Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Police can confirm one person has died following a crash in Ngāhinapōuri this evening.
The single vehicle crash on Oregan Road was reported at about 7:45pm.
One person died at the scene, a second person sustained serious injuries.
The road is currently closed while the Serious Crash Unit conduct a scene examination.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Henning Melber, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria
Sam Nujoma was an outstanding Namibian leader who personified more than anybody else the country’s liberation struggle history and independence. His death at the age of 95 marks the end of an era. But his legacy will live on.
Together with Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, he was central in the foundation of the national liberation movement, South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo).
Samuel (Sam) Shafishuna (“lightning”) Daniel Nujoma was born on 12 May 1929 at Etunda near Okahao in northern Namibia in today’s Omusati region, the eldest of 11 children. His childhood was devoted to helping care for his siblings, the family cattle and cultivating the land. From 1937 to 1943 he completed primary school at the Finnish Missionary School at Okahao.
Namibia was then South West Africa, a former German colony, administered by apartheid South Africa since December 1920. Aged 17, he became a contract worker in the harbour town of Walvis Bay. From 1949 he worked as a cleaner at South African Railways in Windhoek. For most of his age group, contract labour in the settler economy was the only way out of subsistence agriculture.
Like many of his generation, he became politically active in the organised contract labour movement. His upbringing and struggle for independence is presented in his autobiography Where Others Wavered. It has also been turned into a movie.
In 1959 Nujoma co-founded the Ovamboland People’s Organisation, marking a new chapter of organised resistance against settler-colonial rule. At the time, African residents in the capital Windhoek lived mainly in the so-called Old Location. It was close to the centre of town, while contract workers were accommodated in a separate compound.
Their residents were supposed to relocate to a distant new township, Katutura. Protests against the forced removal escalated on 10 December 1959. Police opened fire, killing 11 and seriously wounding 44.
This was a turning point in the organised resistance. Political activists faced increased repression. Nujoma left for exile in February 1960 to campaign internationally, not least at the United Nations in New York.
In April 1960 the Ovamboland People’s Organisation became Swapo and Nujoma its first president. He remained in office until 2007. In 1967, Swapo resorted to armed resistance against the South African occupation.
The organisation became the family and Nujoma its patriarch. As Raymond Suttner, a scholar and political analyst, observed:
Any involvement in a revolution has an impact on conceptions of the personal.
A warfare of more than 20 years cost thousands of lives. The military component played a big role in Swapo’s struggle history. This is illustrated in the movement’s official narrative To Be Born A Nation.
While never trained for combat, Nujoma liked to pose as the military leader. Testimony to this is the dominant statue of the “unknown soldier” at the Heroes Acre, modelled as Nujoma.
Just as enlightening is Nujoma’s autobiography, ending with independence on 21 March 1990. Its title Where Others Wavered is from one of his statements in the late 1970s:
When the history of a free and independent Namibia is written one day, Swapo will go down as having stood firm where others have wavered: that it sacrificed for the sacred cause of liberation where others have compromised.
As the Namibian political scientist André du Pisani has pointed out:
(Nujoma’s account) brings into sharp relief the career of a formidable political activist who displayed enormous courage, determination and will to survive against considerable odds.
Nujoma was appointed Namibia’s first head of state by the Constituent Assembly. His initial term (1990-1995) was characterised by efforts to build the nation and foster reconciliation in a deeply divided settler colonial society.
He accepted a constitutionally enshrined status quo when it came to the privileges of the white minority. Continued socioeconomic disparities under political majority rule signified a process in which political power was traded and transferred while fundamental social inequalities were guarded by the protection of existing property relations.
When leaving office, he left a mixed record.
During his second term (1995-2000), “reconciliation took a back seat, and a certain authoritarian tone emerged”, as the urban geographer and writer Bill Lindeke summarised on the 25th year of independence. This included, among other things, unilaterally dispatching troops in August 1998 to rescue his friend Laurent Desiré Kabila in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kabila’s government was under attack by rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Nujoma took this decision as Commander in Chief of the army “in the national interest”, with nobody in the Cabinet being consulted or informed.
In August 1999 Nujoma declared a first state of emergency when a failed secession in what was then called the Caprivi Strip came as a shock attack. The subsequent treatment of the suspected secessionists was anything but reconciliatory. It resulted in the country’s only political refugees so far.
To allow Nujoma a third term in office (2000-2005), the National Assembly adopted a first constitutional amendment in late 1998. The justification was that his initial appointment was not based on a direct vote by the electorate. The clause was restricted to Nujoma.
There were doubts if Nujoma would vacate office. In 2004 he declared:
One cannot ignore the call by the people, because the people are the ones who make the final decision.
This fuelled speculations that he might be tempted to opt for a referendum, banking on an anticipated majority willing to grant him another term.
Facing internal Swapo opposition, Nujoma opted for the party’s unity and announced his retirement at the end of his term. This paved the way for three candidates competing for his replacement.
But, he was adamant that his long-time confidante Hifikepunye Pohamba would become his successor. A heavy-handed approach to bulldoze him through resulted in a break-away new party.
Nujoma remained Swapo president until late 2007, provoking the question of his ‘presidential indispensability’.
Pohamba was initially acting in Nujoma’s shadow. After his retirement as the head of state, the National Assembly awarded Nujoma the title “Founding Father of the Namibian Nation”. Ending his party presidency, Swapo named him “Leader of the Namibian Revolution”.
In such a context retirement is a foreign word. One can leave office but remain a leader. Nujoma’s word and view counted in policy implementation – both at party and national government levels. Although his direct impact gradually subsided, he remained an iconic influencer.
Many leaders of African countries were shaped by resistance to colonial oppression. This was no romantic picnic, but required perseverance and tough decisions. It came at a cost. Military mindsets and strict hierarchies were fostering authoritarian tendencies.
These are not the best ingredients for civilian rule. But achieving sovereignty elevated the struggle to new levels. Since the end of white minority rule and South African occupation, Namibian people are governed by those they elected democratically.
Nujoma was on the commanding heights of Namibia’s liberation struggle for over half a century. He decided to retire as captain in time. Namibians owe it to him and others for paving the way for a democratic state guided by the rule of law.
This is adequately symbolised in his statue erected at Windhoek’s Independence Museum. Dressed in civilian clothes, Nujoma proudly holds up the Namibian constitution. It might be the best visual recognition of all of his ultimate contribution to Namibian society.
Since independence, the struggle for more equality continues by civil means. Tatekulu (big man) Sam Nujoma deserves credit for his role in this remarkably peaceful transition towards a multi-party democracy in which politically motivated violence rarely occurs. He will always have centre stage in Namibia’s hall of fame.
Hamba Kahle (go well), tate Sam.
Henning Melber is a member of SWAPO since 1974.
– ref. Sam Nujoma personified Namibia’s struggle for freedom – https://theconversation.com/sam-nujoma-personified-namibias-struggle-for-freedom-158904
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Henning Melber, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria
Sam Nujoma was an outstanding Namibian leader who personified more than anybody else the country’s liberation struggle history and independence. His death at the age of 95 marks the end of an era. But his legacy will live on.
Together with Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, he was central in the foundation of the national liberation movement, South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo).
Samuel (Sam) Shafishuna (“lightning”) Daniel Nujoma was born on 12 May 1929 at Etunda near Okahao in northern Namibia in today’s Omusati region, the eldest of 11 children. His childhood was devoted to helping care for his siblings, the family cattle and cultivating the land. From 1937 to 1943 he completed primary school at the Finnish Missionary School at Okahao.
Namibia was then South West Africa, a former German colony, administered by apartheid South Africa since December 1920. Aged 17, he became a contract worker in the harbour town of Walvis Bay. From 1949 he worked as a cleaner at South African Railways in Windhoek. For most of his age group, contract labour in the settler economy was the only way out of subsistence agriculture.
Like many of his generation, he became politically active in the organised contract labour movement. His upbringing and struggle for independence is presented in his autobiography Where Others Wavered. It has also been turned into a movie.
In 1959 Nujoma co-founded the Ovamboland People’s Organisation, marking a new chapter of organised resistance against settler-colonial rule. At the time, African residents in the capital Windhoek lived mainly in the so-called Old Location. It was close to the centre of town, while contract workers were accommodated in a separate compound.
