Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — We are advised by Phunware, Inc. that journalists and other readers should disregard the news release, “Phunware Mobile Hospitality Solution Deployed at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa” issued February 5, 2025, over GlobeNewswire.
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
Washington, D.C.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Michael Turner, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa pled guilty February 5, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to felony possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
At the plea hearing, Turner admitted that between March 1, 2024 and March 29, 2024, he possessed a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, knowing that he was then previously convicted of robbery/no firearm in Cook County, Illinois in March of 2011, and introduction of drugs into a detention facility in Webster County, Iowa, in 2017, each a felony crime punishable of a term of imprisonment for more than one year. On March 8, 2024, a shooting occurred in Fort Dodge, Iowa. On March 29, 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Turner was a passenger and located a .45 caliber Glock pistol under Turner’s seat. Officers found that Turner was wearing a holster that fit the pistol, and upon inquiry admitted that he had possessed the firearm at various times in March 2024.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Turner remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Turner faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3023. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ROANOKE, Va. – A pair of Roanoke fentanyl traffickers were sentenced recently to substantial federal prison sentences.
Dejuan Lemons, 35, pled guilty to possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced to 195 months.
Kelvin Robertson, 47, pled guilty to distribution of fentanyl. He was sentenced to 60 months.
According to court documents, between May and August of 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), conducted multiple confidential purchases of fentanyl from Robertson. Before and after these sales, Robertson met with Lemons.
Authorities ultimately executed a search warrant at a residence on Rorer Avenue in Roanoke, a single-family home occupied by Lemons and his grandfather. In the back room of the residence, authorities located more than 700 grams of powder fentanyl, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, and a loaded .22 caliber pistol. Agents also located approximately $1,000 in cash that had been used to purchase drugs from Robertson.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Valuable assistance to the investigation was provided by the Lynchburg Police Department, the City of Roanoke Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Roanoke County Police Department, the Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett prosecuted the case.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBA), an edge AI semiconductor company, today announced it will hold its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2025 earnings conference call on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific Time). The company will issue its earnings release after the market closes that same day.
Those interested in asking a question on the call are required to register online in advance. Once registered, the dial-in numbers will be provided with a personal identification number (PIN). When dialing in for the live call, the PIN number must be provided to access the call.
The live webcast of the conference call, and a webcast replay, will be available at: http://investor.ambarella.com/events.cfm
About Ambarella
Ambarella’s products are used in a wide variety of human vision and edge AI applications, including video security, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), electronic mirror, drive recorder, driver/cabin monitoring, autonomous driving and robotics applications. Ambarella’s low-power systems-on-chip (SoCs) offer high-resolution video compression, advanced image and radar processing, and powerful deep neural network processing to enable intelligent perception, fusion and planning. For more information, please visit www.ambarella.com.
Contact:
Louis Gerhardy
VP Corporate Development
408-636-2310
lgerhardy@ambarella.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
VICTORIA, Seychelles, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has integrated Berachain mainnet and now supports $BERA airdrop claim. Users claiming the airdrop through Bitget Wallet will be eligible for extra $BERA rewards. This integration positions Bitget Wallet as one of the key platforms for early engagement with Berachain’s ecosystem.
Through Bitget Wallet’s Discover page, users can verify their $BERA airdrop eligibility based on previous interactions with Berachain’s testnet. Qualified participants can claim their base $BERA allocation directly within the wallet, with additional rewards available for those who interacted with Berachain ecosystem project DApps selected under the RFA Plan during the testnet phase. From February 6 to 10, users claiming the $BERA airdrop may access extra $BERA rewards from an additional reward pool.
Berachain, built on an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible framework, introduces a novel Proof of Liquidity (PoL) mechanism that dynamically adjusts validator rewards to promote security, decentralization, and liquidity across DeFi applications. This approach aims to address the limitations of the traditional Proof of Stake model by incentivizing liquidity provision alongside network security. With this integration, Bitget Wallet provides users with streamlined access to Berachain’s multi-chain DeFi opportunities and smooth asset management.
Looking ahead, Bitget Wallet plans to explore further collaboration with Berachain, focusing on potential incentive programs and cross-chain developments. Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet, stated, “Berachain’s mainnet integration represents a leap in on-chain liquidity and user empowerment. By incorporating Berachain’s capabilities, we aim to deliver a simplified user experience while driving the next wave of decentralized innovation for communities worldwide.”
Follow Bitget Wallet’s X for more updates.
About Bitget Wallet
Bitget Wallet is the home of Web3, uniting endless possibilities in one non-custodial wallet. With over 60 million users, it offers comprehensive onchain services, including asset management, instant swaps, rewards, staking, trading tools, live market data, a DApp browser, an NFT marketplace and crypto payment. Supporting over 100 blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and 500,000+ tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges, along with a $300+ million protection fund to ensure safety of users’ assets. Experience Bitget Wallet Lite to start a Web3 journey.
For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook
For media inquiries, please contact media.web3@bitget.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/662d2a60-bc0a-4360-92f9-f12fd175d117
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Dubbed “nullifAI,” a Tactic for Evading Detection in ML Models Targeted Pickle Files, Demonstrates Fast-Growing Cybersecurity Risks Presented by AI-Coding Tool Platforms
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ReversingLabs (RL), the trusted name in file and software security, today revealed a novel ML malware attack technique on the AI community Hugging Face. Dubbed “nullifAI,” it impacted two ML models Hugging Face hosts, employing a corruption for defense evasion on the AI platform. The discovery is outlined in RL’s latest research post, “Malicious ML models discovered on Hugging Face platform,” and is accompanied by a new white paper, “AI is the Supply Chain,” which highlights the larger cybersecurity challenges created by AI impacting software development.
In its research post, RL examines how threat actors are seeking hard-to-detect ways to insert and distribute ML malware via unsuspecting hosts, such as the AI platform Hugging Face. The research details how attackers used corrupt Pickle files to evade detection and bypass Hugging Face security protections while simultaneously managing to achieve execution of malicious code. Hugging Face has been notified and the ML models in question were taken down.
“While the files discovered by our researchers appear to be ‘proof of concept’ rather than active threats, the failure to detect their presence points to a larger set of issues that are going to grow significantly and become more problematic as the use of AI coding tools grows,” said Tomislav Peričin, Chief Software Architect and co-founder, ReversingLabs. “Right now, AI is fueling modern software development, populating libraries and emboldening attackers. In fact, it’s safe to say AI is the supply chain, and while the benefits are vast, the security risks that come with it are alarming. To mitigate these new risks, organizations must embrace new modern software supply chain security solutions.”
Securing AI platforms and communities is critical. nullifAI is an example of an evolving category of risks for software supply chains where AI is involved; in this case ML models hosted in an AI community. In its new white paper “AI is the Supply Chain,” RL examines how AI is transforming software development, altering software supply chains and creating significant new cybersecurity challenges for businesses. According to Gartner, 75% of enterprise software engineers will use AI code assistants by 2028. This includes those offered by companies including Hugging Face, GitHub Copilot, Tabnine, and others.
While fueling incredible new innovations, AI-generated code will introduce new cybersecurity challenges to software development organizations. Examples include the growing use of outdated code, and more concerning, compromised code containing exploitable software vulnerabilities, or malicious features that are undetectable by traditional security measures such as static code analysis.
Address AI Risks in Software Development with Spectra Assure
ReversingLabs works with some of the leading AI companies to help secure their LLM and ML models. With the industry’s largest threat repository and RL’s advanced complex binary analysis, Spectra Assure offers the most comprehensive SBOM and risk assessment for applications—identifying malware, tampering, exposed secrets, vulnerabilities, weak mitigations, and more, in minutes and without requiring source code. As AI-generated code continues to explode, Spectra Assure provides the critical build exam for software vendors and AI platforms before shipping or including AI models in their software.
To learn more about the risks of nullifAI, attend RL’s webinar “Hugging Face and ML Malware – How RL Discovered nullifAI” with RL Threat Researcher Karlo Zanki, RL Chief Software Architect Tomislav Peričin, and RL Director Editorial Content Paul Roberts on Thursday, February 20 at 11:00 a.m. EST.
To learn more about how AI is impacting software supply chain security, read the recent AI is the Supply Chain primer.
About ReversingLabs
ReversingLabs is the trusted name in file and software security. We provide the modern cybersecurity platform to verify and deliver safe binaries. Trusted by the Fortune 500 and leading cybersecurity vendors, RL Spectra Core powers the software supply chain and file security insights, tracking over 422 billion searchable files daily with the ability to deconstruct full software binaries in seconds to minutes. Only ReversingLabs provides that final exam to determine whether a single file or full software binary presents a risk to your organization and your customers.
