LONDON, June 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via IBN – RedCloud Holdings plc (Nasdaq: RCT) (“RedCloud” or “The Company”) today announces that Justin Floyd, CEO and Co-Founder will be attending the ROTH 15th Annual London Conference, which will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane in London, UK.
Event
ROTH 15th Annual London Conference
Date
June 24-26, 2025
Format
1×1 / small group meetings – by invitation only
Location
London, UK
This format will provide investors the opportunity to meet with executive management from approximately 70 companies across a range of sectors. The 1-on-1 and small group meetings throughout the event will offer institutional investors meaningful interaction with company leadership and the ability to gain in-depth insights into each business.
About ROTH ROTH is a relationship-driven investment bank focused on serving growth companies and their investors. Its full-service platform provides capital raising, high impact equity research, macroeconomics, sales and trading, technical insights, derivatives strategies, M&A advisory, and corporate access. Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, ROTH is a privately held, employee-owned organization and maintains offices throughout the U.S.
RedCloud has developed and operates the RedCloud trading platform (the “Platform”), that facilities trade of everyday consumer supplies of fast-moving consumer goods (“FMCG”) products across business supply chains. RedCloud believes its Platform solves a decades old problem of how to unlock and enable access to key purchase and sales data between brands, distributors and retailers in high growth consumer markets. Through RedCloud’s Platform, retailers are enabled to use data driven insights backed by artificial intelligence (“AI”) to help make faster and easier business-to-business (“B2B”) purchases and inventory decisions from brands and distributors by breaking down complex purchasing behaviors of large product inventory catalogues. For more information about RedCloud and its Platform, please visit www.redcloudtechnology.com and connect on LinkedIn and Facebook .
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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Responding to the announcement on Wednesday that the Nigerian government has pardoned the Ogoni Nine, Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria’s Director, said:
“This is welcome news but it falls far short of the justice the Ogoni Nine need and deserve – the Nigerian government must recognise formally that they are innocent of any crime and fully exonerate them.
“The Ogoni Nine, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa Nigeria’s leading author and campaigner, were brutally executed by a regime that wanted to hide the crimes of Shell and other oil companies that were destroying – and continue to destroy – the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the Niger Delta as a result of their devastating oil spills and leaks.
“The execution of these activists nearly 30 years ago has given the Nigerian government and oil companies, including Shell, licence to crackdown on protests and intimidate people in the Niger Delta who have been demanding justice and an end to their toxic pollution.
“Full justice for the Ogoni Nine is only a first step – much more needs to be done to get justice for communities in the Niger Delta, including holding Shell and other oil companies to account for the damage they have done and continue to do. They must pay the Niger Delta’s communities full compensation for the devastation their oil spills and leaks have caused and clean up their toxic mess before they leave the region.”
Background
The Ogoni Nine
Ken Saro-Wiwa, environmental activist and writer, Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Felix Nuate, Paul Levula, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo and Daniel Gbokoo, were executed after a blatantly unfair trial on 10 November 1995. Officially accused of involvement in murder, the men had in fact been put on trial because they had challenged the devastating impact of oil production by Shell, in the Ogoniland region of the Niger Delta.
Shell have been accused of complicity in the unlawful arrest, detention and execution of nine men.
Niger Delta devastation
For 60 years Shell and other oil companies have been responsible for oil spills and leaks due to poorly maintained pipelines, wells and inadequate clean-up attempts that have ravaged the health and livelihoods of many of the 30 million people living in the Niger Delta – most of whom live in poverty. People can’t fish anymore because their water sources, including their wells for drinking water, are poisoned and the land is contaminated which has killed plant life, meaning communities can no longer farm.
The Ogale and Bille communities as well as the Bodo community are taking Shell to the UK’s Royal Courts of Justice demanding the oil giant cleans up the oil spills that have wrecked their livelihoods, health and caused widespread devastation to the local environment.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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The Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga on Friday June 13, 2025 chaired a consultative meeting with the African Development Bank and the National Treasury to review progress on the implementation of the East Africa Centre of Excellence in Urology and Nephrology project.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including Ms. Nadege Balima from the African Development Bank, Mr. Samuel Nyoike from the National Treasury, and Dr. Ajuck Hossin from the Ministry of Health.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Susan M. Shaw, Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Oregon State University
A worship session at the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting on June 10, 2025, in Dallas. AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez
The Southern Baptist Convention has lost 3.6 million members over the past two decades and faces an ongoing sexual abuse crisis. At its June 2025 annual meeting, however, neither of those issues took up as much time as controversial social issues, including the denomination’s stance on same-sex marriage.
The group called for the overturning of Obergefell v. Hodges – the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage – and the creation of laws that “affirm marriage between one man and one woman.”
Messengers – Southern Baptists’ word for delegates from local churches – also asked for laws that would “reflect the moral order revealed in Scripture and nature.”
They also decried declining fertility rates, commercial surrogacy, Planned Parenthood, “willful childlessness,” the normalization of “transgender ideology,” and gender-affirming medical care.
This detailed list targeting women’s and LGBTQ+ rights was justified by an appeal to a God-ordained created order, as defined by Southern Baptists’ interpretation of the Bible.
In this created order, sex and gender are synonymous and are irrevocably defined by biology. The heterosexual nuclear family is the foundational institution of this order, with the father dominant over his wife and children – and children are a necessity if husbands and wives are to be faithful to God’s design for the family.
The resolution, On Restoring Moral Clarity through God’s Design for Gender, Marriage, and the Family, passed easily in a denomination that was taken over from more moderate Southern Baptists by fundamentalists in the early 1990s, largely in response to women’s progress in society and in the denomination.
Southern Baptists were always conservative on issues of gender and sexuality. As I was entering a Southern Baptist seminary in the early 1980s, the denomination seemed poised to embrace social progress. I watched the takeover firsthand as a student and then as a professor of women and gender studies who studies Southern Baptists. This new resolution is the latest in a long history of Southern Baptist opposition to the progress of women and LGBTQ+ people.
Opposing LGBTQ+ rights
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, many Southern Baptists began to embrace the women’s movement. Women started to attend Southern Baptist seminaries in record numbers, many claiming a call to serve as pastors. While Southern Baptist acceptance of LGBTQ+ people lagged far behind its nascent embrace of women’s rights, progress did seem possible.
Then in 1979, a group of Southern Baptist fundamentalists organized to wrest control of the denomination from the moderates who had led it for decades.
Any hope for progress on changes regarding LGBTQ+ rights in the denomination quickly died. Across the next two decades, advances made by women, such as being ordained and serving as senior pastors, eroded and disappeared.
The SBC had passed anti-gay resolutions in the 1970s defining homosexuality as “deviant” and a “sin.” But under the new fundamentalist rule, the SBC became even more vehemently anti-gay and anti-trans.
In 1988, the SBC called homosexuality a “perversion of divine standards,” “a violation of nature and natural affections,” “not a normal lifestyle,” and “an abomination in the eyes of God.”
In 1991, they decried government funding for the National Lesbian and Gay Health Conference as a violation of “the proper role and responsibility of government” because of its encouragement of “sexual immorality.”
The gender and sexuality topic, however, that has received the most attention from the convention has been marriage equality. Since 1980, the SBC has passed 22 resolutions that touch on same-sex marriage.
The SBC passed its first resolution against same-sex marriage in 1996 after the Hawaii Supreme Court indicated the possibility it could rule in favor of same-sex marriage. The court never decided the issue because Hawaii’s Legislature passed a bill defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
In 1998, the convention amended its faith statement, the Baptist Faith and Message, to define marriage as “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment.”
The denomination passed its next resolution in 2003 in response to the Vermont General Assembly’s establishment of civil unions. The resolution opposed any efforts to validate same-sex marriages or partnerships, whether legislative, judicial or religious.
In 2004, after the Massachusetts Supreme Court allowed same-sex marriages in that state, the convention called for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. It reiterated this call in 2006.
When the California Supreme Court struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, the SBC passed another resolution in 2008 warning of the dire consequences of allowing lesbians and gay men to marry, as people from other states would marry in California and return home to challenge their states’ marriage bans.
In 2011, the convention offered its support for the Defense of Marriage Act, followed in 2012 by a denunciation of the use of civil rights language to argue for marriage equality.
