Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SHANGHAI, June 6 (Xinhua) — The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) on Friday announced the signing of a 1.2 billion yuan (about 167 million U.S. dollars) syndicated loan agreement to support environmental projects in China.
As noted by the NBR, the agreement, concluded jointly with the Bank of China and the Chinese company Haitong Unitrust International Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., is aimed at financing green leasing sub-projects focused on environmental goals and climate commitments of the PRC.
Under the agreement, the NDB will provide more than 713.32 million yuan, while the Bank of China will provide an additional 500 million yuan. Haitong Unitrust, in turn, will use the funds to purchase and lease equipment for projects in areas such as wastewater treatment, solid waste management and power generation from iron and steel exhaust gases.
To promote balanced regional development, eligible sub-projects will be implemented outside China’s first-tier cities, bringing investment to less developed areas of the country.
“This initiative meets the needs for climate resilience and environmental protection, and also helps increase investment in less developed regions of China,” said Vladimir Kazbekov, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the NDB.
The NDB was established in 2015 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It is a multilateral development bank that aims to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the BRICS region and other emerging market and developing economies. –0–
Headline: WTO members focus on TFA implementation, transit issues and capacity-building
The TFA — which contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit — is the first WTO agreement in which developing and LDC members can determine their own implementation schedules, in accordance with their national priorities and capacities, and seek to acquire implementation capacity through the provision of related assistance and support.
The WTO Secretariat reported that 80 per cent of implementation commitments by developing and LDC members have been reached, with 65 members committed to implementing Category C measures requiring technical assistance and capacity-building over the next two years. Developed members were required to implement all provisions of the TFA from its entry into force. More information is available in the TFA database.
Developing greater transparency on TFA implementation
The WTO Secretariat reported on member notifications related to TFA implementation efforts and requests for extensions of implementation schedules. While member notifications on donor arrangements and their progress currently contain limited information and may not reflect the present situation, the TFA Facility (TFAF) is collecting survey data on capacity-building partners and assistance gaps at the member level. Members also supported several tools the WTO Secretariat has deployed through the TFA Database to enable them to track deadlines and to request extensions for implementation dates, where needed.
The Committee also took note of the WTO Secretariat report “Notification Status of Regular/Period and One-Time Only Notifications in the Goods Area (1995-2024)” (G/C/W/859 ). The document found that while the overall membership had a submission rate of TFA transparency notifications of over 80 per cent, this figure was less than 60 per cent for LDCs. The Chair signalled his availability for consultations on this matter.
Improving transit corridors and technical assistance coordination
The Committee held a dedicated session on transit, with the WTO Secretariat presenting preliminary findings from a study on transit corridors serving landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). Coordinated by Botswana as the LLDC coordinator, the study examines how corridors efficiently implement TFA measures to lower trade costs in landlocked countries which face trade costs 1.4 times higher than coastal economies.
The study covers 19 corridors across Africa, Asia, Eurasia and South America, showing transit time reductions of 20-40 per cent through digital tools and coordination mechanisms. As an example, the Northern Corridor connecting Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan through Mombasa reduced transit times from 11 to 5 days. The updated report will be circulated before the October Committee meeting, with the WTO Secretariat organizing a side event at the UN LLDC-3 Conference in Turkmenistan (5-8 August 2025).
The African Group also issued a call for strengthened coordination mechanisms to address technical assistance and capacity-building challenges in implementing Category C measures (measures for which members have identified the need for assistance and capacity building), particularly amidst reduced development aid budgets. The Chair signalled a willingness to hold consultations ahead of the October 2025 dedicated session on technical assistance and capacity building to prepare for comprehensive discussions on strengthening coordination mechanisms.
Experience sharing showcases digital innovations
Members conducted productive experience-sharing sessions covering digitalization and Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs). China shared a presentation on “Cross-Border E-Commerce,” while the European Union highlighted the importance of digital trust-building through customs “single windows” and electronic identification systems. The United States and the OECD made a presentation on “The digitalization of trade documents and processes: going paperless today, going paperless tomorrow”.
Japan, Moldova, Mongolia and Paraguay shared national and regional AEO experiences, and Bangladesh shared a presentation on Time Release Study effectiveness, while the United Kingdom and UNCTAD discussed forthcoming publications on National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs).
During the dedicated transit session, Mozambique shared its experience on transit issues while the European Union explained how corridor and transit issues are integrated into a strategy to support developing and least developed members strengthen connectivity and trade facilitation.
All presentations are available here.
Other Committee work
The Committee continued its exchanges on customs procedures, with several members maintaining engagement with Indonesia on two measures regarding customs procedures for intangible products. The United States also raised a new specific trade concern regarding Indonesia’s customs penalty regime.
Capacity building and learning sessions
Several learning sessions also took place alongside the Committee meeting. The World Bank and the World Customs Organization, in collaboration with TFAF, organized a Time Release Study methodology session on 4 June, covering measurement techniques and resource requirements.
The TFAF and certain Annex D+ organisations (consisting of ITC, OECD, UNCTAD, the World Bank, and the WCO) held an in-person training session on 2-3 June on mobilizing technical assistance and capacity building for TFA implementation. The training activity brought together 15 capital-based delegates from LDC and developing members to discuss how to better coordinate resource mobilization and to be more effective when engaging with development partners. Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF)/German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and TradeMark Africa also participated in the training session on 3 June.
If you would like to receive news on trade facilitation, subscribe to the TFA Newsbytes here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, today hosted a Shadow Hearing titled Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Lawless Third Country Disappearances, to dive deeper into the cases of those lawlessly kidnapped and disappeared to third countries like El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, South Sudan, and Libya. This hearing was the first in a series she plans to hold on Trump’s immigration actions.
“Since taking office in January, President Trump has shown nothing but utter contempt for the Constitution. He has ignored and decimated the traditional role of Congress and defied and defamed the courts, doing untold damage to our democracy. He has attacked the rights of all people, starting with and especially immigrants. In his obsession to deport as many immigrants—lawful and undocumented—as he can, he has violated multiple constitutional rights,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “Due process is the critical protection that requires anyone, no matter their citizenship status, to have their opportunity to present evidence, to be able to counter a government or any party falsely accusing them of being a terrorist or a gang member or of being kidnapped off the street and disappeared.”
The witnesses at this hearing included Lindsay Toczylowski the President and CEO of Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) and legal counsel for Andry Romero, Robyn Barnard, the Senior Director of Refugee Advocacy at Human Rights First, Lee Gelernt the Deputy Director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Beatriz Guzman, a Venezuelan-American immigrant and immigration attorney.
“The Trump administration has used a pattern of disappearances to detain, remove, and expel people to countries which are not their countries of origin, and for which no removal proceedings have been conducted nor the required fear screenings. These actions are part of a broader effort to subvert due process and the checks and balances that are central to the U.S. Constitution,” said Robyn Barnard, Senior Director, Refugee Advocacy, Human Rights First. “Before being disappeared to these third countries, many asylum seekers were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in unbearable conditions. They went days or weeks without any contact with the outside world. They were subject to medical neglect, physical and psychological mistreatment, and intolerable living conditions that are especially traumatizing for children.”
“Andry Hernández Romero’s story is truly a canary in the coalmine, a warning of what happens when the rule of law and due process are trampled upon. If being denied due process and sent to a third country happened to him – a gay makeup artist with no criminal record and targeted solely for having tattoos – it could happen to me, it could happen to you, it could happen to any one of us,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, CEO and President of Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef). “ Andry’s case, and those of the 230+ men who were disappeared to El Salvador’s CECOT gulag, is about whether we will fight to uphold the rights enshrined by the Constitution. It is about the future of our democracy. If we fail him, we will have failed our country.”
“People that are detained have no knowledge of our laws, often don’t speak English, and if a habeas corpus petition is not filed, they are deported to a gulag in El Salvador with no due process,” said Lee Gelernt, lead counsel in the ACLU’s legal challenges to the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. “At the same time the government has taken the position that once immigrants are deported to El Salvador, they can not be returned, no matter how many mistakes they have made. Even if immigrants are given due process, we do not think that this wartime authority can be used during peacetime.”