Media Contact
Doug Fraim
Guyer Group
Doug@Guyergroup.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
LONDON, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Axiomise, the leading provider of cutting-edge formal verification solutions, today launched footprint™, an efficient and fast area analyzer solution designed to transform power, performance and area (PPA) optimization for silicon design.
PPA has become an even bigger challenge than it was previously, a result of larger AI/ML hardware designs. footprint, powered by the new Axiomiser™ platform, discovers redundant gates and registers in complex system on chips (SoCs) that consume power but are never used. The area analyzer solution finds component-level granularity to precisely identify which design components never get used while still consuming power. Synthesis solutions cannot always clean out the redundant area.
“footprint is a key step in realizing our vision of making formal normal,” remarks Dr. Ashish Darbari, Founder and CEO of Axiomise. “This powerful tool provides architects and designers with a quick feedback loop during design bring-up, enabling them to exhaustively analyze silicon waste while optimizing for power and performance.”
Axiomise will showcase footprint at DVCon U.S. 2025 as a Silver Sponsor in Booth #102 from Monday, February 24, through Wednesday, February 26, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in San Jose, Calif. Dr. Darbari and his team will be available to answer questions and discuss the latest advancements in formal verification. To schedule a demo or a meeting, contact info@axiomise.com.
About footprint
footprint is a pioneering, vendor-neutral, end-to-end solution designed to identify unused or underutilized components of silicon. With an agile, interactive and user-centric interface, it enables rapid model refinement. Successfully tested on more than 80 designs, including processors, GPUs, communication IP, NoCs, footprint works with any formal verification tool to generate clear, easy-to-read reports while surpassing traditional reachability and structural coverage analysis.
For a limited time, footprint is available to try at no cost. Pricing available upon request. For more information on footprint, check: www.axiomise.com/footprint.
About Axiomise
Axiomise is accelerating formal verification adoption through its unique combination of training, consulting, services and specialized verification solutions for RISC-V. Axiomise was founded by Dr. Ashish Darbari, FBCS, FIETE, DPhil (Oxford), who has been a formal verification practitioner for more than two decades with 67 patents in formal verification and over 85 publications.
Engage with Axiomise at:
Website: www.axiomise.com
X: @axiomise
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/axiomise/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axiomise
Axiomise, formalISA and the Axiomise logo are trademarks of Axiomise Limited, UK.
Making formal normal is a registered trademark of Axiomise Limited, UK.
For more information, contact:
Fabiana Muto
Public Relations for Axiomise
fabiana.muto@axiomise.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
CAMPBELL, Calif. and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celona, a pioneer in private 5G networks, and stc Group, a leading digital enabler, have partnered to launch a new generation of private 5G digital solutions, allowing businesses to scale up their wireless connectivity in a cost-efficient manner. The partnership aligns with stc Group’s commitment to driving development and efficiency across the Middle East region with new solutions to support digital transformation.
The partnership between Celona and stc Group will expedite the deployment of new automation applications, enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs and addressing operational challenges by leveraging stc Group’s expertise in cloud and IoT services. This collaboration will lower total cost of ownership and accelerate time-to-market for the launch of new products and services across industries such as oil and gas, logistics, warehousing, mining, and manufacturing.
stc Group and Celona’s new private 5G network service will utilize private networks to meet the growing demand for secure, reliable wireless performance, coverage, and connectivity required by a new era of network-dependent business applications, IoT systems, and cybersecurity integration. Enterprises in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain will benefit from swift deployment of private wireless networks to support their automation and modernization initiatives.
Saud Alsheraihi, stc Group Products & Solutions VP, said, “This partnership with Celona marks a significant milestone in stc Group’s mission to drive digital transformation and operational efficiency. By integrating Celona’s cutting-edge private 5G technology, we are proudly enabling businesses in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain to modernize their operations, reduce costs, and accelerate their time-to-market. This collaboration underscores our commitment to providing innovative digital solutions that empower enterprises to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
Rajeev Shah, Celona’s Co-founder and CEO, said, “stc Group is a digital transformation visionary with a clear strategy for driving economic growth and efficiency through digitization. We are honored that they have chosen to power their industrial transformation initiatives with the Celona private 5G solution, driving Connected Mines, Connected Supply Chains, Connected Warehouses, and Connected Manufacturing throughout the region with a robust solution that will drive business success.”
About Celona
Based in Silicon Valley, Celona is a pioneer and leading innovator of enterprise private wireless solutions. The company offers a turnkey private 5G solution that enables enterprises to address their growing needs for secure and reliable wireless connectivity for critical business applications. Celona private 5G has been deployed by a wide range of global customers across industries. To date, the company has raised over $135 million in venture funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, NTT Ventures, Cervin Ventures, DigitalBridge and Qualcomm Ventures. For more information, please visit celona.io.
About stc Group
stc Group is an enabler of digital transformation, offering advanced solutions and driving a role in the digitization process. The group provides a comprehensive suite of services encompassing digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media, and digital entertainment. The group comprises 13 subsidiaries across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
To know more about stc group: Click here
Media Contact:
Lisa Garza
Celona
lgarza@celona.io
510-366-2225
Source: Samsung
Samsung Electronics America today announced a $1 million commitment in product donations to support relief and recovery efforts for communities impacted by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
Through strategic partnerships with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Team Rubicon and the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation, Samsung aims to deliver both immediate relief and long-term rebuilding support to affected families and communities. Recognizing that recovery will be a long and challenging process, Samsung is committed to being there today and throughout the journey ahead, providing sustained support to ensure these communities have the resources they need to rebuild and thrive in the years to come.
Immediate and Long-Term Support Initiatives
Samsung’s commitment will focus on three key areas of impact to support wildfire recovery:
Home Appliances to Rebuild and Restore – Samsung will donate essential home appliances through Habitat for Humanity of Greater LA to support families as they move back into their homes and others as they rebuild. This short and long-term emergency response initiative is dedicated to aiding wildfire survivors, with a focus on those who are uninsured, underinsured or have limited incomes. These appliances will be critical in helping households restore their homes and begin their recovery, providing immediate relief and long-term stability in the wake of disaster.
Empowering Education & Digital Access – In partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Education Foundation, Samsung will provide PCs, tablets and other tools to students and teachers, ensuring education continues without interruption despite the crisis. The Foundation collaborates with LAUSD to serve over 500,000 students, many of whom are in communities most impacted by these disasters. By supplying these devices, we are not only minimizing disruptions but also reinforcing the district’s ability to maintain continuity in learning, offering students the resources they need to stay engaged and succeed. This initiative is a crucial step in building long-term educational resilience for these students, supporting both their immediate needs and their future potential.
Supporting Volunteers in the Field – Samsung will equip Team Rubicon, a veteran-led organization that serves before, during and after disasters, with advanced communication devices to ensure seamless coordination in the field. These tools will amplify the effectiveness of Team Rubicon’s efforts, enabling close collaboration with government agencies, LA fire, local emergency managers and more than 200,000 local volunteers across California. By empowering their response teams, Samsung is helping drive more efficient, hands-on recovery in the communities that need it most.
“At Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, we believe that a home is the foundation for a better future,” said Erin Rank, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. “Recovering from a disaster of this scale is a long road, and we are grateful for Samsung’s support in providing families with essential resources so they can rebuild with strength, stability and hope for the future.”
This initiative underscores Samsung’s longstanding commitment to supporting communities during times of crisis, including our own employees who have been impacted in the area. The company continues to ensure that residents, first responders and non-profit organizations have the technology and resources needed for recovery. Samsung is proud to stand alongside its charitable partners and volunteers as they assist those impacted by natural disasters.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Barbara Leckie, Professor, English and the Institute for the Comparative Study of Literature, Art, and Culture; Academic Director, Re.Climate: Centre for Climate Communication and Public Engagement, Carleton University
This January, the world watched as Los Angeles burned. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” one police chief told reporters, a sentiment echoed by front-line firefighters.
Last fall, hurricanes Helene and Milton swept through North Carolina and Florida.
The storms’ intensity and record-breaking fatalities, exacerbated by climate change, blindsided many inhabitants. “Never in a million years,” one nurse said, “did I think [a storm like that] would happen in my own backyard.”
As a researcher focused on how language and storytelling contribute to social cohesion and social change, I noticed people repeatedly felt they had “no words to describe” what they saw.
Their experience captured what happens when stories and words to fail describe our world.
After the Second World War, for example, philosopher Hannah Arendt, born into a German and Jewish family, wrote about not just the impact of the war on a personal level, but also its impact on how people make meaning.