Delegates at a Southern Baptist Convention meeting in 2012 in New Orleans. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
The resolution argues that homosexuality “does not qualify as a class meriting special protections, like race and gender.”
When Obergefell was before the Supreme Court, the SBC called on the court to deny marriage equality. After Obergefell was decided in favor of same-sex marriage, the convention asked for Congress to pass the First Amendment Defense Act, which would have prohibited the federal government from discriminating against people based on their opposition to same-sex marriage. That same resolution also offers its support to state attorneys general challenging transgender rights.
Opposing transgender people
Messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention listen to remarks by its president, Clint Pressley, during the 2025 SBC annual meeting in Dallas. AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez
This was not the first time the SBC had spoken about transgender issues. As early as 2007, the denomination expressed its opposition to allowing transgender people to constitute a protected class in hate crimes legislation.
In 2014, the convention stated its belief that gender is fixed and binary and subsequently that trans people should not be allowed gender-affirming care and that government officials should not validate transgender identity.
In its resolution opposing the proposed Equality Act, which would have added sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classifications, the SBC argued, “The Equality Act would undermine decades of hard-fought civil rights protections for women and girls by threatening competition in sports and disregarding the privacy concerns women rightly have about sharing sleeping quarters and intimate facilities with members of the opposite sex.”
This most recent resolution from June 2025 returns to the themes of fixed and binary gender, a divinely sanctioned hierarchical ordering of gender, and marriage as an institution limited to one woman and one man. While claiming these beliefs are “universal truths,” the resolution argues that Obergefell is a “legal fiction” because it denies the biological reality of male and female.
Going further, this resolution claims that U.S. law on gender and sexuality should be based on the Bible. The duty of lawmakers, it states, is to “pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law – about marriage, sex, human life, and family – and to oppose any law that denies or undermines what God has made plain through nature and Scripture.”
By taking no action on sexual abuse while focusing its efforts on issues of gender and sexuality, the convention affirmed its decades-long conservative trajectory. It also underlined its willingness to encourage lawmakers to impose these standards on the rest of the nation.
Susan M. Shaw does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
AI can help maximize resources in strapped systems trying to protect vulnerable people – but it can also risk replicating harm or privacy violations.Courtney Hale/E+ via Getty Images
Artificial intelligence is rapidly being adopted to help prevent abuse and protect vulnerable people – including children in foster care, adults in nursing homes and students in schools. These tools promise to detect danger in real time and alert authorities before serious harm occurs.
Developers are using natural language processing, for example — a form of AI that interprets written or spoken language – to try to detect patterns of threats, manipulation and control in text messages. This information could help detect domestic abuse and potentially assist courts or law enforcement in early intervention. Some child welfare agencies use predictive modeling, another common AI technique, to calculate which families or individuals are most “at risk” for abuse.
When thoughtfully implemented, AI tools have the potential to enhance safety and efficiency. For instance, predictive models have assisted social workers to prioritize high-risk cases and intervene earlier.
But as a social worker with 15 years of experience researching family violence – and five years on the front lines as a foster-care case manager, child abuse investigator and early childhood coordinator – I’ve seen how well-intentioned systems often fail the very people they are meant to protect.
Now, I am helping to develop iCare, an AI-powered surveillance camera that analyzes limb movements – not faces or voices – to detect physical violence. I’m grappling with a critical question: Can AI truly help safeguard vulnerable people, or is it just automating the same systems that have long caused them harm?
New tech, old injustice
Many AI tools are trained to “learn” by analyzing historical data. But history is full of inequality, bias and flawed assumptions. So are people, who design, test and fund AI.
That means AI algorithms can wind up replicating systemic forms of discrimination, like racism or classism. A 2022 study in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, found that a predictive risk model to score families’ risk levels – scores given to hotline staff to help them screen calls – would have flagged Black children for investigation 20% more often than white children, if used without human oversight. When social workers were included in decision-making, that disparity dropped to 9%.
Language-based AI can also reinforce bias. For instance, one study showed that natural language processing systems misclassified African American Vernacular English as “aggressive” at a significantly higher rate than Standard American English — up to 62% more often, in certain contexts.
Meanwhile, a 2023 study found that AI models often struggle with context clues, meaning sarcastic or joking messages can be misclassified as serious threats or signs of distress.
These flaws can replicate larger problems in protective systems. People of color have long been over-surveilled in child welfare systems — sometimes due to cultural misunderstandings, sometimes due to prejudice. Studies have shown that Black and Indigenous families face disproportionately higher rates of reporting, investigation and family separation compared with white families, even after accounting for income and other socioeconomic factors.
Many of these disparities stem from structural racism embedded in decades of discriminatory policy decisions, as well as implicit biases and discretionary decision-making by overburdened caseworkers.
Surveillance over support
Even when AI systems do reduce harm toward vulnerable groups, they often do so at a disturbing cost.
In a 2022 pilot program in Australia, AI camera systems deployed in two care homes generated more than 12,000 false alerts over 12 months – overwhelming staff and missing at least one real incident. The program’s accuracy did “not achieve a level that would be considered acceptable to staff and management,” according to the independent report.
Children are affected, too. In U.S. schools, AI surveillance like Gaggle, GoGuardian and Securly are marketed as tools to keep students safe. Such programs can be installed on students’ devices to monitor online activity and flag anything concerning.
But they’ve also been shown to flag harmless behaviors – like writing short stories with mild violence, or researching topics related to mental health. As an Associated Press investigation revealed, these systems have also outed LGBTQ+ students to parents or school administrators by monitoring searches or conversations about gender and sexuality.
Other systems use classroom cameras and microphones to detect “aggression.” But they frequently misidentify normal behavior like laughing, coughing or roughhousing — sometimes prompting intervention or discipline.
These are not isolated technical glitches; they reflect deep flaws in how AI is trained and deployed. AI systems learn from past data that has been selected and labeled by humans — data that often reflects social inequalities and biases. As sociologist Virginia Eubanks wrote in “Automating Inequality,” AI systems risk scaling up these long-standing harms.
Care, not punishment
I believe AI can still be a force for good, but only if its developers prioritize the dignity of the people these tools are meant to protect. I’ve developed a framework of four key principles for what I call “trauma-responsive AI.”
Survivor control: People should have a say in how, when and if they’re monitored. Providing users with greater control over their data can enhance trust in AI systems and increase their engagement with support services, such as creating personalized plans to stay safe or access help.
Human oversight: Studies show that combining social workers’ expertise with AI support improves fairness and reduces child maltreatment – as in Allegheny County, where caseworkers used algorithmic risk scores as one factor, alongside their professional judgment, to decide which child abuse reports to investigate.
Bias auditing: Governments and developers are increasingly encouraged to test AI systems for racial and economic bias. Open-source tools like IBM’s AI Fairness 360, Google’s What-If Tool, and Fairlearn assist in detecting and reducing such biases in machine learning models.
Privacy by design: Technology should be built to protect people’s dignity. Open-source tools like Amnesia, Google’s differential privacy library and Microsoft’s SmartNoise help anonymize sensitive data by removing or obscuring identifiable information. Additionally, AI-powered techniques, such as facial blurring, can anonymize people’s identities in video or photo data.
Honoring these principles means building systems that respond with care, not punishment.
Some promising models are already emerging. The Coalition Against Stalkerware and its partners advocate to include survivors in all stages of tech development – from needs assessments to user testing and ethical oversight.
Legislation is important, too. On May 5, 2025, for example, Montana’s governor signed a law restricting state and local government from using AI to make automated decisions about individuals without meaningful human oversight. It requires transparency about how AI is used in government systems and prohibits discriminatory profiling.
As I tell my students, innovative interventions should disrupt cycles of harm, not perpetuate them. AI will never replace the human capacity for context and compassion. But with the right values at the center, it might help us deliver more of it.
Aislinn Conrad is developing iCare, an AI-powered, real-time violence detection system.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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On June 12, 2025 the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sergei Terentyev, met with the First Deputy Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Egypt – Head of the Egyptian Commercial Service, Abdelaziz Al-Sherif.
The sides discussed the preparation of the 8th meeting of the Belarusian-Egyptian Joint Trade Commission in Minsk, and the Roadmap for the development of trade and economic cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and the Arab Republic of Egypt.
A special attention was paid to the issues of industrial cooperation in accordance with the agreements reached by the Heads of Governments of Belarus and Egypt in April 2024, including the resumption of work on assembly plants for Belarusian agricultural machinery in Egypt.