Their residents were supposed to relocate to a distant new township, Katutura. Protests against the forced removal escalated on 10 December 1959. Police opened fire, killing 11 and seriously wounding 44.
This was a turning point in the organised resistance. Political activists faced increased repression. Nujoma left for exile in February 1960 to campaign internationally, not least at the United Nations in New York.
In April 1960 the Ovamboland People’s Organisation became Swapo and Nujoma its first president. He remained in office until 2007. In 1967, Swapo resorted to armed resistance against the South African occupation.
The organisation became the family and Nujoma its patriarch. As Raymond Suttner, a scholar and political analyst, observed:
Any involvement in a revolution has an impact on conceptions of the personal.
A warfare of more than 20 years cost thousands of lives. The military component played a big role in Swapo’s struggle history. This is illustrated in the movement’s official narrative To Be Born A Nation.
While never trained for combat, Nujoma liked to pose as the military leader. Testimony to this is the dominant statue of the “unknown soldier” at the Heroes Acre, modelled as Nujoma.
Just as enlightening is Nujoma’s autobiography, ending with independence on 21 March 1990. Its title Where Others Wavered is from one of his statements in the late 1970s:
When the history of a free and independent Namibia is written one day, Swapo will go down as having stood firm where others have wavered: that it sacrificed for the sacred cause of liberation where others have compromised.
As the Namibian political scientist André du Pisani has pointed out:
(Nujoma’s account) brings into sharp relief the career of a formidable political activist who displayed enormous courage, determination and will to survive against considerable odds.
Nujoma was appointed Namibia’s first head of state by the Constituent Assembly. His initial term (1990-1995) was characterised by efforts to build the nation and foster reconciliation in a deeply divided settler colonial society.
He accepted a constitutionally enshrined status quo when it came to the privileges of the white minority. Continued socioeconomic disparities under political majority rule signified a process in which political power was traded and transferred while fundamental social inequalities were guarded by the protection of existing property relations.
When leaving office, he left a mixed record.
During his second term (1995-2000), “reconciliation took a back seat, and a certain authoritarian tone emerged”, as the urban geographer and writer Bill Lindeke summarised on the 25th year of independence. This included, among other things, unilaterally dispatching troops in August 1998 to rescue his friend Laurent Desiré Kabila in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kabila’s government was under attack by rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Nujoma took this decision as Commander in Chief of the army “in the national interest”, with nobody in the Cabinet being consulted or informed.
In August 1999 Nujoma declared a first state of emergency when a failed secession in what was then called the Caprivi Strip came as a shock attack. The subsequent treatment of the suspected secessionists was anything but reconciliatory. It resulted in the country’s only political refugees so far.
To allow Nujoma a third term in office (2000-2005), the National Assembly adopted a first constitutional amendment in late 1998. The justification was that his initial appointment was not based on a direct vote by the electorate. The clause was restricted to Nujoma.
There were doubts if Nujoma would vacate office. In 2004 he declared:
One cannot ignore the call by the people, because the people are the ones who make the final decision.
This fuelled speculations that he might be tempted to opt for a referendum, banking on an anticipated majority willing to grant him another term.
Facing internal Swapo opposition, Nujoma opted for the party’s unity and announced his retirement at the end of his term. This paved the way for three candidates competing for his replacement.
But, he was adamant that his long-time confidante Hifikepunye Pohamba would become his successor. A heavy-handed approach to bulldoze him through resulted in a break-away new party.
Nujoma remained Swapo president until late 2007, provoking the question of his ‘presidential indispensability’.
Pohamba was initially acting in Nujoma’s shadow. After his retirement as the head of state, the National Assembly awarded Nujoma the title “Founding Father of the Namibian Nation”. Ending his party presidency, Swapo named him “Leader of the Namibian Revolution”.
In such a context retirement is a foreign word. One can leave office but remain a leader. Nujoma’s word and view counted in policy implementation – both at party and national government levels. Although his direct impact gradually subsided, he remained an iconic influencer.
Many leaders of African countries were shaped by resistance to colonial oppression. This was no romantic picnic, but required perseverance and tough decisions. It came at a cost. Military mindsets and strict hierarchies were fostering authoritarian tendencies.
These are not the best ingredients for civilian rule. But achieving sovereignty elevated the struggle to new levels. Since the end of white minority rule and South African occupation, Namibian people are governed by those they elected democratically.
Nujoma was on the commanding heights of Namibia’s liberation struggle for over half a century. He decided to retire as captain in time. Namibians owe it to him and others for paving the way for a democratic state guided by the rule of law.
This is adequately symbolised in his statue erected at Windhoek’s Independence Museum. Dressed in civilian clothes, Nujoma proudly holds up the Namibian constitution. It might be the best visual recognition of all of his ultimate contribution to Namibian society.
Since independence, the struggle for more equality continues by civil means. Tatekulu (big man) Sam Nujoma deserves credit for his role in this remarkably peaceful transition towards a multi-party democracy in which politically motivated violence rarely occurs. He will always have centre stage in Namibia’s hall of fame.
Hamba Kahle (go well), tate Sam.
– Sam Nujoma personified Namibia’s struggle for freedom
– https://theconversation.com/sam-nujoma-personified-namibias-struggle-for-freedom-158904
The NZSA Youth Mentor Programme seeks Emerging Young Writers
Four secondary school students will have the opportunity to be mentored by one of New Zealand’s best professional authors in order to develop their craft and hone their writing skills.
The NZSA Youth Mentorship Programme offers aspiring young writers aged 15 -18 a mentorship, from May to November. The intent of the mentor programme is to foster and develop emerging writing talent with the support of established authors. There are 4 places awarded each year in the youth programme, and it is a game-changing opportunity for young writers.
NZSA has been running successful assessment and mentoring programmes since 1999 that aim are to nurture, encourage, inspire and develop emerging writers with the support of established writers through mentoring and assessment.
Deadline for applications: 6 April 2025
Find out about how to apply (ref. https://authors.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=905a5275ec5c023659502ec21&id=26a272c506&e=466373ae7c )
Comments from previous youth mentees
Leo Reid from Hamilton had award-winning author Kyle Mewburn as their mentor in 2024 and had this to say: “Through the NZSA Youth Mentorship Program, I have developed my skills as an author outside of simply writing. My mentor Kyle was endlessly kind and patient with me and I feel I have grown into myself using her help. Kyle offered me the experience of working with a seasoned author as well as providing me with extremely beneficial feedback. I know I can apply these newfound skills to projects outside of the one I had been working on with Kyle. I will look back on this shared time with her as one of immense value to myself, on both a personal level and as a writer.”
“I feel that I improved my skills as a writer and made a great deal of progress in terms of my project — I now have a clear structure, a plan moving forward and many smaller pieces to work with and develop further. Michelle has helped me build confidence in my work and consider things I previously didn’t, such as pacing and specific characterisation, as well as highlighting my strengths,” said Stella Weston who was partnered with writer and editor, Michelle Elvy.
The Youth Mentor Programme is run by the NZSA, the principal organisation representing writers in Aotearoa. We offer memberships for writers at all stages of their careers including students. Our assessment and mentorship programmes, such as our annual Youth mentorships, are offered with the support of Creative New Zealand.
About NZSA
The NZSA represents over 1,800 writers in New Zealand. We offer support through advocacy and representation, professional development, information and guidance on publishing and the literary arts, administer prizes and awards and contract and business advice. We work to protect authors incomes and offer memberships for writers at all stages of their careers including students. Our many assessment and mentorship programmes, such as our annual Youth mentorships, are offered with the support of Creative New Zealand. NZSA is affiliated to International PEN, a voice that upholds freedom of speech and protests against writers falsely silenced and imprisoned around the world.
www.authors.org.nz
By Rachel Helyer Donaldson, RNZ News journalist
New Zealand should be robust in its response to the “unacceptable” situation in Gaza but it must also back its allies against threats by the US President, says an international relations academic.
Otago University professor of international relations Robert Patman said the rest of the world also “should stop tip-toeing” around President Donald Trump and must stand up to any threats he makes against allies, no matter how outlandish they seem.