What did it mean, Arendt asked, not to have the conceptual frames through which the world had once made sense? What did it mean to live in the strange interval of time “between past and future” when old forms of understanding the world had eroded and new forms had not yet been found?
Read more:
Hannah Arendt wanted political thinking to be urgent and engaged. She is a philosopher for our times
Her response was bracing and unexpected. She called for everyone — not just philosophers or scholars but the general public as a whole — to step up and contribute to the work of making meaning at a time when meaning-making was grievously fractured. Her phrase for this was amor mundi or “for love of the world.”
Now, as many people seek to understand and respond to the climate crisis, they are again experiencing a sense of personal loss and a larger sense of not having the conceptual tools to make sense of this moment. How does one love the world in difficult times?
Love is complicated and messy. Like hurricanes and fires, it often defies the categories available to describe it.
And as Stephanie Lemenager, professor in American literature and environmental studies, illustrates, love of fossil fuel culture, and the conveniences it provides, makes it difficult to respond to the climate crisis.
Love also evades measurement, and metric-oriented value structures can’t count it. As William Shakespeare asks, tragically, in King Lear: “How does one measure love?”
Love won’t run out in 2030 or 2050. It doesn’t have a parts per million, and despite the many hot and cold words to describe it, it doesn’t have a temperature. Still, as climate emotions professor Sara Jacquette Ray notes, love of this world powers climate action.
I was talking to a friend recently, the Canadian poet Ken Victor, and he suggested “giving priority to the climate crisis as a multi-faceted relationship to be repaired rather than as a problem to be solved.” Indigenous thinkers like Leanne Betasamosake Simpson,
the renowned Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg scholar, also emphasizes “deep reciprocity” and “relationship” to resist the injustices imposed by colonialism.
Global North climate responses have much to gain from Indigenous thinking and Arendt, of course, is not alone in animating the power of collective, participatory storytelling and loving the world.
The idea of “restorying” has been taken up by Indigenous writers to speak in diverse and powerful ways to dynamic and relational forms of oral storytelling, leadership and theatre.
My research on time and climate develops German Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin’s relevance to storytelling, and what I am calling “restorying” here.
Like Arendt, Benjamin wrote that the trauma of war — in this case, the First World War — weakened the stories upon which his world relied for social coherence. Where Arendt suggests loving the world, Benjamin endorses amplified, dynamic forms of storytelling.
Here I build on the tradition from Benjamin to Arendt that invests in the collective practice of making sense of the world one inhabits through sharing, revising and building stories. For Benjamin, stories are in dialogue with other stories; they are participatory and inconclusive. They are also “effective,” meaning they produce effects and invite a response. Above all, they are meant to be repeated and passed on.
Benjamin’s account of stories, however, also includes a cautionary note: people stop telling stories, as he defines them, when the world no longer fills them with wonder or surprise; when they think they know where they stand. They stop asking questions and no longer believe they can benefit from sharing their dilemmas and concerns with others. They stop thinking, in Arendt’s sense.
When people isolate themselves in silos of like-minded others, they avoid being challenged or provoked. As Arendt notes, facts are fragile. When lies proliferate and the ability to distinguish those lies from factual truth is eroded, reality wobbles and political action becomes near impossible.
People can’t act, Arendt believes, when they stop sharing a world in common, however divided by different customs it will always be.
Environmental justice asks us to rethink the systems and practices that created today’s climate impacts. Addressing the climate crisis only from the perspective of a problem to be solved means that we continue on the path, and with the infrastructure, that created the problem in the first place.
Now, poised between another past and future, I’m interested in, as writer and activist Astra Taylor puts it, “coming together as things fall apart.” Coming together, as a relational practice, can animate what’s missing in the problem-solution models that dominate Global North responses to the climate crisis.
Arendt and Benjamin offer me stories that “work” and stories that “wonder.”
Stories that “work” mobilize equitable climate action. Stories that “wonder” are stories that keep open questions, conversation and thinking.
As international assemblies like COP29 fail to realize their goals, as global carbon emissions continue to rise and as extreme weather everywhere makes many people feel that the frameworks available for understanding no longer serve them, a different response is required. We could call it, following Arendt and Benjamin, restorying the climate and loving the world.
Barbara Leckie receives funding from SSHRC.
– ref. Loving the world could address the climate crisis and help us make sense of changes to come – https://theconversation.com/loving-the-world-could-address-the-climate-crisis-and-help-us-make-sense-of-changes-to-come-240766
Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)
Members discuss the Care Quality Commission and its challenges in regaining public confidence.
Read a transcript https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-02-05/debates/4FC1460C-1E02-49CF-BA1F-868800CAC546/CareHomesSafetyRatings
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, alongside Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education, and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter warning against the Trump administration’s reported plans to unilaterally dismantle the Department of Education. The lawmakers asked the acting Secretary of Education for answers on recent actions taken by the Trump administration to put federal workers on administrative leave, coerce employees into leaving their jobs, provide access to students’ sensitive data, and illegally freeze vital funding.
“Over the course of two weeks, the Trump Administration issued sweeping executive orders and sought to broadly and illegally freeze federal financial assistance,” wrote Sanders and the lawmakers. “Federal employees have been targeted, in some cases for simply following the law. Elon Musk is attempting to shut down the work of entire agencies while gaining access to some of the federal government’s most far reaching and sensitive data systems. Media reports indicate a similar effort may be underway at the Department of Education.”
“We will not stand by and allow this to happen to the nation’s students, parents, borrowers, educators, and communities. Congress created the Department to ensure all students in America have equal access to a high-quality education and that their civil rights are protected no matter their zip code,” continued the lawmakers. “We urge you to provide information on the steps the Department is taking to ensure the continuity of programs that Americans depend on, the ability of the Department to effectively administer programs for their intended purposes without waste, fraud and abuse, and the safeguards in place to protect student data privacy.”
The lawmakers note that Trump and Elon Musk have not shared any plans regarding intended changes to the Department of Education with the Congressional committees responsible for its oversight and funding. In their letter, they request information about access to the Department’s sensitive data and steps taken to safeguard it, communications and details regarding Department employees who have been placed on leave and confirmation that no awards have been blocked or terminated.
To read the full letter, click here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, convened Vermont businesses for a virtual roundtable to hear about the chaos caused by President Trump’s misguided tariff policies and his Trade War. Earlier this week, the president agreed to pause new 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico for 30 days, as well as 10% tariffs on imports of oil from Canada—which he had announced days prior, prompting immediate retaliation by Canada and Mexico. President Trump did not pause new 10% tariffs on imports from China. He has also threatened tariffs on imports from the European Union.
“These Trump Tariffs are of enormous concern because of their real practical impacts on enterprises, your companies, on your ability to do your work,” said Senator Welch during the event. “The concerns that I’ve seen and expressed to me by Vermonters are concerns that are being expressed to my Republican colleagues…I think that helps put us in a position to push back and be successful.
“Every single day, I’m going to be thinking about how this impacts you, and on Vermont, because each of you represent a significant part of the Vermont economy, and you certainly represent the Vermont spirit….I want to do everything I can to allow you to continue being successful doing what you’re doing.”
After President Trump’s decision to pause tariffs Canada and Mexico on Monday for 30 days, Senator Welch released the following statement:
“President Trump temporarily backtracking on his Trade War does nothing to give Vermont families, businesses, and farms the economic stability they deserve. Tariffs are taxes, and Trump just made it clear he’s fine with raising taxes on American families,” said Sen. Welch.
Senator Welch was joined by Vermont business owners, dairy and vegetable farmers, maple sugar makers, manufacturers, craft brewers, home heating and energy importers, home construction manufacturing, retailers, bankers, technology leaders, health care experts, transportation industry experts, local and state leaders, and others impacted by tariffs and the president’s reckless economic policies.