– on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Katherine LeMasters, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Boulder
The people most impacted by Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill have divergent views on the role of the legal system in curbing the opioid epidemic.Erik McGregor/GettyImages
Colorado passed the Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Bill in May 2022. The legislation made the possession of small amounts of fentanyl a felony, rather than a misdemeanor.
Felonies are more likely than misdemeanors to result in a prison sentence.
In 2023, lawmakers in 46 states passed legislation similar to Colorado’s. They introduced more than 600 bills related to fentanyl criminalization and enacted over 100 other laws to attempt to curb the opioid epidemic.
Possession of small amounts of ketamine, GHB and other criminalized drugs is also a felony in Colorado.
I’m an assistant professor of medicine, social epidemiologist and community researcher who studies mass incarceration as a public health threat. I am a member of the Right Response Coalition, which advocates for community rather than criminal-legal responses to behavioral health needs in Colorado. Recently, my work has focused on how increasing criminal penalties for fentanyl possession in Colorado affects the individuals and communities most impacted by such laws.
Our team conducted 31 interviews with Colorado policymakers, peer support specialists, law enforcement, community behavioral health providers and people providing behavioral health in prisons and jails to explore a variety of perspectives on Colorado’s Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Bill and the role of the criminal-legal system in addressing substance use and overdose.
Most of our interviewees agreed that criminalization alone wouldn’t solve the opioid epidemic.
“You can’t incarcerate yourself to sobriety,” said a rural law enforcement officer. “You can’t incarcerate yourself out of the drug problem in America.”
People recently released from incarceration are more likely to overdose than the general public because their tolerance is greatly reduced following forced abstinence and there are not enough community-based treatment options. Erik McGregor/GettyImages
All 31 of the participants in our study supported policies to prevent fentanyl overdoses. However, most thought that use of police and incarceration as avenues to do so was misguided.
“It just seems like there’s no getting away from [the police], they’re everywhere,” said an urban peer support specialist. “I got arrested by the same cops, I don’t know how many times. And then it makes you want to try to be avoidant or run because they’re not going to help you.”
Participants worried that the policy has an inadvertent chilling effect, deterring individuals from calling 911 when an overdose occurs.
“Most people with substance abuse are not trying to report anything or get help for fear of going to jail,” one rural provider said. “It’s so stigmatized that everyone’s just scared to do that.”
Study participants worried that the Colorado fentanyl criminalization bill will deter people from reporting an overdose for fear of being arrested. Spencer Platt/GettyImages
Participants largely thought that counties were using incarceration as a default treatment setting and that it wasn’t an ideal solution.
“[I] don’t want to see [people] incarcerated, but I don’t want ‘em to die either,” said an urban peer support specialist.
Colorado’s fentanyl bill did more than just increase penalties. It also provided additional funding for a state naloxone program and required that all jails provide medications for opioid use disorder.
Along with increasing penalties, Colorado’s bill increased access to naloxone, an opioid-reversal drug. Hyoung Chang/GettyImages
Based on our study’s findings, my study co-authors and I believe increased criminal penalties should not be the solution for linking individuals to treatment. Instead, there should be more investment in long-term community solutions.
One such solution is Denver’s Substance Use Navigation Program. The program sends behavioral health specialists to emergency calls to prevent legal involvement when someone is experiencing distress related to mental health, poverty, homelessness or substance use. In many cases, those individuals are then routed to services rather than jails.
Our findings also lead us to believe there is a need for more participatory policymaking processes when it comes to fentanyl legislation, and that policymakers should more closely work with the people who will be most impacted by new legislation. Most of our participants agree.
“[I] don’t think that [the] state realized how difficult it is,” said a rural provider about giving medication-assisted treatment in jail, an increasing need as more people are arrested for fentanyl possession. “They probably should come here and visit us.”
Katherine LeMasters received funding from the Colorado Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Administration. Katherine LeMasters is part of the Right Response Coalition.
In the early days of the second Trump administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took down data and documents that included sexual orientation and gender identity from its webpages. For example, data codebooks for the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were replaced with versions that deleted gender identity variables. The Trump administration also ordered the CDC to delete gender identity from the National Violent Death Reporting System, the world’s largest database for informing prevention of homicide and suicide deaths.
For many people, sexual orientation and gender identity may seem private and personal. So why is personal information necessary for public health?
Decades of research have shown that health problems affect some groups more than others. As someone who has studied differences in health outcomes for over 15 years, I know that one of the largest health disparities for LGBTQ+ people is suicide risk. Without data on sexual orientation and gender identity, public health cannot do the work to sound the alarm on and address issues that affect not just specific communities, but society as a whole.
Clinicians are concerned about the purging of health data that is essential to patient care.
Alarms and benchmarks
Health is determined by the interplay of several factors, including a person’s genetics, environment and personal life. Of these types of health information, data on personal lives can be the most difficult to collect because researchers must rely on people to voluntarily share this information with them. But details about people’s everyday lives are critical to understanding their health.
Consider veteran status. Without information that identifies which Americans are military veterans, the U.S. would never have known that the rate of suicide deaths among veterans is several times higher than that of the general population. Identifying this problem encouraged efforts to reduce suicide among veterans and military service personnel.
Studying the rates of different conditions occurring in different groups of people is a vital role of public health monitoring. First, rates can set off alarm bells. When people are counted, it becomes easier to pick up a problem that needs to be addressed.
Second, rates can be a benchmark. Once the extent of a health problem is known, researchers can develop and test interventions. They can then determine if rates of that health problem decreased, stayed the same or increased after the intervention.
My team reviewed available research on how sexual orientation and gender identity are related to differences in mortality. The results were grim.
Of the 49 studies we analyzed, the vast majority documented greater rates of death from all causes for LGBTQ+ people compared with people who aren’t LGBTQ+. Results were worse for suicide: Nearly all studies reported that suicide deaths were more frequent among LGBTQ+ people. A great deal of other research supports this finding.
Without data on sexual orientation and gender identity, these issues are erased.
Lost data costs everyone
Higher death rates among LGBTQ+ people affect everyone, not just people in the LGBTQ+ community. And when suicide is a major driver of these death rates, the costs increase.
There are societal costs. Deaths from suicide result in lost productivity and medical services that cost the U.S. an estimated $484 billion per year. There are also human costs. Research suggests that for every suicide death, about 135 people are directly affected by the loss, experiencing grief, sadness and anger.
President Donald Trump’s targeting of research on sexual orientation and gender identity comes at a time when more Americans than ever – an estimated 24.4 million adults – identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. That’s more than the entire population of Florida.
Stopping data collection of sexual orientation and gender identity does not protect women, or anyone else, as the Trump administration claims. Rather, it serves to weaken American public health. I believe counting all Americans is the path to a stronger, healthier nation because public health can then do its duty of detecting when a community needs help.
John R. Blosnich receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. He is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), however all time and effort into writing this piece was done outside of his work with the VA. The opinions expressed are those of Dr. Blosnich and do not necessarily represent those of his institution, funders, or any affiliations.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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This afternoon, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the AU Commission, received H.E. Kahinda Otafiire, President of the Global Pan-African Movement & Minister of Internal Affairs of Uganda.
Discussions focused on the enduring mandate of the Pan-African Movement & preparations for its forthcoming Congress. They both underscored the Movement’s historic role in nurturing African identity, unity, & laying the OAU.
The Chairperson reaffirmed the AU Commission’s support for the upcoming Congress and welcomed efforts to revitalise Pan-African ideals in today’s global context.
They also exchanged views on regional peace & security, highlighting the importance of coordinated action among AU Member States in advancing preventive diplomacy, mediation, & peace operations. The Chairperson acknowledged Uganda’s vital role in promoting stability & regional cooperation.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
Coca-Cola (www.Coca-ColaCompany.com) is proud to present Coca-Cola Fest Luanda, a flagship brand experience hosted by Coca-Cola in Angola. This vibrant celebration of music, food, and culture will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, starting at 4:00 PM, at the iconic Luanda Bay Waterfront, in front of the Fortaleza Shopping Center.
Coca-Cola Fest Luanda is designed to reinforce Coca-Cola’s enduring presence in Angola while celebrating the dynamic spirit of Angolan youth and culture.
