Source: New Zealand Police
Motorists are advised to take alternative routes due to a bloackage on State Highway 1, between Tokoroa and Putāruru, following a crash this afternoon.
Police were alerted to the two-vehicle crash between Taupo Street and Domain Road, at around 2:50pm.
Indications are people have received moderate to serious injuries.
ENDS.
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
One person has died following a serious crash early this morning in Waipukurau.
Police received a report of a single vehicle crash at the intersection of Takapau Road and Racecourse Road at around 3.50am.
Sadly, despite best efforts of emergency services, the sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene.
The road was closed while the Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination. The road is now clear.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an award of $3,493,701 through the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program for projects at several airports across North Dakota. The funding will be distributed as follows:
The AIG Program was established by the fully-paid-for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to provide airports with funding for modernization and safety projects. Since its creation, airports in North Dakota have received over $50 million in program funding.
Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Saturday, 28 June 2025
by Antonella PrennaRome (Agenzia Fides) – “We work in problematic, difficult, and complex contexts where persecution exists. Where violence and persecution prevail, there is no dialogue, there is no respect for others. Precisely for this reason, in support of our specific mission of helping persecuted Christians, we also focus on interreligious dialogue, on religious freedom as a topic for deepening and raising awareness not only on a social but also on a theological level.”This is what Father Luigi Buccarello said in an interview with Fides at the end of the General Chapter of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and the Captives O.SS.T. (see Fides, 7/11/2023), where he was confirmed for a further term as Superior General. Also present was Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, president of the organization Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT), which coordinates activities to support persecuted Christians.In the wake of Dignitatis Humanae”Following the guidelines of the Vatican II document on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae, and the subsequent magisterium of the Pontiffs,” Father Buccarello continues, “we have been collaborating for two years with the Center for Interreligious Studies of the Pontifical Gregorian University, with whom we organized a six-month course entitled ‘Religious Freedom: Problems, Challenges, and Perspectives,’ which was offered for the first time this year. In addition to the course, which is aimed at theology students and those interested in the subject, we have established a two-year theological research group involving 15 specialists from various research fields. The topic of religious freedom requires an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach; geopolitics, history, sociology, theology, canon law, civil law, and religious studies are all involved. A publication will be published at the end of this two-year research period.””The lack of religious freedom,” the priest continued, “is a challenge for every religion. Every day we hear about attacks in Nigeria, Yemen, and Syria. Syria had exuberantly celebrated the regime change, but we see that we are back to square one.” “Together with Father Antonio, we are always in contact with these countries, and since we touch these realities firsthand, we recognize that religious freedom is the only guarantee of peace and coexistence. Our service is not charitable; rather, we want to address the problem at its root and combat the causes underlying religious intolerance.””The General Chapter,” the Superior General continues, “placed great emphasis on the specific training of our students in these topics. Working in the field of interreligious dialogue means paving a path to peace. Religious freedom is the path to peace. One of the important themes of the post-conciliar Magisterium is the consideration of religious freedom as a prerequisite for peace, because where freedom is respected, there is obviously peace, acceptance of others, and appreciation of religious diversity. Fundamentalists resort to violence because they do not tolerate religious diversity. They want uniformity, even within their own religious tradition; they view religion as a monolithic bloc and consider themselves the sole bearers of the authentic religious message. If this acceptance of diversity is lacking and differences are perceived as a threat rather than an enrichment, peace is in danger. But our faith is also in danger, for it always leads us to an encounter with others.”A long historyThe current mission of the Trinitarian religious family coincides with an update of its founding charism. “The Trinitarian Order,” explains Father Buccarello, “was founded for persecuted Christians, obviously in a different time and in a different historical context. In our motto, “Gloria tibi Trinitas et captivis libertas,” we find the word ‘slaves,’ ‘prisoners.’ Our founder, Saint John of Matha, began the “liberation missions,” initially from Spain to Morocco, with a letter from Innocent III, in which he recommended the Trinitarians to the Sultan of Morocco, saying that the work of freeing slaves was a work of charity, the most important, the most significant, and of universal benefit. In fact, the Pope had given the Trinitarians permission to free Christian slaves through exchange with Muslim slaves, thus creating a double liberation of both Christian and Muslim slaves.”Saint John of Matha was a learned theologian and had no intention to found a new religious family. During his first Mass, he had a vision: he saw Christ in the center, holding the arms of two slaves, a white Christian and a Black Muslim. After a period of reflection, it became clear to him that he had to found a religious family dedicated to this special mission: the redemption of captives “pro fide Christi.””Today,” adds Father Buccarello, “we know that this inspiration of our founder is very timely. The two ‘lungs’ of our mission are the works of mercy and persecuted Christians. And the latter is the work that most identifies and unites us. To update this charism, the Extraordinary General Chapter of 1999, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the adoption of the Rule of the Order and the fourth anniversary of the Order’s reform, decided to create an organization to coordinate and promote this area of assistance to persecuted Christians, which would be called ‘Trinitarian International Solidarity.’”The organization’s current president, Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, explains that “it is an internal body of the Trinitarian religious family, whose first 25th anniversary was just celebrated. On this occasion, we made a documentary to raise awareness of the problem of persecuted Christians.” “Our projects,” he explains, “are also present in countries like Sudan and South Sudan, where we have already freed several young people.”Father Buccarello adds details of a meeting of the aid organization in Bahrain, where, at the initiative of the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., a meeting was also held with Abdullah Abdullah, director of the Global Center for Peace Coexistence (see Fides, 23/10/2024). “Abdullah came to our Chapter to share his experience,” the Superior General said. “He was also in the Italian Parliament, where, at a meeting in the Chamber of Deputies, he described the Trinitarian Order as an example of dialogue, care, charity, and respect.”The challenges of todayThe Trinitarians are active in the Roman parish of Santa Maria delle Fornaci, the titular church of Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria. “The Cardinal,” Father Buccarello explains, “spoke to us extensively about the situation in Syria, about persecution, but also about poverty, about the many Christians who have left the country in recent years. When Christians disappear from the Middle East, the balance that ensures harmonious coexistence between different cultures and faiths is lost. Peaceful coexistence is most threatened when a historical component of a region’s religious landscape disappears.”The Trinitarian Order is present in 25 countries, including Vietnam, South Korea, and India, a country where, according to Father Buccarello, cases of violence and harassment against Christians are increasing year after year, as well as in many areas of Africa where “terrorist groups and movements engaged in aggressive proselytizing” are active.The specific contribution that the Trinitarian Order can make for the future, according to the Superior General, is to “train religious who are experts in interreligious dialogue. We all need to be sensitized; even in the Western world, where we often do not know how to deal with religious diversity, there is no genuine encounter between people. Everyone has their own space; there is no true integration.” “In many schools in northern Italy,” he notes, “for example, the majority of students are non-Catholic and non-Christian. What resources do we provide to the children so that they can interact and welcome others? And are there other situations that are unknown? Our Trinitarian sisters in Valence, for example, have a school on the outskirts of Marseille. Eighty percent of the students are Muslims, who choose Catholic rather than public schools because they prefer a religious approach to a materialistic, atheistic one. In our school in northern Assam, India, only five percent of the students are Catholic; the others are Hindus and Muslims. However, they live together without problems because religious diversity is a resource that fosters respect for others and promotes the value of coexistence and peace.”The “motto” of the General Chapter was a quote from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians: “Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” “One of the criteria that was very well highlighted,” the Superior General emphasized, “is that religious freedom is not a theoretical question, but affects the lives and suffering of so many people, and that it must be analyzed in context. Each reality, in its complexity and problematic nature, presents different challenges to religious freedom. In Canada, for example, members of the order cannot go to the hospital wearing a religious habit. In the Western world, there is an aggressive secularism that tends to reduce religion to the private sphere, and identity-political cultural movements that instrumentalize religion. Identitarian movements aim to mark a kind of difference and opposition between “us and you” by fueling narratives that appeal to people’s fears, for example when migration is portrayed as a kind of invasion by the enemy who has come to destroy our identity. All of us, starting with religious leaders, must loudly emphasize that the name of God cannot be associated with war and violence. This must be said emphatically. Yet even these days, we hear statements from political leaders who seek to justify the war as a kind of divine mandate.” (Agenzia Fides, 28/6/2025)
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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Saturday, 28 June 2025