During the virtual roundtable, he heard clear concerns from Vermonters, including:
“It feels like death by a thousand cuts.” – Stoni Tomson, a small-scale vegetable farmer in Huntington, VT
“Adding a tariff will either lead to drug shortages in the short term, or long-term significant price increases.” – Jason Williams, University of Vermont Health Network
“If the 25% tariff was applied in full, it would be about a $130,000 – $150,000 unbudgeted hit to our food procurement efforts. And as a charitable organization, we don’t have a consumer to pass along that cost to.” – Jason Maring, Vermont Foodbank
“The ripple-effects that this could have on energy markets, and of course manufacturing, is very heavy.” – Catherine de Ronde, Agri-Mark
“We’re grateful for the pause, and hopeful you can do what you can do to make sure it never comes back.” – Matt Cota, Meadow Hill Consulting
“I’m just concerned in general that it’s going to further stagnate the ability for some of these much-needed construction projects to move forward.” – Matt Cook, PC Construction
“We would be strongly affected by the tariffs in terms of equipment costs for U.S. producers… I’m very concerned with the possible effects of this.” – Dave Folino, Vermont maple producer
“I can foresee this making homes unaffordable—which they already are.” – Denis Bourbeau, Bourbeau Custom Homes
“Our industry has grown in production almost 500% over the last 20 years, and these tariffs would go a long way towards potentially slowing that production.” – Alison Hope, Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association
“That kind of jolt to our budget—there’s just not room.” – Peter Kahn, Sienna Construction
“There’s just so much unknown, and I’m concerned about the impact on our customers—I’m worried that we’ll lose customers…All of this hurts everyone. It makes everything more expensive.” – Ashley Adams, P.G. Adams
“That would basically squeeze us out of the marketplace.” – Melanie Harrison, a small organic dairy farmer in Addison, VT
“Even though the tariffs aren’t in effect, we’re definitely already feeling the effects.” – Elise Magnant, small organic vegetable farmer in Plainfield, VT
“We’re all working on a very slim margin.” – Steve Parkes, Drop In Brewing
Today, Senator Welch will take these stories and the voices of Vermonters to the confirmation hearing for President Trump’s pick for U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, who will lead the President’s tariff strategy.
On Tuesday, Senator Welch took to the Senate floor to blast the proposed tariffs, which would be a tax on Vermonters. Attendees and constituents are invited to share how President Trump’s economic policies will impact their family, farm, or community by sharing their story on Senator Welch’s website.
This event follows a roundtable Senator Welch held in St. Albans on Monday, January 27th, where he heard from businesses and state and local leaders about the President’s threats to reignite a trade war with Canada, Mexico, and China.
In many cases, Vermont manufacturers buy imports from Canada to manufacture into products. However, the ability of Vermont’s small manufacturing businesses to absorb a 25% increase in costs on parts or raw materials is limited. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico could result in layoffs or higher homebuilding costs, increased costs of grain for farmers, and more expensive equipment for maple producers, among other costs that will get passed on to the consumer.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Modeled after National Weather Service and NOAA Water Center, would coordinate fire response amongst various federal, state, and academic institutions
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Southern California rebuilds from devastating fires, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. The joint office, created between the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of the Interior, would facilitate coordination and information sharing across federal and state departments and agencies, tribal entities, academia, and the private sector on wildland fires.
At the federal level, various departments and agencies have their own fire management goals, firefighters, and jurisdictions on which they respond to fires. The current division of responsibilities leaves gaps for cross-department collaboration and is unnecessarily burdensome. A national Wildfire Intelligence Center would compile comprehensive information on wildfires to better inform and streamline wildfire responses and recovery by providing states with a central command within the federal government. This center would also increase monitoring and imaging capabilities that land management agencies currently cannot achieve.
“The devastating Southern California fires are the latest example of increasingly intense and frequent fires ravaging communities within both local jurisdictions and on federal land,” said Senator Padilla. “Wildfires don’t distinguish between our boundaries, and we can’t afford to be siloed in our response. The scale of the wildfire crisis demands a singular, whole-of-government wildfire intelligence center to foster cross-agency collaboration and save lives.”
“We can all agree that the federal government must do a better job protecting our people, property, public lands, and communities from wildfires, and this bill will go a long way in streamlining our wildland firefighting efforts and best leveraging all available resources to accomplish our shared mission. As the only aerial firefighter in the Senate, I’m proud to be working with folks on both sides of the aisle to deliver commonsense solutions to more effectively fight the devastating threat of wildfires and protect the American people,” said Senator Sheehy.
“Wildfires don’t care about state lines or forest service boundaries,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “A centralized wildfire intelligence center will speed our response to fires and promote cross-agency collaboration to tackle them.”
“As fire season rapidly approaches for Montana, we need all hands on deck to prevent catastrophic disasters. Sharing information and resources between agencies will undoubtedly help Montana communities take preventive measures and better combat fires and coordinate response efforts,” said Senator Daines.
“The Wildfire Intelligence Center established by this bill will harness cutting-edge technology to give decision-makers real-time insights across jurisdictions and landscapes, enhancing coordination at every stage of a fire. The tools to tackle the megafire crisis already exist — this bill brings us closer to putting them in the hands of firefighters and land managers where they can make a real impact,” said Matt Weiner, CEO of Megafire Action. “Senators Padilla and Sheehy understand the urgent need to modernize our wildfire management system, and we look forward to working with them to get this bill signed into law and turn that vision into reality.”
“FAS applauds Senators Padilla and Sheehy for introducing this bill, which would take a crucial step forward in protecting our communities from increasingly severe wildfires. The Wildfire Intelligence Center would bring together expertise at all levels of government to give our firefighters and first responders access to cutting-edge tools and the decision support they need to confront this growing crisis,” said James Campbell, Wildfire Policy Specialist at the Federation of American Scientists.
“APCIA supports the Wildfire Intelligence Collaboration and Coordination Act introduced by Senator Padilla (D-CA) and Senator Sheehy (R-MT). This bill reflects the bipartisan recommendations of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission to create a joint interagency center to improve fire assessment and prediction in the wildland and built environment. With the risk of catastrophic wildfires increasing, Congress must take action to pass bills like this one that will lead to better land and fuels management, reduce risk to communities, and improve fire management and response,” said David A. Sampson, APCIA’s President and CEO.
Advances in wildfire technology hold great promise, however available technological services are highly fragmented across more than 50 federal programs. Simply put, the technology is available, but the government currently lacks the ability to get these tools in the hands of those who desperately need it, when they need it. The Wildfire Intelligence Center will leverage cutting-edge technology and improve the effectiveness of the many entities engaged in wildfire work.
Specifically, the Wildfire Intelligence Center would study, coordinate, and implement fire suppression and mitigation strategies among the Agriculture, Commerce, and Interior departments, including providing comprehensive assessment and modeling of wildfires to inform response, risk reduction, land and fuels management, post-wildfire recovery, and rehabilitation. This center would be modeled after similar information sharing centers like the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Water Center, which coordinate information sharing to educate people, improve understanding, and foster collaboration amongst various federal, state, and academic units.
The Wildfire Intelligence Collaboration and Coordination Act is endorsed by Megafire Action, Federation of American Scientists, Association of FireTech Innovation, Alliance for Wildfire Resilience, Climate and Wildfire Institute, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, The Stewardship Project, Tall Timbers, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, American Forests, Environmental Defense Fund, and American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
Senator Padilla has long been a leader in strengthening the federal and state response to wildfires. Earlier this week, Padilla announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. Last month, he introduced another suite of three bipartisan bills to strengthen wildfire resilience and rebuilding efforts through legislation including the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, the Fire Suppression and Response Funding Assurance Act, and the Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act. Padilla’s legislation to strengthen FEMA’s wildfire preparedness and response efforts, the FIRE Act, became law in 2022.
A one-pager on the Wildfire Intelligence Collaboration and Coordination Act is available here.
Full text of the bill is available here.
Source: Aisle of Wight
A conference dedicated to supporting children who have faced adverse experiences and early life trauma is set to take place at the Riverside Centre in Newport next month.
The event, titled “From Safety to Success through Everyday Connection, Care, and Education,” is open to all social care and education professionals, adoptive parents, special guardians, kinship carers, foster carers, and others supporting vulnerable children on the Island.
The conference on Tuesday, 11 March is being organised by the Isle of Wight Council’s Virtual School and promises a day rich in inspiration, ideas, and energy, focusing on the critical support needed for children who have endured challenging early life circumstances.
Starting at 9am, Ashley Whittaker, the council’s director of children’s services, will open the event which will also feature a keynote address by Dr Kim Golding CBE, a renowned clinical psychologist, author, and DDP consultant and trainer.
Dr Golding will draw on her extensive expertise to discuss strategies for supporting children with relational trauma, effectively bridging the gap between theory and practice.
The conference will also feature workshops led by Dr Golding, Josh Connolly and Adopt South. These sessions will explore essential concepts for fostering connection, care, and repair from relational trauma.
Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with many local organisations.
People can book their free tickets via Eventbrite.
The Isle of Wight Virtual School is responsible for supporting access, engagement and outcomes in education for care experienced children on the Island.
Source: City of York
Figures released today show that 2024 was the busiest year for York’s Park and Ride since 2017, with the total number of journeys exceeding 4.5 million, almost one million higher than in 2023.
December saw the most trips for a decade, recording nearly 500,000 journeys, a 3.5 per cent increase on the previous highest monthly total set in December 2016.
City of York Council estimates that people boarding at the Park and Ride sites in December resulted in over 61,700 cars not travelling into central York – equivalent to a line of traffic that would be long enough to reach central London*.