Coca-Cola Fest Luanda will offer attendees a multi-sensory journey, featuring:
Live performances by some of Angola’s most exciting music talents, alongside a host of international DJs.
Diverse culinary offerings from local restaurants and food entrepreneurs, reflecting Angola’s rich culinary heritage and international fusion.
Interactive brand experiences and activations designed to create joyful, shareable moments for friends and families.
“Coca-Cola Fest Luanda is more than a celebration, it’s a tribute to unity, diversity, and the cultural energy of Angola,” said Racheal Kanoti, General Manager, Coca-Cola Angola. “We’re bringing together people, flavors, and rhythms that define this incredible country. It’s a moment to enjoy the magic of food, music, and human connection with the unmistakable taste of an ice-cold Coca-Cola.” She added.
In keeping with Coca-Cola’s aim to help reduce packaging waste, the company is partnering with Angolan recycling organization, Glopol, to support the collection of beverage packaging during the event.
Coca-Cola Fest Luanda will offer a day filled with flavor, music, and inspiration. Whether with friends or family, attendees will have the perfect opportunity to celebrate, connect, and refresh together. The festival will feature an exciting lineup of fun-filled games and interactive activities designed to bring people closer and highlight the vibrant spirit of the community. Participants will enjoy engaging challenges, lively competitions, and memorable moments that will capture the energy and joy of this unique event.
– on behalf of Coca-Cola.
For further information, please contact: Paula Lima plima@coca-cola.com
Follow on Social Media: Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/4mZvgxN Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4ebqrgT LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/43XahD5
About The Coca-Cola Company: The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.Coca-ColaCompany.com.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
The Orange group and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group announce the signing of a framework agreement at VivaTech 2025 making Orange the reference partner in digital matters.
This unprecedented agreement with a telecom operator aims to strengthen cooperation between the two groups to improve access to digital services, support innovation and accelerate environmental transition in their common areas of intervention.
Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange (www.Orange.com), Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group, and Françoise Lombard, CEO of Proparco, signed an innovative partnership agreement to jointly accelerate digital inclusion and sustainable digital development. The three-year agreement provides a structured framework for cooperation on expertise and the emergence of joint projects internationally. It covers 17 countries in the Africa-Middle East region where Orange is present, as well as Moldova and French overseas departments. Priority themes include:
Digital inclusion of populations through the deployment of strategic infrastructure (ex. backbone equipment of very high-speed networks and submarine cables);
Financial and energy inclusion, and access to e-services (agriculture, health, education), especially in rural areas;
Reduction of the environmental footprint of digital technology;
Training and professional integration through digital tools;
Support for innovation and entrepreneurship;
Forward-looking discussions on ethical data use, security and artificial intelligence for development.
As a multi-service operator and key partner in the digital transformation of the Africa-Middle East region, Orange has already opened 16 Orange Digital Centers and 32 Orange Digital Center Clubs in partnership with universities. These are free and accessible to all, and are designed to promote digital inclusion among youth and foster entrepreneurship.
AFD Group supports public authorities, businesses, civil society and innovative ecosystems in their transition toward a more open, accessible and responsible digital world. It works alongside its partners to leverage digital solutions to achieve their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On the basis of this experience, Orange and AFD Group have worked together for over 20 years on various projects, such as supporting the deployment of fixed and mobile telecom networks for Orange subsidiaries in Jordan and Senegal, training youth in digital tools through Orange Foundations in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Madagascar and Tunisia, and supporting coding training programs at Orange Digital Centers in Jordan.
This new partnership will strengthen the synergies and increase the dissemination of best practices and innovations in the digital sector. It reflects a renewed ambition aimed at striving towards digital equality and SDG achievement through innovative solutions and collaborative initiatives.
On signing the agreement, Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange, stated:“This strategic partnership with AFD Group marks an important milestone in our collaboration. I look forward to continuing this dynamic of international cooperation for a more inclusive and sustainable digital future, reinforcing Orange’s commitment to expanding access to digital technology everywhere we operate. “
Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group, said: “AFD Group believes that digital technology is a powerful lever for transforming a diverse range of sectors, including public services, education, health and entrepreneurship. This first strategic partnership with Orange exemplifies this shared ambition to support the emergence of sovereign digital services at a local level by investing in solutions that are innovative, open and responsible.”
Françoise Lombard, CEO of Proparco, added: “Proparco, AFD Group’s subsidiary dedicated to the private sector, is fully committed to strengthening its partnership with Orange, both strategically and operationally. By combining our networks, expertise and resources, we are working with determination to improve digital access for all in France and emerging countries.”
– on behalf of Orange Middle East and Africa.
Press contacts: Flaminia le Maignan: flaminia.lemaignan@orange.com Service presse AFD: _afdpresse@afd.fr
Follow us on: X: @ orangegrouppr (https://apo-opa.co/4jKVTnh)
About Orange: Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with revenues of 40.3 billion euros in 2024 and 125,800 employees worldwide at 31 March 2025, including 69,700 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 294 million customers worldwide at 31 March 2025, including 256 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers. These figures account for the deconsolidation of certain activities in Spain following the creation of MASORANGE. The Group is present in 26 countries (including non-consolidated countries).
Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business. In February 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan “Lead the Future”, built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. “Lead the Future” capitalizes on network excellence to reinforce Orange’s leadership in service quality.
Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA).
For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.Orange.com, www.Orange-Business.com and the Orange News app.
Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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The Chairperson of the AU Commission H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, had a meeting with Brig. Paul Kahuria Njema, Director General of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) Secretariat this morning.
Their discussions focused on the peace & security landscape in Eastern DRC, Sudan, Somalia, & the Gulf of Aden. They reaffirmed the imperative of a sustained, coordinated approach to conflict resolution & the importance of securing sustainable & predictable funding for African-led peace support operations.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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Collective, collaborative efforts to strengthen protection of civilians, security, and peace in the troubled Central Equatorian region was the key focus of intensive discussions between local authorities and a United Nations peacekeeping team.
The engagements held with County Commissioners from Yei River, Morobo, and Lainya provided a valuable opportunity to discuss how to address the complex challenges facing communities, focusing on shared priorities and cooperation.
“The partnership and collaboration we have with county authorities is critical to ensuring that, as peacekeepers, we can jointly and effectively address the serious issues confronting the communities we serve,” said Njoki Kinyanjui, UNMISS Head of Field Office in Central Equatoria State.
“This collaboration is essential, especially during challenging times, when our communities need more support than ever,” said Charles Data, Morobo County Commissioner.
All three counties identified peace, security, justice mechanisms, road connectivity, education and health as their top priorities.
“Road connectivity is fundamental to improving both security and service delivery,” stated Emmanuel Taban, Yei River County Commissioner. “This helps us better reach communities and support economic activities that offer alternatives to harmful behaviors.”
The UNMISS team recognized the importance of connecting communities for trade, economic growth, and peacebuilding, citing a project to rebuild the Kendial Bridge in Kandila Boma as an example as well as four quick impact projects underway in the three counties.
Also on the agenda was the need to strengthen justice and rule of law, including traditional court systems as well as formal mechanisms. Commissioners highlighted the need for mobile courts and additional judicial capacity to address pending cases.
A top priority is also to enhance community engagement in peace building, ensuring that communities live peacefully together, and that governance systems are inclusive.
“It is important that peace committees, youth and women’s associations and security agencies work together as partners in peacebuilding,” emphasized Commissioner Taban. “Enhanced support for these groups would enable broader community outreach and participation.”
UNMISS reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening peace committees through enhanced mobility support and capacity building initiatives.
As South Sudan continues to progress its transition towards the country’s first democratic elections, UNMISS also encouraged the commissioners to foster an inclusive civic and political space.
“County commissioners play a pivotal role in creating an enabling environment for democratic processes,” explained the UNMISS Head of Field Office. “You are closest to the people and essential for ensuring all voices are heard and included.”
The meetings also addressed operational challenges, including ensuring UNMISS has unhindered access all areas, particularly conflict hotspots where people are in most need of protection and support.
– on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 13, 2025
Video of Exchange (YouTube)
Washington, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Republicans’ hypocrisy on raising the deficit with Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”
Senator Warren highlighted the hypocrisy of Secretary Bessent’s support for cutting crucial social programs to decrease the national debt, while also supporting adding trillions to the deficit to give billionaires and giant corporations tax cuts.
