Latest news with #PublicSafetyDepartment
The South African
21-06-2025
- The South African
City Power cuts supply to property housing undocumented migrants
City Power, with support from Johannesburg's Public Safety Department, disconnected electricity at a residential property in Houghton following the discovery of illegal and hazardous living arrangements. On Wednesday, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) raided the house and found about 90 undocumented foreign nationals crammed into the premises. Also, the authorities cited severe overcrowding, poor sanitation, and non-compliance with municipal by-laws. The living conditions raised alarm over safety, public health, and the unlawful use of City services. City Power swiftly disconnected the building's electricity through a high-level intervention. 'In line with City Power's mandate to uphold the integrity of the electricity grid and ensure lawful consumption, our team removed the feeder cable supplying the property and the internal cables within the yard,' said spokesperson Isaac Mangena. Furthermore, he confirmed that this action, known as a Level 3 disconnection, is the most severe cut-off used only in serious electricity infrastructure abuse or illegal connections. The operation forms part of a campaign to clamp down on hijacked or illegally occupied properties in Johannesburg. Additionally, City Power continues to work with other departments to reclaim urban spaces and enforce safety regulations. 'We continue to support interdepartmental operations that aim to reclaim hijacked and unsafe buildings across Johannesburg, safeguarding residents and ensuring responsible use of municipal services,' Mangena added. The disconnection signals the city's commitment to preventing resource misuse and protecting residents from unsafe environments. City Power urges the public to report suspicious electricity connections and illegal activity through the toll-free number 0800 002 587. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
19-06-2025
- The South African
90 undocumented foreigners found illegally living in Joburg home
Authorities in Johannesburg have arrested a rent collector and uncovered an illegal settlement of undocumented foreign nationals living in squalid conditions in the upmarket suburb of Houghton. The City of Johannesburg's Public Safety Department and JMPD raided a house in Houghton on Wednesday, 18 June. Inside, they found 90 undocumented foreigners living in overcrowded conditions, with the space crudely divided by curtains. Public Safety MMC Dr Mgcini Tshwaku said another undocumented migrant collected rent from the occupants, who were mostly foreign nationals without legal documentation. That individual, in turn, reported to a third party a white male who remains under investigation. Police arrested the undocumented rent collector after they found him hiding in overgrown grass behind the property. He remains in custody and faces questioning about his role in the illegal occupation and possible links to those running the operation. 'This discovery highlights the organised and concealed nature of illegal settlements facilitated by undocumented individuals exploiting others,' Tshwaku said. Law enforcement officers searched the premises for signs of human trafficking or narcotics but found no such evidence. Authorities confirmed the main violations related to immigration offences and unauthorised occupation of private property. Officials have now marked the building for closure. The JMPD will monitor the site to prevent reoccupation as the city finalises legal steps. Authorities expect to deport most of the 90 undocumented individuals or hold them for further legal proceedings. Dr Tshwaku called on residents to remain vigilant and report illegal settlements and bylaw violations. 'Tip-offs about unlawful property use and undocumented occupants are essential to maintaining law and order in our city,' he said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Global News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Halting CSIS operation put team in unnecessary danger: report
A new spy watchdog report says an overseas Canadian Security Intelligence Service operation was suddenly halted by government officials, 'creating unnecessary danger for the CSIS team' and raising questions about ministerial accountability. The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency found no written records indicating the decision to suspend the operation had been made by the CSIS director or the minister of public safety. The review agency says that unlike typical operational matters, the case involved senior political-level actors from across the federal government. The heavily redacted review agency report provides few clues about the actors in question or the nature of the overseas CSIS operation. However, it says the decision to halt the activities abroad in mid-operation caused harm to Canada's reputation, needlessly placed spies in danger and 'raises serious concerns regarding CSIS's accountability mechanisms.' Story continues below advertisement In September 2022, the episode prompted Marco Mendicino, the public safety minister at the time, to ask the review agency to look at whether CSIS and the Public Safety Department were effectively supporting ministerial responsibility. 2:11 CSIS watchdog flags 'gaps' in flow of information Ultimately the sensitive operation in question was allowed to proceed after a delay. But the review reveals that senior CSIS officials had difficulty grappling with its temporary suspension. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy At one point the CSIS director sent an email to senior officials within key security and intelligence portfolios stating, 'time is quickly running out and the situation is getting much more tense on the ground. We need a decision tomorrow.' The report indicates there was also uncertainty over who had authority to resume the operation. The review agency found that CSIS and the Public Safety Department failed in their responsibilities to 'provide timely and accurate information' to the public safety minister about elements of the operation. Story continues below advertisement The report concludes the system of ministerial accountability for CSIS 'is in need of serious attention.' Building a stronger system now will help prepare for future operations and reduce the likelihood of a repeat of past confusion and risk, the report adds. It recommends that when a decision affecting an active CSIS operation is not made by the spy service's director or delegates, it must come as a direction from the public safety minister and should be accompanied by a written record. It also urges the public safety minister to ensure the deputy minister obtains any information required to fulfil their responsibility to provide independent advice to the minister about CSIS activities and operations.