York’s Enhanced Bus Partnership, which oversees £17.2million of government funding for the Bus Service Improvement Plan, ran a marketing campaign to promote the Park and Ride as well as direct bus services for six weeks before Christmas. Working with Make It York and all bus operators, the social media posts and adverts reached over 2.2million people in a campaign targeting towns and cities where previous research has shown Christmas Market visitors come from.
Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Economy and Transport at City of York Council, said:
Just shy of half a million journeys in one month is an incredible milestone to reach, so thank you to all the residents and visitors for using the Park and Ride, and thank you to First Bus for increasing the number of buses available during this incredibly busy period.
First Bus invested in more services on the network in November and December, increasing frequency on several routes to support the York local and visitor economy in anticipation of customer demand. First Bus replicates this investment during other busy periods to keep York visitors and commuters moving sustainably throughout the year.
Cllr Ravilious continued;
The numbers are phenomenal but we do also need to recognise that York still experienced congested streets in the run up to Christmas, so while we are delighted, we continue our work throughout the year to support and promote the city’s bus services as well as other sustainable forms of transport. Our young people’s ticketing and marketing campaigns, which and are funded by central government, have over the last 12 months helped make bus use more attractive and given more people more options, and we will soon be consulting on improvements to the Park and Ride sites.”
Kayleigh Ingham, Commercial Director of First Bus North & West Yorkshire, said:
The superb performance throughout 2024 is a tribute to the commitment and high standards of service delivered by the First Bus team.
We’ve demonstrated that bus is an easy and sustainable way to travel into York. We’re attracting more customers due to good value fares, zero-emission buses, and our service, which is delivered with a smile. The benefits this brings, with cleaner air and quieter city centre roads, contributes to York’s environmental targets.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:
It is wonderful to see the great results for bus travel for the year and 500,000 journeys during the Christmas period is fantastic. We are very fortunate to have a bus service within the city that supports both demand and sustainability. Collaboration between all parties on communicating key messages was key and we look forward to working with and supporting the transport sector throughout 2025.
*In December First Bus sold 148,310 tickets at the Park and Ride sites alone (the remaining journeys being people who joined the bus along the route or were returning from the city centre). Industry standard definition of occupancy per car for a leisure trip is 2.4 people. This gives us a total of 61,700 cars that didn’t come into the city centre over Christmas. Google Maps shows that the road route from York Minster to Westminster Abbey is 210 miles. If we say a car takes up 6m of space on the road, 61,700 x 6m = 230 miles. Therefore 61,700 cars would stretch all the way to central London.
These Park and Ride figures follow the Department for Transport’s own statistics released late in 2024 which show that York’s bus services as a whole (ie all local services and the Park and Ride) are once again in the top ten of all local authorities for the number of bus trips per resident. An average of 70.6 journeys per head of population in 2023/2024 ranks York the best in Yorkshire and nationally sits 9th out of 90 English local authority areas.
The data also showed that York’s bus trips are up 35% from 2021/22, almost quadrupled from 2020/21 and now back within 3% of the level they were in 2019/20 (ie the year before covid). This is one of the best post-pandemic recovery rates in the country.
In addition to December’s figures, November 2024 was the busiest November ever recorded, with 10% more passengers than the previous record set in 2016.
Source: City of Leicester
UNIVERSITIES in Leicester and Leicestershire are opening up their libraries to public users.
A new partnership between three universities and local councils means anyone aged 18+ and living in the city, county or Rutland will easily be able to access university libraries and borrow up to 10 books at a time.
Local people will now be able to become members of the university libraries for free, benefitting from access to new resources, study spaces, longer opening hours and increased availability of library services.
Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council are all involved in the partnership.
The University of Leicester, De Montfort University (DMU) and Loughborough University are opening up their libraries to anyone who lives, works or studies in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland. Membership will be easy to apply for by filling in an online form, and separate membership options may be available for college and sixth-form students.
All of the university libraries hold large print collections which local people will be able to access and borrow – and there are specialist collections covering a wide range of academic subjects and aligning to the universities’ teaching and research areas.
Loughborough University holds broad collections, with particular depth in sport, business and creative arts, while the University of Leicester has collections of books and journals on regional and local history, a very large collection of Sue Townsend’s published works, and an extensive English literature collection. They also have a Represent collection, being developed in partnership with students, to include more works by under-represented voices.
At De Montfort University, the library holds collections relating to DMU and local history, the history of photography, sports history – especially winter sports – and chess, arts and illustration, plus fashion and costume history.
Local people will be able to access library services seven days a week. They will be able to borrow up to 10 items from any of the university libraries, and will be able to use the open study spaces.
Cllr Vi Dempster, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, said: “This is a fantastic addition to our library services. Our three local universities are an asset to our communities, bringing in knowledge, skills, and prosperity to our region as well as making a considerable contribution to our local economy and culture.
“Thanks to this new initiative, they will make a further positive contribution by sharing their resources with local people. It’s a great opportunity for library users, who will now be able to access a range of free library services seven days a week.”
Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council’s lead member for adults and communities, said: “The new partnership is a fantastic opportunity for Leicester and Leicestershire residents and will open an even wider range of resources and assets to our communities. I hope local people are able to make the best of what our fantastic universities have to offer and take advantage of this new partnership.”
In June 2022, a new Universities Partnership was launched locally. It is a commitment between De Montfort University, Loughborough University, the University of Leicester and the city and counties of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to work together for the benefit of local people and for local prosperity.
Paul Angrave from the Universities Partnership said: “The three universities are working hard with local councils to bring benefits to local communities and this is another example of that commitment.
“Universities are fantastic assets to their regions and by opening their library doors to local people, we are not only welcoming them onto our campuses – we are providing a wonderful additional service.
“The educational resources we are making available will benefit our locality and reflect our collective ambition to inspire and provide additional learning opportunities for local people.”
The libraries are now open to public users. For anyone who isn’t online, local public libraries can provide support with the application process. Valid photo ID and proof of address are required to join.
Information on how to find each of the three universities’ libraries, how to apply for membership and where to find details of opening hours can be found at:
Universities in Leicester and Leicestershire are opening up their libraries to public users.
A new partnership between three universities and local councils means anyone aged 18+ and living in the city, county or Rutland will easily be able to access university libraries and borrow up to 10 books at a time.k
Local people will now be able to become members of the university libraries for free, benefitting from access to new resources, study spaces, longer opening hours and increased availability of library services.
Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council are all involved in the partnership.
The University of Leicester, De Montfort University (DMU) and Loughborough University are opening up their libraries to anyone who lives, works or studies in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland. Membership will be easy to apply for by filling in an online form, and separate membership options may be available for college and sixth-form students.
All of the university libraries hold large print collections which local people will be able to access and borrow – and there are specialist collections covering a wide range of academic subjects and aligning to the universities’ teaching and research areas.
Loughborough University holds broad collections, with particular depth in sport, business and creative arts, while the University of Leicester has collections of books and journals on regional and local history, a very large collection of Sue Townsend’s published works, and an extensive English literature collection. They also have a Represent collection, being developed in partnership with students, to include more works by under-represented voices.
At De Montfort University, the library holds collections relating to DMU and local history, the history of photography, sports history – especially winter sports – and chess, arts and illustration, plus fashion and costume history.
Local people will be able to access library services seven days a week. They will be able to borrow up to 10 items from any of the university libraries, and will be able to use the open study spaces.
Cllr Vi Dempster, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, said: “This is a fantastic addition to our library services. Our three local universities are an asset to our communities, bringing in knowledge, skills, and prosperity to our region as well as making a considerable contribution to our local economy and culture.
“Thanks to this new initiative, they will make a further positive contribution by sharing their resources with local people. It’s a great opportunity for library users, who will now be able to access a range of free library services seven days a week.”
Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council’s lead member for adults and communities, said: “The new partnership is a fantastic opportunity for Leicester and Leicestershire residents and will open an even wider range of resources and assets to our communities. I hope local people are able to make the best of what our fantastic universities have to offer and take advantage of this new partnership.”
In June 2022, a new Universities Partnership was launched locally. It is a commitment between De Montfort University, Loughborough University, the University of Leicester and the city and counties of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to work together for the benefit of local people and for local prosperity.
Paul Angrave from the Universities Partnership said: “The three universities are working hard with local councils to bring benefits to local communities and this is another example of that commitment.
“Universities are fantastic assets to their regions and by opening their library doors to local people, we are not only welcoming them onto our campuses – we are providing a wonderful additional service.
“The educational resources we are making available will benefit our locality and reflect our collective ambition to inspire and provide additional learning opportunities for local people.”
