Source: Government of Sweden
On 26–27 May, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa is travelling to Cairo. He is accompanying a business delegation to promote Swedish exports and increased trade with Egypt. Mr Dousa will also meet with humanitarian organisations to discuss issues such as the acute and unacceptable situation in Gaza.
Source: Government of Sweden
On Thursday 22 May, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa hosted a business seminar on Moldova. The event in Stockholm aimed to give Swedish businesses deep insight into Moldova’s economic and political development and investment opportunities.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government’s new reform agenda, ‘Development assistance for a new era – freedom, empowerment and sustainable growth’, has a particular focus on improved health for the most vulnerable people. Initiatives are needed to improve prospects of good health, ensure functioning health and medical care systems, and strengthen preparedness, in order to better address health threats at global level. Sweden has an important role to play in these efforts.
Source: Government of Sweden
On 22–30 September, the 79th session of the UN General Assembly is being highlighted in New York. In conjunction with the session, a high-level debate and several high-level meetings will convene, including the Summit of the Future. Sweden will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa and Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson.
Source: Government of Sweden
Due to technical issues with Sweden’s state aircraft, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer were unfortunately re-directed back to Stockholm, Arlanda. This was purely a safety measure and neither passengers nor crew were in danger.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government has tasked the Swedish Armed Forces with making disbursements to the capability coalitions in the demining and drone areas within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) framework. This SEK 80 million in support is part of the 18th military support package to Ukraine.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Swedish Government has presented its largest military support package to Ukraine to date, valued at almost SEK 16 billion. Ukraine has requested capabilities related to air defence, artillery, satellite communication, and naval capabilities. Together with the support package announced earlier this year, Swedish support to Ukraine amounts to approximately SEK 29.5 billion in 2025. Sweden’s military support since 2022 thus totals about SEK 80 billion.
Source: Government of Sweden
On 1–3 April, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will visit Poland. On 1 April, Mr Jonson will participate in a formal ceremony for the Swedish contribution to Air Policing. On 2 April, Mr Jonson will take part in a high-level conference on the White Paper on the future of European defence, and on 2–3 April, Mr Jonson will represent Sweden at the informal meeting of EU defence ministers.
Source: Government of Sweden
The task force for Jewish life in Sweden held its third meeting on Friday 9 February, with its discussions mainly focused on the 2024 theme of education. New representatives of the National Agency for Education and the Swedish National Council of Adult Education joined this meeting. The task force will also continue to address last year’s theme of security in 2024.
Source: Government of Sweden
Sweden and the US have entered into a bilateral cooperation agreement on cancer research and care. The agreement builds on the cooperation agreement that the two countries concluded in 2016 with the aim of accelerating research results through increased exchange.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government is now presenting an action programme to prevent and combat men’s violence against women, domestic violence, honour-based violence and oppression, and prostitution and human trafficking for the period 2024–2026. The programme contains over 130 initiatives and measures to be undertaken on a broad front at national, regional and local level. The efforts will also be strengthened in four special priority areas for development.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government is working tirelessly to prevent and combat men’s violence against women, domestic violence, honour-based violence and oppression, and prostitution and human trafficking. The Government´s new action programme for the period 2024–2026 helps reinforce these efforts.
Source: Government of Sweden
On 22 September, the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the first framework for global governance of digital technology, was adopted in connection with the UN Summit of the Future in New York. The Swedish Government was represented by Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch. The GDC is one of the most concrete aspects of the multilateral Pact for the Future adopted by UN Member States ahead of the 2024 General Assembly. Other key discussions addressed the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, energy policy, development issues and how to achieve the global climate goals.
Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On July 30, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) released the following statement on the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Gaza.
“The intentional starvation of innocent children in Gaza is undeniable and abhorrent. It is unacceptable that President Netanyahu openly denies the effect of his own cruel actions in a way that clearly flies in the face of what millions around the world have seen with their own eyes. This stark violation of human rights calls on us to do everything we can to protect the lives of these innocent children.”
“The administration must use every diplomatic tool possible to put an end to this atrocity and immediately pause all military assistance until a ceasefire is reached. Additionally, sanctions must be placed on Israeli officials who have ordered or condoned the killing of innocent civilians. The United States must hold those who have contributed to the killing of innocent people — including children — accountable, and President Trump must use his power to bring an end to this conflict and humanitarian crisis,” said Vasquez.
As the first member of the New Mexico delegation to call for a ceasefire, Rep. Vasquez has continued to push the administration to ensure innocent civilians in Gaza are not subjected to mass starvation and indiscriminate killing on the American taxpayer’s dime.
