US Department of Justice formally moves to drop Halkbank case

2026-06-11T02:40:48.816Z / reuters.com

File Photo: People walk past by a branch of Halkbank in central Istanbul, Turkey, October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir/File Photo/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary
• Companies

• U.S. DOJ asks judge to dismiss criminal case against Halkbank
• Halkbank charged during Trump’s first term with helping Iran
• Halkbank did not admit criminal wrongdoing

NEW YORK, June 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice ​formally asked a federal judge on Wednesday to dismiss its criminal case against Halkbank

(HALKB.IS), opens new tab
, saying it ‌has no intention of prosecuting the Turkish state-run lender.

A lawyer for Halkbank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Wednesday’s announcement came after Halkbank and the U.S. federal government agreed in March to end the long-running criminal case. That agreement promised ​to relieve a lingering irritant in relations between NATO allies Turkey and the U.S. The settlement sent ​Halkbank’s shares soaring on the Istanbul stock exchange.

Halkbank was charged during Trump’s first term in ⁠office with helping Iran evade American economic sanctions. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once called the case unlawful ​and “ugly.” But the countries are now experiencing their warmest ties in decades since Trump’s return to the presidency last ​year.

The Justice Department has said dropping the prosecution would further the U.S. interest in curbing support for Iran. The agreement bars Halkbank from entering transactions that benefit Iran and requires a monitor to review Halkbank’s sanctions and anti-money-laundering compliance.

No money changes hands in ​the agreement and the bank did not admit criminal wrongdoing. Halkbank had pleaded not guilty in the case.

After ​the deal was announced, Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Richard Berman paused the case for 90 days to allow Halkbank to demonstrate compliance ‌with ⁠its terms. Halkbank hired Ernst & Young to review its compliance policies.

In a court filing on Wednesday after the end of that 90-day period, prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office said the review did not identify any areas of noncompliance by Halkbank and it asked Berman to sign off on their motion to dismiss the case.

The case ​has taken a circuitous path ​through the U.S. courts.

The U.S. ⁠Supreme Court in October let stand a lower court’s decision that allowed the prosecution to proceed. Halkbank had argued that as a Turkish state-owned entity, it should be ​immune from legal actions in foreign courts.

The settlement was announced after the U.S.-Israeli war ​on Iran began ⁠in February.

U.S. prosecutors had accused Halkbank of secretly transferring $20 billion of restricted funds, converting oil revenue into gold and cash to benefit Iranian interests and documenting fake food shipments to justify transfers of oil proceeds.

After Erdogan and Trump met ⁠last year, ​the Turkish president expressed hope for a resolution of the Halkbank ​matter. Erdogan said in October that Trump told him during a September meeting at the White House and in a subsequent phone call ​that “the Halkbank problem is finished for us.”

Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

涉为中国收集情报 美查封13个网站域名

2026年6月11日 08:21 / 联合早报

涉为中国收集情报 美查封13个网站域名

美国司法部宣布查封13个被指伪装咨询公司的互联网域名。 （海峡时报档案照片）

美国司法部宣布查封13个互联网域名，这些域名被指伪装成咨询公司的网站，旨在招募现任或前任美国政府与军方雇员，向疑似中国特工提供情报。

美国司法部星期三（6月10日）在一份声明中说，这些假冒公司通过发布咨询顾问或分析师职位的招聘信息来锁定目标，随后向应聘者施压，迫使他们提供独家或内部机密信息。

美国哥伦比亚联邦检察官皮罗（Jeanine Pirro）在声明中说，此次查封行动释放出明确信号：“任何企图利用掌握我国敏感信息的美国人员的图谋，都将被彻底曝光并予以瓦解。”

