrow and the suitable repayment term for your finances. Bad credit personal loans guaranteed approval, direct lenders ranging from a few hundred dollars to $5,000, are available with most lenders. Always choose a reasonable amount of the loan and do not over-borrow.
Step 2: Get the personal and financial details To expedite the approval, have the documents ready. Most guaranteed installment loans for bad credit lenders ask for just proof of income, a valid ID, and an open checking account. There’s no need for complicated paperwork or credit checks, the loans center on the current ability to repay.
Step 3: Complete the online application form Visit our trusted website like IOnline Payday Loans and fill out a quick, safe online form. The form typically asks for some basic information like name, job, monthly income, and banking details. Online forms are simple to complete, anonymous, and suitable for anyone requiring emergency loans online guaranteed approval.
Step 4: Check eligibility and get matched After submission, the application is processed in a matter of seconds. As a result of guaranteed installment loans bad credit guidelines, most individuals are matched with a suitable lender within a few minutes. The lenders provide guaranteed approval no-credit-check installment loans, direct lender offers, for ensuring accessibility even to the applicants who possess a history of bad credit.
Step 5: Read the loan terms and sign the contract After being connected with a lender, carefully review the loan amount, repayment schedule, interest rates, and any associated fees. Transparency is key with the best bad credit loans guaranteed approval providers. Once satisfied, electronically sign the loan agreement to finalize the process.
Step 6: Receive funds Once approved, money is usually deposited directly into the applicant’s bank account, often within the next business day. This makes bad credit guaranteed installment loans a trustworthy choice for immediate financial needs without the anxiety of waiting.
Why is IOnline Payday Loans the Best Option for You?
Where it’s concerned with seeking trustworthy guaranteed installment loans bad credit, having the right lender proves to be all the difference. That’s precisely where IOnline Payday Loans excels. With a reputation for swift, secure, and convenient lending, this website proves to be well ahead of many others in quite a number of ways, particularly for those confronting poor credit histories.
1. No credit check fears
One of the best things about IOnline Payday Loans is that it provides borrowers with access to guaranteed installment loans for bad credit direct lenders only. The lenders do not rely on credit scores to approve borrowers, which makes it ideal for those with a history of bad finances or even no history at all. That means that borrowers are not held back by past errors and still have access to the funds they require.
2. Fast approvals and quick funding
Emergencies don’t wait, and neither do financial options. The website offers emergency loans online with guaranteed approval, with the majority of applicants being approved in minutes and money credited to their accounts as early as the next business day. It’s a hassle-free option for anyone requiring fast financial relief.
3. Adjustable loan amounts and repayment terms
Whether it’s a temporary solution of a few hundred dollars, or an even more damaging credit personal loan granted immediately $5,000 for bigger bills, IOnline Payday Loans allows borrowers to select loan amounts and repayment terms that suit their personal requirements. This flexibility ensures easier repayments without further tension.
4. Simple, safe, and transparent process
With an easy online application, clear loan terms, and strong privacy protection, this website offers a hassle-free and secure borrowing experience. All the lenders in their network practice good lending and provide the best bad credit loans guaranteed approval with no hidden fees or confusing fine print.
IOnline Payday Loans Application Process
Getting bad credit guaranteed installment loans at IOnline Payday Loans is designed to be quick, simple, and completely online. It’s simple, secure, and connects applicants with a variety of bad credit guaranteed installment loans direct lenders only for improved opportunities for approval without excessive delays. Below is a detailed step-by-step guide on what it involves:
Step 1: Select the loan amount Begin by selecting the amount of the loan that will suit you. If it is a small amount for an unexpected bill or a higher bad credit personal loan guaranteed approval of $5,000, this initial step is vital to ensure that repayments remain affordable. Borrow realistically and take only what comfortably can be paid off within the specified term.
Step 2: Organize documents While no credit check installment loans guarantee approval, direct lenders do not require a credit check. Nevertheless, applicants will be required to provide minimal information. Keep handy such documents as proof of income, employment status, valid ID, and open bank account information. These speed up the process and enhance the possibility of approval.
Step 3: Fill in the application form Fill out an easy online form on the IOnline Payday Loans website. It’s user-friendly, eschewing intricate paperwork. The form collects important personal and financial information, and it only takes a few minutes to fill out.
Step 4: Check eligibility When the form has been completed, the system automatically runs the details in an instant to decide if the candidate meets requirements. Differing from historical lenders, the process in this case doesn’t involve checking one’s credit record but only focuses on current earnings and means to repay, best for anyone needing assured guaranteed loan approval no credit check.
Step 5: Be matched with a lender If suitable, the candidate is matched directly with an appropriate third-party direct lender in the top bad credit loans guaranteed approval network. This enables quicker replies and higher approval opportunities, even for individuals with bad credit.
Step 6: Sign & receive funds After agreeing and reviewing the lender’s terms, electronically sign the loan contract. After everything’s done, money is usually deposited into the borrower’s account the very next business day, granting secure access to emergency loans online with guaranteed approval when needed the most.
Eligibility Requirements for Guaranteed Bad Credit Installment Loans
When you are looking for guaranteed installment loans for bad credit, there are certain major eligibility criteria that offer a smooth experience even to individuals with poor credit history. These loans target providing financial assistance without the stringent conditions of mainstream lenders. The following is what you typically need:
1. Stable source of income In order to be qualified, applicants must demonstrate that they have a consistent source of income. This may either be through employment, self-employment, or government support. The lenders must confirm that the borrower has the ability to repay the loan within good time irrespective of bad credit.