“Venezuelan immigrants have become a target despite the love we have for this country–the only place we can call home. Just like my kid clients who are now scared to go to school and who feel that pit in their stomach—that this country is not safe for them–now my parents and family feel that too. We feel it too even when we leave our homes with U.S. passports,” said Beatriz Guzman, Venezuelan-American U.S. citizen and immigration attorney for children. “And this is all a flashback for my father–a reminder of the culture of fear that comes in the early days of authoritarianism. It is difficult for him to watch the first steps of those same changes that he fled over 20 years ago, happening now in his new home and country.”
The hearing was attended by Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Mark Takano (CA-39), and Juan Vargas (CA-52).
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Zebedee Alexander Johnson, 35, of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty to the armed robbery of a Clinton convenience store.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the guilty plea, on April 29, 2022, Johnson and four others traveled to a Clinton convenience store, where they pointed a firearm at a store employee and ordered him to lie down. They then used a circular saw to break open the store’s ATM and take trays containing approximately $35,020 in U.S. currency. At the time of the armed robbery, Johnson was on federal supervised release in connection with a 2018 conviction for a drug-distribution offense. Johnson admitted that he violated the supervised-release terms, which prohibits committing any new crimes, by committing the armed robbery.
Johnson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and a maximum of life in federal prison, followed by up to five years of supervised release, for this offense. He also faces a maximum sentence of two years for violating his supervised release. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang scheduled sentencing for September 4, at 9:30 a.m.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and William Moomau who are prosecuting the case.
Joint statement on attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan
Joint statement from the UK and 29 other donor countries on attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan.
Joint donor statement condemning attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan by the European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the attack on a humanitarian convoy of 15 trucks from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Al Koma, North Darfur, on the night of 2 June, which resulted in the death of five members of the convoy and injuring several others. Four of the 15 trucks in the convoy were destroyed in the attack and five more sustained partial damage. These trucks were carrying about 100 metric tons of essential nutrition, health, education, and WASH supplies, intended to support children and families in El Fasher town.
The deliberate targeting of humanitarian personnel is a violation of international law. Civilians and humanitarian workers must not be targeted by parties to the armed conflict. We urge all parties to allow civilians to safely exit areas with ongoing hostilities, and to guarantee immediate, unconditional, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to deliver assistance to those in urgent need throughout Sudan.
We repeat our call to the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces and their militias to immediately cease hostilities and uphold their obligations towards international humanitarian law, which includes the obligation to protect civilians and civilian objects – as also reiterated in the UN Security Council resolution 2730 (2024). Once again, we stress the civilian character of humanitarian agencies, the neutral and impartial nature of their life-saving operations, and the need for them to operate across all of Sudan, regardless of area of control.
This attack represents yet another deadly and unacceptable attack on civilians and humanitarian workers since the beginning of this armed conflict two years ago, in blatant disregard of international humanitarian law. We remind the parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and their assets.
Last April, the international community strongly condemned the attacks on Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps which resulted in the killing of hundreds of civilians and at least 12 aid workers. Just last week, a hospital was targeted in El Obeid, North Kordofan. On several occasions, UN and NGOs offices throughout the country have been directly hit, including WFP’s office in El Fasher only last week. These are just some of the many attacks over the past two years targeting civilians, aid workers and facilities, hospitals, and critical civilian infrastructure, which constitute direct violations of international humanitarian law.
We deplore all loss of civilian life resulting from acts of war throughout this conflict. The continuous attacks on humanitarian aid workers cannot be normalised. These serious and continued violations of international humanitarian law committed by the warring parties are unacceptable and must cease immediately.
We support the UN Secretary General’s call for an immediate and independent investigation into this attack and accountability of the perpetrators.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and colleagues of those killed and those who have been injured while working to deliver humanitarian assistance under extremely dangerous conditions.”
The 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum concluded in Brasilia, Brazil, on June 5, with participating parliaments from all 10 BRICS member countries unanimously condemning the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. The forum also saw India assume the chairmanship of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, to be hosted next year.
Led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the Indian delegation played a key role in shaping the joint declaration. The expanded BRICS parliamentary forum now includes India, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Iran, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.
A major outcome of the two-day event was the collective agreement among member nations to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. India’s firm stance on countering terrorism—through enhanced intelligence sharing, curbing financial support to terror groups, and preventing the misuse of emerging technologies—received widespread support.
During his address, Birla strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and emphasized India’s long-standing commitment to a “strong and befitting response” to terrorism. He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a united global front against terror and underlined the need for a balanced international order, technological cooperation, and democratic dialogue among nations.
Apart from terrorism, the BRICS delegates discussed key issues such as the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, inter-parliamentary cooperation, global trade, economic development, and peace and security. India’s approach to these matters was lauded and incorporated into the final declaration.
At the closing ceremony, India was officially handed over the chairmanship of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, scheduled to be held in 2026. Shri Birla said India would work to deepen collaboration between BRICS parliaments and build consensus on addressing global challenges.
The Indian delegation also included Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Members of Parliament Surendra Singh Nagar, Vijay Baghel, Shri Vivek Thakur, Dr. Shabari Byreddy, and senior parliamentary officials including Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh and Rajya Sabha Secretary General P.C. Mody.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, is leading dozens of Members of Congress in demanding information from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem regarding the kidnapping and disappearances of immigrants with no due process who have been removed to third countries including Panama, Costa Rica, South Sudan, and Libya.
“While we can all agree that the immigration system is badly outdated and in need of comprehensive reforms from Congress, it is not an appropriate solution to simply ignore the Constitutionally-protected right to due process, the laws that currently exist, and judges’ orders,” wrote the Members. “We have laws and procedures in place to remove people from this country. The administration cannot willfully ignore those laws and send people to third countries, in some cases, countries suffering from humanitarian disasters and armed conflict.”
In its efforts to quickly deport immigrants, regardless of legal status, criminal record, or any national security threat, the administration has been removing individuals with protection claims to countries they did not come from. The administration sent hundreds of non-Panamanian migrants and asylum seekers to Panama, including Artemis Ghasemzadeh, an Iranian national who secretly converted to Christianity, a crime punishable by death in Iran.
All persons in the United States are entitled to due process under the law, regardless of immigration status. These deportations have subverted that process and put people in potentially life-threatening situations.
You can read the full letter here.
The letter was signed by Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).
Headline: NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai Visits Western North Carolina and Highlights Mental Health Resources, Importance of Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program
NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai Visits Western North Carolina and Highlights Mental Health Resources, Importance of Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program hejones1
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai is traveling to western North Carolina to learn about recovery efforts and highlight mental health resources available to people impacted by Hurricane Helene. The Secretary will also visit a Healthy Opportunities Pilot program providing essential services to people recovering from the storm. Credentialed media are invited to attend the visit at Love and Respect Community for Recovery and Wellness in Hendersonville on June 12, 2025, at 12:45 p.m., and the visit at Caja Solidaria in Hendersonville on June 12, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. Together, Love and Respect and Caja Solidaria have served as a hub of recovery efforts following Helene.
Leaders will first give an update on the Hope4NC program, a $12.4 million investment that supports crisis outreach in 25 counties hit hardest by Helene. Trained crisis counselors have been going door-to-door to provide education, assist in recovery efforts, link people with critical behavioral health services and provide counseling where people need it most.
Love and Respect Community for Recovery and Wellness is a “no barriers” shelter run by peer support specialists. It has seen a significant increase in people in need of services following Hurricane Helene. The shelter’s expanded location opened just before Helene and is open to anyone in the community and can help people at no cost with mental health care, Healthy Opportunities Pilot enrollment and NC Medicaid enrollment and assistance.
Hope4NC also offers a free, confidential 24/7 helpline to anyone in distress. Since Sept. 28, 2024, Hope4NC has delivered more than 11,300 individual or group counseling services and supportive contacts, more than 200,000 assessments, referrals and media outreach contacts and answered more than 7,300 helpline calls.