The libraries are now open to public users. For anyone who isn’t online, local public libraries can provide support with the application process. Valid photo ID and proof of address are required to join.
Information on how to find each of the three universities’ libraries, how to apply for membership and where to find details of opening hours can be found at: universitiespartnership.org/open-libraries
Picture caption: (Seated L-R): Cllr Vi Dempster, Leicester’s assistant city mayor for leisure and culture, Paul Angrave from the Universities Partnership, and Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council’s lead member for adults and communities, with partners who have worked on the project.
Source: City of Leicester
THERE’S still time for city residents to have their say on an ambitious draft strategy to make space for nature across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
The Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) will help to protect nature and allow it to recover by conserving and improving habitats and biodiversity. It will identify locations to create or improve habitat and provide the greatest benefit for nature and the wider environment.
The city council is working with Leicestershire County Council on the development of the strategy, in liaison with other local authorities, land management organisations, and the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra).
People have already been sharing their views since the consultation was launched last month.
The consultation runs until Friday 28 February and is inviting comments from residents, farmers, landowners and other interested groups on the draft strategy, which sets out practical actions to boost the area’s wildlife and natural spaces.
The main points include:
The draft strategy also highlights important habitats including woodlands, wetlands, and urban green spaces, along with key species that need help.
The survey can be found here and features interactive maps which can be used to view projects in detail and make comments.
Several in-person and online briefing sessions have been organised to give people the opportunity to learn more about the LNRS, ask questions, and share your thoughts.
These events are open to everyone. The in-person sessions include a presentation, a Q&A and an opportunity at the end to speak to the presenter.
The first takes place on Thursday 13 February, (7pm-9pm), at the Symington Building in Market Harborough, and the second is on Monday 17 February, (7pm-9pm), at Loughborough Town Hall. A third will take place on Tuesday 18 February, (7pm-) at Bishop Street Methodist Church in Leicester city centre, while the fourth takes place in the Rutland County Council Chamber from 2.30-4pm on Tuesday 25 February.
The online sessions take place on Tuesday 11 February (6.30-7.30pm), Tuesday 18 February (4pm-5pm) and Tuesday 25 February (1pm-2pm and 6.30-7.30pm.
More information and registration for the in-person or online briefing sessions can be found on Leicestershire County Council’s website here
A spokesperson for the city council said: “We want to hear from as many groups and individuals as possible so we can agree priorities for nature locally and identify locations that will benefit most.
“We can’t do this by ourselves. We know we need to strike a balance between helping nature and wildlife recover, protecting the livelihoods of those who own and cultivate land, and the wider needs of people who live here.”
Responses to the consultation, which runs until Friday 28 February, will be used to develop the final version of the LNRS, which will be published in the summer.
Source: City of Leeds
Funding approval sought to refurbish new base in Stourton
Senior councillors in Leeds will be asked to give the final go-ahead for enhanced new headquarters for the Assisted Living Leeds service which helps people with health issues to live in their own homes at a meeting next week.
At the meeting of the council’s executive board at Civic Hall on Wednesday 12 February, councillors will be asked to approve £3.4million of funding to allow the refurbishment of the service’s new base at Waterside Road in Stourton to complete a £9million investment overall in the new facility.
The Assisted Living Leeds service run by Leeds City Council plays a vital role in supporting people of all ages when they have been discharged from hospital to live independently at home. Working 24 hours a day, Assisted Living Leeds operates the Leeds Tele Care Service providing and monitoring assistive technology and equipment which allows people to live at home rather than being in a hospital or dedicated care setting.
The service also provides a ‘return and reuse’ service, which allows used equipment to be returned, decontaminated, and reissued, where appropriate.
The service is currently based at Clarence Road, a 1960s building which requires increasing ongoing maintenance. With the service also growing due to demand, in 2019 the council approved £5.6m for the acquisition of the new site at Waterside Road after assessing possible new locations in the city.
The new site will offer high-quality modern accommodation and due to its layout also offers significant operational benefits which will help to improve the efficiency of service delivery and customer service. It will also help to future-proof the service for the coming years.
Leeds City Council executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture Councillor Salma Arif said:
“We are delighted that we are now in a position to get the refurbishment of the new Assisted Living Leeds headquarters underway as once completed it will bring significant benefits for our city and its residents.
“The Assisting Living Leeds service provides an essential and invaluable lifeline to support people of all ages to be able to live healthy, happy and productive independent lives at home, and this move to its new location will enable it to continue to grow stronger and stronger helping even more people for years to come.”
Should approval be given for the refurbishment to proceed, the new headquarters would be scheduled to open in January 2026.
The new building when open will also become home to the council’s flood risk management team, monitoring rainfall and river levels across the city.
To see the report being considered by the executive board visit Council and democracy (agenda item 9).
To find out more about Assisted Living Leeds visit Equipment to help you live at home
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact:
Leeds City Council communications and marketing,
Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk
Tel: 0113 378 6007
Source: US Global Legal Monitor
The following is a guest post by Tariq Ahmad, a foreign law specialist in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. Tariq has previously contributed posts on Islamic Law in Pakistan – Global Legal Collection Highlights, the Law Library’s 2013 Panel Discussion on Islamic Law, Sedition Law in India, New Report from the Law Library of Congress On The Regulation of Hemp Around the World, and FALQ posts on Proposals to Reform Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws, Article 370 and the Removal of Jammu and Kashmir’s Special Status, and The Controversy Over Marriage and Anti-Conversion Laws in India, among others.
Join us on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 2 p.m. EST for our next foreign, comparative, and international law webinar, “Judicial Reform in Pakistan: Challenges & Implications.”
This webinar aims to provide background, an overview of the changes, and the legal and political implications of the judicial reforms implemented through the 26th constitutional amendment to Pakistan’s Constitution. It will look at changes made to the composition of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, the appointment process of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), the formation and powers of constitutional benches of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and other related changes. The speakers will also discuss the implications of these reforms for judicial independence.
Please register here.
This webinar will be presented by Senior Foreign Law Specialist Tariq Ahmad and guest presenter Dr. Waris Husain. Tariq’s work at the Law Library of Congress covers mostly South Asian common law jurisdictions, particularly India and Pakistan. He takes a particular research interest in religion and law issues in the South Asia region. Tariq holds an LL.M. degree in international law from American University Washington College of Law and an LL.B. from University College London.
Dr Husain is an adjunct professor of international law at the Howard University School of Law. Dr. Husain holds an S.J.D. degree from American University Washington College of Law, specializing in constitutional and comparative law. His dissertation focused on the development of judicial review in the Supreme Courts of Pakistan, India, and the United States which was published in 2017. He received his LL.M. in international human rights from WCL and his J.D. from the Howard University School of Law.
Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.
Source: US State of Connecticut
Just in time for the Super Bowl, researchers at UConn School of Medicine are part of a big win for autism research.
UConn School of Medicine’s innovative autism research has been prestigiously awarded by the Eagles Autism Foundation to be one of its 22 cutting-edge autism research projects selected to receive a slice of $8.1 million in grant funding raised by fans.
The grant funding was all powered by the proceeds raised by participants for the 2024 Eagles Autism Challenge and the Eagles Autism Foundation’s other annual fundraising initiatives. Impressively, since 2018, 169 autism research projects and community grants have been funded by the Foundation nationally and internationally, which is dedicated to raising funds for innovative autism research and care programs to assist those currently affected by autism, as well as future generations to make a lasting impact in the field of autism.
For the last three years, as a proud Eagles fan (and also a life-long Patriots fan) and professor of Neuroscience at UConn School of Medicine, Dr. Eric S. Levine has served on the Eagles Autism Foundation’s Advisory Board as a research expert reviewing submitted research grant proposals.
But last year Levine decided to apply for a grant himself for his own cutting-edge UConn neuroscience research lab’s work exploring autism’s genomic genesis, and he won!
Levine’s new award grants his lab over the next two years $400,000 in research funding to expand its laboratory investigations to identify genetic pathways that may cause autism spectrum disorders and better ways to study them.
To start, his team has been studying two rare, genetic disease syndromes that also result in profound autism, Angelman Syndrome and Dup15q Syndrome. They impact about 1 in 5,000 children. While it still is not clear yet scientifically about autism spectrum disorders’ genetic origins, it is known that both of these autism-linked syndromes are connected to a child’s genetic differences that lead to a missing piece of a chromosome (Angelman Syndrome) or chromosomal duplication (Dup15q Syndrome) in the same 15q11-q13 region.
In this region, Levine has been studying the impact of the genetic deletions or duplications on the behavior and activity of neuronal brain cells. In contrast to single-gene mouse models, amazingly these studies use skin cells or blood cells obtained from patients living with either Angelman or Dup15q syndrome that are then reprogrammed and grown in the lab at UConn School of Medicine to develop into brain cells that mirror exactly each patient’s genomics.