Secretary Bessent, with no evidence, said he believed the tax bill would decrease the deficit.
Senator Warren pointed out that “[e]very credible, independent expert agrees that Trump and the Republicans’ ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will add trillions to the national debt and would not even come close to paying for itself…Even Elon Musk and the Wall Street Journal are criticizing the bill for ballooning the national debt.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has revealed the Republican tax bill would increase the deficit by $3 trillion. Secretary Bessent said only that he “[doesn’t] agree with the CBO.”
“[W]hy is the national debt so very important that you’re trying to kick 16 million people off their health insurance, but increasing the national debt doesn’t seem to matter if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires and billionaire corporations?” Senator Warren asked.
Bessent attempted to downplay the health care cuts by saying the “figure is overstated by 5.1 million,” and falsely claimed Medicaid is granted to undocumented people.
“[T]he part that troubles me the most is that the Secretary is deeply worried about the deficit and is willing to knock 16 million, or as he says, ‘merely 11 million,’ people off their health care [because it] matters so much, but it doesn’t matter so much if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires…I think that’s wrong,” concluded Senator Warren.
Transcript: Hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget for the Department of Treasury and Tax ReformSenate Finance CommitteeJune 12, 2025
Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So I want to ask about the Republican “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which will knock about 16 million off their healthcare coverage and cut programs that keep groceries cheaper for millions of families, in order to try to pay for about $4 trillion in tax giveaways, that are mostly going to be sucked up by millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations.
So, Secretary Bessent, I’d like to start with a very simple question: will this bill increase or decrease the deficit?
Mr. Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury: There are varying scoring on that, Senator Warren.
Senator Warren: You’re the Secretary of the Treasury, so I’m asking you: what is your view? Will this bill increase or decrease the deficit?
Secretary Bessent: It is my view that over the ten-year window, it will decrease.
Senator Warren: You know, do you have anybody who agrees with you on this?
Secretary Bessent: Yes, ma’am.
Senator Warren: Let me ask my question.
Secretary Bessent: Okay.
Senator Warren: Every credible, independent expert agrees that Trump and the Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” will add trillions to the national debt and would not even come close to paying for itself. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Penn Wharton Budget Model, and the Yale Budget Lab all agree on this, and they are looking at ten-year windows, thank you. So do the conservative Tax Foundation and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget—conservative groups.
Even Elon Musk and the Wall Street Journal are criticizing the bill for ballooning the national debt. The only people who are saying publicly that it is not going to add to the national debt are you, Donald Trump, the Republicans in Congress. Do you have an independent group that has put forward numbers that disagrees with all of these conservative groups and disagrees with the Wall Street Journal on this?
Secretary Bessent: Well, Senator, it’s interesting to see you aligned with Elon Musk, but if I might—
Senator Warren: You’re no more shocked than I am.
Secretary Bessent: If we want to take the full Congressional Budget scoring, they predict, and I don’t agree with their methodology, they predict a $2.4 trillion deficit, but—
Secretary Warren: Okay, so the answer to the question is yes.
Secretary Bessent: No, no, no. But may I finish? They include that, but they’ve also scored $2.8 trillion in tariff income. So even, even in Washington, D.C. math, that is a $400 billion surplus.
Senator Warren: Okay, so let me make sure I understand. This bill, you admit, will increase the deficit by $2.4 trillion, but you think there will be another bill and another set of agreements that somehow materialize. Haven’t materialized so far, don’t have any statutory authority, but that will make up the difference.
So the answer to the original question, will this bill increase or decrease the deficit? I think you just said it will increase. This bill increases the deficit, is that right?
Secretary Bessent: I will use all the CBO scoring, and you can’t take one without the other. I don’t agree with the CBO.
Senator Warren: One is the law that we are scoring, the bill that is in front of us. We don’t have a tariff bill in front of us to score. Mr. Secretary, let me go on to the second question. You have said that government spending is, quote, “out of control.” You have also called government spending, quote, “unsustainable.” In fact, in the name of fiscal responsibility, you’re working with the Republicans on this “big, beautiful bill” to pass the biggest cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in American history.
So, Mr. Secretary, help me understand here: why is the national debt so very important that you’re trying to kick 16 million people off their health insurance, but increasing the national debt doesn’t seem to matter if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires and billionaire corporations?
Secretary Bessent: Well, first of all, a huge portion of this goes to family-owned businesses that are passed through entities that are below that level, Senator, and I am sure you share my goals of Main Street prosperity.
Senator Warren: You know, I’m glad to do tax cuts for people of modest means. The question I’m asking is, why does the deficit not matter to you when we’re talking about knocking 16 million people off their health care? But it matters not—It does matter to you if we’re knocking people off their health care, but not if—
Secretary Bessent: Well, first of all, that figure is overstated by 5.1 million. That is an amount not attributable to provisions in this bill.
Senator Warren: So you think it’s okay to knock ten million people off.
Secretary Bessent: Well, first of all, let’s set that straight. Work requirements account for 8 million of CBO’s claim number. Again, we’re creating an economy that promotes and rewards—
Senator Warren: So it’s clear, Secretary Bessent, you don’t want to answer the question.
Secretary Bessent: Senator, I am answering.
Senator Warren: No, you’re not.
Secretary Bessent: And what I want is for Medicaid to be used for mothers and children as it was meant, not for 1.4 million illegal aliens, not for able-bodied people—
Senator Warren: Medicaid is not used for people who are not documented. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say here the part that troubles me the most is that the Secretary is deeply worried about the deficit and is willing to knock 16 million, or as he says, “merely 11 million,” people off their health care—matters so much, but it doesn’t matter so much if you’re cutting taxes for billionaires, then it’s okay to run up a big deficit. I think that’s wrong.
CARIBBEAN SEA – The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67), supporting maritime southern border operations, conducted a hold-and-transfer of 245 kilograms of contraband recovered by the Royal Canadian Navy Harry DeWolf-class offshore patrol vessel HMCS William Hall (AOPV 433) in the Caribbean Sea June 9. The Reliance-class U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Vigorous (WMEC 627) accepted the contraband from the Cole’s embarked USCG Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) June 11 during a rendezvous at sea in the Caribbean.
SKRUNDA, Latvia – As part of exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2025, U.S. Navy Seabees, U.S. Marines from 8th Engineer Support Battalion (ESB), and Latvian Army engineers are constructing a fortified trench network designed for survivability in a drone-contested battlespace. The project serves both as a realistic rehearsal and a proof of concept for how modern combat engineers support maneuverability, concealment, and endurance in multi-domain operations.
The city’s school and college staff were recognised at an awards ceremony for the profession at Portsmouth Guildhall on Thursday 12 June.
The Teach Portsmouth Awards celebrated outstanding achievements across 12 categories, while also recognising dedicated professionals who have worked in education for over 20 years.
Councillor Nick Dorrington, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council said:
“The Teach Portsmouth Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate excellence in education, highlight best practice, and recognise the incredible staff who make a real difference to the lives of children and young people.
“This year, we placed a special emphasis on community engagement, inviting parents and carers to nominate staff. Their overwhelming response led to a record number of entries in the people’s choice category. Alongside this, senior school leaders shared powerful stories of colleagues going above and beyond to support their communities.”
The ceremony was hosted by local headteachers, Ashley Howard from Mayfield School and Zoe Killick from St Paul’s Catholic School and Nursery.
The winners were announced at the awards ceremony in the following categories:
Teaching and learning support award – Sponsored by the University of Chichester Academy Trust Emilie Howard-Angreville – The Portsmouth Academy
Early career teacher award – Sponsored by University of Portsmouth Lucy Bleach – Court Lane Infant Academy
People’s choice award – Sponsored by The News Hannah Powell – New Horizons Primary School
Innovation award – Sponsored by City of Portsmouth College Chris Furnell -Trafalgar School
Early years and childcare award – Sponsored by Home-Start Portsmouth Lisa Harris – Little Creators Pre School
Inclusion and diversity award – Sponsored by Salterns Academy Trust Kate Donovan – Ark Dickens Primary Academy
Community award – Sponsored by Comserv Property Services City of Portsmouth College – ESOL team
Unsung hero award – Sponsored by Humly Tracy Barker – Priory School
Volunteer award – Sponsored by Nation Radio Andrew Beecher – Admiral Lord Nelson School
Wellbeing award – Sponsored by My Happy Minds Sharon Hartt and Jasmine Hewett – Highbury Primary School
Outstanding contribution award – Sponsored by HSDC Llewela Ann Thomas – Court Lane Infant School
In addition, 43 people received long service awards for 20 years of service to the city. There is no overall winner in this category and everyone receives a trophy.