Additionally, NCDHHS received a generous $25 million appropriation from the North Carolina General Assembly to further support mental health crisis response in the affected areas, including support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Funds are being used to:
Increase access to community- and facility-based crisis services
Increase behavioral health service access for special populations, including deaf and hard of hearing
Provide transitional housing for unhoused veterans
Provide behavioral health and crisis services at rural health centers supporting uninsured people
Provide training and trauma support to first responders, DSS workers, teachers and other helpers in the community
Consult with providers supporting individuals with I/DD and their families
Increase access to opioid use treatment, including opening several new mobile treatment centers and ensuring communities are supplied with Naloxone
Increase access to peer support services
Implement disaster preparedness training and resources for local DSS offices and crisis support resources for individuals with I/DD
What: NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai Visits Western NC and Highlights Mental Health Resources
Who: Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary, NCDHHS Tracy Hayes, Vaya Health Area Director and CEO Lexie Wilkins, Founder, Love and Respect Community for Recovery Alivea Turner, Director of Operations, Love and Respect Community for Recovery Richard Dudley, Hope4NC crisis counselor Hope4NC participant
When: Thursday, June 12, 12:45-1:25 p.m.
Where: Love & Respect, 350 Chadwick Ave., Hendersonville, NC 28792
***
After the event at Love and Respect, Secretary Sangvai will tour Caja Solidaria, a human service organization serving Henderson and Transylvania Counties that is a provider for the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) program. HOP addresses social needs by providing housing, food, transportation and interpersonal violence/toxic stress services to qualifying Medicaid members.
In just under three years, the first-of-its kind innovative program has been described as a “life changer” for thousands of North Carolina families. Healthy Opportunities proves the best way to lower health care costs and create healthier communities is to reduce the need for medical care in the first place. HOP participants are healthier and visit the emergency room less often, which reduces the total cost of needed medical care for enrollees by $85 per person, per month.
Caja Solidaria currently provides fresh food to more than 1,500 people per week in western NC.
At present, proposed House and Senate budgets put forward by the North Carolina General Assembly do not include funding for the Healthy Opportunities Pilots program’s ongoing operations or statewide scaling beyond the current fiscal year (June 30, 2025). Without funding, Healthy Opportunities Pilots will end on July 1, putting services at-risk for thousands of people in North Carolina.
What: NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai Highlights Importance of Healthy Opportunities Pilot program
Who: Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary, NCDHHS Amy Landers, Interim Executive Director, Caja Solidaria Participant served by Caja Solidaria
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Mining Minister encourages Industry to Gather at DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi from 11 June Organisers can be rightfully proud of building such a legacy over 20 years CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 6, 2025/APO Group/ — The DRC Minister of Mines, H.E. Kizito Pakabomba Kapinga Mulume, says he is looking forward to visiting “the legendary DRC Mining Week,” which is taking place from 11–13 June in Lubumbashi. The organisers of this longstanding expo and conference, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary edition this month, have extended the event until 14 June for the official visit of mining Minister Mulume who will address and engage with delegates during a special ministerial session. Minister Mulume says in a statement: “I have my ticket for DRC Mining Week, and I am really truly looking forward to experiencing the legendary atmosphere of the event in Lubumbashi, combining straight-talking business discussions with networking and good times. The organisers can be rightfully proud of building such a legacy over 20 years; this is a true testament to their staying power, tenacity and passion for the industry: essential traits for being a good partner in mining. I want to invite anyone who has not yet made plans to travel to Lubumbashi to come out and join the more than 11,500 mining professionals who will be there.” H.E. Kapinga Mulume will deliver the closing remarks during the special ministerial session on 14 June. 20 years of shaping mining in the DRC From its inception, DRC Mining Week has evolved into the largest mining and infrastructure platform in the DRC and the Copperbelt, bringing together over 11,500 attendees from 50+ countries. Under the theme “20 Years of Shaping Mining in the DRC: Investing in Infrastructure Development and Energy Security – Vision 2025–2030,” this landmark edition will highlight the progress made and the opportunities that lie ahead. With mining at the heart of the country’s industrialisation, the focus will be on investment, infrastructure development and energy security to drive long-term growth. Longstanding support “We are always delighted to welcome government luminaries to Lubumbashi; therefore we have added a VIP bonus day to our event on 14 June, in order to ensure that high-level government representatives are able to engage with industry leaders,“ says event organiser Samukelo Madlabane, Events Director – Mining for the VUKA Group. “Particularly in the light of DRC Mining Week’s 20th anniversary, which would not have been possible without the government’s invaluable, longstanding support for this event, which has been fostering collaboration and development within the mining sector for over two decades now.” Valuable exposure More than 11,500+ local and international mining professionals are expected at DRC Mining Week this week, promising valuable exposure and potential contacts for participating partners. The event provides a broad spectrum of thought-provoking content and opportunities to meet existing and prospective partners and clients in the mining and extractive sectors, including:
Investment Forum;
High-level conference sessions, with topics that include: the Mining Roadmap 2025–2030; expert think-tank; market dynamics and price volatility; and positioning DRC as a leading mining country.
Countless meeting and networking occasions for 1300+ elite decision-makers, including mining executives and government officials;
An expansive expo with 280+ sponsors and exhibitors showcasing the latest and trusted technologies and services for the industry, including country pavilions;
US Government Business Forum (invitation only);
European Union Business Forum (invitation only);
The Ambassador’s Forum and networking business lunch (invitation only)
Executive Business Forum (strictly by invitation);
CEO Roundtable (Strictly by invitation);
Value Chain Investment Forum;
Regional Development Forum;
Women Mine & Leadership Forum—always a hot ticket and an event highlight;
Glittering gala dinner (strictly for ticket holders);
Kamoa Site Visit (sold out).
The packed programme brochure for the 2025 edition of DRC Mining Week is available on the event website. Click here (https://apo-opa.co/3SEBgOz). Industry support As has become customary for DRC Mining Week, this year too the event boasts broad industry backing and institutional support, including the official partners, the DRC Ministry of Mining and FEC (Federation of Enterprises of Congo). Its main sponsors include Standard Bank as lead sponsors. The diamond plus sponsors are Ecobank, Equity BCDC, Kamoa Copper S.A., Glencore, Kamoto Copper Company S.A. and MUMI. Other mining houses that will be in attendance this year include Barrick, CMOC, ERG Africa, Gecamines, Ivanhoe Mines and MMG. DRC Mining Week dates and venue:
Expo and conference: 11–13 June 2025
Farewell lunch on the 14th of June (Strictly by invitation);
Location: The Pullman Grand Karavia Hotel, Lubumbashi, DRC
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vuka Group. Social Media: Twitter: https://apo-opa.co/3SEBtBl Facebook: DRC Mining Week (https://apo-opa.co/4kMdcp4) LinkedIN: https://apo-opa.co/3FMgoSF About DRC Mining Week: DRC Mining Week is organised by The VUKA Group (formerly Clarion Events Africa) (https://apo-opa.co/43QupH4), a leading Cape Town-based and multi-award-winning organiser of exhibitions, conferences and digital events across the continent in the infrastructure, energy, mining, mobility, ecommerce and CX sectors. Other well-known events by The Vuka Group include DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum (https://apo-opa.co/43Pw8w8), Nigeria Mining Week (https://apo-opa.co/445y3y0), Enlit Africa (https://apo-opa.co/3FMgCJv), Africa’s Green Economy Summit (https://apo-opa.co/445yhoQ), Smarter Mobility Africa (https://apo-opa.co/3Zmimjf), ECOM Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4dOzzrw) and CEM Africa (https://apo-opa.co/45hC3wB). Mining Review Africa (https://apo-opa.co/43QipW7), the leading monthly magazine and digital platform in the African mining industry, is the event’s premium media partner. Website: http://www.DRCMiningWeek.com
he Secretary-General has learned of the passing of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu of Zambia. Former President Lungu made significant contributions to diplomacy and spearheaded key infrastructure projects in the country during his tenure. The Secretary-General extends his condolences to his family, the Government and the people of Zambia.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)
This week, Chairman Pfluger (R-TX) and Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) also sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem requesting the alien file for the suspect, an Egyptian national named Mohamed Sabry Soliman, which will include information on his expired visa, work authorization, and asylum application.
