BISMARCK — Lawmakers who will lead in the 2025 Legislature were officially assigned to committees Wednesday, Dec. 4, resulting in few surprises for senior members. The Committees on Committees, headed by majority leaders in the House and Senate, decides which lawmakers are appointed to what committees. Some work with policy related to sectors such as education or agriculture, while others allocate money for government operations. During the organizational session, lawmakers rank their committee preferences in a survey administered by the Legislative Council. If a committee has fewer openings than the number of lawmakers who are interested in being a member, then the Committee on Committees decides who gets the position. The decision is based on their “institutional knowledge” of the Legislature and or professional experience outside lawmaking, according to House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson. “We've got some really good committee chairs and vice chairs, both on policy committees and appropriations committees that are, I think without exception, excellent legislators,” Lefor said. How committee chairs are selected, however, has been a sore spot for some lawmakers amid a long stint of all-male leaders. “I'm not saying it's always just a woman issue," said Rep. Vicky Steiner, R-Dickinson. “It’s relationship driven. I believe if you have a better relationship with the leader, you have a better chance of becoming a chairman.” Since 2013, only men have led House committees and will again for the 2025 session. Steiner introduced a bill last session to break the pattern. Steiner added that some lawmakers, however, don't want to be chairs — including women. Lefor pointed out that there were just three new chairs appointed this year, two of which were lawmakers who had served as vice chairs of the respective committee and one who he said had relevant experience. Republican Rep. Jonathan Warrey, a tech CEO from Casselton, will chair the Industry, Business and Labor Committee despite being a second-term lawmaker. The chairs typically end up being previous vice chairs or someone with a “tremendous” amount of relevant experience, Lefor said. “I will say that I'm a strong proponent of women in leadership, because I've gone to different seminars that clearly state that the better functioning boards are the ones that have both (men and women),” Lefor said. Lefor also pointed out that there are four more women as vice chairs this session as opposed to just one in 2023 and additionally, several women chaired interim committees between the upcoming session and the last. The Senate will have three women serving as chairs of 14 committees. These Republicans will chair the following committees. Appropriations: Don Vigesaa, Cooperstown; Mike Nathe, Bismarck; Government Operations: Dave Monson, Osnabrock; Human Resources: Jon Nelson, Rugby; Education: Pat Heinert, Bismarck. Finance and Taxation: Craig Headland, Montpelier; Human Services: Matt Ruby, Minot; Industry, Business and Labor: Jonathan Warrey, Casselton; Judiciary: Lawrence Klemin, Bismarck; Agriculture: Mike Beltz, Hillsboro. Government and Veterans Affairs: Austen Schauer, West Fargo; Energy and Natural Resources: Todd Porter, Mandan; Political Subdivisions: Don Longmuir, Stanley; Transportation: Dan Ruby, Minot. These Republicans will chair the following committees. Appropriations: Brad Bekkedahl, Williston; Education and Environment: Ronald Sorvaag, Fargo; Government Operations: Terry Wanzek, Jamestown; Human Resources: Dick Denver, Bismarck; Education: Todd Beard, Williston. Official committee assignments can be found on the Legislative Council website.In the final hours before University of Mississippi student Jimmy “Jay” Lee disappeared , sexually explicit Snapchat messages were exchanged between his account and the account of the man now on trial in his killing, an investigator testified Thursday. Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., 24, of Grenada, Mississippi, is charged with capital murder in the death of Lee, who vanished July 8, 2022. Lee, 20, of Jackson, Mississippi, was a gay man well known in the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss and in Oxford, where the university is located and Herrington's trial is being held. Lee's body has never been found, but a judge has declared him dead. Herrington maintains his own innocence. Herrington “was not openly in the LGBTQ community,” but evidence will show he had a relationship with Lee and is responsible for the death, assistant district attorney Gwen Agho said during opening arguments Tuesday in Oxford. Herrington’s attorney, Kevin Horan, told jurors that prosecutors have “zero” proof Lee was killed. University Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Douglas testified Thursday that investigators used search warrants to obtain cellphone records, information from social media accounts belonging to Lee and Herrington and information about Herrington's internet searches on the day Lee disappeared until Herrington was arrested two weeks later. One of Lee's friends, Khalid Fears, testified Tuesday that he had a video call with Lee just before 6 a.m. on July 8, 2022. Fears said Lee mentioned a sexual encounter with a man hours earlier, which ended badly. Lee was leaving his own on-campus apartment to go see the same man again, Fears said. Douglas testified Herrington's Snapchat account sent a message to Lee's account at about 5:25 a.m. saying: “Come back.” People using the two accounts then argued, and Lee's account sent a message at 5:54 a.m. saying he was on the way over. Douglas said that at 6:03 a.m., Lee's account sent its final message: “Open.” Google records obtained through a warrant showed that Herrington searched “how long does it take to strangle someone” at 5:56 a.m., Douglas said. An officer from another police agency, the Oxford Police Department, testified that starting on 7:18 a.m. the morning of Lee's disappearance, a car matching the description of Lee’s black sedan was captured on multiple security cameras driving through Oxford. A camera showed the car entering a parking lot at the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex at 7:25 a.m., Lt. Mark Hodges testified. The same camera showed a man jogging out of the parking lot moments later, turning onto Molly Barr Road. A witness, Kizziah Carter, testified Wednesday that he was driving home from work about 7:30 that morning and saw Herrington jogging along Molly Barr Road. Carter said he knew Herrington and honked to greet him, and Herrington flagged him down to ask for a ride. Carter said he drove Herrington to Herrington’s apartment in another complex. Lee's car was towed from Molly Barr Trails later that day. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping.Jokic has 37, Murray scores 34 and Nuggets beat Pistons, 134-121

