安华：拉曼教育基金会免税期恢复10年

2026年7月8日 19:00 / 联合早报

马国首相及财政部长安华星期三（7月8日）批准营运拉曼理工大学的拉曼教育信托基金会免税地位延长为10年，免税项目也包括学费等一切收入。 （马新社）

国民阵线成员马华营运的拉曼教育信托基金会免税期十年变三年事件出现戏剧性回转。首相安华在星期三（7月8日）的内阁会议批准基金会免税期从三年恢复成十年，免税项目也从仅限社会捐款，扩大为学费与租金等所有收入都免税。

马华总会长魏家祥星期天（5日）在柔佛州选举竞选活动谈论此事以后，事件随即成为州选举的重要议题。民主行动党秘书长陆兆福星期二（7日）表明，他将在内阁会议要求安华以财政部长身份恢复基金会的免税期，避免此事继续影响柔州选举。

团结政府发言人法米星期三在内阁会议后发文告宣布，首相兼财政部长安华已批准延长营运拉曼理工大学的拉曼教育信托基金会的免税地位，为期10年。

法米说，内阁审视此课题时，认同拉曼理工大学在提供优质和可负担私立高等教育所扮演的特殊角色。

但法米强调，尽管获准10年免税，拉曼理工大学在免税期间内，仍必须接受合规审查。这包括必须根据《1967年所得税法令》每年提交经审计的财务报表。

陆兆福在内阁会议后告诉《星洲日报》，这次的免税范围是恢复概括拉曼理工大学的所有收入而不限于捐款。

他说，拉曼学院基金多年来的收益都是点滴归公，全体董事也是义务服务而没有领取一分一毫，因此他也向内阁强调，财政部官员应了解这一点，不宜完全照章行事。

他说，拉曼学院基金日后只需像往常般提呈年度审计账目，证明所有收入都是回归本校的教育用途，以便继续维持低廉的学费即可。

陆兆福笑称：“坐在我旁边的副首相兼国阵主席阿末扎希见我在内阁里一直为马华讲话，不断向我说‘谢谢’。”

菲律宾年轻选民对政治乱象失望 对副总统莎拉支持下降

2026年7月8日 19:33 / 联合早报

菲律宾副总统莎拉的弹劾案审判星期三（7月8日）进入第三天，审判庭主席埃斯库德罗（右）和参议院议长张侨伟（左）聚精会神聆听庭审内容。 （法新社）

（马尼拉讯）菲律宾副总统莎拉的弹劾案审判本周正式拉开帷幕。在这场涉及贪腐指控与高层政治斗争的弹劾案中，许多菲律宾年轻人认为他们的核心诉求被边缘化，并对菲律宾根深蒂固的政治乱象失去信心。

《菲律宾每日询问者报》报道，弹劾案不仅关乎莎拉个人的政治前途，更是对菲律宾民主制度及公信力的严峻考验。面对民主倒退、政治世家和强人政治盛行的局面，许多菲律宾年轻人感到失望、沮丧和被忽视。

20岁的大学生、左翼政党并肩党（Akbayan）青年组织副秘书长阿拉内塔说，菲律宾理应拥有恪守正义与问责的体制。但如今许多年轻选民觉得，他们已沦为“政治装饰品”。

“我们感觉，青年群体只是政客们用来粉饰国家拥有充满活力的年轻劳动力的装饰品。真正重要的问题，例如改善教育体系和打破政治家族的垄断，却一直被边缘化。”

在许多年轻选民看来，这场弹劾更像是总统小马可斯和莎拉所代表的政治豪门，即马可斯和杜特尔特两大家族决裂后的权力洗牌。这种充斥着戏剧性冲突的斗争未能解决国家的实际问题，反而加深青年群体对国家政治体制的幻灭。