HEARING DETAILS:
What: A Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence hearing entitled, “The Rise of Anti-Israel Extremist Groups and Their Threat to U.S. National Security”
When: Wednesday, June 11,at 10:30 AM EDT
Where:310 Cannon House Office Building
Watch: Witness testimony will be added here. The hearing will be livestreamed on YouTube and will be open to the public and press. Press must RSVP in advance.
WITNESSES:
Kerry Sleeper
Deputy Director, Intelligence and Information Sharing, Secure Community Network
Oren Segal
Senior Vice President, Counter-Extremism and Intelligence, Anti-Defamation League
Additional witnesses will be announced and are by invitation only.
BACKGROUND:
In 2024, Chairmen Pfluger and Green sent a letter to then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, requesting information and documents pertaining to any efforts by DHS and the FBI to assist law enforcement and other partners in response to anti-Semitic, pro-Hamas mobs on college campuses.
In 2023, the Subcommittee held a roundtable on the growing trend of antisemitism on U.S. college campuses in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks against Israel by Hamas terrorists.
In October 2024, an illegal alien who had been released into the country under the Biden-Harris administration shot and killed a Jewish man on his way to his Chicago Synagogue.
In February, Chairman Pfluger introduced the “Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act,” which would require DHS to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats to the U.S. posed by terrorist organizations, like ISIS and al Qaeda, utilizing generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) applications for terroristic activity. Chairman Pfluger also reintroduced the “Countering Online Radicalization and Terrorism Act,” legislation requiring DHS to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats posed to the United States by terrorist organizations like ISIS, al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and others, utilizing foreign cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging applications like Telegram.
VICTORIA, Seychelles, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is drawing attention to its affiliate program as a streamlined path for creators, educators, and crypto communities to turn engagement into earnings. Built on the spirit of Web3, the program dishes out generous commissions, layered rewards, and handy tools to help partners grow their clout—and their crypto. Supporting everyone, from solo content creators to large-scale Web3 communities, the affiliate program offers a smart, scalable model for monetizing crypto influence.
Affiliates can earn up to 50% commission on trading fees from referred users, with extra bonuses available for milestones and high-performing partners. The program is built to scale, whether for individual content creators or larger crypto-focused communities. Real-time tracking, dedicated support, and marketing resources give affiliates tools to expand their reach and monetize effectively.
In a first for centralized exchanges, Bitget launched an on-chain affiliate program in 2025—ushering in a new level of transparency and control. The system leverages on-chain data to verify referrals and track payouts, eliminating guesswork and giving partners greater confidence in their earnings. Affiliates can monitor everything from wallet engagement to payouts in real time, all powered by smart contracts.
The affiliate program aligns with Bitget’s broader ecosystem, which includes copy trading, high-liquidity markets, advanced API integrations, and localized support. This makes it easier for partners to tailor campaigns, engage their audiences, and grow with the platform.
“The creator economy in crypto is growing fast, but monetization hasn’t always kept pace,” said Vugar Usi Zade, COO at Bitget. “By bringing affiliate rewards on-chain and designing tools for creators of all sizes, Bitget is turning influence into a real, scalable revenue stream, with no smoke and mirrors.”
With top-tier rewards, transparent tracking, and on-chain infrastructure, Bitget’s affiliate program offers a fresh take on crypto monetization. Built for those who drive conversations, shape communities, and grow the space from the ground up.
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.
Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Risk Warning:Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
The Secretary-General has learned of the passing of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu of Zambia. Former President Lungu made significant contributions to diplomacy and spearheaded key infrastructure projects in the country during his tenure. The Secretary-General extends his condolences to his family, the Government and the people of Zambia.
Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, issued the following statement:
Today, Muslim communities in Canada and around the world are marking Eid al-Adha.
This sacred day in the Islamic calendar celebrates the conclusion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj. It is observed with morning prayers, social and family gatherings, festive meals and charitable donations to the most vulnerable people in our society.
The spirit of Eid al-Adha—meaning the Feast of Sacrifice or Greater Eid—is one of happiness and gratitude. Yet it comes at a time of ongoing war and conflict, bringing fear and anxiety to Canadians with loved ones in Gaza, the West Bank, Sudan and many other regions. Canada remains committed to supporting ceasefire efforts in Gaza, as well as the urgent safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for civilians.
This year, the holiday also coincides with the fourth anniversary of the tragic terrorist attack on a Canadian Muslim family killed in London, Ontario on June 6, 2021. Fondly remembered as “Our London Family,” their lives were taken simply because they were Muslim, in a horrifying act of Islamophobia.
Our government stands with the community in London, with all those affected by this tragedy, and with all victims of Islamophobia and every form of hatred. We are committed to ensuring that all Canadians feel safe and protected in their communities. This includes providing at-risk communities with access to financial support to protect their gathering spaces and to launch local initiatives that bring Canadians together and combat racism. We also continue to work with Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, to fight Islamophobia, including with The Canadian Guide on Understanding and Combatting Islamophobia: For a more inclusive Canada.
The Canadian identity is rooted in our diversity. Canada is stronger because of its people, their different backgrounds, and the stories that make our mosaic one of the most vibrant and unique in the world.
On behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish all Muslims in Canada a happy Eid al-Adha, celebrated in unity, solidarity and peace.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Frederic Lemieux, Professor of the Practice and Faculty Director of the Master’s in Applied Intelligence, Georgetown University
A woman places flowers outside the Boulder, Colo., courthouse after an attack that injured 12 people. David Zalubowski/AP Photo
On June 3, Soliman’s family, who lived with him in Colorado Springs, were detained by federal immigration authorities. Soliman’s wife and five children were placed in expedited removal proceedings.
Whether an attack like the one in Boulder is considered an act of terrorism or a hate crime changes the way a suspect is charged and sentenced.
Let’s look at how these two terms differ.
What is a hate crime?
Hate crimes are crimes motivated by bias on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. In some states, gender, age and gender identity are also included. Hate crime laws have been passed by 47 states and the federal government since the 1980s, when activists first began to press state legislatures to recognize the role of bias in violence against minority groups. Today, only Arkansas, South Carolina and Wyoming do not have hate crime laws.
Colorado’s 2024 statute prohibits bias-motivated attacks based on a wide variety of categories, from ancestry to gender identity.
In order to be charged as a hate crime, attacks – whether vandalism, assault or killings – must be directed at individuals because of the prohibited biases. Hate crimes, in other words, punish motive; the prosecutor must convince the judge or jury that the victim was targeted because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or other protected characteristic.
If the defendant is found to have acted with bias motivation, hate crimes often add an additional penalty to the underlying charge. Charging people with a hate crime, then, presents additional layers of complexity to what may otherwise be a straightforward case for prosecutors. Bias motivation can be hard to prove, and prosecutors can be reluctant to take cases that they may not win in court.
Dylann Roof, who killed nine worshipers at a Black church in South Carolina in 2015, was convicted of 33 charges, including hate crimes. Grace Beahm-Pool/Getty Images
What is terrorism?
Terrorism is a violent tactic – a strategy used to achieve a specific end.
This strategy is often used in asymmetric power struggles when a weaker person, or group, is fighting against a powerful nation-state. The violence is aimed at creating fear in the targeted population.
Terrorists often justify their bloody acts on the basis of perceived social, economic and political unfairness. Or they take inspiration from religious beliefs or spiritual principles.
Many forms of terrorism were inspired by struggle between races, the rich and poor, or political outcasts and elites.
How different terrorist groups act is informed by what they are trying to achieve. Some adopt a reactionary perspective aimed at stopping or resisting social, economic and political changes. Others adopt a revolutionary doctrine and want to provoke change.
In the United States, terrorism attacks were in sharp decline from 1970 to 2011, decreasing from approximately 475 incidents a year to fewer than 20.
Data compiled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows right-wing terrorist attacks and plots grew substantially during the past decade, with right-wing extremists being responsible for the majority of attacks and plots each year since 2011, except for 2013. There were 44 incidents in 2019 alone.