2. Age requirement The borrower must be at least 18 years of age to get assured loan approval with no credit check. This is the minimum requirement for most bad credit personal loan lenders with guaranteed approval.
3. Active bank account Since the loan amount is credited directly, the borrowers must have an active bank account where the amount can be credited. The account should be in good standing, i.e., free from recurring overdrafts or other issues.
4. Residency It is common for most lenders that provide guaranteed installment loans for bad credit direct lenders to demand that only residents of the United States apply. Others may also restrict by state laws, and therefore it is vital to check whether the loan can be accessed in the region.
5. Proof of identity Government ID (driver’s license or passport) is usually a requirement for the purpose of establishing identity and preventing fraud. This helps the lender to ensure that they are working with an actual applicant.
6. No recent bankruptcies Although unsecured installment loans no credit check are generally provided for people with poor credit, recurring bankruptcies will disqualify you from accessing the loan. If you just filed for bankruptcy, ensure it has been resolved or discharged before applying.
These terms allow the lender to offer bad credit personal loans with guaranteed approval while the risk is low. Guaranteed bad credit installment loans are the best option for most, presenting a convenient financial solution when the other lenders are not available.
Conclusion
Taking guaranteed bad credit installment loans is a lifesaver when there are surprise bills that are not financed, and the traditional lenders reject credit-stained borrowers. All because of guaranteed installment loans for bad credit direct lenders only, customers can find reasonable, genuine lending without any threat of credit checks.
Sites such as IOnline Payday Loans bring on board bad credit personal loans guaranteed approval direct lenders who make a decision fast and disburse money in timely manner, usually within one business day.
With no need for flexibility of repayment, proper loan contracts, and up-to-$5,000 borrowing freedom, such installment loans become realistic monthly expenses on unexpected financial trouble. From emergency auto repairs to medical expenses and home maintenance problems, guaranteed no-credit-check loan approval solves the dilemma of sudden money matters.
For anyone looking for a trusted alternative to fill a money shortfall, these loans provide an easy way out, no credit score hurdles, no secret fees, just immediate access to the cash most desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really get guaranteed installment loans with bad credit? Yes, guaranteed installment loans bad credit direct lenders only consider income and ability to pay before credit histories. Bad credit personal loans guaranteed approval direct lenders provide up to $5,000 no credit check. It enables poor credit score applicants to obtain the cash they require.
Will my credit score be affected?
No, credit check installment loans don’t have hard credit checks, so the score won’t be affected. Because the loans are based on actual income rather than credit history, there is no risk of a credit score decrease when applying or being approved.
Are these loans available in all states?
State laws regulate availability of the loans, and they may be different for emergency loans, guaranteed approval online, and bad credit personal loans guaranteed approval of $5,000. An individual must enquire with direct lenders if they provide guaranteed approval of the loan without credit checking in the region.
Media Contact: Company Name: IOnline Payday Loans Registered Office Address: 1095 Sugar View Dr Ste 500 Sheridan, WY 82801 Company Website: https://ionlinepaydayloans.com/ Email: mria@ionlinepaydayloans.com Phone: 307-777-7311 Contact person name: Mria
Disclaimer: This announcement contains general information about IOnline payday loan services and should not be considered financial advice. Ionline Payday Loans does not guarantee loan approval, and loan terms may vary by applicant and lender requirements. Loans are available to U.S. residents only.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and Family Council holds “Love Across Generations” Family Fun Day Themed “Love Across Generations”, the Family Council’s publicity campaign this year focuses on “Fostering Stable Family Relationships for Building Good Family Virtues and Cultures”. The campaign promotes positive family culture and values in the community and fosters family building, family education and family values. The event featured guests and artists sharing insights on family bonding, interactive games to promote family core values, as well as performances, attracting over 200 citizens.
In his speech, the Deputy Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs (Home Affairs), Mr Paul Wong, expressed hope that the Family Fun Day would further promote family core values to the public, and encourage participants to value family as well as build and pass down good family culture and virtues. He highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to the healthy development of families in Hong Kong. The HYAB and the Family Council launched the Hong Kong Excellent Family Awards in late April to promote good family core values to the public. The awards aim to promote the passing down of good family traditions and virtues to the community and the younger generations by recognising families that show mutual respect, care, love and support for one another. He called for the public to actively participate in the event to share family stories, thereby cultivating a caring and positive social atmosphere.
Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the Family Council, Ms Melissa Pang, said that in tandem with the Hong Kong Excellent Family Awards, the Family Council will collaborate with RTHK to produce a radio programme, inviting various guests or experts to share tips on maintaining strong family relationships and practicing positive family values and traditional virtues in daily life. The Family Council will continue its promotional efforts in advocating a culture of loving families.
The United Nations proclaimed May 15 of every year as International Day of Families to promote awareness of issues relating to families in the international community.
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
According to court documents, from about December 11, 2023, to May 16, 2024, Abel Puebla conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine in Las Vegas. As part of the conspiracy, on January 24, 2024, Puebla sold one pound of methamphetamine; on February 14, 2024, he sold three pounds of methamphetamine and a bag containing cocaine; and on March 28, 2024, Puebla sold an ounce of heroin.