###
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
KFF: Individual market insurers are requesting the largest premium increases in more than 5 years; Out-of-pocket premium payments will go up by 75 percent if the tax credits expire
In Washington state, expiration of health care tax credits will kick 80,000 people off health coverage
Senator Murray has been fighting for months to extend tax credits that help working families afford health care and has introduced legislation to make them permanent
***Watch full press conference HERE; download HERE***
Washington, D.C. —Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a virtual press conference with Jeanne Lambrew, Director of Health Care Reform at The Century Foundation and a former senior official in the Obama administration official who worked on the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and Washington Health Benefit Exchange CEO Ingrid Ulrey, to discuss—and sound the alarm on—how Republicans’ refusal to extend critical ACA tax credits that help families and small businesses who purchase their own health insurance on the marketplace will spike premiums and raise health care costs for people in Washington state and across the country.
At the end of this year, enhanced premium tax credits Congress enacted to lower the cost of health care for working people who buy health insurance on their own are set to expire. For months, Republicans have refused to extend them, including recently as part of their partisan reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—which was explicitly designed to extend expiring tax credits, and included trillions of dollars in tax breaks for billionaires.
If Republicans continue to refuse to extend the health care tax credits, 22 million Americans across the country—including more than 216,000 people in Washington state—will see their health care costs and premiums skyrocket in January. The expiration of these tax credits is estimated to drive up out-of-pocket premium payments by an average of over 75 percent for Americans who rely on ACA health plans for coverage, and these higher costs will push 4.2 million people off their health coverage over the next decade—including an estimated 80,000 people in Washington state. Right now, health insurers and state regulators are finalizing premium rates for next year, and marketplace insurers are requesting the largest premium increases in more than 5 years. In Washington state, health insurers have already requested to hike their rates by one fifth—people who purchase health insurance through the marketplace may see their premiums rise between 4.7 percent and 23.6 percent, depending on the plan. A fact sheet from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange on the enhanced premium tax credits and what their expiration would mean for people in Washington state is HERE.
“While the health care tax credits Republicans refused to extend may not expire until the end of the year, insurers are setting their rates right now, and when credits expire—rates go higher. Marketplace insurers are right now requesting the largest premium increases in more than 5 years. In Washington state, health insurers have already requested to hike their rates by over 20 percent, in no small part because of what Republicans have done—or rather, refused to do,” said Senator Murray. “When premiums spike next year, I am going to make sure everyone knows it’s because Republicans chose to make health care more expensive. Not on accident. Not for reasons unknown. But because Republicans decided to do nothing and let costs skyrocket. Because Republicans decided we can afford to shovel trillions of dollars towards tax breaks for billionaires, but we can’t afford to help working families get health care.”
Senator Murray played a critical role in passing the enhanced premium tax credits in the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extending them in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and she has been fighting for months to make sure these important health care tax credits don’t expire, including cosponsoring legislation—the Health Care Affordability Act—that would make them permanent.
“The expiring ACA Marketplace tax credits are critical to keeping meaningful coverage within reach for millions of Americans,” said Jeanne Lambrew, Director of Health Care Reform at The Century Foundation and a former senior official in the Obama administration official who worked on the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). “Unless Republicans come to the table to lower costs for families by extending these tax credits, Americans across the country are going to see their premiums skyrocket—especially in rural areas and places where access to health care is already challenging.”
“Enhanced premium tax credits help more than 216,000 Washingtonians afford health coverage and are especially important for older and rural residents, small business owners and self-employed people in our state. If Congress allows them to expire, people will be angry and upset by steep premium increases starting in January 2026. Many will drop coverage and everyone in our state will feel the pain of ripple effects across our health care system and economy,” said Ingrid Ulrey, Chief Executive Officer for Washington Health Benefit Exchange. “These tax credits work. They help make coverage more affordable for working people, families and small businesses all over the state.”
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“Thank you all for joining me today. You know, Republicans have been trying to tell some big fat lies about their big, awful bill, especially when it comes to health care.
“So, we are here to set the record straight, and to give America a stark warning. When Republicans lined up behind Trump, and jammed through a bill they hardly liked, and hardly even read—they didn’t just vote to throw trillions of dollars in tax cuts at some of the richest people in the world, they also voted to throw working families to the wolves and throw America’s health care into chaos.
“From cutting Medicaid, something they first said they weren’t doing and now are pretending they want to undo. To shuttering hospitals, something they first said would not happen and then said they could cover with a Band-Aid.
“To approving Trump’s sabotage of the ACA marketplace something that will kick millions of families off their coverage.
“To refusing to extend health care tax credits, something that will send premiums skyrocketing, and push another 4.2 million people off their insurance.
“Let’s be clear about just how big of a deal that is. Right now, these tax credits—passed entirely by Democrats—are saving millions of people across the country hundreds of dollars a month!
“In Washington state, we have over 200,000 people—who are saving around $1,300 a year on average.
“But instead of extending that support for working class families, instead of putting health care first, Republicans put billionaires first.
“And now families are going to be the one stuck footing the cost for Republicans’ big, ugly bill. And unfortunately, the consequences of Republican actions—which they keep trying to deny—are coming sooner than Republicans might think.