‘Let’s not panic’: Canada picks up the pieces after Latvia loss at world juniorsSharps technology CEO Robert Hayes acquires $10,072 in stockThis year the Herald’s award-winning newsroom produced a range of first-class journalism, including exploring the NCEA and UE results of every college around NZ , the collapse of the Du Val property empire, revealing claims a former funeral director at Tipene Funerals was swindling grieving clients and charting the 10-year police probe that brought down Wayne Doyle and the Head Hunters . The following article was one of the best-read Premium articles in 2024. The story originally ran in August. Written on the wall of the Head Hunters’ gang pad is a quote from the classic The Godfather film series that says: “Real power can’t be given. It must be taken”. For the best part of the past two decades, the motorcycle gang had power in Auckland’s criminal underworld. Once a rag-tag bunch of teenage misfits with humble beginnings in Glen Innes in the 1960s, the Heads forged a reputation for never taking a backwards step. This propensity for violence allowed their members to muscle their way into the methamphetamine trade, which exploded in the early 2000s, and enjoy the ill-gotten gains of their labour. In particular, the East chapter based at 232 Marua Rd in Mt Wellington grew in size and influence. The Head Hunters established themselves as heavyweight contenders in the criminal underworld , and the police had no choice but to treat them as such. Top-ranking East members were targeted by police in a series of covert investigations , and eventually convicted of running lucrative drug dealing enterprises. There was one name missing from the list: Wayne Doyle . Known as “the Chief”, Doyle was the founding member of the East chapter and widely considered to be the leader of the notorious gang. While his peers were in and out of jail for serious drugs or violence offences, Doyle had managed to keep out of trouble since his release from prison in 2001 after serving his time for murder. There wasn’t any evidence to connect Doyle to any crimes committed by the Head Hunters , but frustrated detectives were suspicious about how an unemployed gang leader could accrue millions of dollars’ worth of property. The mystery prompted the longest, if not the most ambitious, financial investigation ever conducted by the police under the powerful (some would say draconian) criminal proceeds law. This week, nearly 10 years after Operation Coin started, a High Court judge gave a definitive answer to the nagging question about Doyle’s unexplained wealth. Justice Peter Andrew spent 10 months mulling the evidence, and the nub of his 154-page decision is that the Head Hunters are an organised criminal group and Doyle, despite his assertions to the contrary, sat at the top. As a result of his influential position, the judge found, Doyle reaped a financial reward from the crimes committed by the gang’s members and l aundered the money through a charitable trust. “The evidence in this case traverses much of Mr Doyle’s adult life,” wrote Justice Andrew. “For much of the last two decades, he has lived beyond the reach of the law; his attitude to the law appears to be one of cynical disregard.” It seems the law has finally caught up with him. The landmark ruling (unless later overturned by the Court of Appeal) means Doyle must sell the five Auckland properties he controls, including the East chapter pad at Marua Rd, to pay a $14.8 million profit forfeiture order. A further $275,000 in cash found at the pad was also forfeited. Not only will Doyle lose his family homes, but also the spiritual home of the Head Hunters: it is a staggering blow to a once swaggering outlaw motorcycle gang. Real power can’t be given. It must be taken. T he Head Hunters’ current predicament can be traced back 25 years to the lavish lifestyle of one of their own members. Peter ‘Pedro’ Cleven had been accused of making a fortune from dealing cannabis and methamphetamine between 1996 and 1999. He had a palatial Titirangi home (next door to a judge), a Harley-Davidson motorbike, a Mercedes-Benz convertible and a speedboat. All of his assets were frozen following Operation Mexico in 1999, led by Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier, in which Cleven was caught talking in bugged conversations about making a million dollars a year from methamphetamine. Cleven was acquitted in 2002 after two controversial trials. The jury in the first trial was unable to reach a verdict, while the second jury was sequestered in a secret location for nearly three weeks. The reason why is still suppressed. But the jurors found him not guilty this time. Cleven’s defence against the charges was that he had been making empty boasts to impress a woman, and that his lifestyle was in fact funded by the innovative methods of angora goat farming and ‘taxing’ (employing standover tactics) other criminals. Under the law at the time, the Proceeds of Crime Act, the police needed a conviction to strip ill-gotten gains from underworld figures. So despite the ludicrous goat-farming explanation for how Cleven accumulated his wealth, the assets had to be returned. Never again, the police swore, who used the case to convince politicians that the best way to battle organised crime was to follow the money and pass the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act (CPRA) 2009. Under the new law, police no longer needed a conviction. They only had to show that someone profited from criminal offending to the lower standard of proof applied in civil cases — “on the balance of probabilities” — rather than surpassing the more difficult “beyond reasonable doubt” threshold for criminal cases. “This approach will allow us to target gang leaders who do not get their own hands dirty, but at the end of the day, enjoy the benefits of their fellow gang members’ illegal activity,” Mark Burton, then the Justice Minister, said when introducing the bill to Parliament in 2007. Once the law came into force, the police went on to seize hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of assets – houses, lifestyle blocks, farms, cars, boats, motorcycles, diggers, investment portfolios, art collections, cash, bank accounts, even cryptocurrency. However, the vast majority of those cases ran parallel to prosecutions of drug dealers, crooks and gang members who were all convicted of serious crimes anyway. Among those seizures were some good wins for the police, especially in their war on the Head Hunters in a series of covert investigations between 2014 and 2016. Millions of dollars in cash and assets had been confiscated from senior members, such as Dave O’Carroll, Mike Cavanagh and William ‘Bird’ Hines, while they served long prison sentences for drug dealing. But the powerful tools under the CPRA were not being fully tested, at least not in the way parliament intended the police to go after the underworld figures who had been untouchable. The social issues of New Zealand’s frightening problem with methamphetamine (and the role of gangs in the trade) was also becoming more widely understood by the public, with Prime Minister John Key’s Cabinet drawing up an “all-of-government” approach to tackle organised crime. One key plank of the strategy was to investigate the finances of those suspected of pulling strings from the shadows, and take their dirty money. So police bosses drew up a list of