Two new categories were introduced to recognise different initiatives that enable pupils to thrive.
The volunteer award category showcased individuals who give their time for free using their own life experiences to support pupils in different ways. The community award highlighted partnership working between schools, colleges and other organisations.
(Left to right – Ashley Howard, Stewart Dennis (Nation Radio), Andrew Beecher and Zoe Killick).
Andrew Beecher won the volunteer award supporting pupils in gardening club at Admiral Lord Nelson School.
The judges said that he enables pupils to learn new life skills and helps foster self-belief. Andrew said:
“I was blown away when I was nominated as it was unexpected. The journey from being shortlisted to winning has been a rollercoaster ride but one I have enjoyed immensely.
“Winning the award is also a recognition for the pupils I work with. Their efforts are my successes too. I would like to thank everyone who put me forward for the award – it has given me a real boost.”
(Left to right – Ashley Howard, Sharon Hartt, Jasmine Hewett, Tom Black (MyHappyMind) and Zoe Killick)
Sharon Hartt and Jasmine Hewett were joint winners for the wellbeing award for their work supporting families with bereavement. As a result of their efforts, Highbury Primary School is one of only three schools in Hampshire to be awarded ‘Simon Says Champion Status.’
The shortlisting panel said their efforts to train staff to help bereaved families was inspirational. Sharon said:
“It was an honour to win the award on the night. Wellbeing in schools has become more important.
“Our work as Simon Says Champions has been a collaborative effort with staff across the school. Winning the award showcases the impact this is having across our community.”
The Teach Portsmouth website has been updated to include information on the winners and shortlist. Visit: www.teachportsmouth.co.uk/awards
OTTAWA – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, will make an announcement on Monday about expanding access to Canada’s cultural and natural treasures this summer.
Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.
The details are as follows:
DATE:
Monday, June 16, 2025
TIME:
9:30 a.m.
Journalists wishing to attend this announcement must confirm their attendance by sending their full name and the name of the media outlet they represent to media@pch.gc.ca by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 15. Details on how to attend will be provided afterward.
Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union
The letter reads in part, “As government leaders, we understand the importance of rooting out fraud, waste and abuse to keep public services strong, but this plan fails to do that. Instead, it would rip the very fabric of our nation’s social safety net wide open to give the wealthiest people tax breaks they don’t need. Meanwhile, veterans, seniors, children, people with disabilities, and all working people will suffer.”
We, the undersigned state and local officials, are writing to express our opposition to the reconciliation bill (H.R. 1) and ask you to protect the public services our communities depend on. By cutting Medicaid, SNAP and other critical public services, this bill threatens to destabilize state and local budgets and force deep cuts across the board that will diminish public services and hurt working families nationwide – all to give billionaires tax breaks.
Medicaid accounts for the largest portion of federal funding to state budgets and is the largest funder of long-term care services in the U.S. Without this critical funding and due to other provisions in the bill, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates roughly 15 million people will lose their health coverage and become uninsured by 2034. The cuts outlined in H.R. 1 will also mean nursing homes, hospitals, home care and other critical health care services will disappear, leading to job losses in the health care sector. As people lose Medicaid coverage, hospitals and providers will face an estimated $48 billion in uncompensated care costs. Altogether, this will place an incredible strain on states, cities and towns and other local governments and will cost lives.
Moreover, the bill’s proposed work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries will impose huge costs on states, including adding compliance systems and a need for greater staffing at agencies that are already understaffed. Experience in Arkansas and Georgia shows that work requirements do not result in more people working. They actually lead to huge losses in coverage for workers due to red tape. The reality is these provisions will result in cuts and needlessly harm our country’s most vulnerable populations who need Medicaid to live.
The bill also shifts $300 billion in costs to states and local governments for both the benefits and administrative costs of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This provision threatens the food security of more than 40 million Americans, including one in five children. There will be no way for state governments to cover all these new expenses without making cuts to other critical services like our schools or roads.
The bill also automatically triggers historic cuts to Medicare, which will spell disaster for seniors. As critical health care services are ripped away from seniors, their families will struggle to care for them. That will place huge costs on our workforce, our economies and our communities.
Taken together, the cuts that are included in H.R. 1 will place an impossible burden on states. Forced to make up for the massive shortfalls in federal funding, every sector of our state and local economies will suffer, from health care to higher education, public safety to public schools. Services that our communities rely on will be slashed; and the people who provide them may be furloughed or laid off.
As government leaders, we understand the importance of rooting out fraud, waste and abuse to keep public services strong, but this plan fails to do that. Instead, it would rip the very fabric of our nation’s social safety net wide open to give the wealthiest people tax breaks they don’t need. Meanwhile, veterans, seniors, children, people with disabilities and all working people will suffer.
America’s state and local elected leaders urge you to vote against this damaging and reckless plan. The health, safety, and well-being of our communities are too important.
The Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone travelled to Greece to meet the country’s top military leadership. While in Athens, he also paid respects at the Monument of the Unknown Solider.
The official visit began with Admiral Cavo Dragone participating in a solemn wreath laying ceremony at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, dedicated to Greek soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
During his meeting with the Chief of Defence, General Dimitrios Choupis, and his staff, CMC praised Greece for its steadfast contribution with professional and committed armed forces to the Alliance’s approach to deterrence and defence. The discussion then focused on the road to the NATO Summit in The Hague, and in particular about the call to Allies to invest more in defence. “NATO must be ready to face any potential threat, coming from any domain,” said Admiral Cavo Dragone. “We are ready now, but we must continue to be ready in the future. For this, Allies have agreed on ambitious capability targets last week. And this requires an urgent step up in defence budgets, by each of the Allies.” In this regard, CMC commended Greece for “continually meeting the threshold of defence spending, and even investing well above the 2% mark.”
Additionally, in reference to the contribution that Greece provides for a stronger Alliance, General Choupis discussed with Admiral Cavo Dragone the national defence plan called ‘Agenda 2030’. The recent launch of the ‘Achilles Shield’ project was also highlighted, as an initiative to bolster the nation’s air and missile defence systems, which are part of the capabilities NATO has placed major emphasis on.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani reintroduced a bipartisan bill to increase housing stipends for student veterans attending classes online.
Specifically, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act (H.R. 3753) would increase the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) monthly housing allowance for student-veterans who attend classes online during the summer semester. Under current law, student-veterans enrolled in online classes only receive half the monthly housing allowance compared to their in-person counterparts.
“As our service members transition to civilian life and pursue educational opportunities, they deserve to have access to all the benefits their service earned, regardless of whether the classes are in-person or virtual,” said Ciscomani. “As education and pathways to career success continue to evolve and online classes become more prevalent, I am proud lead this bipartisan effort to eliminate the disparity between online and in-person classes to ensure our veterans have flexibility as they pursue further education.”
Ciscomani is joined by Reps. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ).
“As veterans transition back to civilian life, they deserve to fully access the benefits they have earned,” said Van Orden. “This bill ensures that student veterans can pursue their education on their own timeline without the added stress of wondering how they will afford rent.”
“Arizona’s student veterans have earned the right to pursue their education without having to worry about how they’re going pay for their home,” said Stanton. “Our bipartisan bill delivers the fairness and financial security these veterans deserve by ensuring those taking online classes receive the same housing support as their in-person peers. We’re honoring our promise to those who served and making sure every veteran can use their hard-earned VA education benefits.”
This legislation is supported by Military-Veterans Advocacy Inc, AM Vets, Students Veterans of America (SVA), the American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Commander J.B. Well, Executive Director of Military-Veterans Advocacy Inc.: “Since the Second World War, Congress has provided our veterans with educational benefits including a housing stipend to allow them to attend school free from worry about where they will live. Technology has allowed the development of online education. These students deserve the same benefits as though who attend classes in-person. Making it easier for veterans to attend class not only rewards them for their service but acts as an investment in our national future.”