Puebla pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 176 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
On May 8, Ismael Castro-Gonzalez, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Assault on a Federal Officer and Attempted Entry of a Removed Alien. According to a complaint, two Border Patrol agents were attacked by Castro and others when they attempted to rescue Castro, who was hanging from barbed wire on the border wall with a broken ladder nearby. The agents were pelted with rocks by other immigrants, including one who was sitting atop the wall. One agent grabbed Castro’s right hand and forced him to release the wire. Once he broke Castro’s grip, the agent was able to pull Castro from the wire and take him to the ground, where Castro continued to struggle and attempted to tackle the agent. As they fell to the ground, Castro started reaching for the agent’s gun and collapsible steel baton. The two agents were able to subdue Castro and arrest him. Castro was previously deported to Mexico on June 29, 2022, through the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
On May 6, Rosa Cervantez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Cervantez attempted to cross the border in the SENTRI lane at the Calexico West Port of Entry but a Customs and Border Protection officer discovered 36 plastic-wrapped packages hidden in a spare tire well of her car containing 85 pounds of fentanyl and more than 2 pounds of cocaine.
On May 7, Salvador Hernandez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Hernandez attempted to smuggle three pounds of methamphetamine through the pedestrian lanes of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers found three packages concealed in Hernandez’s waistline secured with Saran Wrap.
On May 7, Jose Tomas Lopez-Navarro of Honduras was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Lopez-Navarro submitted a counterfeit passport to a Customs and Border Patrol officer when asking to be admitted to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Pedestrian East Port of Entry. Lopez-Navarro had been previously removed from the U.S. to Honduras on February 4, 2025.
Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:
On April 30, Abner Leon-Mote, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon in April 2018, was found guilty by a jury of Attempted Reentry of Removed Alien for again entering the U.S. illegally. Sentencing is scheduled for July 29, 2025 and Leon-Mote faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
On May 5, Omar Laveaga-Flores, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of an illegal entry offense in Arizona in 2022, was sentenced in federal court to 60 days in custody for again entering the U.S illegally.
On May 8, Juan Melgoza-Soto and Santiago Alfredo Gonzalez Hara, previously removed Mexican nationals, were sentenced in federal court to 73 days in custody for bringing an undocumented alien into the United States from Mexico.
On May 9, Martin Josue Gutierrez, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced to six months in custody for Transportation of Certain Aliens. The defendant had seven undocumented individuals in a truck, including several under a tarp in the bed of the truck, and failed to yield during an attempted vehicle stop by law enforcement.
Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Bryan Miller, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging DAVID MORRIS with trafficking 47 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition from Georgia to Lower Manhattan. MORRIS was arrested earlier today while following the sale of 17 firearms and cocaine to undercover officers. The defendant is expected to be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “As alleged, David Morris illegally trafficked dangerous drugs and 47 firearms from Georgia to New York City. The unchecked flow of illegal firearms is a threat to every New Yorker. Anyone who is thinking about illegally trafficking guns to New York City should know that our Office and our law enforcement partners are watching, and we will hold you accountable for jeopardizing the safety of our streets.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said: “Today’s arrest serves as a notice to those who think they are above the law and can illegally traffic guns into our communities. The men and women of ATF NY will never waver in our commitment to protect the public and to aggressively target firearms traffickers. I thank our partners at NYPD and SDNY for their diligent work and tireless dedication to our shared public safety mission.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “David Morris trafficked illegal firearms, ammunition, and narcotics into our city—but our brave officers were one step ahead, stopping these weapons and drugs from ever reaching the streets. Gun traffickers fuel violence in our communities, and the NYPD will never stop working to shut down these pipelines. I’m grateful to the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership in this critical case.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:
On or about March 28, April 18, and May 9, 2025, MORRIS sold 47 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition to undercover law enforcement officers with the New York City Police Department in the vicinity of Catherine Slip and South Street in Lower Manhattan. MORRIS transported the firearms from Georgia and stated that he works with a team of other individuals in Georgia, has been selling firearms for approximately ten years, and has access to machine gun conversion devices, which are used to convert semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic weapons.
MORRIS also trafficked narcotics to the undercover officers on or about April 18 and May 9, 2025. On or about April 18, MORRIS provided one of the undercover law enforcement officers a “sample” of a substance that contained cocaine. On or about May 9, MORRIS sold to one of the undercover officers’ plastic baggies of white powder consistent with, and that MORRIS represented to be, cocaine. A photograph of the contraband seized from MORRIS is depicted below:
* * *
MORRIS, 31, of Georgia, is charged with one count of unlicensed dealing of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and one count of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of life and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum and minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and the NYPD’s Joint Firearms Task Force and the 5th Precinct’s Field Intelligence Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Owned lab in Everett, WA that billed Medicare $8.7 million for COVID tests that were never legitimately ordered or performed
Seattle – An Indian national indicted for health care fraud will make his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Mohammed Asif, 34, was arrested on April 10, 2025, at Chicago O’Hare International Airport while attempting to board an international flight. Asif is charged with health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with the operation of American Labworks LLC, a diagnostic testing laboratory in Everett, Washington. The indictment alleges that Asif conspired with others to bill Medicare for COVID-19 tests and other respiratory illness tests that had not been ordered or performed.
“Medicare provides critical funding for senior citizens’ health care needs, which makes this type of fraud all the more reprehensible,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “This case stands as an example of how federal law enforcement is working diligently to protect those critical tax dollars from fraud schemes.”
According to the indictment and an earlier-filed criminal complaint, the Washington Secretary of State has American Labworks being formed in October 2021 and dissolved in March 2025. Washington Department of Health records indicate that its license as a Medical Test Site expired in December 2023. Asif is listed in filings with the state and with Medicare as the owner and director of American Labworks.
Claims data from April 2024 to December 2024 show that American Labworks billed Medicare more than $8.7 million for laboratory testing services, including for COVID-19 testing. Medicare paid out over $1.1 million to the lab.