这种对政治现状的无力感与不满直接反映在莎拉的民意数据中。尽管莎拉目前仍拥有约51%的民意支持率，但她在菲律宾年轻人中的人气已大幅下滑。

根据今年5月的一项调查，在18岁至24岁的年轻群体中，对莎拉的满意度已从此前的49%降至33%，暴跌16个百分点。

莎拉弹劾案考验菲律宾民主

莎拉被指控滥用公款、聚敛不明来源的财富、受贿和贪腐，以及威胁刺杀小马可斯、第一夫人和前众议院议长。若被判有罪，莎拉不仅将被革职，还丧失参加2028年总统选举的资格。

莎拉本人至今并未出席弹劾审判。不过，她星期二（7月7日）中午现身参议院大楼，宣称自己在这场政治恶斗中“虽遍体鳞伤，但绝不屈服”。

菲律宾大学政治学教授弗朗哥说，弹劾案不仅是对莎拉的审判，更是对菲律宾民主制度的考验。“公众迫切需要确保参议院的审判程序在宪法层面上是完全合法且正当的，否则将彻底削弱公众对民主制度的信任。”

人权律师德莱昂则说：“不管最终判决如何，这都将考验杜特尔特家族的政治资本和实力。”

EXCLUSIVE: FBI adds alleged COVID fraudster accused of taking $5M from kids’ meal program to Most Wanted list

July 8, 2026 5:00am EDT / Fox News

FBI says Nur has been on the run since 2022 after allegedly laundering millions in taxpayer dollars meant to feed children

By Jasmine Baehr Fox News

FBI Director Kash Patel announces the first arrest on the “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list. Said Ereg, a Minneapolis man, is accused of stealing over $4.2 million from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota Senate candidate Michele Tafoya emphasizes the need for accountability for fraudulent activities.

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EXCLUSIVE: The FBI is adding Fahad Mohamed Nur to its Most Wanted Fraudsters List, accusing the Minnesota businessman of allegedly stealing more than $5 million that was intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nur has been on the run since 2022 and is wanted for his alleged role in a fraud scheme that exploited Minnesota’s Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the FBI. The bureau alleges he owned a vendor and purported food supplier that received more than $5 million in fraudulent program funds by submitting fake invoices before laundering the proceeds.

The Bureau believes Nur has ties to Somalia and may currently be living there.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to Nur’s arrest and conviction.

OWNER OF DAYCARE IN VIRAL NICK SHIRLEY VIDEO CHARGED IN $4.6M DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME, PROSECUTORS SAY

Fahad Mohamed Nur has been on the run since 2022 and may be in Somalia, according to the FBI.(Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Nur is the latest addition to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List, which officials say has already resulted in the arrests of two fugitives within weeks of its launch.

“Under President Trump’s and Vice President Vance’s leadership with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, the FBI’s historic ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters list’ has already seen tremendous success – with two subjects brought to justice in a matter of weeks, apprehended out of Somalia and the Philippines,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Patel said the early arrests demonstrate that the FBI is aggressively pursuing fugitives accused of stealing from American taxpayers.

FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL

FBI Director Kash Patel conducts a news conference at the Department of Justice on Thursday, December 4, 2025.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Our newest subject – Fahad Mohamed Nur – has been on the run since 2022 for allegedly stealing over $5 million from a child nutrition program in Minnesota.”

Patel added: “Collectively, the Task Force has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, and the rapid success of the Most Wanted Fraudsters List should show all Americans that this FBI will be at the forefront pursuing the worst of the worst who stole from hardworking American taxpayers.”

DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT

Federal agents enter an office building as a search warrant is executed at Ultimate Home Health Services over potential Medicaid fraud, on December 18, 2025 in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States.(Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Federal officials say the investigation is part of a broader government effort targeting pandemic-era fraud.

“The Department’s robust partnership with the FBI and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud has already delivered historic results. That partnership grows even stronger today with the addition of this latest subject to the Most Wanted Fraudsters list,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “President Trump has made it clear: Fraudsters no longer have a safe haven in America. Law enforcement will continue to use every tool at its disposal to bring those who steal from American taxpayers to justice.”

