2 Chinese nationals charged with spying inside the US for Beijing, Justice Department says
The case, filed in federal court in San Francisco and unsealed Monday, is the latest Justice Department prosecution to target what officials say are persistent efforts by the Chinese government to secretly collect intelligence about American military capabilities — a practice laid bare in startling fashion two years ago with China's launching of a surveillance balloon that U.S. officials ultimately shot down over the coast of South Carolina.
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CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Explosion at a California fireworks warehouse sets off fires and forces evacuations
Smoke and flames rise at a fireworks warehouse near Esparto, Calif., on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (KGO via AP) ESPARTO, Calif. — An explosion at a fireworks warehouse in northern California caused several fires, sending black smoke into the air and forcing evacuations, authorities said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. People were urged to avoid the area of Esparto and Madison for several days following the Tuesday night explosion, which set off multiple fireworks and caused a large fire that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building. 'The fire will take time to cool, and once it does, explosive experts must safely enter the site to assess and secure the area,' the Yolo County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. The cause of the explosion was under investigation, the office said. The fire had reached 78 acres (32 hectares) as of Tuesday night, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. Esparto is in a rural area about 40 miles (64 kilometres) northwest of Sacramento. 'We do believe this location is owned by an active pyrotechnic licence holder,' Deputy State Fire Marshal Kara Garrett told KXTV. She added: 'This type of incident is very rare, as facilities like this are required to not only follow our stringent California pyrotechnic requirements, but also federal explosive storage requirements.' The Associated Press
Vancouver Sun
3 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Canada-U.S. citizen in custody in deadly St. Lawrence River human smuggling case
A dual Canadian-American citizen that United States authorities allege was part of a deadly human smuggling operation that left migrants drowned in the St. Lawrence River will remain in custody following a detention hearing in the Northern District of New York District Court on Tuesday. The U.S. Justice Department said 34-year-old Timothy Oakes was arrested as he attempted to enter the United States on June 15. Oakes, who is from Akwesasne which straddles the Canada-U.S. border west of Montreal, was indicted in April for conspiring with others to smuggle people from Canada into the United States, as well as four counts of alien smuggling for profit and four counts of alien smuggling resulting in death. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. U.S. court documents allege Oakes was a key facilitator in the smuggling operation which left a Romanian family of four, including two young children, dead in March 2023. The family, which were not named in the U.S. court documents, have been identified as Florin Iordache, his wife Cristina (Monalisa) Zenaida Iordache, their two-year-old daughter Evelin and one-year-old son Elyen. 'This case shows the terrible perils of illegally crossing the border,' U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York John A. Sarcone III said in a news release Tuesday. 'Four family members died because a smuggling network put them in harm's way.' Court documents allege that Oakes routinely smuggled people into the United States by boat across the St. Lawrence River. Documents said he was paid $1,000 per person. Court documents said Oakes housed the Romanian family for about 24 hours in March 2023 before transporting them along with a boat to a public launch site. His brother, Casey Oakes, was piloting the boat intending to reach northern New York. The boat ultimately capsized, killing all four members of the migrant family and Oakes' brother. A family of four from India were also on the boat and drowned but the U.S. indictment against Oakes does not include their deaths. Last year RCMP announced arrests in connection to the deaths of 50-year-old Praveenbhai Chaudhari, his 45-year-old wife Dakshaben, their 20-year-old son Meet and their daughter Vidhi, 23. Law enforcement have said Akwesasne's geography across the international border makes it a popular spot for smugglers of both humans and contraband. The U.S. Justice Department said those involved in the tragedy new about dangerous conditions on the St. Lawrence River on the day of the drownings. United States-based Dakota Montour, 31, Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 43, and Janet Terrance, 45, previously entered guilty pleas in relation to the tragedy. The news release said Montour admitted he was aware of the dangerous weather — high winds, freezing temperatures, and limited visibility — yet the family of four was still loaded into the small boat. 'As alleged, Oakes and his co-conspirators profited from a human smuggling operation with a singular, cold-hearted aim: making money by bringing illegal aliens into the United States, regardless of the danger to human life involved,' Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, said in the news release. 'Their greed resulted in the deaths of a mother, a father, and two small children, as well as one of the defendants' own brothers.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Toronto Sun
3 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Australia cancels rapper Ye's visa over 'Heil Hitler' release
Published Jul 02, 2025 • 1 minute read Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, leaves federal court during the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in New York, Friday, June 13, 2025. Photo by Michael R. Sisak / AP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Ye, the U.S. rapper formerly known as Kanye West, was recently stripped of an Australian visa after he released his single 'Heil Hitler,' a government minister said on Wednesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke revealed Ye has been traveling for years to Australia, where his wife of three years, Bianca Censori, was born. Her family live in Melbourne. Burke said 'Heil Hitler,' released in May, promoted Nazism. The song has been criticized as an antisemitic tribute to German dictator Adolf Hitler. 'He's been coming to Australia for a long time. He's got family here. And he's made a lot of offensive comments that my officials looked at again once he released the 'Heil Hitler' song and he no longer has a valid visa in Australia,' Burke told Australian Broadcasting Corp. 'We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry,' Burke added. Ye's representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Australia's Migration Act sets security and character requirements for non-citizens to enter the country. Australia's largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, have seen a spate of antisemitic attacks since the war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7, 2023.