Between June 2024 and March 2025, Medicare received more than 200 complaints from enrollees and others about American Labworks. Many of these complainants reported that Medicare was billed for testing that was never received. For example, one Medicare enrollee noted that Medicare paid American Labworks $545 for COVID-19 tests in August 2023 and March 2024. But the beneficiary had never had any COVID-19 tests on those dates. Multiple Medicare beneficiaries said they too had seen bills for tests that never occurred. Physicians who had allegedly ordered the tests said they had not sent patients to American Labworks, and many patients said they had never heard of the referring physician listed in the records.
In some instances, the billing records indicated a beneficiary’s testing date of service occurred after other records indicated the beneficiary was dead. And in other instances, the physician who allegedly referred the patient for testing was dead at the time of the date of service.
Financial records indicate Mohammed Asif received multiple checks and made withdrawals from the American Labworks bank account, which he controlled. In May 2024, he withdrew $260,000 from the American Labworks checking account. Soon after that Asif, who had been in the U.S. on a student visa, retuned to India. He came back to the U.S. in March 2025 as investigators were unraveling the fraud. Prosecutors and special agents with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) moved quickly to draft the criminal complaint and take Asif into custody. A grand jury then returned the indictment of Asif on April 23.
Asif is alleged to have conspired with other people to accomplish the fraud. Those coconspirators are not named in the criminal complaint or indictment. The government’s investigation is ongoing.
“By all appearances, there is nothing legitimate about Mr. Asif’s company.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Mr. Asif, along with his co-conspirators, used this apparently illegitimate company to fraudulently bill Medicare almost $9 million for tests that were never done. When we receive allegations such as these, the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate potential fraud against the US taxpayer.”
“Through this scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare for laboratory testing services never furnished, the defendant diverted taxpayer money that was meant to pay for legitimate medical services,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robb Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who exploit federal health care programs for their own personal gain.”
Health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud are punishable by up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by HHS-OIG and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Philip Kopczynski.
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Dean Dellas, age 40, of Cazenovia, New York, was arraigned Tuesday in federal court on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to the indictment, beginning no later than June 2021 through November 2023, Dellas acted as a financial advisor for the investment accounts of clients in the Syracuse area. The indictment alleges that Dellas fraudulently induced those clients to sign paperwork that authorized Dellas to take advisor fees from their accounts well in excess of what they actually agreed to. For other accounts, Dellas fraudulently induced the clients to sign paperwork granting him trading and withdrawal authority over their accounts, according to the indictment. This account-opening paperwork misrepresented Dellas’s relationship to the clients and falsely stated that Dellas received no compensation for providing investment advice. The account-opening documents that Dellas induced the client to sign also falsely stated that the client wanted to engage in high-risk forms of investment, according to the indictment. To conceal the fraud, Dellas allegedly took steps to conceal account statements from his clients and at times impersonated clients in communicating with brokerage firms. According to the indictment, Dellas stole approximately $642,000 from his victims through unauthorized withdrawals and advisor fees.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Dellas was released pending a trial to be scheduled later this year before Chief United States District Court Judge Brenda K. Sannes.
The wire fraud charges filed against Dellas carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice any gain or loss determined by the court. The aggravated identity theft charges carry a sentence of 2 years’ federal prison consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. The charges also carry a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie and Michael F. Perry are prosecuting the case.
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kenneth Martin, age 69, of Salina, New York, was arraigned last week on an indictment charging him with possession of child pornography. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Martin knowingly possessed an electronic device containing numerous graphic image and video files of children being sexually abused. This conduct follows Martin’s 2020 conviction in Onondaga County Court for Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child. The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Martin carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and mandatory sex offender registration. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI is investigating this case with assistance from the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — China urges India and Pakistan to act in the interests of peace and stability and maintain composure and restraint, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Saturday when asked to comment on the escalating tensions between the two countries.
Pakistan reportedly claimed that India had struck the Nur Khan airbase and other targets in the early hours of May 10. Pakistan, in turn, announced a retaliatory strike and launched an operation called Banyan-ul-Marsoos.
The Chinese side has been closely monitoring the developments in the situation between India and Pakistan and is deeply concerned about the escalation. China urges both sides to act in the interests of peace and stability, maintain composure and restraint, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means, and refrain from any actions that may further escalate tensions, the Chinese diplomat said.
“This is in line with the fundamental interests of India and Pakistan, will benefit stability and peace in the region, and is in line with the common expectations of the international community. China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in this direction,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry added. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 10. 05. 2025
Keywords: PRC, Luis Inacio Lula, Lula, Brazil, Silva, the creation of the Workers’ Party, the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, the beginning of his, state visit, year, January, participated, term, Silva, was born, will visit
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will pay a state visit to China from May 10 to 14.
L. I. Lula da Silva was born on October 27, 1945 in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. At the beginning of his political career, he led the labor movement and participated in the creation of the Workers’ Party, and was a member of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil.
In October 2002, L. I. Lula do Silva was elected as the 35th President of Brazil and re-elected in 2006. In October 2022, he was elected to a third presidential term and took office on January 1, 2023. –0–
Source: Xinhua
Biography of the President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Biography of the President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) — Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Saturday destroyed an S-400 air defense missile system (SAM) in Adampur, located in Jalandhar district of Punjab state, India, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of the Pakistan Armed Forces said in a statement.
It is noted that the strike was carried out by hypersonic missiles launched from a JF-17 fighter, and high-precision munitions neutralized advanced air defense systems.
The S-400 system is considered one of the most modern air defense systems in India’s arsenal. Its cost is estimated at approximately $1.5 billion, the report says.
Military analysts told Xinhua that the downing of the S-400 could have significant implications for India’s air defence in the region.