The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance, has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, according to the FBI.

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Anyone with information about Nur’s whereabouts is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, their local FBI office, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Jasmine Baehr is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital, where she covers politics, the military, legal debates surrounding life and family policy, as well as faith and culture.

嫌犯将毒品抛海灭证 吉打关税局起获57万元冰毒

2026年7月8日 19:42 / 新明日报

马来西亚吉打州关税局局长旺玛丽妮（中）星期三（7月8日）在记者会上展示执法人员查获的35.95公斤冰毒。 （马新社）

（双溪大年综合讯）马来西亚吉打州关税局海事执法组破获一起跨国毒品走私案。两名毒贩企图利用渔船走私价值约180万令吉（约57万新元）的冰毒，不料遇上执法人员巡逻，情急之下将装有毒品的两个行李箱及一个背包抛入海后逃逸。

执法人员捞起行李箱及背包后，发现里面装有35.95公斤的冰毒。这是关税局近期在北马海域起获最多毒品的一次。

吉打关税局局长旺玛丽妮星期三（7月8日）在双溪大年分局召开记者会指出，6月14日晚上约7时，班茶海上执法组巡逻艇进行例行巡逻时，在铅县蛋岛海域发现一艘可疑渔船，正快速驶离马国海域。

她说：“执法人员立即靠近并示意对方停船接受检查，不料船上两名男子竟将两个行李箱及一个背包抛入海中并加速逃逸。我们的巡逻艇全力追截，但目标船只最终逃离马来西亚海域。”

嫌犯将装有毒品的行李箱和背包抛入海中企图毁灭证据，但被执法人员成功捞起。（马新社）

关税局执法人员随后捞起有关行李箱及背包，并搜出35个压缩塑料包裹，里头装的疑是高纯度冰毒。这批冰毒重35.95公斤，市值约179万6000令吉。

关税局正在追查涉案船只的信息及两名在逃嫌犯的身份，也在调查此案是否涉及跨境犯罪团伙。

旺玛丽妮说：“初步调查显示，涉案船只是一艘没有注册号码的马来西亚渔船。嫌犯当时据信是准备通过海路把这批毒品运往邻国。”

当局援引《1952年危险毒品法令》调查此案。嫌犯一旦落网及被控，将面对死刑或终身监禁，以及至少12下鞭刑。

霹雳州陆交局局长尤索夫（右）星期三（7月8日）在宜力率队针对商用重型车辆展开缉毒行动，严防司机因吸毒而导致车祸。（马新社）

另一方面，霹雳州陆路交通局联合国家反毒机构和警方等多个执法机构，7月1日起展开商用车辆联合缉毒行动。

霹雳陆交局局长尤索夫星期三召开记者会说，截至当天，当局共筛查153名商用车辆司机，其中39人的尿检对毒品呈阳性反应，占比25.5%。

他说，这些司机当中大部分是罗厘司机，只有一人是公共巴士司机；涉及的毒品包括哥冬叶、冰毒、吗啡和大麻。

Trump demands end to trade with key US ally, calls it a ‘wasted cause’

July 8, 2026 6:13am EDT / Fox News

Spain also blocked US use of Rota and Morón bases during Operation Epic Fury strikes against Iran

By Morgan Phillips Fox News

President Donald Trump called Spain a “wasted cause” at the NATO summit and said he wants the U.S. to end trade with the ally over its refusal to meet the alliance’s new defense spending target.

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President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to end U.S. trade with Spain after criticizing the NATO ally for refusing to commit to the alliance’s new defense spending target.

Speaking during the NATO summit, Trump repeatedly singled out Spain, calling the country a “wasted cause” and urging an end to trade with one of America’s European allies.

“Spain is a wasted cause,” Trump said. “We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore, by the way.”

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Trump went further, saying, “Cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits.”