Trump doubled down on his proposal for a US takeover of Gaza on Friday, after the idea was rejected by Palestinians and leaders around the world.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ that New Zealand would not comment on the plan until it was clear exactly what was meant, but said New Zealand continued to support a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
Dr Patman said the president’s plan was “truly shocking and absolutely appalling” in light of the devastation in Gaza in the last 15 months.
It was not only “tone deaf” but also dangerous, he added, with the proposal amounting to “the most powerful country in the world — the US — dismantling an international rules=based system that [it] has done so much to establish”.
“This was an extraordinary proposal which I think is reckless and dangerous because it certainly doesn’t help the immediate situation. It probably plays into the hands of extremists in the region.
“There is a view at the moment that we must all tiptoe round Mr Trump in order not to upset him, while he’s completely free to make outrageous suggestions which endanger people’s lives.”
Winston Peters’ careful position on a potential US takeover of Gaza was “a fair response . . . but the Luxon-led government must be clear the current situation is unacceptable” and oppose protectionism, he said.
“[The government ] wants a solution in the Middle East which recognises both the Israeli desire for security but also recognises the political right to self determination of the Palestinian people — in other words the right to have a state of their own.”
New Zealand should also speak out against Trump’s threats to annex Canada, “our very close ally”, he said.
He was “not suggesting New Zealand be provocative but it must be robust”, Dr Patman said.
Greens also respond to Trump actions
The Green Party said President Trump had been explicit in his intention to take over Gaza, and New Zealand needed to make its position crystal clear too.
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the Prime Minister needed to stand up and condemn the plan as “reprehensible”.
“President Trump’s comments have been pretty clear to anybody who is able to read or to listen to them, about his intention to forcibly displace, or to see displaced, about 1.8 million Gazans from their own land, who have already been made refugees in their own land.”
France, Spain, Ireland, Brazil and other countries had been “unequivocal” in their condemnation of Trump’s plan, and NZ’s Foreign Affairs Minister should be too, she added.
“New Zealanders value justice and they value peace, and they want to see our leadership represent that, on the international stage. So [these were] really disappointing and unfortunately unclear comments from our Deputy Prime Minister.”
Yesterday Foreign Minister Winston Peters told RNZ that New Zealand still supported a two-state solution, but said he would not comment on Trump’s Gaza plan until officials could grasp exactly what this meant.
Trump sanctions International Criminal Court
Meanwhile, an international law expert says New Zealand’s cautious position following Trump’s sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) staff is the right response — for now.
Dozens of countries have expressed “unwavering support” for the ICC in a joint statement, after the US President imposed sanctions on its staff.
The 125-member ICC is a permanent court that can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression against the territory of member states or by their nationals.
The United States, China, Russia and Israel are not members.
Trump has accused the court of improperly targeting the US and its ally, Israel.
Neither New Zealand nor Australia had joined the statement, but in a statement to RNZ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had always supported the ICC’s role in upholding international law and a rules-based system.
University of Victoria law professor Alberto Costi said currently New Zealand is at little risk of sanctions and there’s no need for a stronger approach.
“At this stage there is no reason to be stronger. New Zealand is perceived as a state that believes in a rules-based order and is supportive of the work of the ICC.
“So there’s not much need to go further but it’s a space to watch in the future, should these sanctions become a reality.
“But as far as New Zealand is concerned, at the moment there is no need to antagonise anyone at this stage.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
February 08, 2025
[CHICAGO, IL] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton visited the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago (IVHC) to reaffirm their unwavering support for our state’s Veterans. After visiting with residents, Duckworth, Pritzker and Stratton held a roundtable discussion with leadership from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) to talk about their shared goals for the facility as well as some of the ways we can better ensure our Veterans receive quality, timely care. Photos from today’s visit are available on the Senator’s website.
“It was a pleasure to be back at the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago—a dream of mine that I’m proud to have helped establish to care for our brave heroes,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m thankful for the IDVA’s tireless work to help ensure the Veterans who reside here receive the high-quality support they’ve earned through their service, and I will continue to do everything I can at the federal level to assist in these efforts. Today, my message alongside Governor Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Stratton was clear: We will always have our Veterans’ backs.”
“I was proud to join a hero of our state Senator Tammy Duckworth and my partner-in-governing Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton to thank the veterans and staff of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As we visit the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago, I continued to be inspired by the patriotism and sacrifice of Illinois veterans who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Taking care of our veterans is one our most important duties in public service and we will continue standing up for those who have always stood up for America.”
“Our veterans answered the call to serve and brought safety, comfort and prosperity to so many,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “The very essence of duty is to put the needs of others before your own. For that, they deserve nothing less than the very best and in Illinois, we will continue to do everything possible to prioritize the care and support they receive.”
“IDVA and Veterans across Illinois are grateful for the continued support of Senator Duckworth, Governor Pritzker, and Lt. Governor Stratton and for their commitment to Illinois Veterans,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “The investment in the Chicago Home and our homes in Anna, LaSalle, Manteno, and Quincy demonstrate the state’s gratitude and respect for Veterans’ service to our nation and our promise to protect them as they have protected us through their service.”
Throughout her tenure in Congress, Duckworth has been a fierce supporter of and an effective legislator for our Veterans. During the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee’s confirmation hearing for President Trump’s VA Secretary nominee Doug Collins last month, Duckworth pressed Collins to oppose any effort to privatize VA health care, which would place many Veterans at risk of receiving less effective and less cost-efficient care. In her remarks, Duckworth underscored that VA health care professionals are better positioned to provide the best care possible for our Veterans due to specialized training that informs providers with a unique understanding of Veterans’ experiences and comprehensive medical needs—something that is not replicated in the civilian health care system.
In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was signed into law, Duckworth secured several important provisions that support our servicemembers and their families, enhance strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, improve logistics to bolster readiness and energy resiliency as well as continue to restore American competitiveness.
The IDVA founded the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago in 2022, the first of its kind in Chicago by the IDVA and only one of five total in Illinois. This is a Long-Term Care Facility specifically for Veterans. Illinois Veterans and eligible spouses seeking skilled and domiciliary care are offered five Veterans’ homes located across Illinois: Anna, Chicago, LaSalle, Manteno and Quincy.
-30-
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DANTE FRAZIER (“FRAZIER”), age 45, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 188 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, along with a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to an emergency call and found FRAZIER passed out in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. After becoming aware of NOPD’s presence, FRAZIER drove onto the Saint Claude Avenue neutral ground, struck a median, and then drove into a gas station parking lot before fleeing on foot. While fleeing, FRAZIER fired five shots from a Mossberg International Model 715P, .22 caliber handgun, at NOPD, before hiding beneath a nearby house. Soon after the pursuit, NOPD officers located FRAZIER, and his vehicle containing over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 14 grams of cocaine, that FRAZIER intended to distribute. Before this shooting incident, FRAZIER had been convicted of three counts of armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 6, 2025, KANISHA FLORENCE (“FLORENCE”), age 28, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted for theft of mail by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to the indictment, on February 6, 2023, FLORENCE removed a gift card from an article of mail that had come into her possession as an employee of the United States Postal Service.
If convicted, FLORENCE faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MERVYN LUCAS (“LUCAS”), age 33, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 75 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a car stolen from the Norfolk Southern Railyard, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 659.
According to court documents, law enforcement tracked a brand new, $80,000 Ford F-150 Raptor stolen from the Norfolk Southern Railyard to LUCAS’s residence. The vehicle had a fraudulent temporary license plate and inside the residence, in an envelope addressed to LUCAS,there was a second fraudulent plate. Law enforcement also found over 10 pounds of vacuum-sealed marijuana in LUCAS’s residence that he intended to distribute. Additionally, they found a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco AK-47-style firearm, loaded with over 40 rounds of ammunition, that LUCAS possessed in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
China’s public security authorities have made significant strides in enforcing check-in requirements for hotel operators accommodating minors to ensure their safety, the Ministry of Public Security said on Saturday.
Hotel operators are required to verify the identity of minors, inquire about guardian information, and record details of accompanying persons when accommodating minors to prevent crimes such as child trafficking.
In 2024, hotels nationwide reported over 42 million minor check-ins, and public security authorities conducted 522,000 checks on suspicious activities, according to the ministry.