“This is really unique, personalized medicine, and a better way for us to study the genomics and physiology of a real child’s brain cells and the possible role multiple genes may be playing leading to autism. All kids are different. We can analyze the physical structure of their neurons, measure intracellular calcium dynamics, and record functional electrical activity,” says Levine, who has received donations of cells from families for study. “It’s very exciting to pivot our autism research to translational research studying actual patient-derived human neurons.”
In his translational research efforts, Levine hopes to compare neurons of patients and identify what role various genes play in the brain cells of the patients with syndromes also causing autism, and how their brain cells behave differently, and even test what possible current drugs or new drugs might be beneficial to patients to improve both their symptoms and quality of life.
“There is so much to learn about the brain,” says Levine, whose work as a neuroscientist every day is driven by his fierce curiosity to learn more and more about how the brain works, and also inspired by the autism patients and families he has had the privilege to meet through the Eagles Autism Foundation over the last few years.
“The families I have met are so grateful for our autism research efforts, and more hope is on the way. It is a very exciting time for autism research and real, tangible progress and results with research advances and drug clinical trials,” says Levine.
“Our focus at UConn is finding the next generation of therapies,” says Levine, whose ultimate goal for his autism research is exploring the future power of gene testing and gene therapy for autism spectrum disorders and related-syndromes, including very early-on in life whether in-utero or during a young child’s life.
“It’s challenging, but the goal is gene therapy to reduce the expression of any uncovered genetic mutations or find a way to silence these problematic genes in neurons. Finding a way to do so, would have a significant effect on autism spectrum disorder patients,” Levine says.
His research team has already shown there is a driver gene of UBE3A, which breaks down other cellular proteins in neurons, which can be either under- or overexpressed in the Angelman and Dup15q syndromes. But Levine and his team are turning their attention and focus to other genes in that same 15q11-q13 region such as GABA-A receptors and HERC2 that could also be contributing to autism spectrum disorders.
“If we can better understand the common pathway in the brain for these two genetic syndromes that lead to autism, we may someday understand other forms of autism, especially what causes behavioral issues such as loss of verbal communication, cognitive deficits, and impaired motor-function skills,” says Levine.
“I love being a part of this awesome Eagles Autism Foundation effort,” says Levine of UConn medical school’s Department of Neuroscience. “They are raising more and more funding for advancing autism research every year, including basic research funding. The better the Eagles team does, the more money that is raised. I am rooting for the Eagles and more winning touchdowns helping to advance our scientific insights into autism.”
In addition to transformational research project funding like Levine’s, the proceeds are also heartwarmingly supporting community grants to organizations enhancing the lives of those affected by autism.
“This year’s scientific review process was one of the most competitive evaluations we ever had,” says Jeffrey Lurie, chairman and CEO, Philadelphia Eagles. “The number of submissions we received in such a short period of time speaks to how much the field of autism research and care has evolved. For far too long, autism was misunderstood, underfunded, and under-researched. While there is still more work to be done, we are now seeing autism being prioritized at the highest level by some of the most recognized institutions around the world. We thank this year’s recipients for their support of the autism community and hope their groundbreaking work inspires others to follow in their footsteps.”
The 8th annual Eagles Autism Challenge presented by Lincoln Financial will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025. To register for the event, visit EaglesAutismChallenge.org. The Eagles Autism Foundation is offering a 50% discount on registration using promo code: LETSHUNT.
For more information on the 2024 scientific review process and all the funded institutions, visit: EaglesAutismChallenge.org/our-impact-2024/.
Source: US State of Connecticut
Cecily and Joe DiPiro: a Forever Type of Love
Picture this: UConn basketball season, 1975. You purchase your tickets for 50 cents apiece and head to the old fieldhouse, not yet knowing the glory of Gampel Pavilion. You and your date hit it off, and the rest is history!
For Cecily and Joe DiPiro, this is where their love story started. Their time at UConn began as freshmen in the School of Pharmacy, eager to dive into their passion. The following year, in January of 1975, they met while working at Yale New Haven Hospital. Amid conversation at the hospital, they realized they were in a few of the same classes together (nothing sparks love like organic chemistry). A month later, they were in that old fieldhouse on their first date. Cecily even has the ticket stub to prove it.
Over the next few years, Cecily and Joe’s passion grew as they fell in love with UConn. Their fondest memories include being proud members of AZO, a Professional Pharmaceutical Fraternity, and the Student Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP). In addition to their pharmacy coursework, Cecily and Joe cheered on the Huskies during hockey games, skied down Horsebarn Hill when a small ski slope was still in operation, enjoyed the campus creamery, and embraced the UConn social scene, finding time to party amidst their busy schedules. During their time at UConn, Cecily and Joe were put in charge of a Beerfest, where they convinced faculty members to pour beer while raising money for the 1978 yearbook. They also went on a trip to Eli Lilly, riding a bus for 15 hours with their classmates to Indianapolis, where they received a two-day tour of the company.
After their late-night study sessions and Beer Fests at UConn were over and Cecily and Joe graduated, they went into separate residency programs. Joe went to the University of Kentucky for his residency and Pharm.D. while Cecily went to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. After a year in each of their residency programs, they tied the knot while continuing their passion for pharmacy. Cecily worked as a hospital pharmacist at UK Medical Center until Joe graduated, and then they moved to the Augusta, GA area. Joe worked for the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, while Cecily was a hospital pharmacist at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital. She spent most of her career as a hospital pharmacist, and in later years, worked as a diabetes coach and as a grants manager for the SC Pharmacy Association. Joe held leadership roles as Dean of South Carolina College of Pharmacy from 2005 to 2014 and Dean of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Pharmacy from 2014 to 2022. The pair also worked on several writing projects together. While busy with their professional careers, Joe and Cecily found time to raise their three children, one of whom is a pharmacist, and now are blessed with eight healthy and active grandchildren!
After retiring from their successful careers, Cecily and Joe have found time to appreciate the connections they made early on in their lives at UConn’s School of Pharmacy. Looking back, they hold a special place in their hearts for the camaraderie they felt with their classmates and faculty during their journey at the School. Back in the ‘70s, when many UConn students would venture home on the weekends, the couple and their classmates would stay on campus and have the library to themselves, forming study groups and offering each other support and encouragement. “Our classmates were our day-to-day family,” says Cecily, reminiscing about heading to the old library with the Gold Dome roof to study with classmates. Joe added, “If you didn’t show up to class, they’d have the notes.” There might have been more than just studying at the old library, as Joe and Cecily recall four or five other couples in their class who eventually got married.
Although they haven’t been back to campus in several years, Cecily and Joe will always feel connected to their UConn family. Through exchanging Christmas cards or reconnecting in person at UConn reunions, they find ways to stay connected to their Husky roots, remembering the love they fostered for pharmacy and each other here at Storrs.
Bill and Erica Baker: From Lab Partners to Life Partners
Fast forward about twenty years from Cecily and Joe’s time at the UConn School of Pharmacy, and this is where Bill and Erica’s love story begins. Both attending E.O Smith High School near UConn, they began their story as lab partners in their senior year during advanced biology. They quickly realized they shared a common goal of attending UConn to pursue pharmacy. From running around the UConn campus during high school gym class to attending sporting events in the ‘80s long before they enrolled, Bill and Erica were excited to deepen the kinship they had felt with the university while growing up.
The following year, now at UConn as commuter students, the couple made it official. Bill says their relationship grew naturally, bonding over the same Pre-Pharmacy classes and spending time at each other’s houses after class. During their sophomore year, Bill and Erica joined UConn’s professional pharmacy fraternity AZO and remained active members in the following years, and Bill now serves as the faculty advisor for the organization. Throughout their time at UConn, Bill and Erica developed their own friend groups, creating a strong network of friends and study partners. They continued their passion for pharmacy and gained experience, with Bill working at Walgreens and Erica in a hospital pharmacy. Despite being busy with their professional and academic careers, Bill and Erica found time to enjoy campus-wide events like Spring Weekend and concerts at Jorgensen. They also took part in classic UConn traditions, such as attending basketball games at Gampel.
Bill and Erica’s biggest relationship challenge came toward the end of their time at the School when Bill graduated in 2002 while Erica had one more year to complete. When Bill graduated, he accepted a post-pharmacy traineeship in Hartford. During this time, he lived with Erica, who was finishing up her last year at UConn. A month after Erica graduated in 2003, they married and moved to Delaware. Coordinating a wedding and a big move while Bill was employed and Erica was still finishing her degree was a challenge, but it was something the couple overcame. They eventually settled in Delaware, where Erica got a post-grad job. Despite the challenge, the couple felt relieved when they chose similar career paths, both wanting to work in a hospital setting so their schedules would align.