President Donald Trump stands next to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as NATO leaders gather for a family photo at a NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026.(Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)

MOST TRUMP SUPPORTERS STILL BACK NATO DESPITE YEARS OF TRUMP’S CRITICISM, NEW POLL FINDS

The president’s comments came after NATO leaders backed a new defense spending benchmark calling on allies to invest 5% of gross domestic product in defense and defense-related expenditures. Spain was the lone member of the alliance to publicly reject committing to the full target, instead negotiating flexibility in how it will meet NATO capability goals.

Trump argued Spain has benefited from the alliance while failing to contribute its fair share.

“They don’t participate, they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain,” Trump said.

He later added, “I don’t want to do any more trade with him. All right? Take it immediately. Don’t even talk to them.”

Trump also predicted Spain would eventually seek to restore trade ties with the United States.

Acting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who, until recently, held the office outright, applauds at the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023.(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

TRUMP’S PERSONAL FEUDS WITH ALLIES FROM ITALY TO ISRAEL REVEAL HOW PERSONALITY DRIVES HIS FOREIGN POLICY

“They’re hostile about it, and let’s see how hostile they remain when they call up and they, ‘Please, please, we want to trade with you, sir,’” Trump said. “They make so much money with us, and we’re going to see that they make a lot less. I want no business with them.”

The remarks represent an escalation of Trump’s longstanding criticism of NATO allies that spend less on defense.

Throughout both of his administrations, Trump has argued that countries failing to meet alliance spending commitments unfairly rely on the United States for their security.

Any effort to significantly restrict trade with Spain, however, could present legal and diplomatic hurdles. Spain is a member of the European Union, which negotiates trade policy as a customs union rather than through separate bilateral trade agreements with individual member states.

It was not immediately clear whether Trump was announcing a formal policy or expressing his frustration with Spain’s position on NATO spending. The White House had not immediately provided details on whether the administration is considering trade restrictions targeting Spain.

Earlier in 2026, Sánchez condemned the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran as an “extraordinary mistake” and called for de-escalation, while Spain refused to allow the U.S. to use the jointly operated Rota Naval Base and Morón Air Base to support offensive operations against Iran under Operation Epic Fury.(Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael C. Barton/Navy)

The U.S. and Spain maintain a significant trading relationship.

The two countries traded roughly $47 billion in goods in 2025, with the United States exporting about $26 billion worth of goods to Spain and importing about $21 billion from Spain, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Spain exports pharmaceuticals, machinery, chemicals, food products and vehicles to the U.S., while the United States exports energy products, machinery, aerospace equipment and chemicals to Spain.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Spanish embassy for comment.

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Trump’s criticism of Spain also comes after months of growing friction between Washington and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over national security and foreign policy.

Earlier in 2026, Sánchez condemned the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran as an “extraordinary mistake” and called for de-escalation, while Spain refused to allow the U.S. to use the jointly operated Rota Naval Base and Morón Air Base to support offensive operations against Iran under Operation Epic Fury.

Spanish officials argued the strikes lacked international legal backing and said the bases could not be used for unilateral military action.

开工即遇车祸 德士与脚踏车相撞男骑士受伤送院

2026年7月8日 19:43 / 新明日报 姚进顺

德士右后方的车道上倒放着一辆脚踏车，车身已经扭曲变形。涉事德士司机（长袖者）事发留在场协助警方调查。 （梁麒麟摄）

德士司机刚开工不久，岂料在宏茂桥一个路口右转时，撞伤一名骑脚踏车过马路的男子。

这起车祸发生于星期三（7月8日）下午3时25分，地点在宏茂桥10道与宏茂桥1道的交界处。

《联合早报》摄影记者抵达时，警方已在事发路段周边放置安全锥，以警示过往车辆。现场停有一辆警车和一辆救护车，三名交通指挥员正协助疏导交通。

现场画面显示，涉事车辆为一辆黄色康福德高德士，其右后方路面上倒着一辆已严重扭曲变形的脚踏车。

七旬黄姓德士司机受访时说，当时他刚开工，正从宏茂桥10道右转进入宏茂桥1道。由于右侧路段正在进行道路工程，他右转时车身较靠左侧行驶。不料，一名男子突然骑着脚踏车从其左方横穿马路，他来不及反应，导致德士与脚踏车相撞。