The ministry released several typical cases regarding information checks of minors at hotel receptions. In one case from September 2024 in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, three adults attempted to check in with an infant but failed to provide valid identification for the child. The hotel staff immediately reported the situation to the police. Subsequent investigations revealed that the baby had been abducted, ultimately leading to the resolution of a child trafficking case.
In another case from June 2024 at a hotel in Shanghai, two underage boys refused to provide their guardians’ contact information. The hotel staff promptly notified the police, who later discovered that the boys had run away from home after arguments with their parents. Authorities then ensured their safe return.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Three men have been rescued after being reported missing while rafting on the Waikaia River near Piano Flat.
Police were alerted at around 9.30pm yesterday that the men did not reach their designated pick-up point after a planned trip on the river.
After making initial enquiries overnight, Police Search and Rescue began the search at first light this morning.
Police would like to thank Fire and Emergency New Zealand for providing a Command Truck for a forward search base at Piano Flat.
Southern Lakes Helicopters – Te Anau assisted the search by providing a helicopter, which located two inflatable watercrafts in a gorge section of the river, about 6.5km north of Piano Flat.
At around 11.30am, one of the men was sighted by the helicopter near the river’s edge with a leg injury.
The other two men were located nearby a short time later, cold but otherwise uninjured.
The trio were winched from the river to safety by the helicopter and were medically assessed. The man with the leg injury was transported to hospital by Ambulance.
Police would like to thank Land Search and Rescue volunteers from Southland, Eastern Southland, Catlins, and Fiordland, alongside Amateur Radio Emergency Communications.
Police would also like to thank the public who provided vital information of the area and terrain.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: China State Council Information Office
Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in the fifth prisoner-for-hostage swap under the ongoing ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Feb. 8, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
Abdullah al-Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, said the released prisoners, transported by buses of the International Committee of the Red Cross, had arrived in Ramallah. TV footage showed the released Palestinians being greeted by a large crowd at a square in the city.
Of the freed prisoners, 42 were from the West Bank, three from Jerusalem, and 27 from the Gaza Strip, all serving life sentences or lengthy terms. Additionally, 111 prisoners were arrested in the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs said in a press statement.
Seven of the freed prisoners would be deported outside the Palestinian territories, according to the statement.
Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses said that Israeli vehicles stormed Beitunia, a Palestinian city west of Ramallah, immediately after the bus carrying Palestinian prisoners left Ofer Prison, to prevent any celebratory demonstrations by their families.
Israeli forces also raided the homes of some prisoners in the West Bank and warned their families against organizing celebrations to mark their release, according to the sources.
Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released three Israeli hostages it had been holding in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Israeli hostages had crossed the border into Israel.
This release marks the fifth hostage-prisoner swap under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, brokered by Egypt and Qatar with support from the United States.
According to a report by the Times of Israel last month, Israel demanded that Palestinians convicted of the most serious crimes not be released to the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.
Source: China State Council Information Office
China and Thailand on Saturday issued a joint statement pledging to strengthen cooperation in cracking down on online scam operations, human and drug trafficking and money laundering.
Online scam operations have plagued many Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand, becoming increasingly rampant in recent years. In these operations, people lured by false advertisements for high-paying jobs are trafficked into secretive compounds, where criminal groups force them to run online scams targeting victims worldwide, including in China.
Both sides stressed the urgency and necessity of enhancing cooperation to combat these transnational crimes. They agreed to further discussions to establish effective coordination mechanisms for tackling these crimes at an early stage and to promote judicial cooperation among Lancang-Mekong countries.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening military exchanges, joint training, defense industry collaboration, capacity building, and technology transfer to promote regional peace and stability.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic ties. In their statement, both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in high-quality development, clean energy, the digital economy and green growth. They aim to boost bilateral trade by expanding market access, promoting high-quality products, and enhancing e-commerce collaboration.
Additionally, both sides emphasized the importance of connectivity in driving regional economic integration and shared development. They agreed to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, including the China-Thailand railway project, to enhance regional connectivity.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
As Secretary Rubio said: My number one job as Secretary of State is determining what is in the best interest of the United States, ensuring our diplomacy takes actions in line with President Trump’s America First policy.
With that in mind, he traveled to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic on his first international trip since taking office.
“We’ve seen that the more prosperous and safer these countries are, the more prosperous and safer it makes us. I reinforced this truth in my visit to the region this week, as I talked with senior officials and business leaders about ways we can promote regional cooperation on our shared interests: stopping illegal and large-scale migration, fighting the scourge of transnational criminal organizations and drug traffickers, countering China, and deepening economic partnerships to enhance prosperity in our hemisphere. In each of these countries, we value our allies, and we look forward to continuing to deepen and strengthen our partnerships.”
———-
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROBERT BALL (“BALL”), age 45 of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 to a total of 248 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after previously pleading guilty to one (1) count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), one (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), as well as one (1) count of Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a). BALL was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment on Counts 1 and 2, followed by an additional 60 months on Count 3 to run consecutive. Judge Morgan also ordered that BALL serve five (5) years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, law enforcement in Ontario, California intercepted a package suspected of containing methamphetamine that was enroute to New Orleans. Further investigation revealed that Felipe Garcia had mailed two similar packages from the same United Parcel Service store in California to New Orleans. After determining the intercepted package in California contained methamphetamine, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) intercepted the second package before its delivery to a New Orleans address. It was later determined that BALL was the intended recipient of this drug package. BALL had previously been arrested by the Louisiana State Police after a traffic stop led to the discovery of methamphetamine and firearms in his possession.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, and the Ontario California Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Source: China State Council Information Office
China’s first batch of hybrid diesel locomotives has been delivered, according to a report in the Science and Technology Daily on Saturday.
The locomotives were developed by Anshan Iron and Steel Group Company Limited and CRRC Dalian Co., Ltd. (CRRC Dalian). Compared to conventional diesel locomotives, these new products have significant advantages in terms of performance and environmental friendliness, the report said.
Equipped with dual power systems and centralized control units, the new locomotives can intelligently switch power modes according to different scenarios and working conditions, achieving a fuel-saving efficiency of more than 30 percent, according to the report.
When the outdoor temperature is between minus 40 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius, a thermal support system cools or heats the locomotive’s power battery.
Compared to older diesel locomotives, these new vehicles can reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by about 45 percent, hydrocarbons by approximately 73 percent and carbon monoxide by roughly 83 percent, according to the report.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
As people travel back home from the Burt Munro Challenge, we remind motorists that our highways are not racetracks and there is no prize for getting home first.
Thousands of people are leaving the Invercargill region in the coming days, prompting our reminder to drive safely so you reach your destinations safely.
Ensure you plan your journey ahead and allow plenty of travel time in case of delays. With a significant increase in traffic heading out of the region, it is crucial to keep your cool all times.
Please drive to the conditions, obey all speed limits and restrictions, don’t drive impaired and keep your phone away. If you are feeling fatigued, pull over or have somebody else drive.
If you are on a motorcycle, wear all the appropriate safety gear and check your bike is road safe before setting off.
We hope everyone enjoyed the events in our region, and if you’re on the road, expect to see us out and about, making sure everyone’s safe.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Minister for Trade
There is no doubt that Australia has the best beaches in the world, and Tourism Australia’s official 2025 Best Australian Beaches list highlights just how extraordinary our coastline is.
For the first time Tasmania has won the title of Australia’s ‘best beach,’ with the coveted top spot going to a 10-kilometre section of pristine coastline in the Bay of Fires, stretching across a handful of beach bays from The Gardens to Binalong Bay.
Other notable beaches on the list include Little Lagoon which is an egg-shaped inlet at Shark Bay in Western Australia and Fishery Bay on the Eyre Peninsula which is located about 20 minutes southwest of Port Lincoln.
The Best Australian Beaches list helps international travellers and local holidaymakers, to discover hidden gems and explore different parts of the country beyond our capital cities.
Congratulations to all of the communities connected with the top 10 Best Australian Beaches for 2025:
Tourism Australia’s beach ambassador, Brad Farmer AM, curates the list each year, which helps to refine the top 10 from the almost 12,000 beaches on Australia’s mainland and islands.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell:
“There will be many families, just like mine, that love looking through the “Best Australian Beaches” list every year to pick which ones they want to visit next.