potential targets and sitting at the top was Wayne Doyle. They wanted to show everyone that not even the president of the Head Hunters was untouchable. The task fell to Detective Sergeant Ngahiraka Latimer to pull together a team in the Asset Recovery Unit in Auckland. There were about a dozen staff when Operation Coin started in July 2015, a mix of frontline detectives and bean counters, with the civil investigation expected to be wrapped up within three years. Two members of the original team, Detective Steve Peat and financial analyst Kylie Cairns, were still holding the file when the case finally made it to court nearly nine years later. Peat’s first job was to identify what assets were linked to the Head Hunters’ East chapter, obtain the property records, then untangle a web of companies and trusts to find out who the true owner was. According to Peat’s analysis, Doyle had a controlling or financial interest in six legal entities with two inextricably linked to the birth of the East chapter shortly after he was released from prison in 2001. The following year, East 88 Property Holdings Ltd (East 88 PHL) was incorporated by Duncan McFarlane, a colourful Wellington businessman with fingers in lots of pies. McFarlane, who happened to be a close friend of Doyle’s, was the sole director and shareholder of the newly formed company. Soon afterwards, East 88 PHL purchased 232 Marua Rd from an associate of the Head Hunters for $330,000 (the market value was $500,000) which was funded by two mortgages. Then in 2004, Doyle also became a director and shareholder. He held 33% of East 88 PHL and shifted his shareholding to the Doyle Trust, of which he was the sole settlor, trustee and beneficiary. Upon his death in 2010, McFarlane’s 32% share was also transferred to the Doyle Trust. The remaining 35% was held by seven different trusts in the names of senior Head Hunters (all with serious criminal records). Doyle was also a trustee for each of those trusts. The effect of that, Peat believed, was that Doyle had control over every share in the company which owned the gang’s headquarters. Easily the most impressive gang pad in the country, 232 Marua Rd was where the Head Hunters socialised, trained in their impressive gym facilities (complete with swimming pool), hosted “fight nights”, stored their motorcycles, and gathered for their regular national “church” meetings. Doyle, and a few other senior members such as Bird Hines, even lived in the premises which was monitored by security cameras, and gang members rostered on guard duty. The buildings were also the offices of a charitable trust, That Was Then This Is Now (TWTTIN). This trust was also set up by Doyle shortly after his release from prison, ostensibly to reintegrate ex-inmates back into the community by providing education and social services. In April 2003, not long after East 88 PHL bought 232 Marua Rd, the buildings were leased to the TWTTIN trust for $60,000 each year. Doyle was never a TWTTIN trustee despite at times holding himself out as one, but otherwise had control of the charity including its bank accounts and finances. Peat’s review of all the banking records led him to believe that the stated charitable purpose was a sham. In reality, Peat believed the trust was nothing but a front to feather the Head Hunters’ own nest. The gang was able to refurbish and upgrade 232 Marua Rd (while benefitting from tax breaks) for their own personal use and promote the Head Hunters’ brand. The $330,000 of mortgage loans had also been paid off within four years. The next step was to obtain the financial records for each of the six Doyle entities. Peat fired off “production orders” to banks, accountants, telco providers, and lawyers which required them to hand over documents, such as cheques or deposit slips, for countless transactions - some dating back to the 1980s. Each set of records would raise new questions for Kylie Cairns, so Peat would have to send another production order. All of these transactions were collated by Cairns into spreadsheets for analysis. The results raised eyebrows. Between January 2001 and September 2017, the six Doyle entities received funds of $17.8m, of which $9.2m were cash deposits. Patterns began to emerge as Cairns and Peat went cross-eyed staring at thousands of columns and rows in their spreadsheets. “Rent” (total $662,860), “donations” or “koha” ($164,750), “fight night” or “lottery sales” ($2,334,396), and “loan” ($880,000) were common references for deposits into the TWTTIN trust accounts. Another $6,638,676 in deposits were simply unexplained. A more likely explanation, Peat and Cairns believed, was that the charitable trust was being used as a money laundering vehicle to wash the criminal profits of drug dealing or violent offending. “Koha” was also a term used by Head Hunters, the Operation Coin investigation would later discover, to give back a cut of their criminal earnings to the gang. Doyle was the Head Hunters, according to the police analysis of the ownership structure, and he was definitely getting money from somewhere. Leaving aside 232 Marua Rd , Doyle and his family had also acquired four residential properties across Auckland. The council valuations in 2017 were just shy of $6m. Not bad for a beneficiary who had spent nearly his entire adult life either unemployed or in prison. While Peat and Cairns pieced together countless financial records, the rest of the Operation Coin team were given an equally laborious task. They pulled every single major investigation file involving the Head Hunters for the past 20 years , and even further for Doyle’s criminal history which started in the 1970s. The offending could be roughly split into two camps. Firstly, commercial drug manufacture and distribution led by senior members such as ‘Pedro’ Cleven (Operation Mexico), Dave O’Carroll and Michael Cavanagh (Operation Genoa), ‘Bird’ Hines (Operation Sylvester) and Brownie Harding (Operation Easter) to name but a few. Police seized millions of dollars in cash and other assets, such as luxury cars and gold bullions, in these cases. Secondly, the underworld practice of ‘taxing’ where the Head Hunters would extort cash, drugs, or other valuables from other criminals in fear of violence or intimidation. These standover tactics are reported to the police on very rare occasions as the victims are concerned of further retribution, or exposing their own criminal behaviour. In one extreme case exposed by Operation Ark, a criminal syndicate selling designer drugs that competed with Ecstasy and other party pills were forced to pay $10,000 each week to the Head Hunters. This was because a batch of the pills were stamped with 88. The manufacturers thought the drugs would be popular with their Chinese customers, as the numeral 8 is associated with good luck. What they didn’t realise was that “88′′ is also the number which the Head Hunters claim ownership of (H being the eighth letter in the alphabet). Representatives of the gang made it clear there would be consequences for infringing on their brand, regardless of intention, unless the drug syndicate paid them $1 for every pill sold. This was