Terrorism is not a successful tactic. American University professor Audrey Cronin studied 457 terrorist groups worldwide going back to 1968. The groups lasted an average of eight years before they lost support or were dismantled. No terrorist organizations that she studied were able to conquer a state, and 94% were unable to achieve even one of their strategic goals.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
One of the 12 activists on board the Gaza Freedom Flotilla aid vessel Madleen has posted an update on their progress, saying the mission would not be deterred by Israel’s threats to block them.
In a video posted to X, Thiago Ávila said the crew, which includes high-profile Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, was not intimidated by a message they had received from Israel on Thursday, reports Al Jazeera.
He said Israeli authorities had said that the Madleen, which is carrying food and medical supplies, would be blocked from entering Gaza — and that if they attempted to deliver them, they would come under attack.
“It’s important that we understand that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and any other repressive regime throughout history, they actually fear the people, we do not fear them,” he said.
“We know that this is part of a global uprising much larger than this humble mission of 12 people on a small boat. It will not be through force that they will make a way to defeat us.”
With no other vessel able to respond, the Madleen diverted to the distressed vessel, where it found 30 to 40 people trapped in a rapidly deflating dinghy.
While the crew of the Madleen were attempting a rescue of their own, they were approached at speed by a unit of the Libyan Coast Guard, specifically one belonging to the Tareq Bin Zayed brigade, which Al Jazeera has previously reported upon.
On realising that the approaching vessel belonged to the Libyan Coast Guard, four dinghy passengers jumped into the water and swam to the Madleen, where they were rescued.
The remainder were taken on board the Libyan Coast Guard’s vessel and presumably returned to Libya.
It’s the 6th day of our journey onboard the Madleen to #breakthesiege of Gaza and create a people’s humanitarian sea corridor! The Freedom Flotilla Coalition will never stop due to the Zionists threats. We know we have billions of people along with the 12 of us on this boat! pic.twitter.com/FfIDDtVbX7
Road users in Derby will see significant improvements following the completion of a major upgrade scheme along Derby Road and Nottingham Road through Spondon and Chaddesden.
Part of the Transforming Cities programme, these works have delivered enhanced sustainable transport infrastructure and a full road resurfacing.
Both roads have been given a makeover, while new infrastructure has been added to make active travel, such as walking and cycling easier. This includes new cycle lanes and improved pedestrian crossings.
Cyclists will enjoy a safer and more convenient journey thanks to new shared use and segregated cycle lanes between the Spondon Island and the Chaddesden Park Road junction.
Pedestrians will find it easier to move along the route thanks to new pedestrian crossings installed at Spondon Island and the entrance to Asda. These crossings are also synchronised to allow more efficient journeys and provide priority to buses, meaning less congestion and improved air quality.
These works, delivered by Balfour Beatty, are part of Nottingham and Derby’s Transforming Cities programme to create more sustainable, better-connected cities.
Working in partnership, the two authorities secured £161 million to invest in local transport infrastructure that will improve sustainable transport, support growth, and encourage more low carbon journeys.
Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, said:
It’s great to see this scheme come to an end and our Transforming Cities Programme edge closer to completion. With these upgrades, we have made travel along this route easier and greener for all road users.
I also want to express my thanks to the Chaddesden ward councillors for their support of this scheme. It’s important that we deliver the best services for the people of Derby and that means listening to those at the heart of our communities.
David Hough, Project Manager at Balfour Beatty said:
We are proud to see the completion of these key improvements, which will make sustainable travel safer and more accessible for the travelling public.
By enhancing infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians while improving overall transport efficiency, we are helping to build a more sustainable future for the communities we serve.
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – There are 48 States that spend more on interest payments than on education or healthcare. This is according to the report “A World of Debt” by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Debt service, i.e., the payment of interest on loans received, thus has a major impact on the lives of the poorest countries, as the funds allocated to education, healthcare, and subsidies for the purchase of basic goods and fuel are cut. The protests that took place in Nigeria and Kenya in 2024, primarily among young people, are closely linked to this debt mechanism. In order to pay the interest and reduce their countries’ overall debt, the Kenyan and Nigerian governments had presented financial laws that provided for tax increases and subsidy cuts. During his audience with participants in the conference “Debt Crisis in the Global South” organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on June 5, 2024, Pope Francis said: “In the wake of mismanaged globalization, and in wake of the pandemic and wars, we find ourselves faced with a debt crisis that mainly affects the countries of the global South, causing misery and distress, and depriving millions of people of the possibility of a dignified future.” The Pope expressed hope that the Holy Year 2025 will pave the way for “a bold and creative new international financial architecture.” The UNCTAD report agrees with Pope Francis when he states: “The global financial architecture is no longer able to meet the needs of the world in the 21st century. This is a major challenge for sustainable development.” Therefore, creativity and courage are needed to overcome a financial structure that further widens the gap between rich and poor. According to the UNCTAD report, “Developing countries struggle with an international financial architecture whose deeply entrenched asymmetries exacerbate the impact of successive crises on sustainable development. This system exacerbates their debt burden by limiting their access to finance for sustainable development and forcing them to borrow from more costly external sources.” Recent events have exacerbated this challenge. Rising global interest rates since 2022 have further strained developing countries’ public finances. High interest payments outpace growth in basic public spending such as health, education, and climate change mitigation. In developing countries, home to 3.3 billion people, one in three countries spends more on interest payments than on these key areas of human development. “Debt service for public external debt totaled USD 365 billion in 2022, corresponding to 6.3% of export earnings. By comparison, the 1953 London Agreement on German war debt limited the share of export earnings that could be spent on servicing external debt (public and private) to 5% to avoid undermining the recovery,” states the UNCTAD report, highlighting the different treatment of poorer countries today. It notes, in particular, that 61% of developing countries’ debt is held by private creditors who are subject to little political constraint when demanding interest payments. For this reason, the call Pope Francis made on December 16, 2024, during a meeting with representatives of the banking sector, resonates strongly: “The imminent Jubilee reminds us of the need to forgive debts. It is the condition for fostering hope and future in the life of many people, especially the poor. I encourage you to sow hope. Do not tire of accompanying and keeping the level of social justice high.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 6/6/2025)
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Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 6, 2025/APO Group/ —
Ghana purchased and exported $4 billion worth of gold from the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector between February and May 2025, according to Sammy Gyamfi, Managing Director, Ghana Gold Board.
Speaking at the Mining in Motion 2025 Summit on Tuesday, Gyamfi said gold purchasing and exportation was made through the newly established Ghana Gold Board, aimed at curbing illicit gold trading in Ghana.
“Gold exports from ASM players have exceeded exports from the large-scale sector for the first time. Total gold exported from the ASM sector between February and May reached a new record of 41 tons,” he stated.
According to Gyamfi, the milestone has increased foreign currency contributed by the ASM sector for the government with in May 2025 alone the sector producing and exporting 11 tons of gold worth up to $1,172 billion in export revenue.
“The data shows the potential of the ASM if properly annexed,” he added.
He also announced various upcoming initiatives aimed at empowering the ASM sector and its contribution gold sector expansion while addressing illicit mining. These include launching an ASM skills training program in September 2025 and investments in the Community Mining Scheme operated by the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources.
The Ghana Gold Board will also launch an Anti-Smuggling Taskforce to address illicit export of gold and a gold tokenization facility to maximize traceability of Ghanaian resources.
The board also plans to establish an international standardization facility in the country by 2026 to ensure responsible sourcing and sustainability across the entire gold value chain.
The past two decades have seen a notable rise in LGBTQ+ representation on TV. Recent shifts, however, seem to threaten that progress. LGBTQ+ characters continue to meet tragic ends on screen – while off-screen, queer shows are being cancelled, media companies in the US have joined others in rolling back DEI initiatives and anti-LGBTQ+ violence is on the rise.
At this critical moment, it feels apt to take a look back at some of the moments that made British LGBTQ+ TV history, exploring why they mattered and what we can learn from them.