“It’s a very difficult job choosing just 10 places to highlight from the almost 12,000 beaches on Australia’s mainland and islands – but Tourism Australia’s beach ambassador does an exceptional and thorough job.
“I was thrilled to see Fishery Bay on the Eyre Peninsula in SA make the top 10 – my great grandfather was the first harbour master at nearby Arno Bay, which is also a stunning spot.
“This year’s list will highlight to the world what many in Australia know – that Bondi and Brighton are wonderful, but it’s worth the journey to regional SA to see some truly unique beaches.”
Images, vision and grabs are available via the Dropbox library.
Asia Pacific Report
A national Palestine advocacy group has hit back at critics of its “genocide hotline” campaign against soldiers involved in Israel’s war against Gaza, saying New Zealand should be actively following international law.
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) dismissed a “predictable lineup of apologists for Israel” for their criticisms of the PSNA campaign.
“Why is concern for the sensitivities of soldiers from a genocidal Israeli campaign more important than condemning the genocide itself?,” asked PSNA national chair John Minto in a statement.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, the Chief Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and the New Zealand Jewish Council have made statements “protecting” Israeli soldiers who come to New Zealand on “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza until a truce went into force on January 19.
“We are not surprised to see such a predictable lineup of apologists for Israel and its genocide in Gaza from lining up to attack a PSNA campaign with false smears of anti-semitism,” Minto said.
He said that over 16 months Peters had done “absolutely nothing” to put any pressure on Israel to end its genocidal behaviour.
“But he is full of bluff and bluster and outright lies to denounce those who demand Israel be held to account.”
Deny illegal settler visas
Minto said that if Peters was doing his job as Foreign Minister, he would not only stop Israeli soldiers coming to Aotearoa New Zealand — as with Russian soldiers in the Ukraine war — he would also deny visas to any Israeli with an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Human Rights Commission had issued a “disingenuous media release”, he said.
Whlle the commission said it had received 90 complaints about the hotline, it had also received eight complaints about immigration policy allowing Israeli soldiers to enter New Zealand under the visa waiver scheme that applies to Israel.
“Our campaign has nothing to do with Israelis or Jews — it is a campaign to stop Israeli soldiers coming here for rest and recreation after a campaign of wholesale killing of Palestinians in Gaza,” Minto said.
“To imply the campaign is targeting Jews is disgusting and despicable.
“Some of the soldiers will be Druse, some Palestinian Arabs and others will be Jews.”
Israeli soldiers are facing a growing risk of being arrested abroad for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza, with around 50 criminal complaints filed so far in courts in several countries around the world.
Earlier this month, a former Israeli soldier abruptly ended his holiday in Brazil and was “smuggled” out of the country after a Federal Court ordered police to open a war crimes investigation against him. The man fled to Argentina.
A complaint lodged by the Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) included more than 500 pages of court records linking the suspect to the demolition of civilian homes in Gaza.
‘Historic’ court ruling against soldier
The foundation called the Brazilian court’s decision “historic”, saying it marked a significant precedent for a member country of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to enforce Rome Statute provisions domestically in the 15-month Israeli war on Gaza.
The foundation is named in honour of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab who was killed on 29 January 2024 by Israel soldiers while pleading for help in a car after her six family members were dead.
According to The New Arab, the foundation has so far tracked and sent the names of 1000 Israeli soldiers to the ICC and Interpol, and has been pursuing legal cases in a number of countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, France, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, together with a former Hamas commander, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Minto accused the New Zealand Jewish Council of being “deeply racist” and said it regularly “makes a meal of false smears of anti-semitism”.
“It’s deeply problematic that this Jewish Council strategy takes attention away from the real anti-semitism which exists in New Zealand and around the world.
“The priority of the Jewish Council is to protect Israel from criticism and protect it from accountability for its apartheid policies, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
“We are demanding that accountability.”
NZ ‘going through the motions’
In a later statement, PSNA said the government had begun to “go through the motions” of questioning Israeli soldiers at the border but it was just a “look busy policy – too little too late”.
Immigration questioning Israeli of soldiers about their military service in Gaza at the New Zealand border was revealed in a Times of Israel report today which said:
“New Zealand’s government immigration authority has begun to require Israelis applying for a visa to report details of their military service as a condition for entry, and at least one person has been denied admission after doing so.”
PSNA’s Minto said the government must also uphold the ICJ advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 which called on global governments to end support for Israel’s illegal occupation.
“This means we should also deny entry to every Israeli wanting to visit here who has an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” Minto added.
Source: City of Liverpool
Liverpool City Council has launched a public consultation on extending the city’s ‘Football Match Parking Zone’ around Everton Football Club’s new stadium, at Bramley-Moore Dock.
The parking zone already exists for both of the city’s current major football stadiums at Goodison Park and Anfield.
Given the scale of the events to be hosted at Everton’s brand new 52,888 capacity stadium, the council is asking for views from residents, businesses and other stakeholders on introducing new controls in the area when the venue is hosting events.
Although not yet complete (scheduled for completion in the 2024/25 season), the stadium has already been named as a potential host venue in the FA’s bid for the UEFA European Championships in 2028 and will also be capable of hosting major non-footballing events.
The proposals focus on the area within a 30-minute walk of Everton Stadium, which will encompass the surrounding Ten Streets district and into the city centre.
These include:
• New resident parking areas
• New taxi ranks
• New match day bus stands
• New parking restrictions
• New hours of operation for existing parking zones for the Great Homer Street area
• New hours of operation for existing parking zones for the Ten Streets and Love Lane areas
• New industrial parking zone south of Boundary Street
• New industrial parking zone north of Boundary Street
The overall aim of the controls is to reduce congestion, improve air quality, safety and journey times to and from the stadium. The proposals have also been designed to complement the modernisation of parking across the city centre, the plans for which is also currently the subject of a public consultation.
Liverpool City Council has already invested more than £20m in the highways infrastructure around Bramley-Moore Dock, including a permanent segregated cycle lane running from the city centre up to Liverpool’s northern border at Bootle in Sefton, which passes right in front of the new stadium.
Details of the three-week long consultation can be found online at https://liverpool.gov.uk/bramleymoorepermits which includes a survey and an FAQs document explaining the proposed scheme and its implications.
People can provide additional feedback by email or request the relevant documents in alternative formats, by writing to: liverpooltraffic@amey.co.uk
As well being able to provide feedback online, the council will also be hosting a hat-trick of consultation events on:
• Tuesday 6 December, 10am to 6pm – Ten Streets Social, 8 Regent Rd, L3 7BX
• Tuesday 13 December, 10am to 6pm – Kirkdale Neighbourhood Community Centre, 238A Stanley Road, L5 7QP
• Thursday 15 December, 10am to 6pm – Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council, Blenheim Street, L5 8UX
Once the consultation closes at 5pm on Tuesday, 22 December the responses will be collated and fed back to the Divisional Manager for Highways and Transportation toward the end of January 2023.
A decision will then be made on whether or not to proceed with the proposals or amend them in any way. If the proposals are agreed, a statutory notification process will begin in early Spring, when for a period of 28 days, members of the public can submit their formal objection or support for the proposed scheme.
Councillor Liam Robinson, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Everton Stadium is going to be a real game changer for the surrounding Ten Streets district and the wider Kirkdale community.
“As well as the much anticipated and needed economic benefit, the vast volume of people the stadium will attract – and how they arrive and depart – needs to be carefully managed.
“The North Docks area has never had to cope with such large numbers of people in such concentrated time periods but fortunately the city has the experience and knowledge thanks to Goodison Park and Anfield. By extending the match day parking zone, we’ll be looking to adopt and incorporate those controls which so effectively move tens of thousands on a weekly basis.
“Bramley-Moore Dock is also a unique location given its very close proximity to the city centre and the fact the surrounding transport infrastructure is well developed – be it the new cycle lane to the nearby train station at Sandhills. We’ll be looking to encourage as many active travel options as possible for those attending the games or other events there, which is a win-win for everyone in terms of managing congestion and air quality and promoting healthy habits.