by Antonella PrennaRome (Agenzia Fides) – “We work in problematic, difficult, and complex contexts where persecution exists. Where violence and persecution prevail, there is no dialogue, there is no respect for others. Precisely for this reason, in support of our specific mission of helping persecuted Christians, we also focus on interreligious dialogue, on religious freedom as a topic for deepening and raising awareness not only on a social but also on a theological level.”This is what Father Luigi Buccarello said in an interview with Fides at the end of the General Chapter of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and the Captives O.SS.T. (see Fides, 7/11/2023), where he was confirmed for a further term as Superior General. Also present was Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, president of the organization Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT), which coordinates activities to support persecuted Christians.In the wake of Dignitatis Humanae”Following the guidelines of the Vatican II document on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae, and the subsequent magisterium of the Pontiffs,” Father Buccarello continues, “we have been collaborating for two years with the Center for Interreligious Studies of the Pontifical Gregorian University, with whom we organized a six-month course entitled ‘Religious Freedom: Problems, Challenges, and Perspectives,’ which was offered for the first time this year. In addition to the course, which is aimed at theology students and those interested in the subject, we have established a two-year theological research group involving 15 specialists from various research fields. The topic of religious freedom requires an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach; geopolitics, history, sociology, theology, canon law, civil law, and religious studies are all involved. A publication will be published at the end of this two-year research period.””The lack of religious freedom,” the priest continued, “is a challenge for every religion. Every day we hear about attacks in Nigeria, Yemen, and Syria. Syria had exuberantly celebrated the regime change, but we see that we are back to square one.” “Together with Father Antonio, we are always in contact with these countries, and since we touch these realities firsthand, we recognize that religious freedom is the only guarantee of peace and coexistence. Our service is not charitable; rather, we want to address the problem at its root and combat the causes underlying religious intolerance.””The General Chapter,” the Superior General continues, “placed great emphasis on the specific training of our students in these topics. Working in the field of interreligious dialogue means paving a path to peace. Religious freedom is the path to peace. One of the important themes of the post-conciliar Magisterium is the consideration of religious freedom as a prerequisite for peace, because where freedom is respected, there is obviously peace, acceptance of others, and appreciation of religious diversity. Fundamentalists resort to violence because they do not tolerate religious diversity. They want uniformity, even within their own religious tradition; they view religion as a monolithic bloc and consider themselves the sole bearers of the authentic religious message. If this acceptance of diversity is lacking and differences are perceived as a threat rather than an enrichment, peace is in danger. But our faith is also in danger, for it always leads us to an encounter with others.”A long historyThe current mission of the Trinitarian religious family coincides with an update of its founding charism. “The Trinitarian Order,” explains Father Buccarello, “was founded for persecuted Christians, obviously in a different time and in a different historical context. In our motto, “Gloria tibi Trinitas et captivis libertas,” we find the word ‘slaves,’ ‘prisoners.’ Our founder, Saint John of Matha, began the “liberation missions,” initially from Spain to Morocco, with a letter from Innocent III, in which he recommended the Trinitarians to the Sultan of Morocco, saying that the work of freeing slaves was a work of charity, the most important, the most significant, and of universal benefit. In fact, the Pope had given the Trinitarians permission to free Christian slaves through exchange with Muslim slaves, thus creating a double liberation of both Christian and Muslim slaves.”Saint John of Matha was a learned theologian and had no intention to found a new religious family. During his first Mass, he had a vision: he saw Christ in the center, holding the arms of two slaves, a white Christian and a Black Muslim. After a period of reflection, it became clear to him that he had to found a religious family dedicated to this special mission: the redemption of captives “pro fide Christi.””Today,” adds Father Buccarello, “we know that this inspiration of our founder is very timely. The two ‘lungs’ of our mission are the works of mercy and persecuted Christians. And the latter is the work that most identifies and unites us. To update this charism, the Extraordinary General Chapter of 1999, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the adoption of the Rule of the Order and the fourth anniversary of the Order’s reform, decided to create an organization to coordinate and promote this area of assistance to persecuted Christians, which would be called ‘Trinitarian International Solidarity.’”The organization’s current president, Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, explains that “it is an internal body of the Trinitarian religious family, whose first 25th anniversary was just celebrated. On this occasion, we made a documentary to raise awareness of the problem of persecuted Christians.” “Our projects,” he explains, “are also present in countries like Sudan and South Sudan, where we have already freed several young people.”Father Buccarello adds details of a meeting of the aid organization in Bahrain, where, at the initiative of the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., a meeting was also held with Abdullah Abdullah, director of the Global Center for Peace Coexistence (see Fides, 23/10/2024). “Abdullah came to our Chapter to share his experience,” the Superior General said. “He was also in the Italian Parliament, where, at a meeting in the Chamber of Deputies, he described the Trinitarian Order as an example of dialogue, care, charity, and respect.”The challenges of todayThe Trinitarians are active in the Roman parish of Santa Maria delle Fornaci, the titular church of Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria. “The Cardinal,” Father Buccarello explains, “spoke to us extensively about the situation in Syria, about persecution, but also about poverty, about the many Christians who have left the country in recent years. When Christians disappear from the Middle East, the balance that ensures harmonious coexistence between different cultures and faiths is lost. Peaceful coexistence is most threatened when a historical component of a region’s religious landscape disappears.”The Trinitarian Order is present in 25 countries, including Vietnam, South Korea, and India, a country where, according to Father Buccarello, cases of violence and harassment against Christians are increasing year after year, as well as in many areas of Africa where “terrorist groups and movements engaged in aggressive proselytizing” are active.The specific contribution that the Trinitarian Order can make for the future, according to the Superior General, is to “train religious who are experts in interreligious dialogue. We all need to be sensitized; even in the Western world, where we often do not know how to deal with religious diversity, there is no genuine encounter between people. Everyone has their own space; there is no true integration.” “In many schools in northern Italy,” he notes, “for example, the majority of students are non-Catholic and non-Christian. What resources do we provide to the children so that they can interact and welcome others? And are there other situations that are unknown? Our Trinitarian sisters in Valence, for example, have a school on the outskirts of Marseille. Eighty percent of the students are Muslims, who choose Catholic rather than public schools because they prefer a religious approach to a materialistic, atheistic one. In our school in northern Assam, India, only five percent of the students are Catholic; the others are Hindus and Muslims. However, they live together without problems because religious diversity is a resource that fosters respect for others and promotes the value of coexistence and peace.”The “motto” of the General Chapter was a quote from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians: “Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” “One of the criteria that was very well highlighted,” the Superior General emphasized, “is that religious freedom is not a theoretical question, but affects the lives and suffering of so many people, and that it must be analyzed in context. Each reality, in its complexity and problematic nature, presents different challenges to religious freedom. In Canada, for example, members of the order cannot go to the hospital wearing a religious habit. In the Western world, there is an aggressive secularism that tends to reduce religion to the private sphere, and identity-political cultural movements that instrumentalize religion. Identitarian movements aim to mark a kind of difference and opposition between “us and you” by fueling narratives that appeal to people’s fears, for example when migration is portrayed as a kind of invasion by the enemy who has come to destroy our identity. All of us, starting with religious leaders, must loudly emphasize that the name of God cannot be associated with war and violence. This must be said emphatically. Yet even these days, we hear statements from political leaders who seek to justify the war as a kind of divine mandate.” (Agenzia Fides, 28/6/2025)
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Source: United States Department of Defense
This week in the Defense Department, the joint force struck Iran’s Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant with 30,000-pound bombs, NATO allies committed to increasing defense spending and the Navy’s USNS Harvey Milk was renamed the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
MINNESOTA – Today we lay to rest two incredible Minnesotans who we lost too soon. While I was able to meet with the family and join thousands of Minnesotans at the Capitol yesterday to pay my respect, potential votes later today and the gravity of the budget bill before the Senate do not allow me to attend the funeral in person. My husband John will be there and I will be watching the service by live stream. My statement:
“I join the state and the country in honoring our beloved friends Melissa and Mark Hortman. In speaking with their children Sophie and Colin yesterday at the Minnesota Capitol, I know that their Melissa and Mark’s legacy of goodness and service to others is in the best of hands.
“Between the two of them, Melissa and Mark represented the best of leadership and citizenship. They met as volunteers working to help kids, and that dedication to serving others never wavered. Because of Melissa’s tenacity as a legislator, Minnesota kids get free school lunch, Minnesota parents get paid leave to care for their newborns, and our state is on track to achieve 100% clean energy. Mark’s friends knew him for his love of nature and of trying new things. Whether he was repairing cars, brewing beers, or woodworking, it was clear he enjoyed building things and making them better. Melissa and Mark had no greater joy in their lives than their two children, who loved them fiercely.
“Sophie and Colin said that the best way to honor their parents is ‘to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else.’ I can think of no better way to honor Melissa and Mark.”
Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen
More than 1,000 serving military personnel, veterans and cadets were joined by massed pipes and drums and vintage military vehicles in Aberdeen’s Armed Forces Day parade today (Saturday 28 June).
The 30-minute parade started at Albyn Place at 11am, before making its made its way along Union Street, Union Terrace, Schoolhill, Upperkirkgate, Broad Street, and finishing at the Castlegate.
On Broad Street, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Dr David Cameron, in his role as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant was joined by representatives from the UK’s Armed Forces, to take the salute in front of the City’s official flagpole outside Marischal College, on Broad Street.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeen, Dr David Cameron, said: “Today’s parade is a tribute to the courage, commitment, and sacrifice of our Armed Forces. It was heartening to see the parade route lined with residents and visitors alike, young and older, waving Aberdeen Armed Forces Day parade flags and showing their support. This parade reminds us of the enduring bond between our community and those who serve.”
Major (Retd) Grenville Irvine-Fortescue, Chairman of The Gordon Highlanders Regimental Association, said: “Armed Forces Day is always special as it honours and recognises the service, dedication and sacrifice of our men and women from across all the Services. In this year of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 2 that service and sacrifice is brought into even sharper focus. The veterans who march today are immensely proud to do so. They march in memory of those who have gone before. They march in support of our Armed Services of today, both Regular and Reserve Forces. They march out of respect for those servicemen and women who bare the mental and physical scars of their service and they march in deep gratitude to the families who have and continue to provide such amazing support.
“We also acknowledge the Navy, Army and Air Cadet Forces, the commitment they make and the pride they take in being a part of the parade today.
“For us here in Aberdeen we have the special honour of our last WW2 and D Day Gordon Highlander veteran, Jim Glennie BEM, Legion d’honneur, joining His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant, Dr David Cameron, to take the salute as the parade marches past.
“On behalf of The Gordon Highlanders Association, I would like to thank the Lord-Lieutenant, Aberdeen City Council and the people of Aberdeen City, the communities of Aberdeenshire and the wider North East, for their wonderful support to this Armed Forces Day and their commitment to continue to stand by the remarkable men and women of our Armed Services. That support is greatly appreciated and makes us all march a bit taller.”
John McLeish, Chief Executive, The Gordon Highlanders Museum, said: “Once again, Aberdeen’s Armed Forces Day Parade has captured the hearts of people across the city and beyond. We are delighted to have been able to support this year’s ‘design a flag’ competition and we look forward to welcoming the winners to The Gordon Highlanders Museum in the near future.”
Members of the public who lined the parade route were given special Aberdeen Armed Forces Day flags to wave, which featured a special design by Marley Smith, a Primary Six Year pupil from the city’s Broomhill School.
The Gordon Highlanders Museum supports the ‘design a flag’ competition by gifting the three age-group category winners, which includes the overall winner, with family passes to the museum.
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
A man who fled the UK in an attempt to evade justice has been jailed for murder.
Sabajet Shuti – 31 (04.07.93) of Upney Lane, Barking was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 27 years following a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 27 June.
Shuti had been found guilty of murdering 27-year-old Lumturi Zeqja, along with possession of a knife and GBH relating to a second man at the conclusion of a trial at the same court on 14 April.
Shuti’s brother, Emirlion Shuti – 30 (13.12.94) of Blake Avenue, Barking was found guilty of affray during the same trial. He received a 20-month sentence, suspended for two years.
The court heard how Sabajet Shuti launched his fatal attack on the evening of 16 October 2022 in Church Lane, Leytonstone.
Lumturi was standing outside a café with his friend when the Shuti brothers arrived at around 22:40hrs in two cars. The brothers went to a separate café but shortly after Emirlion Shuti returned to one of the cars and began to drive it erratically along the road, revving the engine and causing a disturbance.
Lumturi’s friend approached Emirlion and told him to stop but instead of doing this, Emirlion got out of the car and spoke to his brother and others who were outside the neighbouring café. The situation quickly escalated after Emirlion Shuti threw a punch at Lumturi’s friend. During the ensuing altercation Sabajet Shuti produced a knife and stabbed Lumturi twice, and his friend once.
Both Shuti brothers then fled the scene leaving Lumturi collapsed and dying on the pavement. The emergency services attended but despite their efforts they could not save him. His friend was taken to hospital for emergency surgery and thankfully survived the attack.
Detectives began to piece together evidence and from accessing CCTV and mobile phone footage were able to identify who was responsible.
The day after the murder, Sabajet Shuti made plans to leave the UK. He changed his appearance by shaving off his beard and then travelled to Folkestone before crossing the Channel into France. A warrant for his arrest was issued and around a year after the attack, on 3 October 2023 Sabajet Shuti was arrested in Sweden. He was extradited back to the UK to face the consequences of his actions.
In the intervening period, detectives had arrested and charged Emirlion Shuti for his role in the attack.
Detective Inspector Brett Hagen who led the investigation said: “Sabajet Shuti went to great lengths to try and evade justice, fleeing the country and regularly changing location in an attempt to avoid being arrested.
“However, his efforts were in vain as while he was on the run, our team of tenacious detectives had built a file of evidence and, working in liaison with international law enforcement colleagues, the net closed in on him.
“The level of violence Sabejet Shuti used was completely unnecessary – he went out that night armed with a knife so had clear intent of causing someone significant harm if the chance arose.
“His actions cost Lumturi Zeqja his life and has caused untold pain to his family and friends. While nothing I can say can alleviate their suffering, I hope they can take some small measure of comfort in seeing the Shuti brothers held to account for their actions.”
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TOKYO, June 28 (Xinhua) — Japan’s Adventure World amusement park in Shirahama Township, Wakayama Prefecture, sent four giant pandas to China on Saturday.
The 24-year-old female, Raukhin, and her three daughters, 8-year-old Yuyin, 6-year-old Saihin and 4-year-old Fuxin, will be taken to the Chengdu Base of Giant Panda Research and Breeding in China’s Sichuan Province.
Park staff waved flags as the animals left early in the morning, and scores of fans in panda T-shirts waited at a nearby intersection to wave goodbye to the truckload of animals.
Zoo director Koji Imazu told media that despite the pandas’ departure, the park hopes to maintain elements related to the animals to attract visitors. “I hope the pandas will continue to live healthy and long lives after returning to China, and will be presented in good condition to the Chinese people and those who visit them from Japan in the future,” he added.
According to Adventure World staff, all four pandas are healthy. The Chinese specialists who will care for them have been fully consulted about the characteristics and habits of each female.
A joint panda breeding program between Adventure World and the Chinese research base was launched in 1994.
The zoo operator said that since the joint panda protection agreement expires in August this year, the two sides agreed to carry out the transport in June, when temperatures are relatively mild, to reduce the stress on the animals.
Elderly Raukhin will enjoy her old age in a better medical environment in China, and her daughters will be able to take part in a breeding program. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrives for a European Council summit in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
U.S.-EU trade talks have gone through multiple rounds, but with the July 9 tariff deadline approaching, European leaders remained divided at Thursday’s European Council summit over whether to push for a quick deal or hold out for a more favorable one.
A quick deal or a better one?
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday that the EU had received the “latest U.S. document” for continued negotiations, though she did not disclose details of the U.S. proposals.
EU leaders now face a strategic dilemma over whether to accelerate talks to secure a deal before the deadline, or risk a prolonged trade dispute in hopes of achieving more favorable terms.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose country is among the EU’s top exporters, is leading calls for a rapid resolution.
“We have less than two weeks until July 9 — you can’t negotiate a sophisticated trade agreement in that time,” he said, warning that key industries, including chemicals, steel and automotive, are already under intense pressure.
But others urged caution, warning that a rushed deal could tilt the balance in favor of the United States.
“We are assessing it,” von der Leyen said. “Our message today is clear. We are ready for a deal. At the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached.” She added that “all options remain on the table,” and the EU would defend its interests if needed.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this stance, saying France supports a fast and pragmatic deal but “will not accept unfair terms.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that Washington may consider extending the deadline for countries negotiating in “good faith.”
Key divides remain
To ease tensions, the EU has proposed eliminating tariffs on industrial goods on both sides — a move that has met with a lukewarm response from Washington.
The EU also hopes to narrow the trade imbalance by increasing imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, arms and agricultural products, and by considering reducing auto tariffs. However, U.S. negotiators continue to press for sweeping EU concessions on value-added tax rules, digital regulation, food safety and environmental standards.
While EU officials say they are open to dialogue, they insist that core regulatory principles are non-negotiable.