Tammy Barlet, Vice President of Government Affairs at SVA: “SVA strongly supports the introduction of H.R. 3753, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act. This legislation would ensure that student veterans attending classes solely online receive the national average monthly housing allowance during the semester of their enrollment. Online MHA parity supports student veterans as they pursue higher education where they are at. Many student veterans choose online education out of necessity rather than preference, as they are often balancing other responsibilities such as childcare, caregiving, or familial obligations. SVA thanks Representative Ciscomani, Representative Stanton, and Representative Van Orden for their dedication and efforts to support student veterans nationwide. By establishing parity for online MHA, we continue to encourage student veterans to pursue their education and have access to the same educational opportunity as their counterparts.”
Source: US Whitehouse
For far too long, the health, happiness, and well-being of our Nation’s men have been neglected, contributing to a troubling reality: men in the United States have a life expectancy five years shorter than women. They visit healthcare providers less frequently and often delay critical care. Men tend to have their first heart attack an average of 10 years earlier than women.
This neglect has been compounded by a vicious campaign against masculinity. This war on manhood has left many American men in a state of loneliness, confusion, and emptiness, with devastating consequences: men in the United States are four times more likely to commit suicide and more than twice as likely to overdose than women.
This National Men’s Health Week, I make a solemn pledge to honor the men in America: we will always have your back—and we will never waver in our promise to embolden you to lead long, healthy, and safe lives.
Just last month, I proudly signed an Executive Order to deliver most-favored-nation pricing to American patients, improve access to quality medical care, and lower the price of medications. Together, with my Make America Healthy Again Commission, we are empowering men to prioritize their health and prolong their lives.
Under my leadership, we will relentlessly pursue a healthier future for the men of our nation. We will always lift you up rather than tear you down, and we will champion the voices, values, and wellness of hardworking American men across our country.
The Association Française de Science Économique (AFSE) announced the 2025 laureate of its Prix Edmond Malinvaud: Antoine Ferey.
The AFSE (French Economic Association) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1950. It aims at promoting exchange of knowledge and participation of its members in public debates on economic policies. It is open to all economists, whether they work in universities, public research organizations, government bodies or private companies.
Every year the AFSE awards a Prize for the best paper published in an indexed EconLit, peer-reviewed journal in the past two years by a young economist affiliated to a French laboratory.
The jury wanted to shed light on the topic of optimal non-linear tax systems, in particular taxation of savings which is much less investigated than taxation of income.
“In their paper, Antoine Ferey and his co-authors put forward a comprehensive approach to quantifying optimal commodity and savings taxes by developing sufficient statistics that capture various sources of income heterogeneity, extending the standard Atkinson-Stiglitz framework, and providing practical guidance for policy design and empirical estimation.”
This is the third time that Antoine’s work has been honoured in as many months: earlier this year he became a CESifo Distinguished Fellow for his paper Redistribution and Unemployment Insurance (read abstract) and the Aix-Marseille School of Economics (AMSE) awarded him the Carine Nourry Best Doctoral Dissertation Prize.
Antoine also joins a growing list of faculty members whose papers have been awarded the Malinvaud Prize: Alfred Galichon, Isabelle Mejean, Clément de Chaisemartin, Johannes Boehm, and Michele Fioretti.
Congratulations Antoine !
(credits: Alexis Lecomte)
Antoine Ferey joined the Department of Economics in 2023 as an Assistant Professor (tenure track). He is also a Research Affiliate of the CESifo Network and of the Institut des politiques publiques. During the Spring Semester, he has been invited by Harvard University to teach a part of their public economics sequence to PhD students.
Prior to joining our faculty, he was an Assistant Professor at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). He received his PhD in Economics from the Centre de recherche en économie et statistique (CREST) and Ecole Polytechnique in 2021, for which he received two PhD Dissertation Awards from the Association française de science économique (AFSE) and from Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris).
Daniela Espinal Fondeur and Gabrijela Papec have been selected to be part of the 150 students from 38 countries of the 10th cohort of Schwarzman Scholars, one of the most competitive scholarship programmes in the world – with an acceptance rate of below 3%. With its first anniversary coming up in 2026, this programme has reached this year the biggest number of applications and has admitted its 100th country represented, thanks to Sciences Po student Gabrijela Papec, from Croatia.
This scholarship offers the equivalent of €150,000 to each recipient, with automatic acceptance to the best university in Asia (Times Higher Education World University Rankings), Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, for a one-year master’s degree on a campus reserved exclusive to the 150 graduates, the Schwarzman College. The core purpose of this programme can be summed up in this quote from its founding trustee, Stephen A. Schwarzman, “Those who will lead the future must understand China today”.
Meet this year’s two Sciences Po recipients, Daniela Espinal Fondeur, a graduate from the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) and Gabrijela Papec, a master’s student from the Law School.
Who are you?
Daniela E. F.: I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, where I studied economics as an undergraduate student. In 2022, I joined the Master in International Governance and Diplomacy at Sciences Po, and graduated in June 2024. My interest lies in international cooperation. I undertook internships in embassies, UNESCO, and the Dominican Republic Consulate in Paris. I wish to become a diplomat in the near future.
Gabrijela P.: I am from Croatia. I began my journey at Sciences Po as an undergraduate student on the Reims campus, and its North America minor – just like Felipe Chertouh (2024 Schwarzman Scholar, article in French). I have a strong interest in the way advocacy work can be intertwined with human rights and international law, which grew even stronger after a summer internship at Genocide Watch. After a year as a master’s student in Economic Law, I decided to take a gap year and applied to the Schwarzman Scholar programme.
What are you expecting from this programme?
Daniela: I am really excited to benefit from this unique opportunity. China is so remote from the Dominican Republic, it is priceless to learn about a country while living there. I aim to build a bridge between China and my country through an internship at the Dominican Embassy in Beijing. Considering all the turmoil that’s happening in our world, it is incredible to go through that experience.
Gabrijela: Getting a deep cultural understanding of the way international law is applied in China – a gigantic country which holds much power over other countries – is very important. I feel that China needs to be included in the very making of international law and policies, or they will never work out. I already experienced working in Asia, for a South Korean company, and I can’t wait to further enrich my skill set.
How was your experience at Sciences Po ?
Daniela: It was my first time away from home! I met remarkable colleagues, professors, and had a unique experience as a Paris Peace Forum volunteer, assigned to the Montenegro delegation. You can access many academic opportunities, such as the European Forum Alpbach in Austria. One of my favourite courses was about great strategies in diplomacy, past and present, taught by Bruno Stagno Ugarte, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica. I made the most out of my Sciences Po experience by joining different clubs as well, in the fields of diplomacy and debate.
Gabrijela: Reims being quite a small city, I found it easy to meet people, who came from everywhere. The course that made a lasting impression on me was about conflict-related sexual violence, taught by David Eichert. This excellent course focused on the way international criminal law evolved to include sexual violence. I do believe that I, too, can change the course of history. I used to complain about the way Sciences Po gave me so much work, but I can see now that it prepared me to think for myself, to be responsible. It enabled me to apply to this programme, filling in a comprehensive file.
What advice would you give to sciences po students applying to the Schwarzman Scholars programme?
Daniela: Be open to getting out of your comfort zone, to consider living in other places that can challenge you, mentally and culturally. It can turn into the greatest opportunity for growth at all level.
A Schwarzman recipient must meet three main criteria :
demonstrated leadership,
intellect,
exemplary character and integrity.
Gabrijela: Be open to yourself and who you want to be, but also, try to be the best student you can be.
Both: Reach out to previous scholars, ask for help. Sciences Po has an alumni base for this programme now, rely on it, on its sense of community. We can’t wait to meet the 1,300+ programme graduates in 2026 for its 10th anniversary.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
School holiday meals for more children who are most in need thanks to transformative support package
Children most in need across the country will be kept from going hungry during the school holidays thanks to funding announced in the Spending Review.
Major support package will help ensure the poorest children don’t go hungry in the school holidays and give vital support to communities.
Latest pledge builds on existing commitments to help children including breakfast clubs and extension to free school meals entitlement.
Funding announced in Spending Review and forms package to build financial security for communities as part of Government’s Plan for Change.
Children most in need across the country will be kept from going hungry during the school holidays thanks to funding announced in the Spending Review.
This latest support for children will be delivered under a new £1 billion package – including Barnett consequentials funding – to reform crisis support, including the launch of a new Crisis and Resilience Fund.
As a multi-year deal, the Fund will for the first time give councils much needed certainty to protect households from falling into crisis and to provide vital support to those who need it most.