此前，由美国、英国、加拿大、澳大利亚和新西兰组成的五眼联盟6月3日发出警告，称中国正采取更具侵略性的手段，日益频繁地利用求职平台锁定目标以获取信息。

中国驻美大使馆发言人对此回应称，所谓“中国间谍威胁”的指控纯属捏造，构成恶意诽谤，对此表示强烈谴责。

延伸阅读

五眼联盟：中国间谍利用在线求职平台收眼线

关于中国情报机构利用虚假咨询公司招募美国及其他西方官员的指控由来已久。路透社曾在2025年3月报道，一个类似的虚假咨询网络正试图将招募目标瞄准近期被解雇的联邦雇员，这些人员多是在美国总统特朗普缩编与重组政府期间被裁撤的。

世界杯开幕前夕 美驻墨使馆发出旅游警告

2026年6月11日 11:17 / 联合早报

世界杯开幕前夕 美驻墨使馆发出旅游警告

墨西哥城的“帕帕洛特儿童博物馆”（Papalote Museo del Nino）将原本的圆形屋顶漆成足球图样，以迎接世界杯。 （法新社）

世界杯开幕前夕，美国驻墨西哥大使馆提醒旅客留意安全风险，并建议出行前查阅最新旅行警告。

路透社报道，美国驻墨西哥大使馆星期二（6月9日）在社交媒体发文，建议旅客“出行前查看最新的旅行警告级别和风险信息”。

美国国务院对墨西哥各州和墨西哥城都发布了旅行警告级别，分为一级（“采取常规预防措施”）、二级（“提高警惕”）、三级（“重新考虑出行”）和四级（“切勿前往”）。

世界杯在墨西哥的三个主办城市之一、位于哈利斯科州瓜达拉哈拉都会区的萨波潘，被列为三级旅行警告地区。

墨西哥城和位于新莱昂州蒙特雷附近的瓜达卢佩，则被列为二级旅行警告地区。

美国国务院对墨西哥的总体旅行警告指出，出行面临恐怖主义、犯罪和绑架或劫持人质的风险，建议美国公民不要在天黑后往返于各个城市之间，不要在街上随意拦出租车，并避免独自出行，尤其是在偏远地区。

墨西哥国家队将在墨西哥城进行三场小组赛中的两场，包括星期四（11日）对阵南非的揭幕战，另一场将在萨波潘进行。世界杯期间，墨西哥将举办13场比赛，其中包括两场32强赛和一场16强赛。

美国队则不会在墨西哥进行任何小组赛。

世界杯开幕前夕 美驻墨使馆发出旅游警告

2026年6月11日 11:17 / 联合早报

墨西哥城的“帕帕洛特儿童博物馆”（Papalote Museo del Nino）将原本的圆形屋顶漆成足球图样，以迎接世界杯。 （法新社）

世界杯开幕前夕，美国驻墨西哥大使馆提醒旅客留意安全风险，并建议出行前查阅最新旅行警告。

路透社报道，美国驻墨西哥大使馆星期二（6月9日）在社交媒体发文，建议旅客“出行前查看最新的旅行警告级别和风险信息”。

美国国务院对墨西哥各州和墨西哥城都发布了旅行警告级别，分为一级（“采取常规预防措施”）、二级（“提高警惕”）、三级（“重新考虑出行”）和四级（“切勿前往”）。

世界杯在墨西哥的三个主办城市之一、位于哈利斯科州瓜达拉哈拉都会区的萨波潘，被列为三级旅行警告地区。

墨西哥城和位于新莱昂州蒙特雷附近的瓜达卢佩，则被列为二级旅行警告地区。

美国国务院对墨西哥的总体旅行警告指出，出行面临恐怖主义、犯罪和绑架或劫持人质的风险，建议美国公民不要在天黑后往返于各个城市之间，不要在街上随意拦出租车，并避免独自出行，尤其是在偏远地区。

墨西哥国家队将在墨西哥城进行三场小组赛中的两场，包括星期四（11日）对阵南非的揭幕战，另一场将在萨波潘进行。世界杯期间，墨西哥将举办13场比赛，其中包括两场32强赛和一场16强赛。

美国队则不会在墨西哥进行任何小组赛。

California redrew its House map to give Democrats an edge. Here’s who will face off in the new districts.