司机：车速仅10公里 不确定对方是否违规

黄先生透露，脚踏车骑士看似50多岁，但他并不确定对方当时是否违规过马路。他补充说：“我当时车速仅约10公里，若再快些，骑士恐怕会被撞飞。”

伤者头部已缠上绷带，之后送往陈笃生医院接受治疗。（梁麒麟摄）

据了解，附近建筑工地的工人在事发后协助叫救护车，德士司机也在一旁帮忙照顾伤者。伤者随后被送上救护车，当时他的头部已缠上绷带。

新加坡民防部队答复《联合早报》询问时证实，民防人员过后将伤者送往陈笃生医院接受治疗。

新加坡警察部队受询时说，一名56岁男脚踏车骑士在清醒状态下送院。一名71岁男德士司机在协助调查，警方的调查正在进行中。

《联合早报》正在向康福德高了解更多详情。

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What happens next if Platner drops out? Here’s who could replace him on the ballot and how it would work

Nirav Shah, Sara Gideon and David Costello are among those weighing a challenge to Republican incumbent Susan Collins

July 8, 2026 6:00am EDT / Fox News

By Andrew Mark Miller, Paul Steinhauser

Democratic leaders and strategists are pressuring Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner to exit the race amid severe sexual assault allegations reported by Politico.

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Several Democrats are speculated to be options to replace Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner on the ballot if he ends his campaign, which many expect him to do following an ex-girlfriend’s allegation of rape on Monday.

Under Maine law, if Platner formally withdraws as the Democratic nominee by 5 p.m. on July 13, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.

A handful of Democrats in the state are being discussed as viable options to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Platner’s campaign, the New York Post reported, is deliberating about potentially dropping out, but that any potential replacement would need to align with the same political platform as Platner.

GRAHAM PLATNER’S CHANCES OF DROPPING OUT SKYROCKET TO 94% AFTER PARTY REVOLT: KALSHI

U.S. senatorial candidate from Maine Graham Platner speaks at a town hall at the Leavitt Theater on Oct. 22, 2025, in Ogunquit, Maine.(Sophie Park/Getty Images)

Troy Jackson

Former state Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson is a name circulating on social media as someone who could potentially jump into the race a month after his failed primary bid for governor.

“This is something I never considered, but if Graham’s stepping away, I am very, very interested and think I’m the best person to replace him,” Jackson told the Bangor Daily News on Monday.

Jackson, who, like Platner, is backed by Vermont independent Senator Bernie Sanders, came in third in the Democratic gubernatorial primary last month.

On Tuesday, the Bangor Daily News reported that Jackson filed paperwork to explore a Senate run, the first potential candidate to do so.

FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, participates in a news conference in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

Jared Golden

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who represents Maine’s right-leaning and mostly rural 2nd Congressional District since first winning election to the U.S. House in 2018, passed on launching a Senate run last year.

Golden, a Marine veteran who served in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, also decided against seeking re-election and is retiring from Congress when his term ends at the beginning of next year.

Golden, a moderate, has often been at odds with his party leadership over policy.

On Tuesday evening, a Golden spokesperson distanced the congressman from speculation he would run for the seat.

Angus King III

The 56-year-old son of Sen. Angus King and 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidate who finished at the bottom of the pack in the single digits in last month’s primary is considering a bid for the Senate if Platner exits the race.

In a statement to News Center Maine, King said: “Right now, I’m taking time to reflect, spend time with my family, and think carefully about how I can make the greatest contribution to the state I love. I’ve never been motivated by holding office. If I decide to run again in any capacity, it will be because I believe I have something meaningful to offer and because it’s the right way to help Maine move forward—not because of the office itself.”