“Because, while the health care tax credits they refused to extend may not expire until the end of this year, insurers are setting their rates right now, and when credits expire—rates go higher.
“Marketplace insurers are right now requesting the largest premium increases in more than 5 years.
“In Washington state, health insurers have already requested to hike their rates by over 20 percent, in no small part because of what Republicans have done—or rather, refused to do.
“Combined with Republican ACA sabotage? That could push as many as 150,000 people off their health care coverage across our state. To say nothing of the people who will get pushed off Medicaid in 2027 and beyond.
“This is going to be catastrophic—which is why it’s so important we sound the alarm for families about what is coming down the pike.
“And I want to sound the alarm for Republicans too—if you don’t come to the table ASAP to fix this, you are not going to be able to spin your way out of this reality.
“When over 15 million people lose their health care due to Republican health care cuts and sabotage, you are not going to convince them everything is A-Okay.
“When hospitals shutter because Republicans gutted their funding, you can’t just pretend everything is sunshine and nothing is wrong.
“When insurance companies jack up premiums across the country and millions of families lose the health care tax credits that saved them thousands of dollars because Republicans refused to lift a finger, you’re not going to get by, by sticking your heads in the sand.
“You are the ones who put American health care on this collision course. You may try to ignore the warnings, you may try to ignore the voices back home speaking out, but you’re not going to be able to avoid the responsibility.
“When premiums spike next year, I am going to make sure everyone knows it’s because Republicans chose to make health care more expensive.
“Not on accident. Not for reasons unknown. But because Republicans decided to do nothing and let costs skyrocket.
“Because Republicans decided we can afford to shovel trillions of dollars towards tax breaks for billionaires, but we can’t afford to help working families get their health care.
“They couldn’t be more wrong.
“So, I’m really glad to be joined today by two speakers who are experts on the ACA tax credits and they can lay out what their expiration will mean for families in Washington state and across the country.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks on Senate Floor***
Washington, D.C. —Today,U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke out on the Senate floor against the nomination of Joe Kent to lead the National Counterterrorism Center. Senator Murray slammed Kent for his lack of experience and long history of promoting conspiracy theories and white supremacist views, and urged her colleagues to vote against his nomination.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered on the Senate Floor, are below:
“Thank you, M. President.
“The National Counterterrorism Center plays a crucial role keeping our country safe. The agency is responsible for collecting and analyzing intelligence to help protect our nation from terrorist threats. It is sober, serious work that requires a level head and a commitment to putting the mission before politics.
“Which is why I am deeply alarmed that Republicans are charging ahead to put it under the thumb of a conspiracy theorist who espouses white supremacist views, and is patently unqualified for this important role in just about every way imaginable. You are supposed to pick people with qualifications, but just about everything we know about Joe Kent is disqualifying for this role and alarming.
“There’s his track record chumming it up with white supremacists, from discussing campaign strategy with avowed white supremacist Nick Fuentes, to giving an interview to a guy who has defended Hitler, to rallying with the founder of a far-right paramilitary group, and let’s not forget the Proud Boy that he hired as a consultant!
“And it’s not just his connections, there’s his own deeply bigoted statements like: claiming Islam is ‘based on conquest at its core,’ and pushing racist ‘replacement theory’ rhetoric.
“That is alarming stuff. Let’s be frank here: These are white supremacist views—and they should have absolutely no place in our federal government.
“And then there is his track record of politicizing intelligence, like when he was caught red handed pushing to change intelligence reports—facts be damned—so they would agree with Trump and attack Biden.
“Joe Kent also has a track record of peddling conspiracies and attacking law enforcement, from saying our country is at war with ‘leftist cabal,’ or calling to completely defund the FBI and ATF, agencies that keep Americans safe from foreign and domestic threats, or pushing the offensive and false conspiracy that the January 6th insurrection was somehow a deep state plot.
“You want to know who in the federal government was behind the insurrection? How about we start with man in the White House who promised to march to the Capitol with them? How about we start with the President who calls rioters patriots? How about we start with the guy who pardoned violent cop beaters—en masse?
“If you cannot be honest with the American people about January 6th—you have no business being trusted with protecting our democracy. It should be that simple.
“And let’s not forget—Joe Kent was on the infamous Signal-gate chat—where classified attack plans were discussed with no regard for security, or law, not to mention the safety of our servicemembers.
“You know what he had to say about that? He said no classified information was discussed. That was the answer he gave at his Senate confirmation hearing.
“Now it’s obvious that answer was a complete lie. Last week, the Pentagon’s watchdog confirmed there was classified information in that Signal chat.
“So, was Kent being intentionally dishonest? Or does he not understand what classified information is?
“Either way—it is completely disqualifying. Which—as I think I’ve made clear—is pretty much the pattern here.
“So here is my warning to Republicans, confirming someone like Joe Kent to lead the National Counterterrorism Center makes about as much sense as putting Donald Trump in charge of releasing the Epstein files after all that we have learned.
