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Humanitarian Aid on Trial in Greece

  File photo: Migrants from Afghanistan is towed by rescuers of the Refugee Rescue NGO, on the island of Lesbos, Greece. Twenty-four humanitarian aid workers have gone on trial in Greece, facing felony charges of migrant smuggling, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization . The case, unfolding on the island of Lesbos, targets former volunteers of the now-defunct NGO Emergency Response Centre International (ERCI) , which operated search-and-rescue missions between 2016 and 2018. Among the defendants are Sarah Mardini , a Syrian refugee and professional swimmer whose story inspired the Netflix film The Swimmers , and Seán Binder , a German-Irish rescue diver. Both were arrested in 2018 for their involvement in helping migrants and refugees arriving by sea from Turkey. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison . Greek prosecutors allege that the group facilitated illegal entry into the country by monitoring coastguard communications and relaying ...
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BC Conservatives in Turmoil as Rustad Defies Ouster

 

            John Rustad addresses media on Oct. 29, 2024, the day after losing the provincial election.

The British Columbia Conservative Party is facing a dramatic internal crisis after announcing that leader John Rustad has been removed from his position. Despite the party’s declaration, Rustad has flatly refused to step aside, insisting he remains the legitimate leader.

On Wednesday, 20 of the party’s 39 MLAs signed a letter declaring they had lost confidence in Rustad’s leadership, triggering a motion by the party’s board to certify him as “professionally incapacitated” and appoint Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford as interim leader. Party president Aisha Estey confirmed the authenticity of the caucus revolt, which was delivered through legal counsel.

Rustad, however, rejected the move both publicly and on social media, stating: “I have not resigned, I have not been removed, and I am not going anywhere.” He argued that the process used to oust him was flawed and claimed there is no mechanism for MLAs to force him out.

Political analysts warn that Rustad’s refusal to step down could render the party “ungovernable”, as the split between Rustad loyalists and the majority of caucus members deepens. The standoff comes just over a year after the Conservatives surged to Official Opposition status in the provincial legislature, positioning themselves as a major force against the governing NDP.

The dispute leaves the party in a precarious position, with questions about who truly holds authority and whether the Conservatives can maintain unity heading into future legislative battles. For now, the BC Conservatives are caught in a leadership limbo, with Rustad clinging to power while much of his caucus insists his time is over.

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