According to ISPR, the strike was carried out as part of Pakistan’s major military operation Banyan-ul-Marsoos (Lead-Covered Wall), launched in response to ongoing Indian provocations. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and more than 20 other leaders, laid red roses at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The ceremony was a tribute to the memory and respect of the heroes who died in the Great Patriotic War, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Victory.
The ceremonial events ended with a grand military parade on Red Square. On the main platform, Xi Jinping and V. Putin sat next to each other and exchanged words from time to time.
More than 11,500 troops took part in the parade, including contingents from more than 10 countries. Among them was an honor guard from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Xi Jinping stood up from his seat as the PLA troops passed the stands.
During the historical part of the parade, Russian servicemen, dressed in uniforms from the Great Patriotic War, carried old military flags and weapons in their hands, reminiscent of the years of resistance to fascism.
On the evening of May 8, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany was signed in the Berlin suburb of Karlshorst, marking the end of World War II in Europe. Meanwhile, in Moscow, it was already May 9, which was declared “Victory Day” by the Soviet Union and then Russia. Since 1995, military parades and other commemorative events have been held in Russia every year on May 9.
“The Soviet Union took upon itself the most ferocious, merciless blows of the enemy,” said V. Putin in his speech at the parade.
“We will always remember that the opening of the second front in Europe – after the decisive battles on the territory of the Soviet Union – brought victory closer. We highly value the contribution to our common struggle of the soldiers of the allied armies, the resistance fighters, the courageous people of China. All those who fought for a peaceful future,” said V. Putin.
The Soviet Union was the main theater of World War II in Europe and lost 27 million people, while China was the main theater of war in Asia and lost more than 35 million people killed and wounded, resisting the main forces of Japanese militarism. Together, Russia and China became the bulwark of resistance to Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making a decisive contribution to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.
Eighty years ago, the peoples of the two countries united in the face of the brutal aggression of militarism and Nazism, fought shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy and wrote a remarkable and heroic chapter in history, Xi Jinping said at a joint press conference with Vladimir Putin after talks in the Kremlin.
Xi Jinping took part in the Victory Day celebrations for the second time; in 2015, he came to Moscow to mark the 70th anniversary of the Victory. That same year, on September 3, V. Putin attended the parade in Beijing in honor of the Victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
The past decade has been a time of major upheavals and transformations in the international situation, Xi Jinping said during a joint meeting with the media on Thursday.
In the face of global, epochal and historical changes, China and Russia should firmly guide the development trend of bilateral ties and human society, Xi said, calling for more active joint efforts to safeguard international justice.
In the run-up to Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia, his article “Lessons from the Past for the Sake of the Future” was published in Russian media.
“Historical memory and truth, not erased by time, give us inspiration and lessons, always reminding us of reality and pointing the way to the future. It is important to preserve historical memory, the lessons of World War II should be learned,” he wrote. -0-
MIDDLESEX, United Kingdom, May 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ZA Miner, a cloud-based cryptocurrency mining service provider, has announced its operational alignment with Coinbase’s newly launched Bitcoin Yield Fund, a product that offers institutional investors outside the United States an annual return ranging from 4% to 8% in Bitcoin. The initiative aims to address the growing global demand for stable digital asset income mechanisms through a combination of arbitrage-driven strategies and cloud mining capacity.
The Coinbase Bitcoin Yield Fund utilizes a “cash-and-carry” arbitrage model designed to mitigate price volatility risks by capturing the spread between spot and futures Bitcoin prices. This model, widely adopted in institutional finance, emphasizes capital preservation while offering predictable yield. ZA Miner contributes to the initiative by supplying managed hashrate power to support mining-based income channels.
Operations are managed under regulatory oversight. ZA Miner is registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), allowing it to offer compliant mining infrastructure services globally. This regulatory framework ensures that user activities align with UK financial standards and prioritizes fund transparency and security.
Instead of purchasing and operating physical mining hardware, users of ZA Miner engage through cloud-based mining contracts. These contracts grant access to mining rewards without requiring on-site equipment, making the process accessible to participants who lack technical expertise or large upfront capital. Users receive returns based on real-time mining performance, and the system allows for easy withdrawal or conversion of proceeds. All financial transactions conducted via the platform are traceable, auditable, and subject to standard regulatory controls.
This development marks an important convergence between mining infrastructure and structured crypto-finance products. While Coinbase manages the arbitrage-based yield component, ZA Miner’s role centers on maintaining computational output, ensuring reliable mining participation across its server network. This dual participation enables institutional investors to diversify their revenue streams, combining arbitrage earnings with income generated from mining-based Bitcoin payouts.
The integration reflects a broader industry trend toward transparency, regulation, and automation in digital asset investment. By formalizing access to cloud mining within a compliant structure, the approach seeks to make cryptocurrency-based yields a more dependable option for institutions seeking inflation-resistant asset strategies.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping recently published an article entitled “Lessons from the Past for the Future” in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, stressing the need to learn from history, draw wisdom and strength from the profound experience of World War II and the great victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly create a better future for humanity.
Representatives of many countries told Xinhua that in this article, the Chinese leader, based on the common interests of all mankind, looks at both the past and the present and puts forward a series of important proposals. Today, when unilateralism, hegemonism, tyranny and bullying have become serious threats, all countries in the world should stand on the right side of history, the side of justice, resolutely safeguard the post-war world order, firmly uphold international justice and work together for a bright future for mankind.