“We have all the evidence we could ever need—in the public record, right now—that he is not going to do the right thing. And we have no reason to believe he will do this important, high-stakes, work in a serious, impartial manner—let alone a competent one.
“So, M. President, I am here to urge all of my colleagues to join me in doing exactly what people back in Washington state have done each time they were asked to trust Joe Kent, vote no.”
Source: Government of Sweden
On 4 June, Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson will travel to Brussels to take part in a meeting held within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG). Mr Jonson will take part in the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence the day after, also held in Brussels.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Children draw pictures beside the fields at Yuxin Town of Nanhu District in Jiaxing City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, April 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
“Traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books” is a proverb many Chinese parents have faith in, and its sentiment is fueling the rise of study tours, particularly during the ongoing summer vacation in China.
Integrating educational content with holiday vibes, these tours typically involve visits to prestigious universities, museums and cultural heritage sites.
And now a shift is underway — parents, schools and travel agencies are turning away from bustling cities and opting for the tranquil countryside when making holiday arrangements for children and teens, aiming to help them broaden their horizons and get close to nature.
In northeast China, where cornfields stretch far and wide, Ma Zhihai demonstrated how to use stone axes and iron sickles, both traditional farming tools that are unfamiliar to many urbanites, to an attentive study tour group.
The 62-year-old farmer from Changchun, Jilin Province, works as a part-time guide at a corn museum in his village. With a collection of nearly 10,000 items, the museum often caters to groups of local students.
“The oldest exhibits date back to dynasties 1,000 years ago,” Ma said, viewing the collections as a living textbook preserving China’s farming culture.
Ma’s village is among China’s many rural areas that are tapping into the potential of educational tours and opening a new gateway to rural revitalization. Data shows that this booming market neared a scale of 147 billion yuan (20.6 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023 and is projected to hit 242 billion yuan by 2026.
Featuring wild landscapes, rich histories and folk cultures, China’s rural areas have natural advantages for study field trips.
“Look, I caught a crab!” a girl exclaimed in a paddy field that is also used for crab breeding. Mud spots on her face marked her triumph and also her study results.
The field in Zhoujiazhuang, a village in north China’s Hebei Province, allows rice and crabs to coexist, while also serving as a dedicated base for educational tours. Students on the tour were seen planting rice seedlings and taking notes on the ideal water temperature for crab cultivation.
“It’s so fun. I’m even thinking about raising a crab myself now,” one boy said.
Attracted by such niche experiences, many of the tourists visiting Zhoujiazhuang are now willing to remain there longer, with overnight stays increasing notably. Ranging from brief snapshot visits to deeper immersion in a slow-paced way of life, rural tourism is gaining new vitality.
This positive trend is also a result of the progress China’s rural areas have made in their development of infrastructure and living environments. Today, over 90 percent of administrative villages across the country are covered by the 5G network, and more than 300,000 village-level logistics facilities have been put into use.
Thanks to a government push to stimulate consumption and the country’s efforts to promote comprehensive rural revitalization, a multitude of study tour campsites have sprouted across rural China. By giving full play to local tourism resources, they are emerging as a new form and key driver of rural revitalization.
In southwest China’s Yunnan Province, a popular tourist destination, travelers are attracted by the opportunity to learn about ceramics, bamboo weaving and ethnic-minority embroidery handicrafts. Meanwhile, in Yudong Village in east China’s Zhejiang Province, which is known for its folk arts, the likes of travelers, artists and farmers sit down together to paint picturesque scenery.
Rural residents are deeply involved in this wave — and their incomes have increased markedly via sales of specialty foods and the running of guesthouses.
In a village of Zhongyi Township, southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, workshops on local dances, tea and desserts have created more than 200 jobs and spawned over 20 derivative products, like noodles and honey beverages, achieving a remarkable 43-percent repurchase rate on multiple e-commerce platforms.
Zhongyi was once among the poorest towns in Chongqing — its local average annual income was less than 10,000 yuan in 2019.
Capitalizing on the “tourism-plus-educational-tour” model, Zhongyi recorded 189,000 tourist trips in 2024, generating 9.88 million yuan in revenue — with the average income of locals increasing by 32 percent compared with 2020.
“We have designed 10 tours involving different routes, transforming Zhongyi into a live-scenario classroom that teaches about bees while representing traditional farming and folk customs,” said Liu Chengyong, an educational tour guide.
Liu is a native of Zhongyi. In 2020, he returned to his hometown and joined a collective that organizes study tours. He led other young entrepreneurs to tap into the market and design compelling educational programs. Now, the company can handle 1,300 visits each day.
The transformation of Zhongyi has convinced more young people like Liu to return home and pitch in. Over the past three years, the town has attracted over 100 young entrepreneurs, giving rise to new jobs like “countryside CEO” and study tour guide.
Young returnees in rural areas also help address the lack of guides and breathe new life into rural revitalization with fresh eyes and business philosophies.