June 10, 2026 / 11:06 PM EDT / CBS News

By

After a lengthy tallying process, the initial results of California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to edge out up to five House Republicans are in. All five districts that were substantially redrawn after the passage of California’sProposition 50 initiative to give Democrats an advantage were on the ballot in the state’s primaries on June 2.

And in a sixth district that was made more GOP-leaning, Democrats were completely shut out.

The redistricting wars kicked off last year, when President Trump pushed Texas legislators to redraw their districts, a process in that state that did not require voter approval. After Newsom’s high-profile effort in California, several other states followed through with their own redistricting measures. California’s outcome is unique, though, since the state uses a primary system where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.

But in every state that redrew its map, experts have warned that creating new districts that are more friendly to one party does not guarantee a victory for that party at the ballot box. In some cases, incumbents have to introduce themselves to new voters, and some of the new districts have slim Republican or Democratic margins.

Here’s how the California districts most affected by redistricting fared in the primary:

CA-1

District 1 — which was represented by the late GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa — used to cover the conservative northeastern corner of the state. But it’s now far bluer after it was shifted further south toward Marin County, while the northernmost parts were absorbed into the 2nd District, home to heavily Democratic Eureka and the northern Pacific coast.

In Tuesday’s primary, the top vote-getter in District 1 was Republican James Gallagher, who also won the special election for LaMalfa’s old district on June 2. Democrat Mike McGuire, the former state Senate leader, also advanced to the general election.

CA-6

Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley’s current district, which snakes along the California-Nevada border through Death Valley, was redrawn to be mainly concentrated around Democratic Sacramento. Kiley opted to instead run in the nearby 6th District, which skewed slightly less Democratic.

Kiley, an outspoken critic of redistricting, switched his party registration to independent and was listed on the ballot without party affiliation. Kiley was the top vote-getter in the June 2 primary in his new district, and Dr. Richard Pan squeaked by as the second candidate to advance to the November ballot. Pan’s advance saved Democrats from being shut out of the November ballot, since he was able to retain a narrow lead over Republican Michael Stansfield.

The nonpartisan University of Virginia Center for Politics rates the race as likely Democratic.

CA-3

In Kiley’s old 3rd District, the top vote-getter was Democratic Rep. Ami Bera, who had represented the old 6th District that Kiley is now trying to move away from. Republican Robb Tucker also advanced to the November primary, closely trailed by another Republican, Christine Bish.

The district is also rated likely Democratic by the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

CA-22

Republican Rep. David Valadao’s Central Valley district was redrawn to include Fresno, making it slightly more Democratic. Valadao is the only Republican who voted to impeach Mr. Trump who has been able to hold onto his seat in Congress. The University of Virginia Center for Politics rates the general election in his district as a toss-up.

The House Democrats’ campaign arm and establishment Democrats backed moderate Jasmeet Bains, a member of the state Assembly, in their “Red to Blue” program comprising districts the party is targeting. But progressive favorite Randy Villegas — who has the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — also jumped into the race, telling CBS News that the “Democratic Party has taken Latino communities for granted.”

Valadao was the top vote-getter in the June 2 primary, followed by Villegas.

CA-40

California’s new 40th District, which now includes San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside Counties in Southern California, was not drawn to favor Democrats, but instead to remain safely Republican. The new district includes pieces of two districts held by GOP incumbents, Reps. Young Kim and Ken Calvert.

Both Kim and Calvert opted to run in the June 2 primary, and they received the most votes in the June 2 primary, resulting in no Democrats making the ballot in November.

CA-48

District 48, which had encompassed Riverside County, was redrawn to include more of the bluer San Diego suburbs, giving Democrats a slight advantage. The nonpartisan University of Virginia Center for Politics rates the race as leaning Democratic.

After the redistricting, longtime Republican Rep. Darrell Issa decided not to run for reelection this year. In the June 2 primary, Republican County Supervisor Jim Desmond received the most votes, and the other candidate who advanced was Democrat Marni von Wilpert, a San Diego councilwoman. Although Democrats were not locked out of the November ballot, Desmond had a wide lead after the primary.

