Office of Public Affairs | California Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Returns and Fraudulently Obtaining COVID Benefits; Caused More than $25 Million in Losses to the Government

A California tax preparer pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulently including false information on federal income tax returns to get substantial refunds for his clients – and cause large tax losses to the U.S. Treasury – and COVID-19 business-relief loan applications to obtain money he used for unauthorized purposes. Kerwin Aldric Jordan, 71, of Castaic, California […]

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Human spread of hantavirus not ruled out on cruise ship

The deadly disease outbreak has triggered an international public health response. Seven individuals of the 147 passengers and crew have been reported ill and three have died in what remains a fluid situation, WHO’s chief of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Dr Maria Van Kerkhove told reporters in Geneva. “One patient is in intensive care […]

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Commissioner Lahbib visits Cyprus to discuss fire preparedness and inclusive Europe

Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, will visit Cyprus on 6-7 May 2026, where she will participate in the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Workshop on Fire Risks, co-organised by the European Commission, Cyprus, on behalf of the Council of the EU, and the Union for the Mediterranean.  The workshop will focus on fire risk […]

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Global rise of cyberattacks exposes limits of technical solutions

A successful hack against a small Ukrainian software company might not sound like a big deal for the rest of us, but within a year of M.E.Doc’s servers being breached in 2017, the NotPetya hack had cost businesses around the world more than $10 billion. In the same year, the WannaCry attack hit the UK’s […]

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UN winds down Türkiye-Syria aid route, after more than 65,000 lifesaving journeys

This transition reflects a positive shift toward the normalisation of trade links, allowing essential humanitarian supplies to reach those in need through regular commercial channels. The UN aid route was established in July 2014 following the passage of Security Council resolution S/RES/2165. Emergency measure, turned daily lifesaver Designed as an emergency measure to bypass shifting […]

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Middle East: Fighting and displacement in Lebanon; call for ‘sustained access’ in Gaza

Over the weekend, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observed intensive activity by Israeli forces, including extensive airstrikes near several villages, continued naval operations off the coast of Naqoura, and drone activity close by – including drones reportedly operated by Hezbollah militants. On Friday, UNIFIL patrols faced restrictions near Al Bayyada, where Israeli tanks […]

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World News in Brief: Iranian Nobel winner’s declining health, rising attacks on healthcare, debt crisis hits women, Aid to Mozambique

 “The Secretary General expresses his concern over the medical condition of Ms. Mohammadi and urges the Iranian authorities to ensure that she receives, at the very least, urgent medical care as required by her health condition,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during Monday’s press briefing in New York.  Ms. Mohammadi was transferred from prison to a hospital […]

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WHO leads response to cruise ship hantavirus outbreak

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) is coordinating evacuations and risk assessments following the death of three people and multiple suspected infections. One patient remains in intensive care in South Africa. To date, one case has been confirmed after verification in a laboratory, but there are five additional suspected cases among those on board.   […]

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Uncertainty continues over safety in the Strait of Hormuz

“We are aware of the reports but do not have further details. We continue to urge ships to practise maximum caution in the area,” the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) said, as it works to verify a series of recent attacks and security warnings issued to commercial vessels. According to the internationally-recognised maritime safety portal […]

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Office of Public Affairs | Justice Department Files Complaint Against Minnesota Over Its Attempt to Override Federal Law

Note: View complaint here. The Justice Department today filed a complaint against the State of Minnesota over its attempt to regulate global greenhouse gas emissions, which are subject to exclusive federal authority, and override the policy choices of the United States and other states to make energy affordable and reliable. The filing advances President Donald […]

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