“TO PROTECT HISTORICAL TRUTH, WE MUST WORK HARD”
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the Victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that holding a correct view of the history of World War II is of great practical importance. In his opinion piece, the Chinese leader quoted a line from the well-known Soviet song “Katyusha”: “Apple and pear trees were in bloom.” This not only reminded us of the shared historical memory of the two peoples who fought shoulder to shoulder in World War II, but also that Russian-Chinese friendship has only grown stronger,” said Alexei Rodionov, a sinologist and professor at St. Petersburg State University.
“The air raid sirens for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre still sound, and the railway tracks in front of the Auschwitz concentration camp still gleam coldly,” said Virun Phichaiwonphakdee, director of the Thailand-China Belt and Road Studies Center. “Historical memory and truth that are not erased by time provide us with inspiration and lessons, always reminding us of reality and pointing the way to the future,” he quoted Xi Jinping as saying. “Victory in World War II was achieved at the cost of blood and sacrifice. Protecting history is not only respecting history, but also protecting justice in the modern world,” the expert noted.
“Any attempt to distort the historical truth about World War II and deny the victory in World War II will not succeed. The people of the world will not tolerate attempts to turn back history,” said Japanese biological weapons expert, Professor Emeritus of Shiga Medical University Kazuo Nishiyama. He fully agrees that humanity should draw wisdom and strength from the profound lessons of World War II and the great victory in the anti-fascist war. “In order to protect the historical truth, it is still necessary to work tirelessly to prevent the repetition of tragedies in the future,” the scientist believes.
“World War II is a tragedy for all of humanity. We must tell history in a comprehensive and truthful manner, deeply understand the atrocities of war, and strengthen education for peace,” said Pawel Machcewicz, founding director of the Museum of World War II in Gdansk, Poland.
“For Serbia, Xi Jinping’s article carries an important message: defending the truth requires great efforts. The state visit of President Xi Jinping to Russia is such an effort,” said Aleksandar Mitic, a research fellow at the Serbian Institute of International Politics and Economics. “Unfortunately, we still see how certain Western forces are trying to downplay the enormous sacrifices and contributions of China, Russia, Serbia and other countries to the historic victory over fascism and militarism, but these attempts are doomed to failure,” he said.
According to French entrepreneur and commentator Arnaud Bertrand, Xi Jinping’s article contains many profound thoughts, especially when he compares the past and the present, points out that humanity is once again at a crossroads of “solidarity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum game,” and declares the need to resolutely defend the post-war international order and the authority of the UN. “President Xi Jinping’s opinion piece is a window into China’s contemporary strategic thinking. As a defender of the post-war world order, China is committed to countering hegemonic forces and is an important power that upholds the multilateral system and international law,” A. Bertrand noted.
“CHINA, AS THE MAIN THEATER OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE EAST, MADE AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE VICTORY IN WORLD WAR II”
In his opinion article, Xi Jinping emphasized that, as the main theaters of military operations in Asia and Europe, China and the Soviet Union bore the brunt of the attacks of militaristic Japan and Nazi Germany, and made a decisive contribution to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The international community generally believes that the victory on the main eastern front completely destroyed the ambitions of militarism and fascism and was of great global significance.
“The victory was achieved thanks to the joint efforts of the anti-Hitler coalition, and the USSR and China were its most important part,” emphasized the scientific secretary of the Victory Museum in Moscow Boris Cheltsov. According to him, the peoples of the USSR and China fought shoulder to shoulder against fascism and militarism, supporting each other. As the main theater of military operations in the East, China made an invaluable contribution to the final defeat of Japanese militarism and the victory over fascism due to the enormous sacrifice of the entire people.
Guzel Maitdinova, Director of the Center for Geopolitical Studies at the Russian-Tajik /Slavonic/ University, noted that China has always been the main force in the fight against Japanese militarism, and most of the Japanese army was held back on the Chinese front. The Chinese people, having made enormous sacrifices, held the main eastern front and made an outstanding contribution to the victory in World War II, she added.
“Without China, World War II might not have ended in 1945,” said Faruk Borić, chairman of the Bosnian-Chinese Friendship Association. According to him, the front in China effectively held back the Japanese invaders and provided valuable time for victory in Europe, playing an important role in the global fight against fascism. He also noted that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has always actively supported the multilateral order, firmly upholding the international system with the UN as the core and the world order based on international law. “China’s respect for history makes it an indispensable force in maintaining world peace,” the expert said.
President Xi Jinping has emphasized that Taiwan’s return to China is an important part of the outcome of World War II and the post-war world order. Gu Xuewu, Director of the Center for Global Studies at the University of Bonn in Germany, noted that Taiwan’s return was one of the outcomes of the victory in World War II and was widely recognized by the international community. Undermining these outcomes would seriously disrupt the existing world order.
Muhab Nassar, an associate professor of international law at Cairo University, said China’s sovereignty over Taiwan is a legally justified and recognized fact. Xi Jinping’s opinion piece once again expressed a firm position: the Taiwan issue concerns China’s fundamental interests, which China will not compromise under any circumstances.
“TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY, THE WORLD NEEDS JUSTICE, NOT HEGEMONY”
In his opinion article, President Xi Jinping stated that today’s world still faces a growing deficit in peace, development, security and governance. The vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative are designed to address this deficit, actively participate and join forces with other countries in advancing the reform of the global governance system through the prism of justice and fairness.
Akkan Suver, chairman of Turkey’s Marmara Group Foundation for Strategic and Social Research, said the three global initiatives proposed by Xi Jinping “represent a fair concept of global governance that truly protects multilateralism.” “Amid the rise of unilateralism, China firmly opposes any form of hegemony and power politics, and is committed to upholding the international order and norms that serve the interests of developing countries. In the face of multiple conflicts, the world needs dialogue and cooperation rather than division, and global development needs reason and conscience rather than dictate,” he said.