Now a faculty member, Bill strives to appreciate the opportunities he has as a UConn professor. He’s especially grateful for what he can give back to UConn: ‘The honor of being here, and giving back to the school and community that has meant so much to me.’ With three young children, Bill and Erica remain busy with their professional and personal lives but always make time to support their Husky family through watching and attending basketball and football games. Bill urges current UConn students in the School of Pharmacy to take every opportunity they are given, make connections, and never get too overwhelmed: ‘Obviously, you want to enjoy yourself.’
“We went to school here,” says Bill “We lived elsewhere for a period of time. And then now we’re back here.” Once a Husky, always a Husky!”
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
CHICAGO, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) has raised a $15.5M Series Seed round of financing to advance the ANEEL fuel – a patented blend of thorium & HALEU designed to be seamlessly deployed into existing reactors. With plans to commercialize in 2026, the capital will be used towards solidifying the company’s technical partnerships, such as the irradiation test at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the further validation work at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), a planned Demonstration Irradiation, and more. Further, this financing will be used to fund activities related to the company’s hiring, supply chain partnerships, and regulatory and licensing requirements.
The syndicate of investors participating in this round are led by a Singapore-based family office and notable business leaders including Sumant Sinha, CEO and Founder of ReNew, Lakshmi Narayanan, former CEO of Cognizant Technologies, and Deepak Parekh, former Chairman of HDFC Bank.
Mehul Shah, CCTE’s CEO and Founder, said:
“We are not only excited to have fresh capital infused in the business for critical growth, but also ecstatic to invite those with deep ties to the global energy industry as advisors and investors to accelerate our progress. This announcement marks the next chapter in CCTE’s growth to revolutionize nuclear energy.
By demonstrating thorium’s ability to deliver immediate and substantial operational benefits, we can accelerate the renewed momentum of nuclear. This new fuel cycle enhances reactor economics, strengthens energy security, improves safety, and ensures proliferation resistance—all within an existing and proven reactor system.”
In 2024, CCTE achieved major milestones to advance the ANEEL fuel, including:
About Clean Core Thorium Energy
Clean Core Thorium Energy is a nuclear fuel company exploring thorium-driven nuclear innovations. Clean Core’s patented nuclear fuel technology (called the ANEEL™ fuel) is comprised of thorium and high assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and is capable of improving the safety and cost-efficiency of pressurized heavy-water reactors. The ANEEL™ fuel is a novel solution to safety, waste, and proliferation concerns in today’s nuclear plants. Learn more at https://cleancore.energy/. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn and X.
Contact: info@cleancore.energy
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
Washington, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Republican Conference Vice Chair, delivered a floor speech applauding the record-breaking speed of Senate confirmations for President Donald Trump’s nominees. Lankford also pointed to the important work the Secretaries are doing as soon as they are sworn in.
Excerpts
“We have confirmed more people now in the Senate than were confirmed in the first three weeks of the Biden Administration and in the first three weeks of the first Trump Administration combined. That’s because we’ve been willing to be able to run the clock and to be able to press this.”
….
“We started the hearings before the President was even sworn in, to be able to make sure that we’re ready and we’re literally doing hearings in committees, queuing up the next people, even as we’re dealing with the folks that are on the floor, to be able to make sure that we can move as rapidly as possible. This is not just about President Trump. It’s about the United States and about us having a good operation for our government.”
Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Media Contact 202-226-8467
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the New York Post dropped more receipts exposing the Biden State Department’s radical, far-left agenda with an article that reveals video of a drag workshop in Ecuador funded by American taxpayers.
WATCH HERE
The Biden State Department paid Fundacion Dialogo Diverso, an LGBTQ group in Ecuador, nearly $75,000 over three years, including a $25,000 grant last year. The group tapped into those funds to put on a two-day drag workshop and produce a video of the event. Fundacion Dialogo Diverso’ video notes in the credits that funds from the U.S. government were used to bankroll the performance.
This is just the latest in a series of outrageous State Department and United States Agency for International Development grants uncovered by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast.
Democrats and unaccountable bureaucrats don’t want Americans to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted abroad. Chairman Mast is here to set the record straight.
Read the full New York Post story here.
Source: US GOIAM Union
Approximately 30 National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) members recently traveled to the IAM’s Winpisinger Center for a week-long steward class.
The program involved training in areas specific to the federal sector, such as collective bargaining, the Hatch Act and legislative action, prohibited personnel practices, unfair labor practices, grievance handling, arbitration, and an overview of the Federal Labor Relations Act. The members also discussed the issues facing all federal workers with the recent change of political power in Washington. This program was extremely helpful for the stewards, officers and business representatives serving federal members.
NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin visited with the members mid-week, briefing and preparing them for the coming attacks against Federal Workers. Erwin spoke about the recent gains in membership sign-ups and awarded many attendees with organizers’ pins.
“The lifeblood of our union, which gives us power and a voice on Capitol Hill, comes from federal workers becoming dues-paying members,” said Erwin.
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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
PEORIA, Ill. – Travis Jay Nyhoff, 42, who is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin, Illinois (FCI-Pekin), was sentenced on January 10, 2025 to 33 months’ imprisonment for aggravated battery. The sentence will run consecutive to the term of imprisonment Nyhoff is presently serving for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade, the court considered the following uncontested information regarding the assault. On December 8, 2023, Nyhoff had approached another inmate from behind as the inmate was watching television in the common area, yanked his chair out from beneath him, and proceeded to strike the inmate across the face with the chair and then hurl the chair at the wall. The unprovoked attack was documented by security footage. The inmate sustained a broken lower jawbone, a laceration to his face that penetrated his oral cavity, and several dislodged teeth. He later underwent surgery to repair his jawbone.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Nyhoff with assault in April 2024, and he entered a guilty plea in August 2024.
The statutory penalties for aggravated battery are two to five years’ imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
In 2024, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams (SERT) continued to work diligently with frontline RCMP officers from detachments across the province to remove harms from communities and help keep Saskatchewan residents safe.
Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT – which includes Crime Reduction Teams (CRT), the Human Trafficking and Counter Exploitation Unit (HTCEU), Offender Management Unit (OMU), Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Teams (STRT) and Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Teams (WEST) – helps protect community well-being by tackling serious and gang-related crimes, and take dangerous drugs and weapons off the streets.
Removing harms from Saskatchewan communities
Illicit drugs continue to harm people across the province. In 2024, Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT teams seized:
– 6,572 grams of cocaine;
– 4,732 grams of methamphetamine;
– 130 grams fentanyl;
– 6,349 grams of other illicit drugs; and
– 86 tablets.
From 2014 to 2023, violent firearms offences in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction increased 271 per cent – rising from 126 in 2014 to 467 in 2023.
Saskatchewan RCMP’s SERT removed 230 firearms from the hands of criminals across the province in 2024.
Investigational highlights
In July 2024, Yorkton STRT seized approximately 161 grams of methamphetamine and 14 firearms, along with other items, from a business, a rural property and a vehicle in the Yorkton area. During a subsequent search of the rural property, RCMP officers located a severely injured, forcibly confined adult male inside a barn. Investigation determined the man had been kidnapped. Two adult males faced kidnapping, drug and firearms charges, among others.
What is SERT?
Saskatchewan RCMP SERT is made up of 108 RCMP officers and 31 civilian support staff. With different teams located in 10 Saskatchewan communities, SERT is readily mobile and able to quickly deploy to surrounding areas. Teams are also assisted every single day by over 1,500 RCMP employees, including more than 1,000 sworn officers at 80 plus detachments across the province.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Misael Dominguez Adorno, 25, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 22 ½ years in federal prison for producing child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Dominquez Adorno pleaded guilty to this charge on October 9, 2024.
In November 2022, Beloit Police received a CyberTip indicating that someone at Dominguez Adorno’s residence uploaded sexually explicit images onto the internet. Based on the tip, officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the home, where they seized numerous cell phones, iPads, computers, and flash drives.
Officers analyzed the devices and found videos of Dominguez Adorno engaged in sexually explicit conduct with five minors, whom officers were able to identify. Officers also found that Dominguez Adorno had received sexually explicit images from a 6th minor victim.
Judge Conley expressed concern that Dominguez Adorno only cared about getting what he wanted from each of his young victims, manipulating them to his advantage. Judge Conley also noted that Dominguez Adorno did not seem to realize that he had stolen part of each victim’s youth with his actions.
The charge against Dominquez Adorno was the result of an investigation conducted by the Beloit Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.