“Where it is the sovereign decision-making process in the European Union and its member states that is affected, this is too far,” von der Leyen said recently.
Citing diplomatic sources, AFP reported that EU leaders may be exploring a so-called “Swiss cheese” deal — allowing for broad U.S. tariffs but securing exemptions for sensitive sectors such as steel, automotive, pharmaceuticals and aerospace.
Automobiles remain the most contentious point. Germany has proposed an “offset rule” under which the EU would allow duty-free imports of U.S. cars in exchange for the same number of EU vehicles being exempted from tariffs in the United States. The effectiveness of such a mechanism, however, remains uncertain.
A new trade club without US?
U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade policies — marked by abrupt tariff hikes, temporary suspensions and renewed threats — have shaken confidence among traditional allies and reignited global concerns over trade stability.
At Thursday’s summit, von der Leyen floated a new idea about forming a trade alliance with members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which includes Britain, Japan, and other Asian economies. She said such a coalition could serve as a foundation for reforming the World Trade Organization.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Four giant pandas in the western Japanese prefecture of Wakayama departed for China on Saturday.
The giant pandas, 24-year-old Rauhin and her three daughters, eight-year-old Yuihin, six-year-old Saihin and four-year-old Fuhin, left Adventure World amusement park in the town of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China’s Sichuan Province.
Early in the morning, park staff waved flags to bid farewell to the giant pandas, while many fans, wearing T-shirts with pictures of the four giant pandas on them, waited at the intersection outside the park to wave goodbye when the pandas’ transport truck passed by.
The zoo’s director Koji Imazu said in an interview with the media that although the giant pandas have left, the amusement park still hopes to retain the panda element as an important part of attracting visitors.
“I hope the giant pandas will continue to live a healthy and long life after returning to China and present themselves in good condition to the Chinese people and those who visit them from Japan in the future,” he said.
The zoo’s panda breeding team said the four pandas are currently in good condition and that the team has fully communicated with the staff who will take over their care in China about the characteristics and traits of each panda.
Adventure World began a joint breeding program with the Chinese panda research base in 1994.
According to the zoo operator, since the joint conservation project is set to expire in August this year, in order to reduce the physical burden on the giant pandas during transportation, the two sides have agreed to complete the transfer in June when the temperature is relatively cool.
Rauhin has entered old age and will enjoy her later years in a more well-equipped medical environment after returning to China. The young ones, meanwhile, are expected to take on the mission of breeding new lives.
Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
High-frequency indicators for the first two months of FY26 indicate resilient performance of the domestic economy amid the heightened geopolitical situation, Finance Ministry’s ‘Monthly Economic Review for May 2025’ said on Friday, adding that overall, the outlook for the Indian economy remains positive.
The economy demonstrates resilience amid a turbulent global environment, supported by robust domestic demand, easing inflationary pressures, a resilient external sector, and a steady employment situation.
“The positive trajectory appears to be continuing in FY26, with initial high-frequency indicators (HFI) indicating that economic activity has remained resilient. HFIs such as e-way bill generation, fuel consumption, and PMI indices point to continued resilience,” the Economic Review noted.
Rural demand has strengthened further, supported by a healthy rabi harvest and a positive monsoon outlook. Urban consumption is being supported by increased leisure and business travel, as seen in the rise of air passenger traffic and hotel occupancy.
“However, there are signs of softening in areas like construction inputs and vehicle sales. Retail and food price inflation registered a sustained and broad-based decline in May 2025, driven by robust agricultural production and effective government interventions,” the Economic Review emphasised.
While domestic indicators have remained largely positive, financial markets experienced volatility as a result of external developments. The significant escalation of trade tensions in early 2025, followed by a partial de-escalation in the second quarter, contributed to considerable volatility in the financial markets.
However, the Indian government bond market exhibited stability and certainty in May, driven by factors such as the announcement of a record surplus dividend by the RBI and a robust growth reading of Q4 FY25. Consequently, the risk premium on India’s government bonds decreased to 182 basis points as of May 30.
On the external front, India’s total exports (merchandise and services) recorded a YoY growth rate of 2.8 per cent in May 2025, reflecting the resilience of our exports amid tariff uncertainties and subdued global economic conditions, said the Review.
As of June 13, foreign exchange reserves remain strong, standing at $699 billion, which provides an import cover of 11.5 months. Additionally, the Indian rupee has experienced moderate volatility, in contrast to the more pronounced adjustments observed in other economies.
The labour market indicators show signs of stability. White-collar hiring witnessed a rise in hiring with core sectors such as AI/ML professionals, Insurance, Real Estate, BPO/ITES, and Hospitality leading the hiring growth.
“The employment sub-indices of the PMI indicate strong employment growth, with the employment sub-indices reaching a high. Formal job creation is also on the rise, as indicated by the growing net payroll additions under the Employee Provident Fund Organisation,” the Review noted.
Steady economic performance in FY25 underscores the resilience of domestic growth drivers amid a challenging global environment. Robust private consumption and resilient services sector activity were key contributors to overall economic expansion.
“The positive momentum has been extended into the early months of FY26, as reflected in the performance of high-frequency indicators such as e-way bill generation, fuel consumption and PMI indices among others,” according to the Economic Review.
(IANS)
Source:
On July 31 July 2024, CFA was called to a car fire in Traralgon South. When firefighters arrived at their station, they discovered the station had been broken into and the brigade’s slip-on vehicle was missing.
The brigade alongside Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) responded to the incident and found the burnt vehicle was the missing CFA vehicle.
Traralgon South Captain Pieter van der Leest said he would like to thank everyone who worked hard to get the brigade the replacement vehicle.
“We were pretty shocked and devastated that someone would break into the station and do that to a community asset,” he said.
“The replacement vehicle is a welcome addition to our brigade.
“We live in a very hilly area, and it is great for that sort of terrain. It is a great asset not just for the district but for the state as a whole as it is also able to go on strike teams.”
With improved lighting and stowage, the new ultralight comes with a 500 litres per minute diesel powered pump, a 550-litre water tank, a class A foam system, a permanently connected suction hose, and a live hose reel fitted with 30 meters of lightweight 19mm hose.
The lockers now have hinge-up doors for improved access and have been redesigned to give more room for personal gear as well as helmets.
Deputy Chief Officer for the south east region, Trevor Owen, said this ultralight would improve brigade capability and offer better outcomes for the community.
“The theft of the brigade’s slip-on was a low act, so it was extremely rewarding to help hand over this brand-new vehicle to the brigade,” he said.
“The new Ultralight really prioritises crew safety and comfort allowing them to focus on giving their best every time they are responding to an incident.
“It is now built on the new ANCAP five-rated, four-wheel drive next generation Ford Ranger with all the modern driver enhancements and safety features you would expect in a new vehicle.
“It has a 10-speed automatic transmission, and has an electric rewind for the live reel, making it easier to restow thereby reducing fatigue.
“I have no doubt this replacement vehicle will the see brigade well into the future.”
| Submitted by | CFA Media |
|---|
Source:
On July 31 July 2024, CFA was called to a car fire in Traralgon South. When firefighters arrived at their station, they discovered the station had been broken into and the brigade’s slip-on vehicle was missing.
The brigade alongside Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) responded to the incident and found the burnt vehicle was the missing CFA vehicle.
Traralgon South Captain Pieter van der Leest said he would like to thank everyone who worked hard to get the brigade the replacement vehicle.
“We were pretty shocked and devastated that someone would break into the station and do that to a community asset,” he said.
“The replacement vehicle is a welcome addition to our brigade.
“We live in a very hilly area, and it is great for that sort of terrain. It is a great asset not just for the district but for the state as a whole as it is also able to go on strike teams.”
With improved lighting and stowage, the new ultralight comes with a 500 litres per minute diesel powered pump, a 550-litre water tank, a class A foam system, a permanently connected suction hose, and a live hose reel fitted with 30 meters of lightweight 19mm hose.
The lockers now have hinge-up doors for improved access and have been redesigned to give more room for personal gear as well as helmets.
Deputy Chief Officer for the south east region, Trevor Owen, said this ultralight would improve brigade capability and offer better outcomes for the community.
“The theft of the brigade’s slip-on was a low act, so it was extremely rewarding to help hand over this brand-new vehicle to the brigade,” he said.
“The new Ultralight really prioritises crew safety and comfort allowing them to focus on giving their best every time they are responding to an incident.
“It is now built on the new ANCAP five-rated, four-wheel drive next generation Ford Ranger with all the modern driver enhancements and safety features you would expect in a new vehicle.