“There’s lots of residents and businesses who will be affected by these proposals and we want as many people as possible to read them and ask questions of them. Only through their feedback can we refine and improve the proposals before we look at the next stage of a formal statutory notification process. Of course we want to hear from Everton fans too and I look forward to the responses to help us make the decisions that best suits the needs of all involved.”
Source: City of Liverpool
Cervical screening is a vital health check that can save lives, yet many people miss their appointments due to busy schedules or uncertainty.
To make screening more accessible, a mobile cervical screening service will be at different areas across Liverpool.
Women and anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 64 are encouraged to come along. The test takes just five minutes and can prevent up to 70% of cervical cancer deaths.
No appointment is needed, people can simply drop in when the mobile service visits their area.
Screenings are conducted with care and sensitivity, and a family member or friend is welcome come for support.
Drop-ins are taking place:
| Date | Time | Location |
| Wednesday 12th February | 10:30 – 4:00pm | South Liverpool Homes – Parklands, Conleach Rd, Speke, L24 0TY |
| Friday 7th March | 10:30 – 4:00pm | Abdullah Quillam, 8-10 Brougham Terrace, West Derby Road, Liverpool, L6 1AE. |
| Saturday 15th March | 10:30 – 4:00pm | Beacon Health Kensington, 157 Edge Lane, L7 3HE |
| Friday 28th March | 10:30 – 4:00pm | Chung Wah Supermarket, Hardy Street Liverpool L1 5JN |
For more information about cervical screening visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One person has died following a serious crash in Ngahinapouri this morning.
Police were alerted to the single vehicle crash on Kakaramea Road/SH39 at around 8.55am.
Sadly, despite the efforts of emergency services, one person died at the scene.
There are no other injuries reported.
The road is closed while the Serious Crash Unit examines the scene.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible and expect delays.
ENDS
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Attribute to Detective Inspector Martin James:
There will be a visible Police presence in the Hawke’s Bay on Monday for the tangi of a senior member of the Mongrel Mob.
In the morning, the deceased will be taken from Mahora to Moteo for burial, with more than 100 gang members and associates possibly taking part.
Police have been working with whanau and gang leaders to minimise the impact to the community and the tangi itself. We have also been speaking with residents in the Mahora and Moteo Pa areas advising them of the increased presence of gang members and Police.
Our focus for the tangi is keeping people safe, preventing or minimising disruption to the public and responding to any unlawful behaviour. Neighbouring districts are providing additional policing teams to support the operation and help us monitor the movement of gang members through the region.
Illegal, antisocial or disruptive behaviour won’t be tolerated.
Police will take every opportunity to immediately intervene and enforce the law, including the Gangs Act 2024. In instances where immediate enforcement isn’t possible, officers are instructed to gather evidence that allows us to hold people accountable for their actions.
If you are on the roads, expect to see us; Police will be running checkpoints to breath test drivers, ensure passengers are properly restrained, and check that vehicles are roadworthy.
Everyone in the community has the right to be safe and feel safe.
If you see any illegal behaviour, call police on 111 if it is happening now, or make a report at 105.police.govt.nz if it’s after the fact.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
MEDIAWATCH: By Colin Peacock, RNZ Mediawatch presenter
By the time US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on China and Canada last Monday which could kickstart a trade war, New Zealand’s diplomats in Washington, DC, had already been deployed on another diplomatic drama.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz had said on social media it was “difficult to treat New Zealand as a normal ally . . . when they denigrate and punish Israeli citizens for defending themselves and their country”.
He cited a story in the Israeli media outlet Ha’aretz, which has a reputation for independence in Israel and credibility abroad.
But Ha’aretz had wrongly reported Israelis must declare service in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as part of “new requirements” for visa applications.
Winston Peters replied forcefully to Cruz on X, condemning Ha’aretz’s story as “fake news” and demanding a correction.
But one thing Trump’s Republicans and Winston Peters had in common last week was irritating Mexico.
His fellow NZ First MP Shane Jones had bellowed “Send the Mexicans home” at Green MPs in Parliament.
Winston Peters then told two of them they should be more grateful for being able to live in New Zealand.
‘We will not be lectured’
On Facebook he wasn’t exactly backing down.
“We . . . will not be lectured on the culture and traditions of New Zealand from people who have been here for five minutes,” he added.
While he was at it, Peters criticised media outlets for not holding other political parties to account for inflammatory comments.
Peters was posting that as a politician — not a foreign minister, but the Mexican ambassador complained to MFAT. (It seems the so-called “Mexican standoff” was resolved over a pre-Waitangi lunch with Ambassador Bravo).
But the next day — last Wednesday — news of another diplomatic drama broke on TVNZ’s 1News.
“A deal that could shatter New Zealand’s close relationship with a Pacific neighbour,” presenter Simon Dallow declared, in front of a backdrop of a stern-looking Peters.
TVNZ’s Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver reported the Cook Islands was about to sign a partnership agreement in Beijing.
“We want clarity and at this point in time, we have none. We’ve got past arrangements, constitutional arrangements, which require constant consultation with us, and dare I say, China knows that,” Peters told 1News.
Passports another headache
Cook Islands’ Prime Minister Mark Brown also told Barbara Dreaver TVNZ’s revelations last month about proposed Cook Island passports had also been a headache for him.
“We were caught by surprise when this news was broken by 1News. I thought it was a high-level diplomatic discussion with leaders to be open and frank,” he told TVNZ this week.
“For it to be brought out into the public before we’ve had a time to inform our public, I thought was a breach of our political diplomacy.”
Last week another Barabara Dreaver scoop on 1News brought the strained relationship with another Pacific state into the headlines:
“Our relationship with Kiribati is at breaking point. New Zealand’s $100 million aid programme there is now on hold. The move comes after President [Taneti] Maamau pulled out of a pre-arranged meeting with Winston Peters.”
The media ended up in the middle of the blame game over this too — but many didn’t see it coming.
Caught in the crossfire
“A diplomatic rift with Kiribati was on no one’s 2025 bingo card,” Stuff national affairs editor Andrea Vance wrote last weekend in the Sunday Star-Times.
“Of all the squabbles Winston Peters was expected to have this year, no one picked it would be with an impoverished, sinking island nation,” she wrote, in terms that would surely annoy Kiribati.
“Do you believe Kiribati is snubbing you?” RNZ Morning Report’s Corin Dann asked Peters.
“You can come to any conclusion you like, but our job is to try and resolve this matter,” Peters replied.
Kiribati Education Minister Alexander Teabo told RNZ Pacific there was no snub.
He said Kiribati President Maamau — who is also the nation’s foreign minister — had been unavailable because of a long-planned and important Catholic ordination ceremony on his home island of Onotoa — though this was prior to the proposed visit from Peters.
On Facebook — at some length — New Zealand-born Kiribati MP Ruth Cross Kwansing blamed “media manufactured drama”.
“The New Zealand media seized the opportunity to patronise Kiribati, and the familiar whispers about Chinese influence began to circulate,” she said.
She was more diplomatic on the 531pi Pacific Mornings radio show but insistent New Zealand had not been snubbed.
Public dispute “regrettable’
Peters told the same show it was “regrettable” that the dispute had been made public.
On Newstalk ZB Peters was backed — and Kiribati portrayed as the problem.
“If somebody is giving me $100m and they asked for a meeting, I will attend. I don’t care if it’s my mum’s birthday. Or somebody’s funeral,” Drive host Ryan Bridge told listeners.
“It’s always very hard to pick apart these stories (by) just reading them in the media. But I have faith and confidence in Winston Peters as our foreign minister,” PR-pro Trish Shrerson opined.
So did her fellow panellist, former Labour MP Stuart Nash.
“He’s respected across the Pacific. He’s the consummate diplomat. If Winston says this is the story and this is what’s happening, I believe 100 percent. And I would say, go hard. Winston — represent our interests.”
‘Totally silly’ response
But veteran Pacific journalist Michael Field contradicted them soon after on ZB.
“It’s totally silly. All this talk about cancelling $104 million of aid is total pie-in-the-sky from Winston Peters,” he said.
“Somebody’s lost their marbles on this, and the one who’s possibly on the ground looking for them is Winston Peters.
“He didn’t need to be in Tarawa in early January at all. This is pathetic. This is like saying I was invited to my sister’s birthday party and now it’s been cancelled,” he said.