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1. Man Alive (1967)
In June 1967, the BBC documentary and current affairs series Man Alive focused two episodes on homosexuality. These episodes featured interviews with gay men and lesbian women about their lives and experiences, and how society treats them.
The episode on “the women” featured an interview set in The Gateways club, a long-running lesbian nightclub on the Kings Road in west London (it closed in 1985). The Gateways also appeared in 1968 film, The Killing of Sister George, one of the first mainstream film representations of lesbian characters.
‘The Women’ episode of Man Alive.
The month after the Man Alive documentaries aired, the Sexual Offences Act legalised homosexual acts between men over the age of 21 in England and Wales, so long as they took place consensually and in private.
Documentaries such as these took an outside-looking-in approach to the subject matter, but nonetheless addressed the significant (albeit limited) shifts seen in this period.
2. Girl (1974)
In 1974, an episode of BBC Birmingham’s anthology series Second City Firsts featured the first kiss between two women on British television. The post-watershed television play portrayed a past relationship between Myra Francis’ army corporal, Chrissie, and Alison Steadman’s recruit Jackie. While this is no happily-ever-after romance, happier flashbacks do show the two women in bed together – a brief, but radical for its time, representation of queer intimacy.
The broadcast was, unsurprisingly, controversial and was preceded by a special announcement from the controller of BBC. The rights of LGBTQ+ people in the military later became a major campaign, with the ban on openly gay and lesbian people serving lifted in the UK in 2000.
Notably, fights for LGBTQ+ rights in the military demand equality, but also raise questions around the kinds of inclusions LGBTQ+ people are fighting for. As many activists and writers have argued, LGBTQ+ rights can be co-opted in ways that include some but exclude others, or justify other oppressive forces (for example in what is often referred to as pinkwashing).
3. Lesbian activists protest Section 28 on the six o’clock news (1988)
In May 1988, Margeret Thatcher’s Conservative government brought in Section 28: legislation that prohibited local authorities and schools from “promoting” homosexuality, reflecting the powerful anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice of the period.
The lesbian protestors remember the moment they stormed the studio.
The evening before the legislation was passed in parliament, a group of lesbian activists interrupted the live broadcast of the six o’clock news. As one of the protesters, Booan Temple, reflected: “By getting on the news, we would be the news.”
The bill still passed, and Section 28 remained in place until 2000 in Scotland, and 2003 in England and Wales, but the power of LGBTQ+ resistance was palpable. Looking back today, there are worrying echoes of the moral panics of the 1980s to be found in the current climate.
4. The Brookside kiss (1994)
In 1985, Gordan Collins (Mark Burgess) came out on Channel 4’s popular soap opera, Brookside – making him the first openly gay character on a British television series. Five years later the soap featured the first pre-watershed kiss between two women, when Beth Jordache (Anna Friel) kissed Margaret Clemence (Nicola Stephenson).
Anna Friel looks back on her lesbian kiss scene from Brookside.
The kiss was so culturally significant that it later featured in Danny Boyle’s 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony. Just one year after the episode, however, Beth died off screen in prison, an example of the “bury your gays” trope (where LGBTQ+ characters are frequently killed off in TV and film).
Meanwhile, 1994 also saw Eastenders introduce Della Alexander (Michelle Joseph), the soap’s first lesbian and one of the first Black LGBTQ+ characters on British television. Della and girlfriend Binnie departed the soap a year later.
Bisexual actor Pam St Clement, who played Eastenders matriarch Pat Butcher reflected: “Having given themselves that brief, they didn’t know what the fuck to do with it.”
5. Coronation Street’s Hayley Cropper (1998)
In 1998 it was Coronation Street’s turn to make LGBTQ+ TV history, when the ITV soap introduced Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh), a transgender woman initially intended for a comic “bad date” storyline.
Julie Hesmondhalgh reflecting on Hayley Cropper’s ‘coming out’ scene many years later.
Following criticism from trans activists, ITV recruited trans actress Annie Wallace as a research assistant to work with Hesmondhalgh on the role. In 2015, Wallace joined Hollyoaks, becoming the first transgender person to play a regular transgender character on a British soap opera.
Hayley went on to exceed her problematic origins and win the hearts of audiences, educating them, as she did so, on the prejudices and legal barriers trans people faced. Hesmondhalgh, a trans ally and supporter of the charity Trans Media Watch, has, however, reflected that, as a cis actor, she “definitely wouldn’t take it” if the role was offered to her today.
6. Queer as Folk (1999)
Back on Channel 4, 1999 saw the broadcast of another groundbreaking show: Queer as Folk, written by Russell T Davies. Based around Manchester’s gay village, Queer as Folk broke boundaries with an unapologetic portrayal of the lives, loves and lusts of a group of queer characters.
From explicit sex scenes to queer family making, the series’ represented LGBTQ+ lives in previously unseen ways. This radical visibility was, however, largely limited to white gay male characters – reflecting longstanding inequalities in media representation.
The trailer for Queer as Folk.
In later work, Davies has represented a more diverse spectrum of LGBTQ+ experience. Returning to Manchester’s queer scene again in 2015, anthology series Banana (2015) began with the story of Dean, a young Black gay man portrayed by British Nigerian actor Fisayo Akinade, and featured Bethany Black as the first trans actor to play a trans role in a British series (a few months before Annie Wallace joined Hollyoaks).
The following years have seen more, and more diverse, examples of LGBTQ+ representation on TV. But tired tropes and exclusions continue, and the power of representation to shape possibilities, protections and prejudices is more pressing than ever.
Kate McNicholas Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, June 6 — Recently, the 5th Chinese Peacekeeping Military Utility Helicopter Unit to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) successfully passed the UNISFA’s equipment inspection for the second quarter of 2025.
All the 45 inspection items of the Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit, including barrack facilities, vehicles and equipment, and weapons and ammunition, met the verification standards of the UN.
Since its deployment to the mission area, the Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit has primarily undertaken air patrol, medical evacuation, logistic support, and other tasks. Its mission area mainly covers 23 locations in Abyei, Sudan, and South Sudan.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, June 6 — Recently, the 5th Chinese Peacekeeping Military Utility Helicopter Unit to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) successfully passed the UNISFA’s equipment inspection for the second quarter of 2025.
All the 45 inspection items of the Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit, including barrack facilities, vehicles and equipment, and weapons and ammunition, met the verification standards of the UN.
Since its deployment to the mission area, the Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit has primarily undertaken air patrol, medical evacuation, logistic support, and other tasks. Its mission area mainly covers 23 locations in Abyei, Sudan, and South Sudan.
This report is provided by Earth Negotiations Bulletin/International Institute for Sustainable Development. View the original reporthere.
Finance is critical to implementation of the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), but investments have not kept pace with rising demands, and aid budgets are shrinking worldwide. In many sessions through the day, delegates focused attention on financing a wide range of needs, including school safety, measures to deal with extreme heat, and nature-based solutions (NbS).
High-level dialogue
What will it take to scale DRR financing solutions at the national and local level?
Journalist Mayowa Adegoke moderated the session.
Stine Renate Håheim, State Secretary to Minister of International Development, Norway, emphasized DRR financing as a high priority, saying, “it is better to prevent than repair afterwards.” She noted that one in three people globally-most in cities or highly vulnerable areas-are not covered by Early Warning Systems (EWS).
Hans Sy, CEO, SM Prime Holdings, explained his company’s investment in resilient building construction, such as building on concrete pillars to allow free flow of floodwaters. He stressed that risk-informed decisions based on science and technology “makes good business sense.”
Fatima Yasmin, Asian Development Bank (ADB), said the Bank regards DRR as a critical priority investment, particularly through supporting policy making, planning, advising on innovative investments, and incentivizing preparedness. On scaling DRR investments, she said financing should be fast, flexible and forward-looking.
Rob Wesseling, CEO, Co-operators Group, said no path to net zero emissions is possible without investment in both prevention and recovery. He encouraged governments to utilize the risk information gathered by insurance companies over decades to assist with decision making.
On mobilizing private sector investment, Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa, stressed that every cent invested in resilience and preparedness saves lives and livelihoods.