New York Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Jill Sobule, Singer of ‘Supermodel' and ‘I Kissed a Girl,' Dies in a House Fire
Jill Sobule, the singer and songwriter whose hit 'Supermodel' and gay anthem 'I Kissed a Girl' were followed by three decades of touring, advocacy and a one-woman musical, died on Thursday morning in a house fire in Woodbury, Minn., according to her publicist. She was 66. The Public Safety Department in Woodbury, a Minneapolis suburb, said that firefighters had responded at 5:30 a.m. to a house that was engulfed in flames. The homeowners said one person was possibly still inside. Firefighters found the body of a woman in her 60s inside the house, the department said. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Ms. Sobule was scheduled to perform songs from her one-woman musical, 'F*ck7thGrade,' on Friday at the Swallow Hill Music venue in her hometown, Denver, according to her publicist. She was staying with friends in Minnesota while she rehearsed for the musical, the publicist said. A free, informal gathering will be held in Ms. Sobule's honor instead. On her 1995 self-titled album, Ms. Sobule, who was bisexual, featured 'I Kissed a Girl,' which tells the story of a woman kissing her female friend. The song came out when it was 'dicey' to be a queer musician, Ms. Sobule recalled. But it broke into the mainstream, making its way onto the Billboard charts. 'Supermodel,' a rebellious rock song from the same album, was included on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy 'Clueless' and further cemented Ms. Sobule's popularity. 'People call me a one-hit wonder,' Ms. Sobule said in a 2022 interview with The New York Times. 'And I say, 'Wait a second, I'm a two-hit wonder!'' Her next albums — genreless and creative — did not reach the same level of mainstream success, but they received positive reviews from critics and fans. 'Now she sings about dumb boyfriends, weight-obsessed women, Alzheimer's disease and the failings of a long list of celebrated people,' The Times wrote in 2000. 'With a wicked wit and pliant facility for candor, Ms. Sobule is an artist whose talent goes well beyond whom she kisses.' Ms. Sobule was born in Denver. Additional information about her family could not be immediately confirmed. She joked that growing up, her only queer role models had been Miss Jane Hathaway from 'The Beverly Hillbillies' and her gym teacher, 'who looked like Pete Rose.' Decades later, she sang about her frustrations in middle school in her musical. She described being called a homophobic slur, feeling out of place among the other girls and having an unrequited crush on a girl. In eighth grade, her guitar talents began to show, and she eventually dropped out of school to focus on being a musician. Her recording career began in 1990, when she released the album 'Things Here Are Different.' Radios played its single, 'Too Cool to Fall in Love.' In 1995, her self-titled album catapulted her career to greater heights. 'I Kissed a Girl' made its way back into headlines again in 2008, when Katy Perry released a song with the same name. In an interview, Ms. Sobule later recalled being 'jealous' when Ms. Perry used the title. A complete list of survivors was not immediately available. In addition to performing, she was outspoken about a variety of political and cultural topics, including the death penalty, anorexia, reproduction, the French Resistance and L.G.B.T.Q. issues. 'She literally created a path for queer people and women in music,' Sarah Kate Ellis, the president of GLAAD, an L.G.B.T.Q. advocacy group, said in a statement. In her 2022 interview with The New York Times about her musical, Ms. Sobule reinforced that her goal was to reach a broad audience of people who felt like outcasts. 'We wanted to make sure that the show wasn't just for people interested in my career because most people could give a [expletive],' she said. 'I'm not that famous. It's kind of this universal story of a weirdo growing up.'
New York Times
30-04-2025
- Climate
- New York Times
At Least 4 Die in Pennsylvania as Storm Leaves 400,000 Without Power
At least four people were killed in Pennsylvania on Tuesday and hundreds of thousands of customers were without power after severe weather that had torn across the High Plains and Upper Midwest earlier this week pushed into the Northeast and Canada. A man in Pittsburgh was killed after being electrocuted by live wires, according to the city's Public Safety Department. The man, whose name was not immediately released, was pronounced dead at the scene. Another resident, Raymond Gordon, 67, was returning to his home when he was fatally hit by a tree after it blew over, according to the Ross Township Police Department near Pittsburgh. In Centre County, Pa., a 22-year-old man was also killed after being electrocuted while trying to put out a mulch fire during the severe weather, the State College Police Department said in a statement. In Greene County, Pa., a passenger in a car was killed when a tree fell on top of it, the Pennsylvania State Police said in its statement about weather-related calls. The passenger, Andrew Celaschi, was struck by a falling tree that was blown over by high winds, the authorities said. The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh said on Wednesday that it had crews in Wilkinsburg, a borough in Allegheny County, Pa., looking for potential tornado damage from Tuesday's severe weather. The service reported that 'a large swath of destructive wind damage' was seen across the area as storms rolled through on Tuesday evening, with gusts as high as 90 mile per hour. The service added that the storms were 'stronger than many of the smaller' tornadoes that the meteorologists 'typically see in this region, but for a much, much wider area.' More than 400,000 customers in Pennsylvania were without power as of Wednesday afternoon, according to which tracks outages nationwide. Duquesne Light Company said that it was working to restore power to customers without service and that some customers could be without service for about five to seven days. The company was requesting assistance from utility partners. The company said that the heavy winds had knocked down trees, broken utility poles and prompted more than 20,000 separate reports of hazards. Officials in Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, encouraged residents to stay home as crews with chain saws worked to remove down trees and clear debris from roads on Wednesday. The same system also rolled through southern Quebec in Canada on Tuesday evening, where a teenage boy was in critical condition in Montreal after a tree toppled and pinned him, according to In Quebec, about 49,000 customers were without power on Wednesday afternoon, according The outages came amid severe weather with thunderstorms that whipped up winds and unleashed hail as large as Ping Pong balls. As of Wednesday, a total of 14 tornadoes had been confirmed in a handful of states, with most of those occurring in Wisconsin on Monday, and others reported in Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma and Utah. 'In terms of the overall coverage of tornadoes, it was certainly not as many as it could have been,' said Nathan Wendt, a meteorologist with the Storm Prediction Center at the Weather Service. By Wednesday afternoon, the storm activity had pushed offshore. 'It should be quiet in the Northeast today,' Mr. Wendt said.