6月4日，在加沙地带南部汗尤尼斯难民营，大批难民争相领取由慈善厨房分发的食物。 （法新社档案照片）

联合国说，去年被迫流离失所者人数10年来首次下降，尽管许多返乡地区仍不安全且局势不稳定，但更多人选择返回家园。

法新社报道，联合国难民署星期四（6月11日）称，截至2025年底，全球共有1亿1780万人被迫离开家园，比上一年减少了540万人。

机构指出，因战争、暴力和迫害而被迫逃离家园的人数仍然“高得令人无法接受”，并敦促采取行动，在未来10年大幅减少长期流离失所人数。

联合国难民署在年度报告中解释说，流离失所人数的下降与返回家园的难民和境内流离失所者人数的“急剧增加”有关。

报告称，2025年共有1470万流离失所者返回家园，包括440万返回原居国的难民，这是60年来有记录以来第二高的难民返乡人数。

联合国难民署执行主任萨利赫在日内瓦告诉记者，去年超过90%的返乡难民集中在阿富汗、苏丹和叙利亚。但他强调“许多返回并非发生在安全稳定的环境下，而是在压力下进行的”。

他警告说，他们返回的是“安全局势持续恶化、基础设施遭到破坏、基本服务和经济机会仍然匮乏的国家”。

他认为：“不安全的返回……并非解决之道。它们有可能成为新一轮流离失所的开端。”

星期四发布的报告显示，到2025年底，全球流离失所人口中有4160万人被认定为难民，包括近540万人在过去一年中越境成为难民。

在这些新增难民中，约60%来自八个国家，包括近百万来自饱受战火蹂躏的苏丹，以及近80万来自乌克兰。

报告也指出，自今年年初以来，多起危机导致大规模人口流离失所，包括美国和以色列于2月发动的中东战争。报告称，仅在伊朗，这场战争就迫使320万人流离失所。

联合国难民署指出，自3月以来，以色列在黎巴嫩的袭击也已迫使超过100万人流离失所。

伊朗和黎巴嫩的冲突促使许多在两国避难的难民自年初以来返回家园，他们往往面临不利的处境，例如返回叙利亚和阿富汗。

与此同时，联合国难民署去年对难民安置空间日益缩小表示担忧，估计需要安置到第三国的难民人数高达290万。2024年，难民安置名额达到18万8800个，创40年来新高。

但报告显示，去年这一数字锐减一半以上，仅为8万1800个，尤其凸显美国接收难民人数的急剧下降。机构警告说：“安置名额与实际需求之间的差距巨大，而且还在不断扩大。”

6月4日，在加沙地带南部汗尤尼斯难民营，大批难民争相领取由慈善厨房分发的食物。 （法新社档案照片）

联合国说，去年被迫流离失所者人数10年来首次下降，尽管许多返乡地区仍不安全且局势不稳定，但更多人选择返回家园。

法新社报道，联合国难民署星期四（6月11日）称，截至2025年底，全球共有1亿1780万人被迫离开家园，比上一年减少了540万人。

机构指出，因战争、暴力和迫害而被迫逃离家园的人数仍然“高得令人无法接受”，并敦促采取行动，在未来10年大幅减少长期流离失所人数。

联合国难民署在年度报告中解释说，流离失所人数的下降与返回家园的难民和境内流离失所者人数的“急剧增加”有关。

报告称，2025年共有1470万流离失所者返回家园，包括440万返回原居国的难民，这是60年来有记录以来第二高的难民返乡人数。

延伸阅读

泰国去年放宽限制助数千缅甸难民就业 或成区域典范
联合国警告援助资金减少 威胁罗兴亚难民生存

联合国难民署执行主任萨利赫在日内瓦告诉记者，去年超过90%的返乡难民集中在阿富汗、苏丹和叙利亚。但他强调“许多返回并非发生在安全稳定的环境下，而是在压力下进行的”。