View of the panel during the Multi-Stakeholder Plenary. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Ministerial roundtable
Inclusive comprehensive school safety-strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards
The event, which convened 36 ministries, was co-chaired by Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head, UNDRR, and Paul Steffen, Deputy Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland.
In opening remarks, Kishore encouraged delegates to endorse the Comprehensive School Safety Framework 2017 (CSSF), noting only 80 countries have done so, and for countries to make schools heat-resilient.
On school safety policies, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Saint Lucia recognized the CSSF. Portugal highlighted its DRR working group on children and youth. Brunei Darussalam, Kenya, and Portugal recognized the fundamental rights of children to safe school environments. Colombia highlighted its Law on Teaching for Sustainability, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management. Republic of Korea described its 2020 Child Safety Management Act.
Many countries identified education programming as fundamental to reducing risk and developing children as agents of change in their homes and communities. Malaysia, Uganda, Russia, Algeria and others described homegrown examples of such programmes, for example, student leadership groups and First Aid skills training.
Leaders from around the globe express their shared commitment to making schools safer and more resilient to disasters. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Several countries, including Greece, Kenya and Cuba, recognized the importance of social support to children experiencing disaster and loss, and the ensuing mental and emotional health impacts. The Holy See flagged the need for spiritual care of those “who have seen whole lives swept away.”
Most countries discussed sustainable and resilient school infrastructure, including standards for new or retrofitted buildings. Belgium, Republic of Moldova, and Singapore highlighted energy efficiency and climate resilience. On heat stress in schools, Singapore flagged cooling strategies and energy-efficient fans. Tunisia described its sustainable school network that integrates climate change, disaster risk, and biodiversity objectives. Spain said new schools need to be “climate shelters.” Bangladesh noted the construction of more than 5,000 cyclone-resistant schools.
Multistakeholder plenary
Investments in reducing risk and building resilience to accelerate investments in sustainable development
Kishore introduced the session, which was co-chaired by Paul Steffen, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and Paola Albrito, UNDRR. Kishore noted less than 1% of national budgets is allocated to DRR.
Countries presented their national commitments, such as Australia’s Disaster-Ready Fund, which is providing up to AUD 1 billion (USD 648 million) over five years for locally-identified needs, and Switzerland’s DRR commitment of more than CHF 2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) annually. Many expressed appreciation for international support, including for Moldova’s local adaptation plans in 38 communities, and Samoa’s community-based disaster risk management activities. Peru highlighted its introduction of budget flexibility for regional and local authorities, enabling rapid response to imminent hazards.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) reported that only 3% of all development assistance is allocated to agricultural DRR measures, even while these deliver significant returns in ensuring food security. Swiss Re highlighted the role of insurance in informing risk and mitigation measures, noting the availaility of parametric insurance, for example, against extreme heat events and flooding. The Resilience Action Fund showcased the work of the International Finance Corporation in developing the Building Resilience Index as a world-first metric for assessing the safety and risk of buildings for insurers and construction developers. The Latin America and the Caribbean Development Bank (CAF), India, and the UK welcomed innovative initiatives, such as a new center on extreme events, establishment of risk pools, and the use of AI to identify flood threats.
Delegates affirmed regional solidarity, demonstrated in Tunisia’s hosting of the Africa-Arab Platform for DRR in 2023, and Iran’s hosting of three regional organizations, including a Regional Center for Urban Water Management. Albania welcomed its responsibilities under the EU Civil Protection Code for cooperation among EU countries and other partners, which, he noted, enables access to advanced DRR solutions.
The International Organization for Migration highlighted its 2024 launch of Climate Mobility Innovation Labs for the Africa and Asia regions to develop solutions to climate-related mobility.
Steffen urged all present to accelerate investment in DRR, and to engage the private sector as key partners.
Moderator, Juli Trtanj, Co-Chair, Gobal Heat Health Information Network, opened the session. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), called heat a “silent killer” because it is the least managed of all climate hazards. She said 50% of countries have heat warning systems in place but only 26 have dedicated Heat Health EWS. She identified three priorities: integrating heat risk into climate and DRR governance, heat EWS, and implementation using risk information and data.
In his keynote, Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, India, said heat threatened public health, economic stability, and the ecological resilience of cities and communities. He underscored UNDRR’s Common Framework on Extreme Heat Risk Governance and drew attention to India’s national guidelines on heat wave management, which decentralized more than 250 heat action plans in 23 states. He called for scaling hospital and primary health care preparedness and resilience and noted India is adopting a long-term heat wave mitigation strategy, including roof-cooling technologies, passive cooling centers, revival of traditional water bodies, and improved thermal comfort and livability of informal settlements.
In a panel discussion, Benoît Faraco, Ambassador, Climate Negotiations for Decarbonized Energies and for the Prevention of Climate Risks, France, urged being modest since we are still discovering impacts and avoiding maladaptation. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General, African Center for Meteorological Application for Development, stressed the links between heat waves, energy crises, and health care demand. Rosa Galvez, Senator, Canada, spoke about lived experience saying, “We cannot adapt forever – we must work on the causes.” Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said extreme heat is a humanitarian crisis. On involving the financial sector, Mia Seppo, Assistant Director General, International Labour Organization, discussed climate risk insurance, just transition principles, and access to essential services. Mishra advised that industry protect labor from heat risk.
Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Special session
Comprehensive approaches to reduce loss and damage-bridging climate action and DRR
Fatou Jeng, Former Climate Advisor to the UN Secretary-General and Member of the Early Warnings for All Advisory Panel, moderated the session.
Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change, Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management, Vanuatu, appreciated the support from the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and the Santiago Network, which combined forces to launch the inaugural integrated loss and damage and DRR initiative in Vanuatu.
Kishore noted that, while many DRR practices are now in place, these need to be updated to deal with climate system changes and the associated risks, uncertainty, and volatility.
Benoît Faraco, argued that the distinction between loss and damage, and DRR, is theoretical, and remains irrelevant to people on the ground who want response, prevention, action, and solidarity to alleviate their situation.
Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director, FRLD, emphasized the need to look at how interventions can be most impactful, stressing that solutions must be country-led, and recognize Indigenous groups and civil society participants. He expressed awareness that the FRLD must be “nimble, accessible, flexible and built on partnerships, always ensuring no one is left behind.”
Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, elaborated on how the network is supporting countries to accelerate loss and damage, using Vanuatu’s experience to demonstrate how the Network can accelerate fund distribution and support with bold and transformative support.
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, IFRC, cautioned that the terms loss and damage represent different meanings to communities, but the bottom line is to ensure the funds really reach the local level.
Thematic Sessions
Catalyzing governance solutions for disaster and climate-related displacement
Irwin Loy, The New Humanitarian, moderated this session.
John Mussington, activist and displaced person, Antigua & Barbuda, described his work of founding the community network, Stronger Caribbean Together, with others displaced by “disaster capitalism”, as storm-damaged sites are cleared for tourism development.
Sakiasi Ditoka, Minister of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Fiji, highlighted the 2023 Pacific Regional Mobility Framework and Fiji’s own planned relocation guidelines.
Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director-General, National Center for Rural Development and Durable Solutions, Somalia, described Somalia’s National Transformation Plan that prioritizes anticipatory action and climate-smart livelihoods, responding to the needs of long-term displaced communities.
Fatimah Zannah Mustapha, community representative, Nigeria, called for centering the voices of local women in decision making by removing barriers, “whether digital, linguistic, or cultural.” Claudinne Ogaldes Cruz, Executive Secretary, National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Guatemala, noted that many Guatemalan households are women-led and have the knowledge to inform decision making.
Robert Piper, former UN Secretary-General’s Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement, said line ministries responsible for decisions on land use and building codes-“those who are responsible for dealing with the failure to prevent”-must become deeply involved in the governance of disaster displacement.
Leveraging Values of Nature for Resilience: Moderated by Cecilia Aipira, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the session addressed the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in DRR.