Ni Shuna, who was born in the 1990s, operates an ecological agricultural company based in a town under the administration of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang. Seeing the potential of educational tours, Ni’s team designed activities such as fruit picking, orchard tours and starry-night camping, making her company a multi-functional leisure business that integrates catering, entertainment and education.
“Kids come here to increase their knowledge and broaden their horizons. It’s worthwhile to see their eyes gleam with curiosity and gratification,” Ni said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China improves people’s well-being through digital, intelligent services
Xinhua | July 31, 2025
Last year, China continued its digitization drive across various public services, including medical care, health, social security, employment and elderly care, further boosting the well-being of the people, according to a newly-released report.
By the end of 2024, 418 million people were using internet-based medical services in China, and 1.07 billion people had electronic social security cards, Wen Ruisong, an official of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said at an event that saw the release of the report on China’s informatization drive.
Throughout 2024, Chinese authorities continued to improve the equitability, universality and accessibility of digitized services for the people, Wen noted.
Through this drive, the country also saw steady progress in the construction of its national cultural big data system, and further streamlined government services with increased efficiency, Wen added.
Source: APEC – Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
At the opening of the first-ever APEC High-Level Dialogue on Anti-Corruption Cooperation (AHDAC), Vice-Chairperson Myung Soon Lee of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) of the Republic of Korea called on member economies to treat transparency and accountability as fundamental pillars of economic resilience and sustainable growth.
“Today, we face an unprecedented situation marked by rising global economic uncertainty, escalating geopolitical tensions and an accelerating pace of technological transformation,” Lee said in his opening remarks. “Against this backdrop, transparency, fairness and accountability are no longer merely optional values; they have become prerequisites for sustainable growth and international cooperation.”
“Corruption undermines the investment environment, erodes public trust and weakens democratic governance. Moreover, corruption poses a serious obstacle to building the open and innovative economic community that the Asia-Pacific region aspires to build.”
“The anti-corruption issues discussed at today’s high-level dialogue are not challenges confined to anti-corruption agencies alone,” he said. “They represent shared responsibilities of all stakeholders, including the private sector, to build a trust-based market order, ensure a fair competitive environment and foster a sustainable economic system.”
He outlined three key priorities for advancing anti-corruption cooperation in APEC: combating cross-border corruption, enhancing private sector integrity and expanding education and training.
“Corruption is becoming increasingly covert, transcending borders through digital assets, international procurement and complex financial systems,” Lee noted. “It is imperative that we institutionalize international cooperation in investigations, asset recovery and law enforcement mechanisms.”
On private sector collaboration, Lee called for stronger corporate integrity frameworks and protection for whistleblowers. “Corruption cannot be eradicated solely through government efforts; it requires active engagement and collaboration from the private sector.”
He also underscored the importance of education in fostering a long-term culture of integrity, citing Korea’s tailored programs for youth, public officials and businesses. “These efforts lay a solid foundation for reducing corruption throughout society and fostering a culture of integrity.”
Lee urged participants to move from vision to implementation. “Today’s high-level dialogue must not be merely declaratory in nature, but must serve as a platform for identifying actionable tasks. We are living in an era where transparency is a key to competitiveness and integrity drives sustainable growth.”
Concluding his remarks, he reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to regional cooperation. “The ACRC and the Government of the Republic of Korea stand fully prepared to actively contribute to such international anti-corruption solidarity. Through this dialogue, I hope that APEC will further advance as a regional platform that presents best practices, including those in the area of anti-corruption, to the global community.”
For more information or media inquiries, please contact:
[email protected]
Source: APEC – Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
APEC member economies have concluded a two-day meeting of the Digital Economy Steering Group in Incheon, Republic of Korea, with renewed momentum to strengthen cross-border collaboration on digital regulation, online safety and sustainability.
From artificial intelligence (AI) to online scams and environmental impact, the meeting focused on the critical balance between enabling innovation and safeguarding users, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, youth, as well as small businesses.
“There is growing recognition that growth in the digital economy must go hand in hand with trust, inclusion and responsibility,” said Ichwan Makmur Nasution, Chair of the Digital Economy Steering Group (DESG). “The solutions we’re exploring are not only about technology. They’re about protecting people, building resilience and ensuring no one is left behind.”
Throughout the meeting, delegates grappled with how to align digital regulations across borders without stifling innovation. Conversations around data privacy, cybersecurity and AI governance reflected the diversity of legal systems and policy approaches in the region, while underscoring a shared urgency to create interoperable, forward-looking digital frameworks.
One of the central policy dialogues examined how economies can better manage harmful online content, misinformation and abuse. These issues threaten not only individual safety but also social trust and economic participation. The discussion highlighted the disproportionate impact of online harms on women and youth, urging greater investment in digital literacy, user protection and responsible platform governance.
