THE lawyers of the man accused of shooting dead 51 Muslim worshippers in the Christchurch mosque attacks entered not guilty pleas for their client to charges of terrorism, multiple murder and attempted murder in a hearing attended by survivors of the March 15 attack. Brenton Tarrant’s barrister told Christchurch High Court his client was pleading not guilty to all charges, prompting anger from survivors and relatives of those killed in the March 15 attacks. […]
International
More than 300 experts gather at Europol to address cryptocurrency-facilitated crimes
(Eagle News) – More than 300 cryptocurrency experts from both law enforcement and the private sector attended the sixth Cryptocurrency Conference hosted at Europol’s headquarters which sought to detect cryptocurrency-facilitated crimes, among others. The event, which ran from June 12 to 14, is the largest cyptocurrency event in Europe. Organized by Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), the experts who participated in the conference “shared best practices and law enforcement techniques using examples such as […]
Crew on Japan tanker saw ‘flying object’ before attack: company head
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — The crew of a Japanese-owned tanker hit in an apparent attack in the Gulf of Oman saw a “flying object” before a second blast on board, the operator’s head said Friday. “The crew members are saying that they were hit by a flying object. They saw it with their own eyes,” Yutaka Katada, head of Kokuka Sangyo shipping company, told reporters. “We have received a report saying that something seems to […]
Iran denies ‘baseless’ US accusation of being behind Gulf of Oman attacks: foreign ministry
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) –Iran’s foreign ministry Friday dismissed as “baseless” US accusations of being behind attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, adding Washington was trying to “sabotage diplomacy”. The US had “immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran –(without) a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet. That showed it was “abundantly clear that the #B_Team is moving to a #PlanB: Sabotage diplomacy — […]
Piracy, collisions, missiles: tankers in troubled waters
by Juliette MICHEL NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Tankers like those apparently attacked Thursday in the Gulf of Oman operate through increasingly treacherous waters, facing mounting dangers from piracy and collision as well as geopolitical hazards. Around 60 million barrels of petroleum product move each day on the seas globally, according to the US Energy Information Administration. And around a third of this volume passes through the Straits of Hormuz, a critical shipping passage. […]
Anger as Christchurch mosque accused pleads not guilty
by Chris FOLEY CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AFP) — The man accused of shooting dead 51 Muslim worshippers in the Christchurch mosque attacks in March smiled Friday as his lawyers entered not guilty pleas to multiple murder and terrorism charges. Brenton Tarrant’s barrister told Christchurch High Court his client was pleading “not guilty to all charges”, prompting anger from survivors and relatives of those killed in the March 15 attacks. The self-proclaimed white supremacist appeared in […]
Trudeau going to Washington to seek support in China row
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will pay a visit to the White House next week to discuss trade and ask President Donald Trump to lean on China to release two Canadians he says have been “arbitrarily detained,” the government announced Thursday. The June 20 visit will be his first to Washington since 2017, and will come after once-tense personal relations with Trump appear to have warmed. “Ahead of the upcoming G20 […]
Trump announces exit of ‘warrior’ spokeswoman Sarah Sanders
by Sebastian Smith WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the surprise departure of his spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, after a combative tenure that saw her all-but-kill off traditional White House briefings to journalists. Sanders has been one of Trump’s most loyal foot soldiers, almost constantly at his side during his tumultuous two and a half years at the White House and during the campaign before. Trump announced her exit in a […]
US man sentenced to death for killing his five children
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — An American convicted of killing his five small children was sentenced to death Thursday, even after his ex-wife asked jurors to spare his life because the kids loved him. Lawyers for Timothy Jones, 37, had argued that he is schizophrenic and therefore not competent to stand trial. Jones was convicted last week of killing his five children — aged one to eight — in 2014. His ex-wife stunned the courtroom […]
US warns UN of ‘clear threat’ from Iran after tanker attacks
by Carole LANDRY UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The United States called Thursday for the UN Security Council to confront a “clear threat” posed by Tehran, after Washington said Iran was behind an attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The council met behind closed doors to hear US acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen present a briefing on Washington’s assessment that Iran was responsible for the suspected attack on two tankers in the […]
Trump announces exit of ‘warrior’ spokeswoman Sarah Sanders
WASHINGTON D.C. (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday made the surprise announcement of the departure of spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, who has been widely criticized for her performance in the White House. Trump announced her exit in a tweet and did not name a replacement. “After 3 1/2 years, our wonderful Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be leaving the White House at the end of the month and going home to the Great State of Arkansas,” Trump he said, adding that […]
Federal watchdog: White House should sack Trump aide Conway
WASHINGTON D.C. (AFP) — A US watchdog agency recommended Thursday that White House counselor Kellyanne Conway be fired, saying the close aide to President Donald Trump repeatedly violated a law restricting political activity during her official work. The White House swiftly responded by calling the process “blatantly unfair” and demanding the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) retract its “outrageous” recommendation. In the finding sent to the president, the OSC said Conway has engaged in a […]