later increased to a weekly fee of $10,000. A spreadsheet later found by police showed they paid the Head Hunters nearly $466,000. It was a cost of business which the illicit drug empire could not afford to refuse. Staff from Operation Coin reviewed thousands of documents from previous police investigations, although they were looking at the evidence through a different lens than the original detectives. While they were aiming to paint the bigger picture of the Head Hunters’ criminality (the common theme being money), the financial investigation was also looking for the smaller details about the gang’s hierarchy. There were a few clues here that indicated Head Hunters were required to give “koha”, or commission of up to 20% of their illicit earnings, back to the club. Being a member of a feared outlaw motorcycle gang helped them do business. Paying “koha” was the price of membership to the notorious club. There were numerous examples where Head Hunters, overheard in conversation or messages intercepted in previous police investigations, talked about making payments to their boss, the “Chief”. Those communications were largely irrelevant in the original investigations, but significant to the circumstantial case against Doyle being woven together by Operation Coin. Doyle himself was never heard in these bugged conversations, with a single exception. In January 2011, a Chinese drug supplier was kidnapped by two senior patched Head Hunters over a $190,000 debt he supposedly owed. The pair then used him as bait to lure other drug dealers to meetings, so they in turn could be robbed by force. The gang members collected $290,000 in this fashion, telling their kidnapping victim the cash would be used to repay a loan they took from the “club” to finance the drug deal. While holding the victim against his will at the Takapuna Motor Lodge, one of the Head Hunters phoned a fellow member at 232 Marua Rd. The police, who at this time had launched Operation Morepork to investigate the kidnapping, covertly intercepted the conversation. A frustrated Doyle can be overheard in the background at 232 Marua Rd asking about the “koha”, then taking over the phone to give orders directly. Doyle: “Where can we send someone to pick it up bro?”. Head Hunter: “Takapuna Motor Lodge”. Doyle: “Takapuna Motor Lodge. What unit?” Head Hunter: “Ummmm what’s our number? What’s the door number?... Number 19.” Doyle: “Number 19”. To the police listening in, there was no doubt who was in charge. The “Chief” had spoken. O n September 25, 2017, scores of armed police turned up at 232 Marua Rd with a search warrant. In a press release, the police said the search followed an extensive investigation into ‘alleged accumulation of criminally derived wealth by a senior member of the Head Hunters gang’. Described as a ‘62-year-old beneficiary’, the individual was not named in the press release and no criminal charges were laid. But five properties linked to Doyle, including the gang’s pad, had been restrained (frozen) by the High Court following a police application under the CPRA. “A significant amount of work has gone into Operation Coin by a dedicated group of detectives and investigators from partner government agencies,” Detective Superintendent Iain Chapman, head of the police’s Financial Crime Group, was quoted as saying in the press release. “Police are committed to ensuring that people cannot accrue wealth and assets as a result of criminal behaviour, at the expense of the safety of our community.” One of those partner agencies was the Ministry of Social Development which alleged that Doyle failed to declare substantial income and assets, enabling him to fraudulently claim social welfare payments of $380,992.80 between May 5, 1994 and July 16, 2017. As detectives swarmed through the Heads’ gang pad and gym, then carried out computers and boxes of paperwork, Doyle stood outside speaking to senior police officers. Dressed in a grey sweatshirt emblazoned with the Head Hunters’ insignia, the shaven-headed Doyle looked stunned. There must have been a dawning realisation of the enormity of the problem; that his personal assets - and those of the gang - would be tied up in the courts for years. The state of limbo went on longer than anyone could anticipate. In May 2020, the police filed an application for forfeiture of Doyle’s frozen assets and in doing so, revealed the full extent of their case. There were 33 affidavits from police officers, past and present, as well the financial analysts, MSD investigators, and all the supporting appendices. All up, more than 9000 pages of evidence. The trial was set down for September 2021 but Doyle’s legal team, led by Ron Mansfield KC, successfully argued that he needed more time to prepare for the complex case. A new hearing was scheduled for July 2022, although that date was also postponed because of ongoing legal arguments which went to the Court of Appeal. Finally, in October 2023 (six years after the assets were first restrained), the civil action between the Commissioner of Police vs Wayne Stephen Doyle commenced in the High Court at Auckland. The hearing stretched for four weeks, the longest ever under the CPRA law, with lawyer Mark Harborow calling witness after witness. While the evidence was complex in many respects, the police case boiled down to a simple concept. Many Head Hunters had made money from their crimes, and a portion of those profits (labelled as “koha”, “donations”, “rent”, or “loans”) filtered back to the gang as a commission. As the boss of the gang, the police alleged, Doyle had kept himself at arm’s length from those crimes but still received the financial benefit of the money flowing into the various entities he controlled. “He’ll never use the word president,” said Detective Inspector Kevin McNaughton, formerly the officer-in-charge of the Motorcycle Gang Unit, in giving evidence at the trial. “But we can all tell a leader from how they behave, and how people behave around them ... I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to anyone who’s said Wayne Doyle wasn’t the leader of the Head Hunters. “I’ve never heard anyone say he is not in charge, the chief, the boss, WD.” No one except WD himself. Giving evidence in his own defence, Doyle sat in the witness box and was cross-examined by Harborow for hours. The pair jousted back-and-forth, with Doyle conceding he was a senior member of the Head Hunters. But he adamantly denied any leadership role in the gang, official or otherwise, or receiving any dirty money because of that status. When confronted by any messages or recordings of Head Hunters that contradicted that position, Doyle would dismiss them as drug addicts or empty boasts. “This guy is a lunatic,” Doyle said of one patched member. “He’s ringing from prison and he’s talking all this crap to these young fellas who look up to him. “He’s just making trouble. He’s making trouble for me today.” Doyle also professed to despising methamphetamine, and the effect the drug has on society, which jarred with the fact so many of his fellow senior Head Hunters made a lot of money from the drug trade. But there was one piece