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kurdistan operating in Iraq Kawa Mahmud fully agrees with Xi Jinping’s statement that “the world needs justice, not hegemony.” He noted that today’s world still suffers from manifestations of hegemonism and power politics, which only increases uncertainty in the international situation. “To achieve universal development and prosperity, the world needs justice, not hegemony. Only a fair and rational system of global governance can meet the interests of all countries. The formation of a multipolar world based on mutual respect and mutual benefit has become the consensus of most states,” the politician emphasized.
“The Middle East has long been an arena of instability, from the war in Iraq to the Syrian crisis, the conflict in Yemen and the Palestinian-Israeli issue. The peace deficit is only getting worse,” said Abdullah al-Dosari, editor-in-chief of the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Arab, after reading Xi Jinping’s article. “The concept of a community with a common destiny for humanity that he proposed, the emphasis on dialogue rather than confrontation, on partnership rather than the creation of blocs, on mutually beneficial cooperation rather than a zero-sum game – all of this is important for ensuring peace and stability in the region,” the editor-in-chief is confident.
Qaiser Nawab, Chairman of Pakistan’s Belt and Road Organization for Sustainable Development, said President Xi Jinping had deeply revealed China’s understanding of the world order, emphasizing dialogue, common development and respect for diversity, and calling for a more inclusive and fair international governance system. He said China’s three global initiatives are helping to shape a fairer and more inclusive world.
“In his article, President Xi Jinping noted that light will dispel darkness, and justice will ultimately triumph over evil. This is not only a profound summary of the historical lessons of World War II, but also a reflection of the realities of the modern world: peace and justice do not come naturally, they must be firmly defended,” said Chuan Keng Koon, director of the Sun Yat-sen Centre of the Penang Science Society (Malaysia). “Today, when we recall that history, we do not do so for the sake of inciting hatred, but to gain wisdom and strength. By learning from the past, we resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics, and always uphold the path of peace, development and mutually beneficial cooperation,” the expert emphasized. –0–
LAS VEGAS, May 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Are you someone running short of money and have some urgent expenses to meet? Do not worry as quick cash loans with easy approval are a great way to get rid of all your fiscal worries. One of the best features associated with this type of personal loan is that a borrower is able to have easy and quick access to the cash despite suffering with a poor credit record. Which actually means that even people with bad credit scores can get a quick cash loan online with guaranteed approval.
Best Quick Cash Loans Online No Credit Check
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How Quick And Easy Cash Loans Same Day Deposit Work
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You should choose these advances, only when you have no other alternative left. It is because of the fact that the borrowed amount is released against a somewhat high rate of interest. However, by doing a good research of the market, you can surely come across lenders offering appropriate deals. And Radiant Cash is here to help.
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Proof of income (pay stubs or bank statements)
Identification (driver’s license or state ID)
Social Security number
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Currently these loans are offered only to the permanent citizens of the USA. A person should be above 18 years of age if he or she wants to go for such fast loans. He or she should also have a valid bank account in the USA. It is this bank account which will be credited by the loan amount once it is approved. Overall these are very helpful quick approval loans.
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Quick cash loans for bad credit are short-term loans designed to provide fast access to funds for urgent expenses. They typically have fast approval processes and may be available within the same day or next business day.
2. How do fast cash loans work?
Borrowers apply online or at physical locations, and upon approval, receive funds quickly. These loans often have higher interest rates and must be repaid within weeks or months depending on the lender.
3. Who qualifies for a quick easy loan?
Most lenders require borrowers to:
Be at least 18 years old.
Have proof of income or employment.
Possess a valid checking account.
Reside in a state where the lender operates.
4. How fast can I get a quick cash loan?
Some lenders offer same-day funding, while others deposit funds within 24 to 48 hours. The speed depends on the lender and the method of funding.
5. What are the interest rates for fast cash loans?
Interest rates vary widely. Some loans may have APR as high as 100% to 400%, depending on the lender and the borrower’s credit profile.
6. Can I get a quick cash loan with bad credit?
Yes, many lenders approve borrowers with low or poor credit. However, expect higher interest rates and stricter repayment terms.
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High interest rates – Can lead to expensive repayments.
Short repayment terms – Some loans require full repayment within weeks.
Debt cycle – Borrowers may struggle to repay, leading to repeated borrowing.
8. What are alternatives to quick easy loans?
Personal loans – Some lenders offer better terms.
Credit unions – Provide lower-cost loan options.
Employer paycheck advances – Some workplaces offer emergency payroll advances.
9. Do quick cash loans help build credit?
Most lenders do not report payments to credit bureaus, so they generally do not improve credit scores. Some installment loan lenders may report payment history.
10. How can I find a reputable quick cash lender?
Look for lenders who:
Clearly disclose fees and repayment terms.
Have positive reviews and a history of ethical lending.
Are licensed to operate legally in your state.
Conclusion
Quick cash loans offer immediate help within a very small time during an emergency to meet your urgent or short term need. One of the reasons to get rapid approval is online availability. The Internet gives the facility to apply from anywhere in the USA with no tension. A simple application form is required to fill and approval will not get delayed. So what are you waiting for? Apply with Radiant Cash and get a quick easy loan with a fast cash deposit now!
Disclaimer: This announcement contains general information about Radiant Cash services and should not be considered financial advice. Radiant Cash services does not guarantee loan approval, and loan terms may vary by applicant and lender requirements. Loans are available to U.S. residents only.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The 13th batch of emergency humanitarian assistance dispatched by the Chinese government was handed over to Myanmar on Saturday in Yangon.