Not a comparison you hear very often in international relations.
In his own Substack newsletter Michael Field also insisted the row reflected poorly on New Zealand.
“While the conspiracy around Kiribati and China has deepened, no one is noticing the still-viable Kiribati-United States treaty which prevents Kiribati atolls [from] being used as bases without Washington approval,” he added.
Kiribati ‘hugely disrespectful’
But TVNZ’s Barbara Dreaver said Kiribati was being “hugely disrespectful”.
In a TVNZ analysis piece last weekend, she said New Zealand has “every right to expect better engagement than it has been getting over the past year.”
Dreaver — who was born in and grew up in Kiribati and has family there — also criticised “the airtime and validation” Kwansing got in the media in New Zealand.
“She supports and is part of a government that requires all journalists — should they get a visa to go there — to hand over copies of all footage/information collected,” Dreaver said.
Kwansing hit back on Facebook, accusing Dreaver of “publishing inane drivel” and “irresponsible journalism causing stress to locals.”
“You write like you need a good holiday somewhere happy. Please book yourself a luxury day spa ASAP,” she told TVNZ’s Pacific Affairs reporter.
Two days later — last Tuesday — the Kiribati government made percent2CO percent2CP-R an official statement which also pointed the finger at the media.
“Despite this media issue, the government of Kiribati remains convinced the strong bonds between Kiribati and New Zealand will enable a resolution to this unfortunate standoff,” it said.
Copping the blame
Another reporter who knows what it’s like to cop the blame for reporting stuff diplomats and politicians want to keep out of the news is RNZ Pacific’s senior journalist and presenter Lydia Lewis.
Last year, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese questioned RNZ’s ethics after she reported comments he made to the US Deputy Secretary of State at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga — which revealed an until-then behind closed doors plan to pay for better policing in the Pacific.
She’s also been covering the tension with Kiribati.
Is the heat coming on the media more these days if they candidly report diplomatic differences?
“There’s no study that says there are more people blaming the media. So it’s anecdotal, but definitely, both the public and politicians are saying the media (are) making a big deal of things,” Lewis told Mediawatch.
“I would put the question back to the public as to who’s manufacturing drama. All we’re doing is reporting what’s in front of us for the public to then make their decision — and questioning it. And there were a lot of questions around this Kiribati story.”
Lewis said it was shortly before 6pm on January 27, that selected journalists were advised of the response of our government to the cancellation of the meeting with foreign minister Peters.
Vice-President an alternative
But it was not mentioned that Kiribati had offered the Vice-President for a meeting, the same person that met with an Australian delegation recently.
A response from Kiribati proved harder to get — and Lewis spoke to a senior figure in Kiribati that night who told her they knew nothing about it.
Politicians and diplomats, naturally enough, prefer to do things behind the scenes and media exposure is a complication for them.
But we simply wouldn’t know about the impending partnership agreement between China and the Cook Islands if TVNZ had not reported it last Monday.
And another irony: some political figures lamenting the diplomatically disruptive impact of the media also make decidedly undiplomatic responses of their own online these days.
“It can be revealing in the sense of where people stand. Sometimes they’re just putting out their opinions or their experience. Maybe they’ve got some sort of motive. A formal message or email we’ll take a bit more seriously. But some of the things on social media, we just take with a grain of salt,” said Lewis.
“It is vital we all look at multiple sources. It comes back to balance and knowledge and understanding what you know about and what you don’t know about — and then asking the questions in between.”
Big Powers and the Big Picture
Kwansing objected to New Zealand media jumping to the conclusion China’s influence was a factor in the friction with New Zealand.
“To dismiss the geopolitical implications with China . . . would be naive and ignorant,” Dreaver countered.
Michael Field pointed to an angle missing.
“While the conspiracy around Kiribati and China has deepened, no one is noticing the still viable Kiribati-United States treaty which prevents Kiribati atolls being used as bases without Washington approval,” he wrote in his Substack.
In the same article in which Vance called Kiribati “an impoverished, sinking island nation” she later pointed out that its location, US military ties and vast ocean territory make it strategically important.
Questions about ‘transparency and accountability’
“There’s a lot of people that want in on Kiribati. It has a huge exclusive economic zone,” Lewis said.
She said communication problems and patchy connectivity are also drawbacks.
“We do have a fuller picture now of the situation, but the overarching question that’s come out of this is around transparency and accountability.
“We can’t hold Kiribati politicians to account like we do New Zealand government politicians.”
“I don’t want to give Kiribati a free pass here but it’s really difficult to get a response.
“They’re posting statements on Facebook and it really has raised some questions around the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability for all journalists . . . committed to fair media reporting across the Pacific.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: South Australia Police
Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Ardrossan.
The single vehicle collision occurred at 9.50am today, Sunday 9 February on Maitland Road, Ardrossan, between Main Coast Road and Old Pump Road.
Motorists are asked to avoid the area.
Source: United Nations (Video News)
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Secretary-General’s Travel
International Criminal Court
Human Rights
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Syria
Haiti
Food Price Index
Financial Contributions
SECRETARY-GENERAL’S TRAVEL
The Secretary-General will be in Paris, France, on Monday to attend the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit. He will speak at one of the sessions on Tuesday, and he will tell leaders gathered there that the growing concentration of AI capabilities in the hands of a few companies and countries risks widening global inequalities and deepening geopolitical divides. He will underscore that we must prevent a world of AI “haves” and “have-nots” and will call on AI leaders to pool expertise and cooperate with each other. He will emphasize that it is in the interests of government and technology leaders to commit to global guardrails.
While in Paris, he is also expected to meet with President Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders.
The Secretary-General will leave France on Wednesday.
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
In response to questions about our response to the US Government’s executive order regarding the International Criminal Court, the Deputy Spokesperson said the following:
International criminal law is an essential element to fighting impunity, which is unfortunately widespread in today’s world. The International Criminal Court is its essential element, and it must be allowed to work in full independence.
HUMAN RIGHTS
This morning in Geneva, the Human Rights Council held a special session on the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that if nothing is done to end the offensive of the M23, supported by the Rwanda Defense Forces, the worst may be yet to come, for the people of eastern DRC, but also beyond the country’s borders.
He said that he is horrified by the spread of sexual violence, adding that his team in the DRC is currently verifying multiple allegations of rape, gang rape and sexual slavery, throughout the conflict zones.
Mr. Türk also said that hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists and members of civil society have reported to his Office that they have been threatened or are being pursued by the M23 and Rwandan forces. Our human rights colleagues have also facilitated the protection of judicial authorities who were in danger.
And to note that this morning, the Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a resolution establishing a Fact-finding mission by the UN Human Rights Office and an Independent Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the DRC. Both will examine violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law committed in North and South Kivu Provinces of the DRC since January 2022.
Bintou Keita, the Head of our peacekeeping mission in the DRC – MONUSCO- also spoke in Geneva this morning.
She said that hundreds of thousands of displaced people are being forced by M23 to return to their places of origin, without any guarantee or humanitarian assistance on their safe and dignified return.