As part of its forward agenda, the group examined the environmental footprint of AI and digital infrastructure. From growing energy demands to electronic waste, members explored how policy and innovation can work together to reduce the sector’s impact while supporting continued digital growth.
Ongoing and proposed APEC-funded projects covered a wide range of priorities, from AI policy cooperation and Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) to micro, small and medium enterprises’ access to digital trade.
“This meeting reinforced the strategic value of DESG as a platform for shared learning and joint action,” said Nasution. “It’s not just about exchanging views. It’s about building alignment where possible and respecting diversity where needed, so that our cooperation continues to deliver real value to people across the APEC region.”
Held under the APEC 2025 theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow,” the DESG meeting was part of the broader Third Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) hosted by Korea. During this meeting cluster, there will be over 30 events related to digital innovation, including at the upcoming APEC Digital Ministerial Meeting and the Global Digital and AI Forum to be held on 4-5 August.
For further information or media inquiries, please contact:
[email protected]
Source: US State of New York
arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on NY1’s “Inside City Hall” with Errol Louis. The Governor discussed Monday night’s tragic shooting in Midtown Manhattan, the need to implement stronger gun safety legislation nationwide, federal cuts to medicaid and provided a response to redistricting.
AUDIO: The Governor’s interview is available in audio form here.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s interview is available below:
Errol Louis, NY1: Governor Hochul is here. She joins us to talk more about that. Welcome back to the program — good to see you.
Governor Hochul: Good to see again as well, Errol.
Errol Louis, NY1: Governor, were State Police or investigators part of the response to the shooting?
Governor Hochul: We always offer our assistance. We call immediately and certainly NYPD had it under control. But we are there on the periphery.
Errol Louis, NY1: Your New York City office is really a short walk from 345 Park Ave. Does your building and the neighborhood as a whole feel safe?
Governor Hochul: Yes, but it’s very much on everyone’s minds since this horrific massacre of four innocent people in New York. Even I walked into my office the day after, and I look at the security guards and I think about what must be going through their minds right now to know that this happened so incredibly, brazenly beyond anything anyone could have ever imagined.
So, I feel safe where I am. I mean, this is an event the likes of which we’ve never seen here. The last mass shooting in New York City was 25 years ago, so I don’t want people to think this is a regular occurrence. I mean, no one would ever possibly think that, but it does shake that sense of security that everybody should have getting off the subway, walking into their office building, walking past the guards, and you should have the confidence to know you’re going to make it safely.
I think there’s a lot of people right now who are just feeling really anxious about it. I can feel the — not just the sadness throughout the city, but also the, “Am I going to be okay?”
I was speaking to one of the victim’s spouses and his advice to me was, “Go home and hug your husband because you don’t know how long you have each other,” and I think that’s a reminder as New Yorkers of never taking for granted the fact that we have people in our lives we cherish, and when they’re gone, there’s nothing more devastating.
Errol Louis, NY1: Absolutely. You are calling for reinstituting the assault weapons ban that America had for about a decade or so. You are also — I think I heard you talking about how New York laws, if applied nationally or in other states, would really cut down on a lot of these kinds of tragedies.
Governor Hochul: Absolutely. We have the toughest gun laws in the nation. I have added to them, especially after something we spoke about a number of times, which is the massacre of 10 individuals in my hometown of Buffalo. I went back and toughened our laws and raised the age for acquisition of guns and furthered the red flag laws, expanding them. We now have 4,300 guns that have been taken out of the hands of people who could have used them to harm themselves or others — that’s how you prevent these tragedies.
So other states could do this — we’ve banned assault weapons, there’s no high capacity magazines — but as long as other states do it and someone can cross our state lines by simply getting into a vehicle, we are not safe. And if every state on their own followed what we’re doing, they can also claim to be safe states.
We also have the lowest homicide rate using guns of anywhere in the nation of the large states — it’s extraordinary. The laws are working. The data proves there are more people walking our streets that are alive today because our gun laws have protected them.
Now, every state could manage the way we have, but also with respect to the assault weapons, there needs to be a national ban. It is within the realm of possibility. We had it for an entire decade, and Bill Clinton put it in motion in 1994 and George Bush let it lapse in 2004. And at that moment, we knew that we were more vulnerable to mass casualty events in our schools and at concerts, grocery stores or even in office buildings because of that action. Let’s restore it once again.
Errol Louis, NY1: Okay. There’s been a lot of political development since 2004 and there’s a large constituency out there, so we’ll see where that goes. Let me switch to a different topic.
The Republican-controlled Legislature in Texas is proposing a mid-decade redistricting. Normally you wait 10 years and then you do it after the census, but they’re proposing new lines — they were really released today — that would make five Democratic seats majority Republican. Basically, they’re trying to sort of really improve the politics and change, possibly, the control of the House or secure control of the House of Representatives. You’ve suggested that New York might do something similar.