他警告说，他们返回的是“安全局势持续恶化、基础设施遭到破坏、基本服务和经济机会仍然匮乏的国家”。

他认为：“不安全的返回……并非解决之道。它们有可能成为新一轮流离失所的开端。”

星期四发布的报告显示，到2025年底，全球流离失所人口中有4160万人被认定为难民，包括近540万人在过去一年中越境成为难民。

在这些新增难民中，约60%来自八个国家，包括近百万来自饱受战火蹂躏的苏丹，以及近80万来自乌克兰。

报告也指出，自今年年初以来，多起危机导致大规模人口流离失所，包括美国和以色列于2月发动的中东战争。报告称，仅在伊朗，这场战争就迫使320万人流离失所。

联合国难民署指出，自3月以来，以色列在黎巴嫩的袭击也已迫使超过100万人流离失所。

伊朗和黎巴嫩的冲突促使许多在两国避难的难民自年初以来返回家园，他们往往面临不利的处境，例如返回叙利亚和阿富汗。

与此同时，联合国难民署去年对难民安置空间日益缩小表示担忧，估计需要安置到第三国的难民人数高达290万。2024年，难民安置名额达到18万8800个，创40年来新高。

但报告显示，去年这一数字锐减一半以上，仅为8万1800个，尤其凸显美国接收难民人数的急剧下降。机构警告说：“安置名额与实际需求之间的差距巨大，而且还在不断扩大。”

南非安全形势严峻 中使馆召开视频会议

2026年6月11日 07:16 / 联合早报

中国驻南非大使吴鹏说，近期南非安全形势趋于复杂严峻，建议广大侨胞和中资机构密切关注当地安全动态。图为6月10日在南非约翰内斯堡克利夫兰地区拍摄的枪击事件现场。 （新华社）

南非安全形势严峻，中国驻南非大使馆召开视频会议，引导在南中资企业和侨商侨企“促合规、保安全”。

据中新社报道，中国驻南非大使馆星期三（6月10日）在比勒陀利亚召开视频会议，大使吴鹏出席并讲话。来自南非约翰内斯堡、开普敦、德班等领区的中资企业、侨商侨企、学界代表等300余人参会。

吴鹏说，近期南非安全形势趋于复杂严峻，建议广大侨胞和中资机构密切关注当地安全动态，及时掌握风险信息，有针对性地做好防范工作，全面加强安保措施，切实保障人员和财产安全。

他说，近期中国驻南非使领馆持续通过外交渠道与南非政府保持密切沟通，并与警方加强协调，敦促南方切实履行保护中国公民和机构安全的职责。

吴鹏同时强调依法合规经营的重要性，呼吁华人社区团结一致，共同抵制违法违规行为，维护华侨华人良好形象和整体安全环境。

与会中资企业和侨商侨企代表表示，将认真开展自查互查，坚持依法依规经营，树立良好企业形象；同时密切关注形势发展，进一步加强安保措施，完善应急预案，提高风险防范能力。

近期，南非多地爆发反非法移民示威活动，部分地区出现骚乱事件，个别华商店铺受到波及。

Trump admin offers blunt advice to White House UFC critics as 11th-hour lawsuit looms

June 10, 2026 4:02pm EDT / Fox News

Administration officials call the suit ‘obstructionist’ and ‘baseless,’ noting fighters have already begun weight cuts

By Ashley J. DiMella Fox News

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Trump administration officials fired back at critics of the planned White House UFC fight, arguing they can simply avoid the event rather than use an 11th-hour lawsuit to block thousands of spectators from gathering on the South Lawn.

“It would be easy enough to simply avert their gazes for the weekend,” Department of Justice attorneys wrote in a court filing this week. “Instead, they seek to enlist the power of a federal court to impose their idiosyncratic preferences on the rest of the country and ruin an event designed to celebrate the United States of America.”