“It has a 10-speed automatic transmission, and has an electric rewind for the live reel, making it easier to restow thereby reducing fatigue.
“I have no doubt this replacement vehicle will the see brigade well into the future.”
| Submitted by | CFA Media |
|---|
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Staff members test an unmanned aerial vehicle in the workshop of the United Aircraft Group in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, June 26, 2025. Guangdong has positioned its burgeoning low-altitude economy as a key driver for developing new quality productive forces and cultivating new economic growth points. Shenzhen stands out as China’s “Drone Capital”, boasting a concentration of over 1,700 drone-related enterprises. (Xinhua/Li An)
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) — The maximum daily number of vehicles that passed through the Irkeshtam checkpoint on the Chinese-Kyrgyz border recently reached a record high of 1,243 units, Zhongxinshe news agency reported.
The increase in the number of vehicles passing through the checkpoint after inspection was due to the launch of 24/7 customs clearance of goods in a test format on June 1.
Irkeshtam, China’s westernmost land border crossing, is located in Uqia County, Kyzylsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The checkpoint was officially opened in May 2002. The road connects Irkeshtam, Kyrgyzstan’s Osh Region, Andijan and other logistics hubs.
Thus, Irkeshtam became the second Xinjiang checkpoint after Khorgos, where it was possible to ensure continuous operation in the area of customs clearance of goods.
The local customs service reported that the Chinese and Kyrgyz sides have established permanent contacts in order to ensure uninterrupted trade turnover. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) — The maximum daily number of vehicles that passed through the Irkeshtam checkpoint on the Chinese-Kyrgyz border recently reached a record high of 1,243 units, Zhongxinshe news agency reported.
The increase in the number of vehicles passing through the checkpoint after inspection was due to the launch of 24/7 customs clearance of goods in a test format on June 1.
Irkeshtam, China’s westernmost land border crossing, is located in Uqia County, Kyzylsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The checkpoint was officially opened in May 2002. The road connects Irkeshtam, Kyrgyzstan’s Osh Region, Andijan and other logistics hubs.
Thus, Irkeshtam became the second Xinjiang checkpoint after Khorgos, where it was possible to ensure continuous operation in the area of customs clearance of goods.
The local customs service reported that the Chinese and Kyrgyz sides have established permanent contacts in order to ensure uninterrupted trade turnover. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Tashkent, June 28 /Xinhua/ — The Belt and Road Initiative has opened up unprecedented development opportunities for Uzbekistan, said Aizhan Djumanova, a professor at Tashkent State Transport University and a PhD in economics, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.
According to her, since Uzbekistan joined the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Uzbek-Chinese cooperation has gone far beyond traditional trade and covered such areas as infrastructure construction, industrial cooperation, development of interconnectivity, humanitarian exchanges and other areas, forming a high-quality, multi-level and multi-sectoral partnership model.
“The successes in the area of infrastructure are especially noticeable,” A. Djumanova noted. Joint construction of roads and railways, creation of modern logistics hubs and industrial parks within the framework of the “Belt and Road” contribute to strengthening the regional interconnectedness of Uzbekistan and increasing the efficiency of transport and logistics flows. The consistent promotion of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project clearly demonstrates the strategic potential of Central Asia as a transit corridor between the East and West of Eurasia, the expert said.
In the area of industrial development, in her opinion, Chinese technologies, investments and management experience successfully compensate for the weaknesses of Uzbekistan’s industrial base. “Projects with the participation of Chinese capital in such sectors as solar, wind and hydropower, agricultural processing, electric vehicles, contribute to the modernization of the structure of our economy, create jobs and support the green transition and energy diversity,” she emphasized.
The expert also noted that at the regional level, the Belt and Road Initiative has become a stable and mutually beneficial platform for the development of Central Asian countries. According to her, thanks to Chinese initiatives, there is increasingly closer policy coordination, growing market connectivity, and the institutionalization of cross-border projects and dialogue on regional governance. The agency’s interlocutor added that the creation of the China-Central Asia mechanism was a logical continuation and confirmation of the maturity of this cooperation.
“Looking to the future with optimism, we are convinced that cooperation between Uzbekistan and China, as well as between the Central Asian countries and China under the auspices of the Belt and Road Initiative, will only deepen,” said A. Djumanova. According to her, this is not just a set of short-term projects, but a strategic partnership based on a common vision of development and high-quality standards. “Uzbekistan, as before, will firmly support and actively participate in this cooperation, which brings hope to the entire region,” the expert concluded. –0–
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Q: What border security measures did you lead in the Senate budget bill?
A: As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I included significant upgrades for border security in the Senate’s budget bill that address the disastrous open border policies of the Biden-Harris administration. During the previous administration, more than 10 million illegal immigrants from countries around the world poured across our nation’s southern border, including violent criminals and potential terrorists. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General earlier this month confirmed the Biden-Harris administration failed to properly vet all Afghan evacuees, encountering at least 55 individuals with hits on the terrorist screening database. Last fall, the FBI arrested an Afghan national for plotting a terror attack on U.S. soil after gaining entry on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). Following Operation Midnight Hammer on June 22 that struck three of Iran’s nuclear sites, tensions between Iran and the United States underscore the real and present danger of an open border policy. Just consider, of more than 1,500 Iranian nationals who were encountered at the southern border crossing illegally into the U.S. during the previous administration, nearly half were released into the country. The potential for Iranian sleeper cells on the ground here in the United States is a reckless consequence of the Biden-Harris open border policies. The Trump administration is coordinating among federal agencies to address this risk.
As the Senate hammered out the details for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, I led historic investments in the nation’s immigration system to support law enforcement and give frontline immigration enforcement officials the tools they need to secure the border. Specifically, the legislation would boost funding for immigration agencies; reimburse states who pitched in to protect the U.S. border during the Biden-Harris administration; expand resources for law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to protect public safety; and bring fiscal accountability into the immigration system by raising fees to offset enforcement costs.
Q: How did open border policies impact the safety of law enforcement personnel?
A: Plain and simple, the foolish border policies under the Biden White House unleashed an unmanageable mess at the southern border. The border crisis overwhelmed law enforcement and immigration officials and empowered dangerous Mexican drug cartels to ramp up their human smuggling and drug trafficking networks. In June, I convened a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to shed light on law enforcement’s ongoing work to combat cartels and regain a foothold at the border to protect American lives and restore U.S. sovereignty. Officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations testified about their experiences enforcing the law and investigating crimes at the border, including being surveilled and targeted by the drug cartels. Our bill includes more resources for the Department of Justice to combat the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl that have devastated too many families.
As a strong supporter of the men and women who serve on the thin blue line, I pushed to boost funding for the Byrne JAG and Community Policing Services (COPS) to support boots-on-the-ground efforts to combat violent crime in local communities. My oversight work has exposed critical gaps in the Bureau of Prisons. After hearing from law enforcement, I worked to boost funding to address staff shortages and capital improvements to upgrade deteriorating detention facilities. The bill also beefs up recruitment and training tools for the U.S. Secret Service in the wake of two assassination attempts against President Trump. The Senate bill responds to the mandate of the last election. The electorate voted for the America First agenda, and that includes reclaiming our sovereignty and rule of law at our borders to keep Americans safe.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A guest interacts with a robot during the Cultural Soiree of the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, June 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Amid bustling crowds at the Summer Davos Forum in north China’s Tianjin, an AI-powered interactive installation has captured the attention of curious attendees, who pause to observe and interact with the technology.
In front of the huge screen, an oil-painting-style visual experience seamlessly blends people’s figures with Tianjin’s ecological scenery and cultural heritage.
The interactive installation epitomizes the global surge in AI, which has empowered a vast number of industries worldwide. AI has been a recurring theme at the Summer Davos for years, but groundbreaking advancements such as the latest ChatGPT iterations, AIGC developments and China’s impressive DeepSeek models have propelled AI onto center stage.
“AI will bring a new industrial revolution. All products and businesses will be reshaped,” said Gong Ke, research lead for the 2025 Summer Davos topics, adding that nowadays, intelligent and green technologies are transforming traditional industries while creating vast new demands.
The top 10 emerging technologies of 2025 released at the Summer Davos Forum are expected to achieve real-world impact within three to five years. Collaborative sensing and generative watermarking are among the 10 breakthrough technologies to watch.
“These technologies need to be deployed everywhere, so everybody can benefit from these technologies,” said Javier Garcia-Martinez, professor of University of Alicante in Spain.