Governor Hochul: What they’re doing is outlandish. They’re not playing by the rules, but a state like New York who has played by the rules should not be at disadvantage when another state and Donald Trump, at his direction, is basically disenfranchising communities of color represented by Democrats and putting them under Republican control, who, as we know, will never represent their interests. They won’t fight for health care, they won’t fight for nutrition programs, they won’t save them from the Big Ugly Bill which is hurting our country.
So New York, I’m looking at all of our options — we do have options. I’ve had many conversations at high levels and I’ll be announcing what our plans are going forward. But we’re not going to sit down and just take this, that’s not who we are. We have to fight back, we have to fight back hard, and, as I’ve said, all is fair in love and war. You want to play by new rules, then we’ll get new rules.
Errol Louis, NY1: Okay, fair enough. Speaking of new rules, there’s a question on the ballot this fall for New York City voters asking whether or not we should change our municipal elections to coincide with the presidential election. I was wondering if you have an opinion about that.
Governor Hochul: We did this at the state level because there’s not usually a lot of interest in the local election for supervisors and mayors and councilmembers — that’s the world I come out of. I was 14 years as a local official and they used to call it the “off-years,” and the “on-years” were presidential or when the governor runs, which always has a higher turnout.
It is so important to me that we get more people participating in this process, and I do believe that if all the elections were shifted to the presidential year, there would be a lot of interest. People can process multiple elections at the same time, they can think about who they want for their local officials as well as the President, and it gives an opportunity for a party like the Democrats to have one coherent, strong message to help carry our candidates from the bottom on to the top.
Errol Louis, NY1: Let me ask you about that, though. Let’s take you back to Kathy Hochul as Mayor of Hamburg, right? I mean if you are dealing with where to put the municipal waste water treatment center and there’s also conversations going on about war and peace and tariffs and everything else, isn’t there a concern — or a likelihood, frankly — that local issues will just get tossed?
Governor Hochul: No. One of the reasons I think that there’s not the voter participation that we should have in a country like the United States of America — it is a privilege to vote, people shed blood for this right, it was denied to people of color for so many decades — for a hundred years — and people won that right. I want more people to exercise it. And what happens is in a non-presidential election, non-governor’s election year, there’s not as much attention. New York is a little bit different, but there’s not as much attention on this and I do believe that more people will turn out and participate.
More people vote for president than any election out of this cycle. Why wouldn’t we want those people to also be able to select who their leaders are at the local level? We wish everybody would participate all four years but they don’t, so let’s acknowledge human nature.
And I also think there’s something that goes on — it’s election fatigue. People need a break, otherwise it’s nonstop campaigning all-year-round for four straight years. And I think when you sometimes have special elections, and vacancies, and the mayor — we have school board races at different times — it’s very confusing to people. So let’s just simplify it and have one big election.
Errol Louis, NY1: Okay. And you’re comfortable being part of that as Governor?
Governor Hochul: Absolutely.
Errol Louis, NY1: Okay, very interesting. We’ll see how that works out. While we’re talking about national issues, one result of the bill that President Trump just signed into law, the Essential Medicaid Plan that covers 1.6 million New Yorkers is being cut back. My understanding is that on January 1, an estimated 700,000 people are going to get kicked off that plan and they’ll have to go to the state-only Medicaid program, which will cost the State almost $3 billion. Is there a contingency in place for that, or is this going to be part of the next Budget?
Governor Hochul: No, well, we have the time because the number of people who will be affected will be actually more 2027. So it’ll be — in our ‘26 function when we do our ‘27 Budget, we’ll be able to address it then. But, look at what we’re being asked to do.
The Republicans can make all the cuts they want, save money for themselves and push it out onto the State — something that has always been a shared responsibility and expecting our residents to pay for something that they never had to before. So it’s hard to put this on the State. We receive about $93 billion in assistance from the federal government every year — we can’t make all that up. What we can do is be strategic about this.
We don’t want people to go hungry in our state — that’s not going to happen. We want people to have health care, it’s critically important, so we’re going to have to prioritize our spending, but we can do that. There’s no urgency right now. I’m not sure for sure that we won’t come back in a special session, but I want people to understand it would not make a difference because what we would do this fall can be done in January or during the Budget process, because these cuts are not going to take place until later
I want people to understand why there’s not the urgency to go have a special session today. for example.
Errol Louis, NY1: Let me switch topics. We’ve been reporting that the State Office of Cannabis Management has notified over 150 dispensaries — including 88 here in the city — that they’re out of compliance, that there are laws that require them to be at least 500 feet from schools, and churches and so forth.
The source of the problem seems to be that it was calculated wrong — the measurements were calculated wrong. What’s the fix that’s needed?
Governor Hochul: The Legislature, when they wrote the legislation, decided to have 500 feet away from the property line. Some campuses of schools are quite large, so it does push out the opportunity for these businesses quite a bit further out.
The State Liquor Authority, for example, has it be 500 feet from the front door, which is how it was applied by, interestingly, the previous individuals running Office of Cannabis Management who are no longer there. We went in and did an audit to see what was not working there and this was uncovered that they had applied the law incorrectly.