of evidence which encapsulated the essence of the police case which was very hard to explain away. And it wasn’t even part of the original Operation Coin investigation. Between May 2020 and July 2021 (after Doyle’s properties were restrained) the ANZ bank submitted three “suspicious activity” reports in relation to one of Doyle’s accounts to help pay for his legal battle. The police uncovered nearly $200,000 in funds that were put into the trust accounts of law firms on behalf of Doyle. Many of the cash deposits were amounts less than the $10,000 threshold which triggers a red flag for the banks to report to the police. More than $72,000 was transferred from a shell company based in Hong Kong, which the police managed to trace back to a convicted Chinese drug importer living in Auckland. He also just happened to be a neighbour of the Head Hunters at 232 Marua Rd. Doyle needed a war chest to fight the case, and the police alleged these surreptitious funds were more proof of the influence and loyalty that he inspired within the Head Hunters. Once again, Harborow said, it showed Doyle was willing to accept money from people involved in the criminal underworld for his own benefit. The Head Hunter was at a loss to explain any of it. Doyle: “I’ve never met these people. It’s got nothing to do with me.” Harborow: “Well it’s got everything to do with you because these are people who are giving you money for your legal expenses?” Doyle: “I do not know these people. I have never met these people in my life. It’s just a bad coincidence that his guy lives in Marua Rd.” Harborow: “A bad coincidence that he’s in Marua Rd and he’s a drug dealer and he’s transferring money to your legal fighting fund?” Doyle: “Yes”. O n Tuesday, nearly 10 years after Operation Coin first began, Justice Peter Andrew issued his eagerly awaited decision on the Commissioner of Police vs Wayne Stephen Doyle. The 154-page civil judgment traversed the law and the reams of evidence placed before him, although the judge noted there were witnesses who would not step foot in the High Court for fear of reprisals from the Head Hunters. Gangs are a complex social phenomenon, Justice Andrew said, and he accepted Doyle’s statement that the Head Hunters provide companionship, a source of identity, and a sense of belonging to a community. The judge also believed Doyle when he said that he provided pastoral care to the younger members of the gang. However, it would be wrong to infer that Doyle’s interest in their welfare was simply a legitimate and innocent role, Justice Andrew said. As well as being a motorcycle club, the judge said the Head Hunters were also an organised criminal group with many of its members engaging in drug dealing and violent offending for profit. “The sheer volume of Head Hunters, including patched members, prospects, and associates, convicted of very serious criminal offending in the last 20 years makes that abundantly clear,” Justice Andrew said. Despite assertions that he was a senior member of the gang because of his longevity, as opposed to being in charge, the judge rejected Doyle’s evidence as “implausible”. “Mr Doyle is obviously a strong and powerful personality who can and does intimidate others ... The irresistible inference from all the evidence is that he sits at the pinnacle of the Head Hunters and is an extremely, if not the most, influential person in that organisation.” The judge also ruled that the charitable trust controlled by Doyle, That Was Then This Is Now, was a front for the Head Hunters and used to launder millions of dollars. After nearly a decade of investigation and litigation by the police, Doyle was ordered to sell his properties - at 232 Marua Rdincluding the Head Hunters pad - to pay a profit forfeiture order of $14.8m. It won’t be the end of the matter. His lawyer Ron Mansfield, KC, immediately signalled that an appeal would be lodged, and even if the police prevail in the next legal battle, there is still the question of who would want to buy a confiscated gang pad? It doesn’t matter, detectives who have investigated the gang for years told the Herald . Although far larger sums of money have been forfeited under the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act, Operation Coin is probably the most significant victory by the police simply because of who Doyle was for so many years: untouchable. Jared Savage is an award-winning journalist who covers crime and justice issues, with a particular interest in organised crime. He joined the Herald in 2006, and is the author of Gangland and Gangster’s Paradise. Share this article Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. Copy Link Email Facebook Twitter/X LinkedIn RedditPeter Anholt tried to keep things light as he emerged from one of the elevators at Canada’s hotel. The temperature had been turned way up on the veteran hockey executive and the country’s under-20 program after a stunning upset some 12 hours earlier. “You only want to talk to me when things are bad, eh?” Anholt joked to reporters Saturday morning. “Is that how this works?” That is indeed what happens when a powerhouse with a record 20 gold medals expected to roll over an opponent suffers one of its worst all-time defeats at the tournament. Canada was embarrassed on home soil 3-2 by Latvia — a country it had thumped by a combined 41-4 score across four previous meetings — in a shocking shootout Friday. Coming off a disastrous fifth-place finish last year in Sweden and having talked a lot about upping their compete level and preparation, the Canadians looked disjointed for long stretches against the plucky, hard-working Latvians. The power play finally clicked late in the third period, but stands at 1-for-7 through two games, while the top line of Easton Cowan, Calum Ritchie and Bradly Nadeau has yet to translate its pre-tournament chemistry into success in the spotlight. “We’re certainly trying to problem solve, but not throw the baby out with the bath water,” said Anholt, who heads the world junior setup. “We’ve got to be really careful.” Canada, which picked up a solid 4-0 victory over Finland to open its tournament Thursday, had plenty of offensive zone time and directed 57 shots at Latvian goaltender Linards Feldbergs. Included in that total, however, were far too many one-and-done efforts from the perimeter with little traffic in front. There were, of course, desperate spurts — especially late in regulation and in 3-on-3 overtime — but not nearly enough for a roster peppered with first-round NHL draft picks and top prospects. “We played really, really hard,” Anholt said in defending his players. “We controlled the puck lots. We created some chances. Their goalie was really good and they defended really good ... 