Janet Mills

Mills, the current Democratic governor of the state until her term expires in January, suspended her Senate campaign in April citing anemic fundraising after jumping into the race in October 2025 with the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The 78-year-old governor remained on the ballot in the June primary and received 19.2% of the vote compared to Platner’s 72.1%.

EXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE

Democrat Gov. Janet Mills is term limited in 2026, leading to a crowded field of gubernatorial hopefuls.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Shenna Bellows

Attention is also focused on Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who was a leading contender in the gubernatorial primary.

Bellows, the first woman to serve as Maine’s secretary of state, grabbed national attention during the 2024 election cycle for attempting to remove President Donald Trump from the state’s ballot.

“While Graham ignited a powerful movement to challenge the status quo, given the seriousness of the allegations, he needs to step down,” Bellows said of Platner in a social media post Monday.

Sara Gideon

Former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon was the Democratic Senate nominee in the 2020 election.

Polls indicated Gideon leading longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins, but Gideon ended up losing to the incumbent by nine points.

Paige Loud

Loud, a social worker, finished fourth out of four candidates in the Democratic primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District earlier this year, finishing with 10% of the vote.

“Paige has filed as a Senate candidate for the 2026 midterm in light of the Platner situation,” a spokesperson for Loud said on Tuesday. “In the event Platner drops out, Paige is being proactive in keeping options open for supporters across the state who have voiced a desire for a woman to be considered as the nominee.”

Nirav Shah

Dr. Nirav Shah, who came second in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, is also being looked at as a potential Platner replacement.

Shah served as director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to early 2023 and steered the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He later served as principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during former President Joe Biden’s administration.

“In the past 24 hours, my team and I have received hundreds of encouraging messages, as Graham Platner signaled he will withdraw from Maine’s U.S. Senate race,” Shah said in a statement Tuesday.

He added that he has been having conversations and evaluating “whether I should enter the Senate race.”

Shah, who is viewed as more moderate than Platner, emphasized, “I’m not an establishment politician, and I’m not an insider.”

Dr. Nirav D. Shah, then-director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks during a press conference about COVID-19 at Maine Emergency Management Agency in Augusta.(Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

Jordan Wood

Wood, who served as chief of staff to then-Rep. Katie Porter of California, last year launched a bid for the Senate in Maine. But as Platner’s political star started to rise, Wood switched his bid to the U.S. House in the race in the state’s 2nd Congressional District to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden.

Wood, who vowed to take on the establishment and battle corruption, ended up finishing third in last month’s Democratic primary.

“I am continuing conversations with voters across Maine if I should enter an open Senate race,” Wood wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. “If my fellow Maine Democrats decide through an open and democratic process that I am the best candidate to defeat Susan Collins, I would be humbled by your trust.”

David Costello

Former Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment David Costello was the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine in the 2024 election, coming in a distant third to incumbent independent Sen. Angus King.

Costello ran a second straight cycle, coming in a distant third to Platner in last month’s Democratic Senate primary.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Costello wrote, “I’m back in, if Graham Platner withdraws,” and he touted that he believes he’s “the best candidate to defeat Susan Collins.”

Dan Kleban

Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban is also considered a potential candidate. A source in Kleban’s camp said the former candidate has been receiving calls and encouragement to run again.

State law does not require a new primary election or specify how the replacement must be chosen, leaving the process to the Maine Democratic Party’s internal rules. Party leaders said in a Monday press release that they intend to use an open and inclusive process, though they have not yet announced exactly how a replacement would be selected.

Late Tuesday night, the Maine Democrats X account posted a video reacting to the situation.

“As you know, the Maine Democratic Party has been working around the clock and we are committed to ensuring that Democrats across Maine have a voice in the process,” Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said.