In recent years, the development of AI in China has been remarkable. Yan Bing, the vice dean of the School of Economics at Nankai University, said that China’s AI industry exceeded 700 billion yuan (about 97.7 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, sustaining over 20 percent annual growth for years, and the applications of AI spanned manufacturing, healthcare, urban governance and many other areas.
“China is driving global transformation with innovation and digital momentum,” said Yan.
Cao Bin, chairman of Fitow (Tianjin) Detection Technology Co., Ltd., said that they could analyze over 30 types of real-time data with AI and make a digital twin system simulation within one minute. The solution has already been adopted by many automakers nationwide.
In parallel with improvements to the basic model and product experience, AI has become more and more user-friendly, showing its practical value in complex emergency scenarios, said Shen Dou, the executive vice president of Baidu.
The Chinese government work report released earlier this year called for the extensive application of large-scale AI models and the vigorous development of new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment, including intelligent connected new-energy vehicles, AI-enabled phones and computers, and intelligent robots.
Today, traditional industries in China are also embracing AI.
Unlike the traditional dusty and messy factory, the prefabricated component factory of Lanzhou-Hezuo Railway was clean and intelligent. At the factory, 5G-connected robotic arms transported materials and stacking robots arranged components with precision.
“Producing 5,300 prefabricated parts daily, the smart line quadruples traditional efficiency,” said Gao Hongyi, the project manager at China Railway 18th Bureau Group.
There is a lot of curiosity in the world around the innovation ecosystems of China, particularly around the energy transition, the overall energy ecosystem, and also high technology, said Mirek Dusek, World Economic Forum Managing Director.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The NT Police Force Strike Force Lyra have charged a 35-year-old male in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred on Tiger Brennan Drive in Stuart Park on Friday morning.
About 4:30am, the Joint Emergency Service Communication Centre received multiple reports of an ongoing domestic violence incident. It is alleged the 35-year-old male, the victim and two other witnesses were travelling in a dark blue 2008 model Mitsubishi Pajero before stopping along Tiger Brennan Drive in Stuart Park, where everyone but the alleged offender exited the vehicle. Initial investigations indicate the male drove off and immediately returned to physically assault his partner before the two witnesses chased him away. The victim suffered minor physical injuries.
Strike Force Lyra took carriage of the investigation and with the assistance of the Fugitive Taskforce the male was arrested at a residence around 1pm yesterday. He has since been charged with:
He was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court on Monday, 30 June 2025.
Investigations remain ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2500065312. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.
If you have CCTV or dashcam footage of the incident, it may be uploaded here: https://ntpol.au.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/ntp2500065312 (or via the QR code below).
Domestic violence has no place in our community and offenders will continue to be held to account for their actions. The Northern Territory Police Force thank the witnesses who intervened on this occasion to protect the victim and prevent further violence. If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline (131 114).
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The NT Police Force is calling for information in relation to a hit and run in Leanyer last night.
About 7:05pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of two people, a male and a female, being struck by a passing vehicle on Leanyer Drive. It is alleged the victims were removing groceries from their parked vehicle on the side of the road, before a vehicle travelling at speed struck them and fled the scene immediately.
The female suffered serious injuries and the male suffered minor injuries and St John Ambulance conveyed them to Royal Darwin Hospital for medical assessment.
Initial investigations suggest the offending vehicle is believed to be a white Yaris or Getz hatchback with a missing side mirror that was damaged at the scene of the collision.
The crime command has carriage of the investigation.
Anyone with information, particularly those who may have had dash cam footage at the time of the incident, is urged to contact police on 131 444. Please reference job number P25172636.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Northern Territory Police Force conducted a high visibility proactive operation over the week targeting the prevention of drug, alcohol and traffic offences in regional areas across the Territory.
Between Monday 23 June and Friday 27 June, members from the Northern Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk, Dog Operations Unit, Maningrida, Gunbalanya and Jabiru police set up two Drug Detection Areas nearby Maningrida and Jabiru.
A significant number of people were spoken to and stopped throughout the operation, with ongoing community engagement with locals to help prevent the flow of alcohol and illicit substances in regional and remote areas of the Arnhem Region.
As a result of the operation, NT Police:
Acting Superintendent Meacham King said “This was an important operation targeting those who continue to bring alcohol and illicit substances into remote and regional areas. The collaboration between Northern Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk members, Dog operations and general duties members who work and live in remote communities continues to highlight great partnerships between police units working towards enhancing community safety.”
Anyone with information on the supply of illicit substances into communities are urged to call police on 131 444 or make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Source: New Zealand Police
One person has died following a serious crash in Tokoroa overnight.
At around 12am Police were alerted to a crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on Lomond Avenue.
Despite best efforts of emergency services, one person died at the scene.
The Serious Crash Unit has conducted a scene examination.
The road was closed for a period of time, however reopened early this morning.
Police continue to make enquiries to determine the circumstances of the crash.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police
Police are investigating a serious crash in Kumeu last night, which has left four teenagers in hospital, two of whom remain in a critical condition.
The crash occurred around 8.20pm on Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, shortly after Police signalled a vehicle to stop due to the manner of driving. The vehicle fled and was not being pursued at the time of the crash.
A short time later, the vehicle lost control and crashed, coming to rest upside down against a residential property. Four nearby Police staff, who had been seizing a separate vehicle, heard the crash and responded immediately, locating the vehicle and providing first aid to those inside.
“This is a horrific incident with devastating consequences for the young people involved,” says Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan. “It is extremely fortunate that no other members of the public were injured.”
The Serious Crash Unit has completed a scene examination, and Police are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the crash and the events leading up to it. Due to the nature of the incident, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has been notified.
“We are supporting the families of those injured, and the officers who responded to this tragic scene,” Superintendent Hassan said. “We are still in the early stages of our investigation and expect it will take time to answer all the questions surrounding this incident.”
“At the heart of this is a tragic decision to flee Police. We want to reiterate—if you are signalled to stop, please pull over. No life is worth the risk.”
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Meg Leta Jones, Associate Professor of Technology Law & Policy, Georgetown University
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision on June 27, 2025, that will reshape how states protect children online. In a case assessing a Texas law requiring age verification to access porn sites, the court created a new legal path that makes it easier for states to craft laws regulating what kids see and do on the internet.
In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled in Free Speech Coalition Inc. v. Paxton that Texas’ law obligating porn sites to block access to underage users is constitutional. The law requires pornographic websites to verify users’ ages – for example by making users scan and upload their driver’s license – before granting access to content that is deemed obscene for minors but not adults.
The majority on the court rejected both the porn industry’s argument for strict scrutiny – the toughest legal test that requires the government to prove a law is absolutely necessary – and Texas’ argument for mere rational basis review, which requires only a rational connection between the law’s legitimate aims and its actions. Instead, Justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion established intermediate scrutiny, a middle ground that requires laws to serve important government interests without being overly burdensome, as the appropriate standard.
The court’s reasoning hinged on characterizing the law as only “incidentally” burdening adults’ First Amendment rights. Since minors have no constitutional right to access pornography, the state can require age verification to prevent that unprotected activity. Any burden on adults is, according to the ruling, merely a side effect of this legitimate regulation.
The court also pointed to dramatic technological changes since earlier similar laws were struck down in the 1990s and early 2000s. Back then, only 2 in 5 households had internet access, mostly through slow dial-up connections on desktop computers. Today, 95% of teens carry smartphones with constant internet access to massive libraries of content. Porn site Pornhub alone published over 150 years of new material in 2019. The court argued that earlier decisions “could not have conceived of these developments,” making age verification more necessary than judges could have imagined decades ago.
More importantly for future legislation, the court embraced an “ordinary and appropriate means” doctrine: When states have authority to govern an area, they may use traditional methods to exercise that power. Since age verification is common for alcohol and tobacco, tattoos and piercings, firearms, driver’s licenses and voting, the court held that it’s similarly appropriate for regulating minors’ access to sexual content.
The key takeaway: When states are trying to keep kids away from certain types of content that kids have no legal right to see anyway, requiring age verification is an ordinary and appropriate way to enforce that boundary.
This decision could resolve a fundamental enforcement problem in child privacy laws. Current laws like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act protect children only when companies have actual knowledge a user is under 13. But platforms routinely avoid this requirement by not asking users’ ages or letting them enter whatever age they want. Without age verification, there’s no actual knowledge and thus no privacy protections.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning changes this dynamic. Since the court emphasized that children lack the same constitutional rights as adults regarding certain protections, states may now be able to require age verification before data collection. California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code and similar state privacy laws would gain substantially more regulatory power under this framework.