99 times out of 100 we win that game.” Hoping for a big response Sunday against Germany before meeting the United States on New Year’s Eve to tie a bow on round-robin action in Group A, Canada will have to push ahead minus one of its best players. Star defenceman Matthew Schaefer was injured Friday and is done for the tournament after he slammed into Latvia’s net and skated off favouring his left shoulder area. “Tough blow for the kid,” Anholt said. “The way he plays the game, he plays it at such a high speed.” Cowan, a Toronto Maple Leafs first-round selection, said Canada remains confident despite Friday’s ugly result in the nation’s capital. “We’re good,” said the 19-year-old from Mount Brydges, Ont. “Everyone’s lost a hockey game before.” But not like that — or to that opponent on that stage. “Bit of a (crappy) feeling,” said Nadeau, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect from St-Francois-de-Madawaska, N.B. “We all know what this group is capable of. Losing that game is not our standard. “We’ll bounce back.” Some corners of social media exploded following the Latvian debacle, with heavy criticism directed at head coach Dave Cameron and the team’s overall roster construction. “We’re not really worried about it,” defenceman and Ottawa native Oliver Book, who like Cowan is back from last year’s team, said of the outside noise. “We know we didn’t play well.” Canada appears poised to mix things up against the Germans. Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio of Kamloops, B.C., is set draw in for Schaefer, while Anholt indicated there’s a good chance forward Carson Rehkopf will get his first crack at the 2025 tournament as a returnee. The 19-year-old Seattle Kraken second-round pick from Vaughan, Ont., has scored a combined 78 goals over his last 97 regular-season and playoff games in the Ontario Hockey League. “Great player,” Cowan said. “He finds ways.” Anholt said taking a big-picture approach is key in challenging moments. “Let’s not panic,” he said. “The world hasn’t fallen in. It’s hard, but we’ll learn from it.” It’s something Canada will have to do under intense scrutiny. “People are gonna love you and people are gonna hate you,” said Cowan, who has a goal an assist through two games. “Gotta keep doing you.” Anholt, who was also at the helm 12 months ago when Canada never got in gear, isn’t getting 2024 vibes from this year’s group. “Not even in any way, shape or form,” he said. “We’ve just got to take care of business.” They get a first shot at redemption Sunday.

Franklin Resources Inc. Has $1.46 Million Position in Hafnia Limited (NYSE:HAFN)Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, others attend Shyam Benegal's memorial event in Mumbai

Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its position in Immunocore Holdings plc ( NASDAQ:IMCR – Free Report ) by 25.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 546,318 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 109,206 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Immunocore were worth $17,007,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its holdings in Immunocore by 40.4% in the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 5,075 shares of the company’s stock valued at $158,000 after acquiring an additional 1,461 shares in the last quarter. Connective Portfolio Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Immunocore in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $218,000. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Immunocore by 69.7% in the 3rd quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 7,433 shares of the company’s stock worth $231,000 after buying an additional 3,053 shares in the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Immunocore in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $303,000. Finally, Seven Eight Capital LP acquired a new stake in Immunocore during the 2nd quarter valued at $434,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.50% of the company’s stock. Analyst Ratings Changes IMCR has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $35.00 price target (down from $74.00) on shares of Immunocore in a report on Friday, December 13th. UBS Group assumed coverage on Immunocore in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. They issued a “sell” rating and a $24.00 price objective for the company. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $100.00 price target on shares of Immunocore in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Needham & Company LLC reduced their price objective on shares of Immunocore from $78.00 to $71.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. Finally, Guggenheim downgraded Immunocore from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, October 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $65.64. Immunocore Stock Down 3.4 % NASDAQ:IMCR opened at $29.18 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $1.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -30.72 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a current ratio of 3.78, a quick ratio of 3.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $31.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $34.30. Immunocore Holdings plc has a 1 year low of $27.69 and a 1 year high of $76.98. Immunocore ( NASDAQ:IMCR – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported $0.17 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.33) by $0.50. The business had revenue of $80.25 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $78.94 million. Immunocore had a negative net margin of 15.87% and a negative return on equity of 12.84%. The firm’s revenue was up 23.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.59) EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Immunocore Holdings plc will post -0.94 earnings per share for the current year. About Immunocore ( Free Report ) Immunocore Holdings plc, a commercial-stage biotechnology company, engages in the development of immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, infectious, and autoimmune diseases. The company offers KIMMTRAK for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma. It also develops other programs for oncology, including tebentafusp that is in Phase 2/3 clinical trial to treat advanced cutaneous melanoma. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IMCR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Immunocore Holdings plc ( NASDAQ:IMCR – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Immunocore Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Immunocore and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

I'm A Celeb's Maura Higgins spills on first date with Pete Wicks as she admits he wouldn't give up