“Unfortunately, Graham Platner’s team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. We have also reiterated that the focus in Maine can now focus on defeating Susan Collins this November as soon as Graham Platner formally withdraws from this race.”

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6400459324112

香港独立书店营业近30年首次未获准参展 将于明年熄灯

2026年7月8日 19:45 / 联合早报

香港榆林书店于去年7月中旬参加香港书展，图为榆林书店的展位。 （榆林书店脸书）

香港一家独立书店自1997年营业以来，首次未获资格参加香港书展，将于明年租约到期后结业。

位于旺角的榆林书店星期三（7月8日）在脸书发文，称营业29年至今，过去每年都会参加一年一度的香港书展，“惜今年未能如期入场”。

贴文称明年4月租约期满，榆林书店将“光荣结束”门市。如今新书已陆续运抵门市，现正进行减价促销。

对于结业是否因遭拒参加书展所致，书店负责人回复《明报》询问时表示，除网上公布内容外暂不回应其他事情。

香港书展将于7月中举行。据《明报》了解，除榆林书店外，连续多年参展的旺角乐文书店也遭香港特区贸易发展局取消资格，今年未能参展。乐文书店日前也在脸书宣布推出“48年大减价”活动。

贸发局应询时则称，不针对个别个案作出回应。

Telegram chats used by men to share rape videos and drugging tips, German prosecutors say

2026-07-08 06:21:35 EDT / CBS News

They called themselves the “German driving school for experts,” but prosecutors say the true purpose of their Telegram chats was to brag about the women they raped and share tips about how to drug them.

In posts that sometimes included photos and videos of their attacks on unconscious victims, they referred to women as “cars,” sedatives as “fuel” and rape as “driving,” according to court documents. They called their victims “dead pigs.”

Investigators have been poring through several years’ worth of posts in roughly two dozen group chats on the popular messaging app that authorities believe served an online predator network of mainly Chinese men targeting mostly Chinese women in Germany. Their investigation has led to the convictions of three alleged inner circle members on rape and other charges, and the ongoing trial of a fourth man in Berlin.

“The perpetrators were characterized by a particular ruthlessness, an objectification of the victims, and the perfidious planning of their crimes,” Frankfurt chief prosecutor Dominik Mies told The Associated Press.

Major details of the investigation remain unknown, at least to the public, including how many attacks and perpetrators have been linked to the German Telegram chats and how the chats, some of which reportedly had tens of thousands of members, could have operated for so long. It’s also unclear if the chats are linked to a ballooning investigation in Europe and the Americas into drug-facilitated sexual assaults by misogynist online communities.

Chinese community rallies to support the victims

Under German privacy laws, prosecutors are limited in what they can say outside the courtroom, documents are restricted and, in the ongoing case in Berlin, members of the public have been forced to leave the courtroom during parts of the trial.

This may be why the investigation into the Telegram group has garnered less attention in Germany than might be expected. But members of the country’s Chinese community, mostly women, have been attending court proceedings to show support for the victims even if they don’t know them.

“What makes one really angry is to see that such groups hate women, they have no respect,” said Fu Xiao, who traveled roughly 500 kilometers (310 miles) to Berlin last week to attend the trial. “Women aren’t seen as people.”

The defendant covers his face as he arrives for a trial against a network of mostly Chinese men, organized in chat groups to advise one another on how to drug and rape mostly Chinese women, in Munich, Germany, Feb. 2, 2026. Malin Wunderlich/dpa via AP

In China, state media has covered the cases comprehensively, but wider discussion about the prosecutions on Chinese-language social media like Rednote has been partially censored. Certain tags have been more likely to get a post deleted or banned on Rednote, screenshots and searches show. But posts using less direct language have survived the censors, including ones that refer to “date rape” or the euphemistic “students studying abroad in Germany.”