She also expressed her concerns about the use of misinformation and dis-information, adding that the suspension of social networks such as X and TikTok by the Congolese authorities is a serious infringement of the right to information and must be swiftly lifted. In a region with a sensitive history, Ms. Keita added, ethnically motivated attacks remain a serious concern.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=07%20February%202025
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: One Month Later: Federal Support for Wildfire Survivors Nears $700 Million
One Month Later: Federal Support for Wildfire Survivors Nears $700 Million
LOS ANGELES – On January 7, when wildfires first struck Los Angeles County and adjacent areas, more than 200,000 Californians were evacuated. State and local governments responded quicky to fight the blazes, employing more than 2,000 pieces of firefighting equipment – 80-plus aircraft, 200-plus bulldozers and more – which were soon bolstered by the governor’s activation of 2,500 National Guard troops and a request for a federal disaster declaration. Delivery of Federal ResourcesOn January 8, the Los Angeles County wildfires were declared a major disaster by the president, and a surge of additional federal resources commenced. FEMA and its federal partners responded with thousands of personnel and millions of dollars focused on saving lives and containing the fires. By Feb. 2, the fires were 100 percent contained. Weeks before, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) had already begun assisting Californians in their recovery – for now and for the long term. As of Feb. 7, federal assistance to eligible homeowners, renters and businesses, in the form of FEMA grants and low-interest SBA Disaster Loans, has reached $683,276,321.That number includes:$64,069,621 in FEMA housing and other assistance$619,206,700 in home and business loan offers from the SBA, the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds for homeowners, renters, businesses and certain nonprofits.So far, 27,211 households have been approved for FEMA funds including:$9,990,895 in housing assistance for short-term rental assistance and home-repair costs$54,078,726 for other essential disaster-related needs, such as expenses related to medical, dental and lost personal possessions.40,574 home inspections have been completed to assess property damage. Two Disaster Recovery Centers remain open at UCLA Research Park and Altadena Recovery Center. In total, the centers have logged 12,641 survivor visits. At the centers, residents may speak in person to representatives from federal and state programs, the American Red Cross and various nongovernmental nonprofits and community groups.In partnership with the State of California, Los Angeles County, and local officials, FEMA will continue helping California’s individuals and families get back on their feet and jumpstart their recovery.The deadlines to apply with FEMA and SBA are both March 10, 2025.To apply for FEMA assistance, visit disasterassistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app, or by call 800-621-3362. You may also visit a DRC for in-person assistance. To locate a DRC, please click here.FEMA’s services and programs are accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.To apply for a disaster loan from SBA, visit SBA’s disaster website: sba.gov/disaster, contact SBA by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 for information. You may also visit a Disaster Loan Outreach Center or Business Recovery Center for in-person assistance. For hours and locations, visit appointment.sba.gov.
barbara.murien…
Fri, 02/07/2025 – 21:57
Source: US State of Hawaii
Reading time: 3 minutes
Responding to a critical shortage of early childhood educators in Hawaiʻi, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Education, is launching a new Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) program in fall 2025.
The goal of the program is to provide candidates with the needed competencies and experiences to nurture and guide children from birth through age 8, laying the foundation for their learning and discovery within their individual social-cultural contexts.
The program offers a full-time schedule with evening classes in a hybrid statewide format. Graduates will be recommended for a Hawaiʻi early childhood teaching license for preschool through third grade. The deadline to apply is March 1. The UH Mānoa College of Education held a joint news conference with Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke on February 7 at the UH Mānoa Children’s Center to encourage students to enroll.
“The College of Education is committed to addressing Hawaiʻi’s critical need for early childhood educators by providing a high-quality, accessible pathway for future teachers,” UH Mānoa College of Education Dean Nathan Murata said. “This new program reflects our dedication to supporting children, families and communities by ensuring a well-prepared workforce that understands the importance of early learning and care.”
This initiative is a major step in streamlining the pathway to becoming a pre-K teacher by separating early childhood education from the broader K–8th grade track. It aligns with statewide efforts to expand early learning access, and emphasizes the critical role of care and learning from birth—a priority under the state’s Ready Keiki initiative, led by Luke. By 2032, Ready Keiki aims to provide preschool access for all Hawaiʻi 3- and 4-year-olds, creating more than 400 classrooms statewide. However, the expansion of early childhood education is being hindered by a lack of qualified teachers.
“Expanding access to early childhood education is at the heart of the Ready Keiki initiative, and this new degree program is a critical step in ensuring we have the qualified teachers needed to support Hawaiʻi’s youngest learners,” Luke said. “By streamlining the pathway to becoming a pre-K educator, we are investing in our children, families and the future of our state.”
The curriculum aligns with the National Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators, as well as the Interstate New Teacher Assessment Consortium Model Core Teaching Standards, ensuring graduates meet national benchmarks for high-quality teaching. Grounded in Hawaiʻi’s unique cultural and educational landscape, the program integrates community input to address local needs.
“I am incredibly excited for the students of this new program to be able to learn about early childhood from infancy through the early elementary school years through the lens of both education and care, both of which are fundamental aspects of working with Hawaiʻi keiki and families,” said Valley Varma, a teacher at the UH Mānoa Children’s Center and graduate of UH Mānoa’s early childhood education master’s program who has more than 30 years of experience in the early childhood education field. “I’m really proud and excited to see what comes from this new program.”
The BEd in ECCE program was developed through collaboration among UH Mānoa faculty and early childhood education faculty at multiple UH community colleges, including Honolulu CC, Kauaʻi CC, UH Maui College and Hawaiʻi CC.
“This new degree program is a testament to the power of collaboration across our UH campuses, ensuring that students statewide have access to high-quality training for critical early childhood education roles,” UH President Wendy Hensel said. “By preparing future educators to meet Hawaiʻi’s workforce needs, UH is helping to strengthen our communities and investing in a brighter future for our families.”
To apply and/or to sign up for virtual or in-person info sessions, visit the College of Education website.
Source: Government of India
Union Minister calls for effective implementation of the schemes to attain their saturation
“Inspired by Prime Minister Modi’s call of Nation First, Modi 3.0 dispensation working with Whole of Government approach in the service of citizens”: Dr Jitendra Singh
Posted On: 08 FEB 2025 5:19PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today called for effective implementation of all the water supply schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Jammu and Kashmir to attain their saturation. He was addressing a public gathering in village Jasrota here after inaugurating seven water supply schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission.
The schemes costing 25.31 crore rupees will benefit 15,881 souls, covering 2584 households in 10 villages, including Jasrota, Rakh Hoshyari, Padyari, Saktha Chak, Bhadoli Charpad and Mangtian. The Minister informed that a total of 303 water supply schemes, with an estimated cost of 1369.57 crore rupees, are being taken up in district Kathua under Jal Jeevan Mission. Dr Singh pointed out that certain issues being faced in the proper implementation of the schemes on the which are being sorted out in coordination with J&K government.
Presenting a report card of the works done in his Parliamentary constituency in the first 100 days of the Narendra Modi Government 3.0, he enumerated the key projects like the prestigious Chattergala tunnel and Delhi to Katra Expressway corridor, saying these ambitious projects are nearing their completion. Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi with creating a new work culture, Dr Jitendra Singh stated that the government is focused on completing the stalled projects to boost connectivity in remote parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that inspired by the Prime Minister’s call of ‘Nation First’, the present dispensation is working with a ‘Whole of Government’ approach in the service of the masses across the country. The Minister said that once completed, the strategic Chattergala tunnel to be game-changer in providing all-weather connectivity between Doda and Lakhanpur will be a game-changer in providing all-weather connectivity between Doda and Lakhanpur. He informed the gathering that it has now been decided to build nine additional underpasses along Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, fulfilling a public demand.
Underlining the potential of tourism to create employment opportunities and boost livelihoods, Dr Jitendra Singh said steps are also being taken to promote tourism in places such as Basohli and Mantalia in the region. The Minister informed that
Mansar area of Udhampur district is also being developed as a tourist destination under Swadesh Darshan scheme.
Dr Jitendra Singh stated that in the times to come, district Kathua will become a major hub of economy activity, offering avenues of self-employment to the local youth. He mentioned that the district has earned a unique distinction for having North India’s first Bio-tech Park, Seed Processing Plant and North India’s only Homeopathic College. The Minister urged the youth avail the subsidy being provided by the government for the promotion of Khadi to earn their own livelihoods.
Minister for Jal Shakti, J&K Government, Javed Ahmed Rana; MLA, Jasrota, Rajiv Jasroti; MLA, Bani, Dr Rameshwar Singh; MLA, Hiranagar, Vijay Kumar Sharma; Vice Chairman, DDC, Kathua, Shri Raghunadan Singh Bablu, representatives of PRIs and officials from Department of Jal Shakti were among those present on the occasion.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2101016) Visitor Counter : 82
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs conducted an anti-narcotics operation in Prince Edward yesterday (February 7) and seized about 1.5 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia, with a total estimated market value of about $800,000. One person suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.
During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Prince Edward earlier, Customs targeted a man who was suspected of controlling a drug storage centre located in the same district. Yesterday, Customs officers searched the subject premises and found the batch of suspected methamphetamine and drug packaging paraphernalia, with a total estimated market value of about $800,000. The man was immediately arrested at the scene. The 76-year-old arrested man, who claimed to be retired, has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on February 10.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour report hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).