Seibert misses an extra point late as the Commanders lose their 3rd in a row, 34-26 to the Cowboys LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game with 21 seconds left after Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin connected on an 86-yard touchdown, Dallas’ Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing onside kick attempt for a touchdown, and the Cowboys pulled out a 34-26 victory Sunday that extended the Commanders’ skid to three games. Seibert was wide left on the point-after attempt following a bad snap. On the ensuing onside kick attempt, Juanyeh Thomas returned it 43 yards for a touchdown as the Cowboys ended their losing streak at five in improbable fashion. Earlier in the fourth quarter, KaVonte Turpin returned a kickoff 99 yards for a TD. Sam Darnold leads game-winning drive in OT and Vikings beat Bears 30-27 after blowing late lead CHICAGO (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 90 of his 330 yards in overtime to set up Parker Romo’s game-ending 29-yard field goal, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted the Chicago Bears 30-27 after giving up 11 points in the final 22 seconds of regulation. Darnold threw two touchdown passes, Jordan Addison caught eight passes for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown, and T.J. Hockenson had 114 yards receiving for the Vikings, who remained one game behind Detroit in the rugged NFC North. Caleb Williams threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears, who lost their fifth straight. Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs win at the buzzer again, topping Panthers 30-27 on Shrader's field goal CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, Spencer Shrader kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Carolina Panthers 30-27 to reach double-digit wins for the 10th straight season. The Chiefs bounced back from last week’s 30-21 loss at Buffalo and won at the buzzer yet again in a season of narrow escapes. Noah Brown caught two TD passes and DeAndre Hopkins also had a touchdown catch. Bryce Young finished 21 of 35 for 262 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. No. 1 South Carolina women stunned by fifth-ranked UCLA 77-62, ending Gamecocks' 43-game win streak LOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 15 points and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62. The Gamecocks' overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories were snapped. The Gamecocks, who fell to 5-1, lost for the first time since April 2023. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points for South Carolina. The Bruins knocked off a No. 1 team for the first time in school history. The Bruins dominated from start to finish and their defense prevented the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. AP Top 25: Alabama, Mississippi out of top 10 and Miami, SMU are in; Oregon remains unanimous No. 1 Alabama and Mississippi tumbled out of the top 10 of The Associated Press college football poll and Miami and SMU moved in following a chaotic weekend in the SEC. Oregon is No. 1 for the sixth straight week and Ohio State, Texas and Penn State held their places behind the Ducks. The shuffling begins at No. 5, where Notre Dame returned for the first time since Week 2 after beating Army for its ninth straight win. No. 6 Georgia moved up two spots, No. 7 Tennessee and No. 8 Miami rose three and No. 9 SMU jumped four places. Indiana dropped from No. 5 to No. 10 following its first loss. Thitikul finishes eagle-birdie to win CME Group Tour Championship and claim record $4M prize NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Down by two shots with two holes to play, Jeeno Thitikul knew exactly what was needed to capture the biggest prize in women’s golf history. And a eagle-birdie finish for the second straight day made it happen. Thitikul claimed the record-setting $4 million first-place check by winning the CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday. It was the biggest money prize in women’s golf history. Thitikul shot a 7-under 65 on Sunday and finished the week at 22 under, one shot ahead of Angel Yin (66). Yin had a two-shot lead walking to the 17th tee, only to wind up settling for the $1 million runner-up check. From Maui to the Caribbean, college hoops' Thanksgiving tournaments a beloved part of the sport College basketball is ready for its Thanksgiving Week closeup. The schedule is full of early season tournaments that could create buzzworthy marquee matchups. And many of those come in warm-weather locations. The Maui Invitational in Hawaii turns 40 years old this year. It opens Monday with a field that includes two-time reigning national champion and second ranked UConn. The Battle 4 Atlantis men's tournament in the Bahamas opens Wednesday. It has a field topped by No. 3 Gonzaga. There are also multiple women's events in the Bahamas featuring ranked teams, including the fourth Atlantis women's tournament. Jannik Sinner leads Italy past the Netherlands for its second consecutive Davis Cup title MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Jannik Sinner clinched Italy's second consecutive Davis Cup title and capped his breakthrough season at the top of tennis by beating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (2), 6-2 for a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the final of the team competition in Malaga, Spain. Matteo Berrettini won Sunday's opening singles match 6-4, 6-2 against Botic van de Zandschulp. The Italians are the first country to win the Davis Cup twice in a row since the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013. The No. 1-ranked Sinner stretched his unbeaten streak in singles to 14 matches and 26 sets. Netherlands reached the Davis Cup final for the first time. Verstappen still manages to win 4th straight F1 title in one of worst seasons of his Red Bull career LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen won an unbelievable 19 races last season that included an incredible streak of 10 in a row in what would arguably go down as one of the greatest years in Formula 1 history. And yet it is this year’s eight-win season — his lowest victory total since 2020 — that Verstappen considers a career-defining campaign. Those eight wins were enough to win him a fourth consecutive F1 championship on Saturday night with his easy drive at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The championship made Verstappen only the sixth driver in F1 history to win four or more titles. Maverick McNealy birdies the last hole at Sea Island to finally become PGA Tour winner ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Maverick McNealy is finally a winner on the PGA Tour, and it took a shot he won't soon forget. McNealy was part of a four-way tie for the lead when he drilled a 6-iron to 5 feet on the final hole at Sea Island for birdie and a 68. That gave him a one-shot victory over Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria and Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton. Berger and Henrik Norlander moved into the top 125 to keep full PGA Tour cards for next year. Clanton continued to show his promise. It was his second runner-up finish and fourth top 10 this year.The censure motion brought by Britain, France, Germany and the United States at the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation board follows a similar one in June. But it comes as tensions run high over Iran's atomic programme, with critics fearing that Tehran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon -- a claim the Islamic Republic has repeatedly denied. The resolution -- which China, Russia and Burkina Faso voted against -- was carried by 19 votes in favour, with 12 abstentions and Venezuela not participating, two diplomats told AFP. Ahead of the vote on Thursday night, the United States and its European allies sought to rally