But I don’t think it should be born on the backs of these people — so many of them, their life savings, they’re going to these businesses. They’ve worked hard to go through the lengthy process to be licensed and then to have a location. So I have said we are going to stand up for them. These are entrepreneurs, they’re small business owners — many from communities of color — and this is their shot to have a chance to be successful. So, we’re not going to let anything happen to them. We’ll make them whole, and I have got to go back to the Legislature and get them persuaded to change the law to be consistent with what we do for liquor stores, for example.
Errol Louis, NY1: Got it. And would a solution also possibly include grandfathering in the ones that are already opening up.
Governor Hochul: I’d like to do that, yes. Yeah, no, absolutely. I don’t want them hurt. They’re part of our community already, they’re working hard, they waited a long time for this, and, basically, I don’t want them screwed.
Errol Louis, NY1: Okay. Look, we’ve got a lot more to think about as we get closer to the elections. Have you settled on a candidate? I think during the primary when I asked you about it, you said, “We’ll let New York City Democrats figure out who their nominee is and then we’ll figure it out.”
Governor Hochul: That’s right.
Errol Louis, NY1: So now that there is a nominee —
Governor Hochul: I’m having very interesting conversations right now. So, there’s no urgency. The election is in November; it is the last day of July, almost August. We’ll be deciding our path forward, but it’s important to me to have a working relationship, whomever the Mayor is.
I have said to individuals, “I can be your best friend or your worst enemy, you pick.” I can be a strong supporter — with Mayor Adams, I have been; $1 billion for City of Yes so we can build more housing. I’m paying overtime, the state is paying overtime so our subways are safer at night for the NYPD to be there.
So, I’ve always been a strong partner. I also represent the 8.3 million people who call New York home. I have an apartment here, I’m here all the time. I’m walking the streets. I have the same complaints — like, why isn’t the garbage picked up here?
Errol Louis, NY1: Sure.
Governor Hochul: Why is there a scaffold building, scaffolding everywhere — it’s maddening. So I understand, but relationships are important and I think it’s important for me to have those talks in advance, any decisions I make.
Errol Louis, NY1: Okay. Be sure to let us know when you have decided.
Governor Hochul: We will.
Errol Louis, NY1: Thanks so much for coming by. Great to see you.
Governor Hochul: Good to see you, Errol.
Source: Government of Sweden
On 19 February 2025, Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin received Poland’s Minister of the Interior and Administration Tomasz Siemoniak for bilateral talks. The two ministers signed a Letter of Intent to work further on the strategic partnership agreement between Sweden and Poland.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government intends shortly to authorise the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration to procure RBS 70 and Tridon Mk2 air defence systems for donation to Ukraine. In cooperation with other international partners, Sweden will also fund procurement of additional air defence systems for donation to Ukraine. The total value of donations is SEK 1.2 billion and is a part of Sweden’s 18th military support package to Ukraine.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government has submitted a bill to the Riksdag regarding Sweden’s participation in an air defence operation to protect and maintain the security of military and civil support to Ukraine. Sweden will also contribute to enhanced Air Policing, NATO’s strengthened airspace surveillance, in Poland in mid-2025.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Government has authorised the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to procure 18 Archer artillery units for donation to Ukraine. FMV will also procure five Arthur counter battery fire radar units for Ukraine. Sweden will also support Ukraine´s industrial base through the Danish initiative. The Government also intends for Sweden to participate in the artillery coalition of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG). The total value of the artillery package is approximately SEK 3 billion and is part of Sweden’s 18th military support package to Ukraine.
Source: Government of Sweden
On Monday 11 March, Sweden’s flag was raised at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Together with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, a number of Ministers of the Swedish Government also took part. HRH Crown Princess Victoria, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Micael Bydén and the leaders of the Social Democrats, Sweden Democrats and Centre Party were in attendance as well.
Source: Government of Sweden
On 17 September, Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari is attending the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference. Sweden’s participation is focused on highlighting Sweden’s new nuclear energy policy in the international arena, and also the consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion for Ukraine.
Source: Government of Sweden
Inflation in Sweden has decreased and the target is expected to be reached this year. At the same time, the labour market situation has worsened and unemployment has risen. The Swedish economy is expected to remain in recession until 2025, but recovery is approaching. These are the conclusions of the Ministry of Finance in a new economic forecast. The Government’s inflation-focus is now shifting from fighting to monitoring, while Sweden will be built to be more prosperous.
Source: Government of Sweden
Inflation in Sweden is slightly below the 2 per cent target. At the same time, economic activity is weak. The Swedish economy is in recession, but recovery is around the corner. These are the conclusions of a new economic forecast by the Ministry of Finance. The Government’s efforts to build a stronger Swedish economy continue. According to Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson, reforms in the forthcoming autumn budget are expected to amount to around SEK 60 billion.