Meanwhile, social media platforms could face more restrictions. Several states have tried to limit how social media platforms interact with minors. Florida recently banned kids under 14 from having social media accounts entirely, while other states have targeted specific features such as endless scrolling or push notifications designed to keep kids hooked.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning could protect laws that require age verification before kids can use certain platform features, such as direct messaging with strangers or livestreaming. However, laws that try to block kids from seeing general social media content would still face tough legal challenges, since that content is typically protected speech for everyone.
The decision also supports state laws regulating how minors interact with app stores and gaming platforms. Minors generally can’t enter binding contracts without parental consent in the physical world, so states could require the same online. Proposed legislation such as the App Store Accountability Act would require parental approval before kids can download apps or agree to terms of service. States have also considered restrictions on “loot boxes” – digital gambling-like features – and surprise in-app purchases that can result in massive charges to parents.
Since states already require an ID to buy lottery tickets or enter casinos, requiring age verification before kids can spend money on digital gambling mechanics follows the court’s logic.
But this decision doesn’t give states free rein to regulate the internet. The court’s reasoning applies to content that children have no legal right to access in the first place, specifically sexually explicit material. For most online content such as news, educational materials, general entertainment and political discussions, both adults and kids have constitutional rights to access.
Laws trying to age-gate this protected content would still likely face the strict scrutiny’s standard and be struck down, but what online content and experiences underage users are constitutionally entitled to is not settled. Many advocates worry that while the “obscene for minors” standard in this case appears legally narrow, states will try to expand it or use similar reasoning to classify LGBTQ+-related educational content, health resources or community support materials as inherently sexual and inappropriate for minors.
The court also emphasized that even under this more permissive standard, laws still have to be reasonable. Age verification requirements that are overly burdensome, sweep too broadly or create serious privacy problems could still be ruled unconstitutional. The court’s decision in this case gives state lawmakers much more room to effectively regulate how online platforms interact with children, but I believe successful laws will need to be carefully written.
For parents worried about their kids’ online safety, this could mean more tools and protections. For tech companies, it likely means more compliance requirements and age verification systems. And for the broader internet, it represents a significant shift toward treating online spaces more like physical ones, where people have long accepted that some doors require showing ID to enter.
Meg Leta Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Supreme Court upholds childproofing porn sites – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-upholds-childproofing-porn-sites-260052
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Meg Leta Jones, Associate Professor of Technology Law & Policy, Georgetown University
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision on June 27, 2025, that will reshape how states protect children online. In a case assessing a Texas law requiring age verification to access porn sites, the court created a new legal path that makes it easier for states to craft laws regulating what kids see and do on the internet.
In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled in Free Speech Coalition Inc. v. Paxton that Texas’ law obligating porn sites to block access to underage users is constitutional. The law requires pornographic websites to verify users’ ages – for example by making users scan and upload their driver’s license – before granting access to content that is deemed obscene for minors but not adults.
The majority on the court rejected both the porn industry’s argument for strict scrutiny – the toughest legal test that requires the government to prove a law is absolutely necessary – and Texas’ argument for mere rational basis review, which requires only a rational connection between the law’s legitimate aims and its actions. Instead, Justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion established intermediate scrutiny, a middle ground that requires laws to serve important government interests without being overly burdensome, as the appropriate standard.
The court’s reasoning hinged on characterizing the law as only “incidentally” burdening adults’ First Amendment rights. Since minors have no constitutional right to access pornography, the state can require age verification to prevent that unprotected activity. Any burden on adults is, according to the ruling, merely a side effect of this legitimate regulation.
The court also pointed to dramatic technological changes since earlier similar laws were struck down in the 1990s and early 2000s. Back then, only 2 in 5 households had internet access, mostly through slow dial-up connections on desktop computers. Today, 95% of teens carry smartphones with constant internet access to massive libraries of content. Porn site Pornhub alone published over 150 years of new material in 2019. The court argued that earlier decisions “could not have conceived of these developments,” making age verification more necessary than judges could have imagined decades ago.
More importantly for future legislation, the court embraced an “ordinary and appropriate means” doctrine: When states have authority to govern an area, they may use traditional methods to exercise that power. Since age verification is common for alcohol and tobacco, tattoos and piercings, firearms, driver’s licenses and voting, the court held that it’s similarly appropriate for regulating minors’ access to sexual content.
The key takeaway: When states are trying to keep kids away from certain types of content that kids have no legal right to see anyway, requiring age verification is an ordinary and appropriate way to enforce that boundary.
This decision could resolve a fundamental enforcement problem in child privacy laws. Current laws like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act protect children only when companies have actual knowledge a user is under 13. But platforms routinely avoid this requirement by not asking users’ ages or letting them enter whatever age they want. Without age verification, there’s no actual knowledge and thus no privacy protections.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning changes this dynamic. Since the court emphasized that children lack the same constitutional rights as adults regarding certain protections, states may now be able to require age verification before data collection. California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code and similar state privacy laws would gain substantially more regulatory power under this framework.
Meanwhile, social media platforms could face more restrictions. Several states have tried to limit how social media platforms interact with minors. Florida recently banned kids under 14 from having social media accounts entirely, while other states have targeted specific features such as endless scrolling or push notifications designed to keep kids hooked.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning could protect laws that require age verification before kids can use certain platform features, such as direct messaging with strangers or livestreaming. However, laws that try to block kids from seeing general social media content would still face tough legal challenges, since that content is typically protected speech for everyone.
The decision also supports state laws regulating how minors interact with app stores and gaming platforms. Minors generally can’t enter binding contracts without parental consent in the physical world, so states could require the same online. Proposed legislation such as the App Store Accountability Act would require parental approval before kids can download apps or agree to terms of service. States have also considered restrictions on “loot boxes” – digital gambling-like features – and surprise in-app purchases that can result in massive charges to parents.
Since states already require an ID to buy lottery tickets or enter casinos, requiring age verification before kids can spend money on digital gambling mechanics follows the court’s logic.
But this decision doesn’t give states free rein to regulate the internet. The court’s reasoning applies to content that children have no legal right to access in the first place, specifically sexually explicit material. For most online content such as news, educational materials, general entertainment and political discussions, both adults and kids have constitutional rights to access.
Laws trying to age-gate this protected content would still likely face the strict scrutiny’s standard and be struck down, but what online content and experiences underage users are constitutionally entitled to is not settled. Many advocates worry that while the “obscene for minors” standard in this case appears legally narrow, states will try to expand it or use similar reasoning to classify LGBTQ+-related educational content, health resources or community support materials as inherently sexual and inappropriate for minors.
The court also emphasized that even under this more permissive standard, laws still have to be reasonable. Age verification requirements that are overly burdensome, sweep too broadly or create serious privacy problems could still be ruled unconstitutional. The court’s decision in this case gives state lawmakers much more room to effectively regulate how online platforms interact with children, but I believe successful laws will need to be carefully written.
For parents worried about their kids’ online safety, this could mean more tools and protections. For tech companies, it likely means more compliance requirements and age verification systems. And for the broader internet, it represents a significant shift toward treating online spaces more like physical ones, where people have long accepted that some doors require showing ID to enter.
Meg Leta Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Supreme Court upholds childproofing porn sites – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-upholds-childproofing-porn-sites-260052
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Meg Leta Jones, Associate Professor of Technology Law & Policy, Georgetown University
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision on June 27, 2025, that will reshape how states protect children online. In a case assessing a Texas law requiring age verification to access porn sites, the court created a new legal path that makes it easier for states to craft laws regulating what kids see and do on the internet.
In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled in Free Speech Coalition Inc. v. Paxton that Texas’ law obligating porn sites to block access to underage users is constitutional. The law requires pornographic websites to verify users’ ages – for example by making users scan and upload their driver’s license – before granting access to content that is deemed obscene for minors but not adults.
The majority on the court rejected both the porn industry’s argument for strict scrutiny – the toughest legal test that requires the government to prove a law is absolutely necessary – and Texas’ argument for mere rational basis review, which requires only a rational connection between the law’s legitimate aims and its actions. Instead, Justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion established intermediate scrutiny, a middle ground that requires laws to serve important government interests without being overly burdensome, as the appropriate standard.
The court’s reasoning hinged on characterizing the law as only “incidentally” burdening adults’ First Amendment rights. Since minors have no constitutional right to access pornography, the state can require age verification to prevent that unprotected activity. Any burden on adults is, according to the ruling, merely a side effect of this legitimate regulation.