China’s Ministry of Public Security and Rednote didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Cases echo a landmark French trial

The German cases have drawn comparisons to the attacks on Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman who, over the course of nearly a decade, was repeatedly drugged and raped by her then-husband and strangers he invited to their home. The trial – and Pelicot’s decision to waive her anonymity – prompted a reckoning over rape culture in France and beyond.

“Pelicot is not an isolated case,” Judge Markus Koppenleitner said during a hearing in Munich for one of the Chinese men convicted in the German investigation. “This is not a Chinese or French phenomenon, but one that also exists in Germany and, ultimately, worldwide.”

Similar cases to the “German driving school” investigation have been popping up around the globe. Although authorities haven’t publicly linked them to the German prosecutions, some investigators have cited tips from German authorities and journalists as crucial to their progress.

In Los Angeles, German investigators last year reached out to police about a potential suspect in drug-facilitated sexual assaults. The defendant, a graduate student from China, is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting three women in LA after he allegedly procured the drugs from a Chinese national in Germany.

In the Netherlands last month, police arrested four men suspected of drugging and sexually abusing women after hearing from authorities in Germany and the U.K. Dutch police said the alleged perpetrators used social media chat groups to disseminate videos showing the abuse and discuss how to drug victims.

And Europol, the European Union’s police agency, last week announced “Project Medusa,” an international operation designed to dismantle online networks that promote drug-facilitated sexual assaults. Law enforcement from Germany and the U.K. are leading the operation, which has already netted 57 arrests.

Cases raise questions about Telegram

The German predator network managed to thrive despite clear violations of Telegram’s terms of service, again raising questions about how the platform has been used for criminal activity.

In 2024, the app’s founder was arrested in Paris over allegations that the platform was being used for illicit activity, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images. He denied wrongdoing, blaming surging numbers of Telegram users that he said “caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.” The investigation is ongoing.

“Sexual violence is explicitly forbidden by Telegram’s terms of service and such content is routinely removed,” the company said in a statement. “Telegram fulfils all of its legal obligations in relation to such harmful content, including everything set out by” the European Union’s Digital Services Act.

The company didn’t respond to questions about the German cases, including how photos, videos and comments about sexual crimes were posted for years in the app, whether Telegram was aware of the activity and what, if anything, it did to alert the authorities.

Some of the German Telegram chats date back to at least 2020, court documents show. Attorney Magdalena Gebhard, who represented a victim in a previous Berlin trial that led to a conviction, said there was an inner circle of eight perpetrators but that some of the chat groups had up to 50,000 members.

Police only became aware of the network in 2024 after a man in Frankfurt, referred to by German courts as Dapeng Z., changed his tactics from drugging and sexually abusing female acquaintances to targeting strangers he met online, according to prosecutors.

German police arrested Dapeng Z., whom German and Chinese media have reported is the group’s ringleader, in 2024 in cooperation with Chinese law enforcement, according to the Chinese consulate in Frankfurt and the Beijing News, a state-run media outlet.

He was sentenced in February to 14 years in prison for aggravated rape, attempted murder and other offenses, though he has appealed. His attorneys didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Although authorities haven’t publicly said how many women were victimized by the “driving school” network, they have said their investigation is ongoing, meaning there could be further arrests and additional victims. Gebhard’s client, for example, only learned she had been sexually assaulted after investigators discovered video footage.

Another verdict is expected

On Wednesday, defendant Zhiting S. is set to receive his verdict and potential sentence in Berlin. He is believed to be part of the group’s inner circle, German and Chinese state media reported. He was charged with sexual assault and other counts.

Prosecutors say he provided instructions, using previous medical training, to a Telegram group about which drugs could be used to sedate women before sexually assaulting them. They say at least one person followed his advice before an attack in Frankfurt.

Zhiting S. was also accused by German authorities of repeatedly sexually abusing a woman in China and sharing images of the assault online.

Defense attorney Ehssan Khazaeli said his client has admitted being part of a chat group but did not offer any significant advice. He said several of the accusations had been dropped, including possession of child abuse material and being an accessory to bodily harm.