Preparations for the UFC match have been underway on the South Lawn of the White House for weeks, including the installation of a roughly 90-foot-tall steel arch, dubbed the “claw.” The Public Integrity Project filed a lawsuit over the weekend on behalf of two Virginia residents in an effort to block the event, sparking the government to urge U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta to reject the plaintiffs’ bid.

The suit targets the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior to seek an emergency injunction to stop the event, which is expected to attract 4,000 spectators to the White House.

DANA WHITE DENIES AMERICA 250 UFC FIGHT AT WHITE HOUSE WILL BE ‘POLITICAL,’ ‘NOT AT ALL’ ABOUT POLITICS

Construction continues on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 26, 2026, ahead of a UFC match hosted by President Donald Trump to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States.

In the brief, DOJ attorneys wrote that more than $60 million has already been spent, attendees have made travel plans, and the fighters have already begun final weight cuts.

They also noted the event has been planned for months, with President Trump first announcing the match in July 2025.

“This is an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit brought simply to prevent President Trump from hosting what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historic sporting events in our Nation’s history during our semiquincentennial celebration,” a White House official told Fox News Digital.

“This iconic event is no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year,” the White House official added.

A PIECE OF THE UFC WHITE HOUSE EVENT’S SETUP IS SITTING IN PENNSYLVANIA AMISH COUNTRY

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office alongside UFC Freedom 250 fighters.((Photo by Scott Taetsch/Zuffa LLC))

Plaintiffs argued that the event will interfere with the White House and National Mall area while describing its setup as “hideous.”

The plaintiffs argued that organizers ignored federal permitting rules, skipped environmental reviews and triggered conflict-of-interest concerns invoking National Park Service regulations and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). They also said the”claw” needed to be built with congressional authorization.

Officials responded that the plaintiffs are not forced to watch the fight and their opinions are not “superior” to those who support the match.

“All these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment, however, by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else,” the DOJ attorneys wrote.

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Construction continues on the South Lawn of the White House for the Freedom 250 UFC match on June 5, 2026, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump is hosting the UFC match on the White House grounds to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States.(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

The plaintiffs must respond with their final brief by 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Public Integrity Project for comment.

Fox News’ Kerri Urban and Mark Meredith contributed to this report.

Ashley J. DiMella reports on politics for Fox News Digital.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6397564358112

OpenAI称中国关联账户试图煽动美国反数据中心情绪

2026年6月11日 07:46 / 联合早报

OpenAI称，一批与中国有关联的ChatGPT账户试图煽动美国国内对数据中心建设的反对情绪。 （路透社）

OpenAI称，一批与中国有关联的ChatGPT账户试图煽动美国国内对数据中心建设的反对情绪，此举或意在削弱美国在AI领域的竞争力。

据彭博社报道，OpenAI星期三（6月10日）发布报告称，公司发现一些源自中国的账户利用AI生成英文社交媒体帖子，称数据中心推高了美国居民的电费。

OpenAI称，这些账户可能与一家未具名的中国私营科技公司有关，该公司为中国省级政府客户提供服务。

OpenAI表示，这些帖子传播范围有限，但应引起外界对外国势力试图削弱美国战略性产业的关注。该公司补充称，美国对AI和数据中心存在“合理的讨论”，但这些账户通过伪装成普通美国民众，通过发布有争议的AI生成内容来试图操纵讨论。

去年1月，美国总统特朗普刚开始第二次总统任期，就宣布私人企业将投资高达5000亿美元（约6443亿新元），建设人工智能基础设施，助美国在这一关键技术领域超越竞争对手。

特朗普携手美企 5000亿美元打造AI数据中心

不过人工智能数据中心需要大量电力，北美电力可靠性委员会曾警告，数据中心的耗电量正在剧增，北美发电能力无法满足日益增长的电力需求，未来10年内美国约半数地区将面临电力供应不足的风险。对此，特朗普称，他将通过紧急行政令帮助推动人工智能基础设施建设，包括让数据中心拥有自己的发电厂。