The court also pointed to dramatic technological changes since earlier similar laws were struck down in the 1990s and early 2000s. Back then, only 2 in 5 households had internet access, mostly through slow dial-up connections on desktop computers. Today, 95% of teens carry smartphones with constant internet access to massive libraries of content. Porn site Pornhub alone published over 150 years of new material in 2019. The court argued that earlier decisions “could not have conceived of these developments,” making age verification more necessary than judges could have imagined decades ago.
More importantly for future legislation, the court embraced an “ordinary and appropriate means” doctrine: When states have authority to govern an area, they may use traditional methods to exercise that power. Since age verification is common for alcohol and tobacco, tattoos and piercings, firearms, driver’s licenses and voting, the court held that it’s similarly appropriate for regulating minors’ access to sexual content.
The key takeaway: When states are trying to keep kids away from certain types of content that kids have no legal right to see anyway, requiring age verification is an ordinary and appropriate way to enforce that boundary.
This decision could resolve a fundamental enforcement problem in child privacy laws. Current laws like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act protect children only when companies have actual knowledge a user is under 13. But platforms routinely avoid this requirement by not asking users’ ages or letting them enter whatever age they want. Without age verification, there’s no actual knowledge and thus no privacy protections.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning changes this dynamic. Since the court emphasized that children lack the same constitutional rights as adults regarding certain protections, states may now be able to require age verification before data collection. California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code and similar state privacy laws would gain substantially more regulatory power under this framework.
Meanwhile, social media platforms could face more restrictions. Several states have tried to limit how social media platforms interact with minors. Florida recently banned kids under 14 from having social media accounts entirely, while other states have targeted specific features such as endless scrolling or push notifications designed to keep kids hooked.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning could protect laws that require age verification before kids can use certain platform features, such as direct messaging with strangers or livestreaming. However, laws that try to block kids from seeing general social media content would still face tough legal challenges, since that content is typically protected speech for everyone.
The decision also supports state laws regulating how minors interact with app stores and gaming platforms. Minors generally can’t enter binding contracts without parental consent in the physical world, so states could require the same online. Proposed legislation such as the App Store Accountability Act would require parental approval before kids can download apps or agree to terms of service. States have also considered restrictions on “loot boxes” – digital gambling-like features – and surprise in-app purchases that can result in massive charges to parents.
Since states already require an ID to buy lottery tickets or enter casinos, requiring age verification before kids can spend money on digital gambling mechanics follows the court’s logic.
But this decision doesn’t give states free rein to regulate the internet. The court’s reasoning applies to content that children have no legal right to access in the first place, specifically sexually explicit material. For most online content such as news, educational materials, general entertainment and political discussions, both adults and kids have constitutional rights to access.
Laws trying to age-gate this protected content would still likely face the strict scrutiny’s standard and be struck down, but what online content and experiences underage users are constitutionally entitled to is not settled. Many advocates worry that while the “obscene for minors” standard in this case appears legally narrow, states will try to expand it or use similar reasoning to classify LGBTQ+-related educational content, health resources or community support materials as inherently sexual and inappropriate for minors.
The court also emphasized that even under this more permissive standard, laws still have to be reasonable. Age verification requirements that are overly burdensome, sweep too broadly or create serious privacy problems could still be ruled unconstitutional. The court’s decision in this case gives state lawmakers much more room to effectively regulate how online platforms interact with children, but I believe successful laws will need to be carefully written.
For parents worried about their kids’ online safety, this could mean more tools and protections. For tech companies, it likely means more compliance requirements and age verification systems. And for the broader internet, it represents a significant shift toward treating online spaces more like physical ones, where people have long accepted that some doors require showing ID to enter.
Meg Leta Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Supreme Court upholds childproofing porn sites – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-upholds-childproofing-porn-sites-260052
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Meg Leta Jones, Associate Professor of Technology Law & Policy, Georgetown University
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision on June 27, 2025, that will reshape how states protect children online. In a case assessing a Texas law requiring age verification to access porn sites, the court created a new legal path that makes it easier for states to craft laws regulating what kids see and do on the internet.
In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled in Free Speech Coalition Inc. v. Paxton that Texas’ law obligating porn sites to block access to underage users is constitutional. The law requires pornographic websites to verify users’ ages – for example by making users scan and upload their driver’s license – before granting access to content that is deemed obscene for minors but not adults.
The majority on the court rejected both the porn industry’s argument for strict scrutiny – the toughest legal test that requires the government to prove a law is absolutely necessary – and Texas’ argument for mere rational basis review, which requires only a rational connection between the law’s legitimate aims and its actions. Instead, Justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion established intermediate scrutiny, a middle ground that requires laws to serve important government interests without being overly burdensome, as the appropriate standard.
The court’s reasoning hinged on characterizing the law as only “incidentally” burdening adults’ First Amendment rights. Since minors have no constitutional right to access pornography, the state can require age verification to prevent that unprotected activity. Any burden on adults is, according to the ruling, merely a side effect of this legitimate regulation.
The court also pointed to dramatic technological changes since earlier similar laws were struck down in the 1990s and early 2000s. Back then, only 2 in 5 households had internet access, mostly through slow dial-up connections on desktop computers. Today, 95% of teens carry smartphones with constant internet access to massive libraries of content. Porn site Pornhub alone published over 150 years of new material in 2019. The court argued that earlier decisions “could not have conceived of these developments,” making age verification more necessary than judges could have imagined decades ago.
More importantly for future legislation, the court embraced an “ordinary and appropriate means” doctrine: When states have authority to govern an area, they may use traditional methods to exercise that power. Since age verification is common for alcohol and tobacco, tattoos and piercings, firearms, driver’s licenses and voting, the court held that it’s similarly appropriate for regulating minors’ access to sexual content.
The key takeaway: When states are trying to keep kids away from certain types of content that kids have no legal right to see anyway, requiring age verification is an ordinary and appropriate way to enforce that boundary.
This decision could resolve a fundamental enforcement problem in child privacy laws. Current laws like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act protect children only when companies have actual knowledge a user is under 13. But platforms routinely avoid this requirement by not asking users’ ages or letting them enter whatever age they want. Without age verification, there’s no actual knowledge and thus no privacy protections.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning changes this dynamic. Since the court emphasized that children lack the same constitutional rights as adults regarding certain protections, states may now be able to require age verification before data collection. California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code and similar state privacy laws would gain substantially more regulatory power under this framework.
Meanwhile, social media platforms could face more restrictions. Several states have tried to limit how social media platforms interact with minors. Florida recently banned kids under 14 from having social media accounts entirely, while other states have targeted specific features such as endless scrolling or push notifications designed to keep kids hooked.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning could protect laws that require age verification before kids can use certain platform features, such as direct messaging with strangers or livestreaming. However, laws that try to block kids from seeing general social media content would still face tough legal challenges, since that content is typically protected speech for everyone.
The decision also supports state laws regulating how minors interact with app stores and gaming platforms. Minors generally can’t enter binding contracts without parental consent in the physical world, so states could require the same online. Proposed legislation such as the App Store Accountability Act would require parental approval before kids can download apps or agree to terms of service. States have also considered restrictions on “loot boxes” – digital gambling-like features – and surprise in-app purchases that can result in massive charges to parents.
Since states already require an ID to buy lottery tickets or enter casinos, requiring age verification before kids can spend money on digital gambling mechanics follows the court’s logic.
But this decision doesn’t give states free rein to regulate the internet. The court’s reasoning applies to content that children have no legal right to access in the first place, specifically sexually explicit material. For most online content such as news, educational materials, general entertainment and political discussions, both adults and kids have constitutional rights to access.
Laws trying to age-gate this protected content would still likely face the strict scrutiny’s standard and be struck down, but what online content and experiences underage users are constitutionally entitled to is not settled. Many advocates worry that while the “obscene for minors” standard in this case appears legally narrow, states will try to expand it or use similar reasoning to classify LGBTQ+-related educational content, health resources or community support materials as inherently sexual and inappropriate for minors.
The court also emphasized that even under this more permissive standard, laws still have to be reasonable. Age verification requirements that are overly burdensome, sweep too broadly or create serious privacy problems could still be ruled unconstitutional. The court’s decision in this case gives state lawmakers much more room to effectively regulate how online platforms interact with children, but I believe successful laws will need to be carefully written.
For parents worried about their kids’ online safety, this could mean more tools and protections. For tech companies, it likely means more compliance requirements and age verification systems. And for the broader internet, it represents a significant shift toward treating online spaces more like physical ones, where people have long accepted that some doors require showing ID to enter.
Meg Leta Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Supreme Court upholds childproofing porn sites – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-upholds-childproofing-porn-sites-260052