Local authorities will be empowered to best target support in their areas – including allocating funding to ensure children receive meals outside of term time.
Other examples could include bringing together existing services to deliver joined-up support such as on debt advice, income maximisation, budgeting and welfare support.
The ambition to ensure no child goes hungry builds on the government’s pledge to ensure 500,000 more children become eligible for free school meals following the major expansion to breakfast clubs in England.
Children who are most in need already receive meals out of term time via the government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and the latest funding will extend this even further.
This marks a significant step in the government’s ambition to reduce child poverty and to end the mass dependence on emergency food parcels.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
No child should be left to go hungry and we are determined to do whatever it takes to tackle this issue.
Our commitment to feeding children most in need builds on measures like our expansion of free school meals – and we will be going further in our Child Poverty Strategy.
The funding we have secured is a major part of our Plan for Change and will help ensure left behind families across the country can look forward to a brighter future.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
This government is committed to delivering excellence for every child.
That is why, as part of our Plan for Change, we are rolling out free breakfast clubs and extending free school meals to deliver better life chances for all of our children.
The only hunger a child should have is a hunger to learn – we will make sure children’s backgrounds should not determine where they end up.
The new Crisis and Resilience Fund will replace the Household Support Fund and launch from April 2026 – incorporating Discretionary Housing Payments.
The funding represents a total of £1 billion including Barnett consequentials – with £842 million allocated to England.
An allocation will go towards food support and meals to children during the holidays. Details will be set out in due course.
This comes alongside wider action to tackle poverty and make everyone better off – including increasing the National Minimum Wage for those on the lowest incomes and uprating benefits.
The government has also introduced a cap on how much Universal Credit can be taken for debt repayments – helping 1.2 million households become up to £420 better off.
Alongside this, the best route out of poverty for struggling families is well paid, secure work. That’s why the Government is delivering on its Get Britain Working reforms, to support people into good jobs, boost living standards and put money back into families’ pockets.
Additional Information:
A total of £1 billion to reform crisis support (including £842 million for England) has been announced in the Spending Review.
This includes funding for the new Crisis and Resilience Fund incorporating Discretionary Housing Payments as well as investment in ensuring the poorest children don’t go hungry in the holidays.
Winchester City Council is inviting residents to attend a public engagement event about the next steps for the former leisure centre site.
Earlier this year, the city council received confirmation that the University of Southampton were no longer taking forward their planned investment in the site. Therefore, the council is proposing to begin an open process of finding a partner to invest in the site, subject to cabinet approving the proposed process at a meeting on 15 July.
Councillor Kathleen Becker, Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities, said:
“We really encourage people to come along and find out more and let us know their thoughts about the planned process and potential future uses of the site. This drop-in event will give local people the opportunity to hear the proposed approach, understand the process and timeline for finding a new partner to invest, learn about the opportunities and constraints of the site, ask the project team questions and have their say.
“This council is one that listens, and we’ve been clear that there must be opportunity for the public to have a proper say in what happens at this site.”
Winchester City Council committed to finding a new partner to invest in the site, on a long lease basis, as long as the following three conditions were met:
The green space – whether park, sports or play area, tennis courts or access through the site – is wholly out of scope
The public have a proper say during the process
Provision of the skate park and indoor bowling must be absolutely protected
Drop-in engagement event:
Thursday 26 June 2025, from 3-7pm
The Courtyard, The Guildhall, Winchester, SO23 9GH
There is no need to book. Just pop along, find out more, ask questions and tell us what you think.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement.
“As we work to understand the situation that is developing in the Middle East tonight, I urge both sides to do what they can to prevent further escalation of violence,” said Rep. Smith. “Too many innocent civilians are at risk of getting caught in the crossfire and leaders of both countries should proceed with caution.”
Underground working natural gas storage capacity in the Lower 48 states increased in 2024 according to our latest data. We calculate natural gas storage capacity in two ways: demonstrated peak capacity and working gas design capacity. Both increased in 2024. Underground natural gas storage provides a source of energy when demand increases, balancing U.S. energy needs. In 2024, demonstrated peak capacity rose 1.7%, or 70 billion cubic feet (Bcf), to 4,277 Bcf, while working gas design capacity increased slightly by 0.1%, or 3 Bcf.
Demonstrated peak capacity is the sum of the largest volume of working gas stored in each storage field during the previous five-year period, regardless of when the peaks occurred. Demonstrated peak capacity is typically less than working gas design capacity because it relates to actual usage rather than potential capacity based on the design of the facility.
In 2024, demonstrated peak capacity increased in four of the five storage regions of the Lower 48 states. The increased demonstrated peak capacity reflected both greater utilization of existing facilities and expansions of existing infrastructure. The largest increase in demonstrated peak capacity was in the Mountain region, where colder-than-normal temperatures during the 2023–24 winter required more working gas in storage to meet winter demand, resulting in increased injection activity during the subsequent months. In California, the California Public Utilities Commission increased the authorized working gas capacity at the Aliso Canyon facility by 67% to 69 Bcf in late August 2024. This regulatory change contributed to increased demonstrated peak capacity in the Pacific region.
The working gas design capacity of a natural gas storage field measures the theoretical capacity of a facility based on physical characteristics of the reservoir, installed equipment, and operating procedures, which are often certificated by federal or state regulators.
Total U.S. working gas design capacity increased slightly in 2024. Working gas design capacity increased 7 Bcf in the Mountain region, offsetting declines elsewhere in the Lower 48 states. In the South Central region, working gas design capacity declined slightly in 2024 primarily due to base gas adjustments in the region. The East region also saw a decline primarily due to base gas adjustments (of 5 Bcf), which reduced the amount of capacity available for working gas storage. The increases in base gas—coupled with no changes in total design capacity—had the effect of reducing working gas capacity at these facilities.
For the most up-to-date weekly data and regional breakdowns on U.S. underground natural gas storage, readers can visit EIA’s Natural Gas Storage Dashboard.
Principal contributors: Jose Villar, Eulalia Munoz-Cortijo
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the appointment of Jamie Selway, an accomplished financial markets leader, as Director of the Division of Trading and Markets, effective June 17, 2025.
“I’d like to welcome Jamie to the SEC,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “He brings decades of industry experience in market structure and across multiple asset classes to this critical role. I look forward to working with him to protect our markets and ensure the agency’s regulations balance costs and benefits.”
Mr. Selway was most recently a partner at Sophron Advisors, where he advised clients on capital markets issues. He was also a board member at Protego Holdings, board chair at AllofUs Financial and Skew, and served as an advisor to multiple financial technology companies. He previously was a managing director and head of electronic brokerage at Investment Technology Group, a global institutional broker. He co-founded institutional brokerage White Cap Trading, where he was a managing director and chairman. Earlier in his career, he was chief economist at Archipelago, worked in Equity Derivatives Research at Goldman Sachs, and was associate director of research at the National Association of Securities Dealers, which became the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
“Chairman Atkins is bringing about a ‘new day’ at the SEC,” said Mr. Selway. “I thank him for selecting me to lead Trading and Markets at this exciting and pivotal time. Together, we will promote the SEC’s mission and enable innovation, to the benefit of our nation’s investors.”
Mr. Selway has served on a number of industry committees and previously testified at Congressional and SEC roundtables. He is a member of the National Organization of Investment Professionals (NOIP) and the Investment Traders Association of Philadelphia, and has served as chair of NOIP and the NOIP Foundation. He previously was associate editor of the Journal of Trading.
Mr. Selway received an M.S. in financial mathematics from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in mathematics and European history from Washington & Lee University.
The Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank (RIIB) and the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) are seeking public comment on the proposed State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026 Intended Use Plan (IUP) for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which includes the proposed SFY 2026 Project Priority List (PPL).
The proposed document can be found at the link below, on RIDOH’s DWSRF webpage (https://health.ri.gov/drinking-water-quality/drinking-water-state-revolving-loan-fund), on RIIB’s website (https://www.riib.org/), by calling 401-453-4430 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by writing to: Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank 275 Promenade Street, Suite 301Providence, RI 02908.
The proposed SFY 2026 IUP, including the proposed PPL, was published on June 13, 2025. Written comments on the proposed document should be sent to RIIB at the above address or by email to Suh Walker at swalker@riib.org within thirty (30) days of June 13, 2024.