The aid supplies included 1,576 prefabricated houses, which were accepted by Yangon Region Minister for Natural Resources U Zaw Win.
A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28. As of May 9, the earthquake has claimed around 3,800 lives and injured over 5,100 people, with around 100 others remaining unaccounted for, according to Myanmar’s official data.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s revised marriage registration rules, which simplify paperwork and offer greater flexibility for couples, came into effect on Saturday.
A couple pose for photos with their marriage certificates at a marriage registration office in Huzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province, Aug 22, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
The updated regulations eliminate the need for household registration books, which have long been necessary for marriage applications.
Mainland couples now only need to present their identification cards and sign a declaration affirming that they are unmarried and not closely related by blood within three generations.
Additionally, under the new rules, couples can register their marriage at any eligible registry nationwide, regardless of their household registration location.
The change also applies to couples in which one partner is a mainland resident and the other is a foreign national, or a resident of Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, or an overseas Chinese community, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
These couples can now marry, divorce, or apply for reissuance of marriage certificates at any authorized registration office, without being restricted to the mainland partner’s household registration location.
The overhaul is part of China’s broader push to streamline public services and ease the burden on citizens, particularly the increasing number of people living and working away from their place of household registration.
According to official data, China recorded 1.81 million marriage registrations in the first quarter of this year, marking an 8 percent drop from the same period in 2024.
After nine consecutive years of decline, China’s marriage registration numbers saw a brief rebound in 2023. However, the downward trend resumed in 2024, with registrations falling to their lowest level since 1980.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) — India fired air-to-surface missiles at three Pakistani air bases, but no strategic assets of the Pakistan Air Force were damaged, Pakistan Armed Forces Inter-Services Public Relations Chief Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said early Saturday.
He said India carried out missile and drone strikes on Pakistani military installations in Punjab province, including Nur Khan, Murid and Shorkot air bases.
India also attacked Afghan territory using missiles and drones, says A.Sh. Choudhry. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
MINSK, May 10 (Xinhua) — Belarus celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in a colorful manner. Traditionally, on May 9, the capital and all regions of the country host numerous entertainment and sports events. Citizens honor veterans, lay flowers at monuments, and participate in patriotic events. For Belarusians, this is a special day of remembrance for the heroes and victims of the war. In 1941, the country, being part of the USSR, was the first to bear the brunt of the Nazi invaders, suffering horrific losses – every third person died.
The most striking event of this festive day in Belarus was the military parade in Minsk. As planned, it began at the stele “Minsk – Hero City” at 20:30 local time. The speech was given by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
“This is the victory of valiant warriors – Red Army soldiers, partisans, underground fighters and home front workers. This is the victory of the Soviet people, the people who liberated us from Nazism. On May 9, 1945, the sky was lit up by the first holiday fireworks. A peaceful life began, in which we tirelessly count the years and days of the events of the Great Patriotic War. For 80 years now, we have been celebrating the victory, remembering the heroes and bowing our heads before the fallen. We are holding a parade in honor of those who did not flinch and fought courageously,” the head of the Belarusian state emphasized.
In his speech, A. Lukashenko also called on politicians, leaders and peoples of Western countries to remember the lessons of the Great Patriotic War and especially noted that Belarus’s peaceful rhetoric should not be misunderstood. “Yes, we call for peace. Yes, we want with all our hearts to stop all wars and conflicts on the planet. But we have done and will do everything necessary and even more to strengthen the country’s defense potential, maintain the combat readiness of the armed forces at a level that reliably ensures the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Belarusian state,” he said.
After the President’s speech, the parade began, in which about 4 thousand servicemen took part. The parade units included Belarusian servicemen from the Ground Forces, the Air Force, the Special Operations Forces, the Border Service, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the country, the Investigative Committee, and military educational institutions. Units from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took part in the foot parade.
At the invitation of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, a 54-member ceremonial unit of the Honor Guard of the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) took part in the parade in Minsk. Spectators greeted the Chinese military with thunderous applause as they marched in a clear and coordinated step in front of the stands. Ceremonial units of the PLA have already taken part in parades in Belarus three times by invitation (in 2018, 2019 and 2024).
The parade in Minsk also featured over 220 units of military equipment. Among them were T-72B3 tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, BTR-82A and BTR-70 armored personnel carriers, and 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery units. The parade crews also included Polonez multiple launch rocket systems, Iskander operational-tactical systems, and S-400 Triumph long- and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems.
Combat helicopters and aircraft of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of Belarus and the Aerospace Forces of Russia flew over the spectators in the sky in eight groups. Among them were Mi-8 and Mi-35 helicopters, Su-25, An-26, Yak-130 aircraft.
A special element of the military parade was its historical part. The cavalry of the war years, ceremonial officers with rifles and battle flags marched in front of the stands. The audience also highly appreciated the bright performance of the honor guard company of Belarus. The finale of the military parade featured a theatrical episode “We Will Live”, dedicated to the events of the war years. 1,250 people danced the Victory Waltz at the parade. After the show, a festive salute thundered.
Chinese student Li Tingwei, who is studying in Belarus, shared his impressions of the parade. “I am very glad that I had the opportunity to watch the military parade. Victory Day is a tribute to the history of the country and a demonstration of respect for it. The parade showed that the Belarusian people honor history and cherish peace. As a Chinese student, I was most shocked and inspired by the sight of my country’s honor guard, whose powerful steps made me feel proud and deeply impressed by the hard-won peace and strong friendship between China and Belarus,” he said. –0–