support for their resolution by denouncing Iran. In its national statement to the board, Washington said that Tehran's nuclear activities are "deeply troubling". London, Paris and Berlin in a joint statement drew attention to the "threat" Iran's nuclear programme posed "to international security", stressing that it now had enough highly enriched uranium for four nuclear weapons. In a first reaction after the vote, Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Mohsen Naziri Asl, told AFP that the resolution was "politically motivated", citing its "low support" compared to previous censures. The confidential resolution seen by AFP says it is "essential and urgent" for Iran to "act to fulfil its legal obligations". The text also calls on Tehran to provide "technically credible explanations" for the presence of uranium particles found at two undeclared locations in Iran. Moreover, Western powers are asking for a "comprehensive report" to be issued by the IAEA on Iran's nuclear efforts "at the latest" by spring 2025. Since 2021, Tehran has significantly decreased its cooperation with the agency by deactivating surveillance devices to monitor the nuclear programme and barring UN inspectors. At the same time, Iran has rapidly ramped up its nuclear activities, including by increasing its stockpiles of enriched uranium. That has heightened fears that Tehran might be seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, which it denies. The resolution comes just as IAEA head Rafael Grossi returned from a trip to Tehran last week, where he appeared to have made headway. During the visit, Iran agreed to an IAEA demand to cap its sensitive stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity. "This is a concrete step in the right direction," Grossi told reporters Wednesday, saying it was "the first time" Iran had made such a commitment since it started breaking away from its obligations under the nuclear deal. The landmark 2015 deal -- which curbed Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief -- fell apart three years later after the unilateral withdrawal by the United States under then-president Donald Trump. In retaliation, Tehran began gradually rolling back some of its commitments by increasing its uranium stockpiles and enriching beyond the 3.67 percent purity -- enough for nuclear power stations -- permitted under the deal. Although symbolic in nature at this stage, the censure motion is designed to raise diplomatic pressure on Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday the censure "will disrupt" interactions with the agency, but stressed Tehran would remain keen to cooperate. Earlier, Araghchi had warned of a "proportionate" response by Iran if the board passes the resolution. According to Heloise Fayet, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, the resolution has the potential to "harm Rafael Grossi's efforts". "But Western powers are frustrated by the lack of effectiveness of his diplomatic manoeuvres and are looking for firmer solutions," she told AFP. On Wednesday, Grossi said he could "not exclude" that Iran's commitment to cap enrichment might falter "as a result of further developments". Foreign policy expert Rahman Ghahremanpour said Tehran might retaliate to the new censure by "increasing the enrichment levels". But he does not expect any drastic "strategic measures" as Iran does not want to "aggravate tensions" before Trump returns to the White House. pdm-anb-kym/giv

Jimmy Carter, the 100-year-old former U.S. president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has passed away, according to a statement from his nonprofit organization, The Carter Center, on Sunday, 29 December 2024. Carter died peacefully at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he had been in hospice care since February 2023. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his death. Carter, who rose from humble beginnings in rural Georgia to lead the nation from 1977 to 1981, was the longest-living U.S. president and the oldest former U.S. leader. His son, Chip Carter, described his father as "a hero" who believed in peace, human rights, and selfless love. The former president had endured a tumultuous single term in office, with key moments such as the Camp David Accords, where he brokered a peace deal between Israel and Egypt, but also faced major challenges, including the Iranian hostage crisis and the 1980 oil crisis. These setbacks contributed to his loss to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election, leaving Carter to serve only one term. However, Carter’s legacy was shaped by his significant post-presidency work, which began with the founding of The Carter Center in 1982. His efforts to promote global diplomacy, human rights, and social justice earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter also became a prominent international mediator, involved in election observation and peace efforts from North Korea to Bosnia. A devout Christian, Carter’s faith played a central role throughout his life, including in his presidency and later years. He taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains until his 90s. In recent years, Carter battled health challenges, including a diagnosis of brain cancer in 2015, but continued to defy expectations with his resilience. He is survived by his wife, Rosalynn, who passed away in November 2023 at age 96, and their four children. U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia, who also serves as a pastor, expressed his condolences, praising Carter for his faith and commitment to justice. "Across life’s seasons, President Jimmy Carter, a man of great faith, has walked with God," Warnock wrote. Carter's passing marks the end of a remarkable life that touched countless individuals worldwide through his leadership, humanitarian work, and unwavering principles.

Rockfire Resources plc ( LON:ROCK – Get Free Report )’s share price dropped 8.9% on Friday . The company traded as low as GBX 0.16 ($0.00) and last traded at GBX 0.16 ($0.00). Approximately 40,381,969 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 91% from the average daily volume of 21,155,254 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0.18 ($0.00). Rockfire Resources Stock Performance The firm has a fifty day moving average of GBX 0.13 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 0.15. The stock has a market capitalization of £5.07 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.20 and a beta of 0.38. Rockfire Resources Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Rockfire Resources plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mineral exploration in Australia. The company explores for gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, and molybdenum deposits. It holds five exploration permits for minerals in Queensland; and an exploration and exploitation license in Greece. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Rockfire Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rockfire Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Julen Lopetegui says West Ham were worthy winners at Newcastle