In his keynote, Mohammed-Yahya Lafdal, General Director, National Environment and Coastline Observatory, Mauritania, highlighted the increase in tree cover through reforestation and restoration, taking into account Indigenous knowledge and solutions, and the development of barrier systems for water distribution and management in desert areas. He emphasized how addressing land degradation and rehabilitation has been Mauritania’s best solution for increasing resilience.
Rodrigo Hernández Escobar, Representative of the Latin American and Caribbean Indigenous Knowledge & DRR Network, highlighted political will and respect for Indigenous cosmovision and territories as key elements for leveraging traditional knowledge into programmes supporting NbS. Isaac Luwaga Mugumbule, Head of Landscaping, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda, stated that NbS are context-specific and require community involvement to be sustained.
Professor Satoru Nishikawa, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), stressed the need for scientific numerical quantification, analysis, and testing on the strengths and durability of NbS. Swenja Surminski, London School of Economics, noting that NbS “are not silver bullets,” stressed the need to work with nature, drawing attention to NbS co-benefits. Oliver Schelske, Swiss Re Institute, noting the absence of standardized values for nature, emphasized that even if “not everything is insurable,” investing in nature makes sense from an insurance perspective, as it reduces risks to the asset being insured.
On the prerequisites for NbS to be viable, speakers mentioned common sense, co-benefit considerations, identifying the number of protected lives, and conducting independent auditing.
Thematic Sessions as visual summaries capturing key messages and insights. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Side event
Inclusive comprehensive school safety—Strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards
This side event, organized and facilitated by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), showcased school safety and resilience programmes from Central Asia, the Pacific region and the Caribbean.
Anja Nielsen, Co-Chair, GADRRRES, gave an overview of CSSF, noting the all-hazards, all-risks approach that includes environmental, climate change, and biological health risks, technical threats, and other everyday risks. She elaborated on the global school safety survey, representing 350 million school-aged children, and highlighted, among other concerns, that significant infrastructure investment is needed to better protect children and teachers from natural hazards, with most suffering from funding constraints.
Education administrators from Saint Lucia, Tonga, and Kyrgyzstan described CSSF activities and outcomes from their regions, and emphasized: involving the children actively in school safety is a game changer; collaboration is the essence of resilience, requiring whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches; and building capacity at all levels, particularly teachers, for comprehensive school safety is key.
IISD’s summary
The summary report of the meeting will be available on Monday, 9 June 2025, here.
The 2025 Sasakawa Award winners are Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, from the India Meteorological Department, and Dr. Harkunti Rahayu, from the Indonesian Disaster Expert Association, both in the individual category; and the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster (GNDR), in the organizational category.
These winners were announced at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, in a vibrant Award Ceremony, packed with passionate candidates and their dedicated supporters, all gathered to celebrate some of the most outstanding contributions to disaster risk reduction.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), is popularly known as “The Cyclone Man of India” for his exceptional contributions to tropical cyclone forecasting and warning systems. He has been instrumental in improving India’s disaster preparedness and significantly reducing casualties from tropical cyclones through advanced forecasting and early warning systems.
Harkunti Pertiwi Rahayu is Professor of Disaster Aspect in Planning at the Institut Teknologi Sumatra and Chair of the Indonesian Disaster Expert Association. An internationally recognized leading expert in DRR, she chairs multiple international working groups on early warning and mitigation systems, disaster preparedness, developing people-centred early warning systems and capacity building, community awareness and preparedness.
The Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR) – winner in the organizational category – is the largest global network of organizations working to strengthen the resilience of people most at risk of disasters, assembling around 2000 organisations in 130 countries. GNDR has made significant contributions to the content and implementation of the Sendai Framework, and is a strong advocate for inclusive and all-of-society disaster risk management.
Under the expert moderation of Anita Erskine, Ghanaian broadcast personality and sustainability champion, the ceremony honored those who have made exceptional strides in improving resilience to disasters.
Innovation and technology for inclusive resilience
This year’s theme, “Connecting science to people: democratizing access to innovation and technology for disaster resilient communities,” captured the spirit of innovation and accessibility that drives modern disaster preparedness. With over 200 outstanding nominees received in two categories, Individuals and Organizations, all candidates demonstrated incredible depth of talent and dedication within the global DRR community.
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Kamal Kishore delivered heartfelt gratitude to the community present and those watching online, acknowledging the tireless hard work and unwavering dedication of all those nominated for the award.
“This year’s award theme recognizes the importance of innovation and technology to advance resilience – and do it in a very inclusive and democratic way…. the efforts where science has been connected to society to serve the needs of people, those who are most vulnerable,” Mr Kishore said.
“I ask that we all ask and reflect on how we can support and scale up the vital efforts of these remarkable individuals and institutions,” he said.
The Nippon Foundation, whose generous support makes these awards possible, was proudly represented by Mr. Yosuke Ishikawa, Programme Director.
Mr. Kishore praised the high standard and exceptional achievements of all the nominees for the award, adding that the judges had to make difficult choices in selecting the winners from a group of such caliber. As a result they decided to recognize the following runners-up as highly commended.
Individuals:
Rob Hopkins “Radio Rob” from Yukon, Canada
Professor Virginia Murray from Global Disaster Risk Reduction at UK Health Security Agency, UK
Shee Kupi Shee from Disaster Management and Peace Building in Lamu County, Kenya
Kelvin Mashisia Shikuku from the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya
Organization:
The World Institute on Disability (WID), Global/US
Inspiration for us all
The visionary work of these award winners demonstrates that disaster risk reduction is not just about preparation—it’s about building resilient communities where innovation meets humanity. Their dedication shows us that every contribution, no matter how small, can create ripples of positive change that protect lives and livelihoods.
Whether you’re a researcher, community leader, or simply someone who cares about making the world safer, there’s a place for you in disaster risk reduction. The challenges the world faces require diverse perspectives, innovative solutions, and collaborative efforts. Everyone is encouraged to continue the DRR journey and be part of the solution that builds a more resilient world for all.
The next edition of the Sasakawa Awards will be held at the Global Platform in three years’ time, and the jury will be thrilled to read even more inspiring stories of hope and action!
The impacts of disasters are woven into all aspects of life.
Impacts send shockwaves across all systems – essential services, infrastructure, health, education and economic. They interact with climate change, conflict, economic fragility, and inequality – amplifying risks across systems.
However, even though disaster costs are rising, financing for disaster risk reduction (DRR) is largely fragmented, short-term, and reactive.
“Let us be clear: financing disaster risk reduction is not a cost – it is an investment, with benefits across different agendas: from protecting development, to reducing humanitarian needs, and achieving climate and environmental goals.”
Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
To protect development gains from being eroded by a spiral of deepening crises, countries must systematically embed risk reduction in national budget processes – across all levels of government. This will require a raft of innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and novel inclusive approaches to ensure that investments provide benefits to those who need them most.
At a ministerial roundtable session at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction, ministers from 43 countries, together with the World Bank and UNDP, discussed the challenges and opportunities they face when financing resilience building; their experiences, successes and solutions; and concrete proposal for inclusive and equitable financing strategies.
The ministers acknowledged that there is a deficit in global financing for disaster preparedness. The Philippines, South Sudan, Fiji, Barbados, and members of the African Union, amongst others, drew connections between financial planning for disaster risk and broader climate financing, noting the important role of resources like the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the Loss and Damage Fund.
Financing resilience is public investment
Too often, public budgets only respond after disaster strikes. The consequence is mounting human and economic losses, especially in vulnerable countries.
“The root causes of disaster risk – inequality, misaligned financial incentives, insufficient risk governance – remain unaddressed in many development models.”
– UNDRR’s 2025 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2025)
To address this will require a fundamental rethink, positioning disaster risk reduction firmly in development finance.
“We must support developing countries in establishing national disaster risk reduction financing systems that are tailored to their development priorities.”
– Kamal Kishore at the ministerial roundtable.
These systems must be pro-active, not reactive, and aligned with each country’s unique development goals, while integrating a firm understanding of systemic and cascading risks.
India, for example, is taking a rule-based approach with pre-determined allocations that flow from national to district levels. Japan and Norway noted that they are both mainstreaming DRR into private sector practice, with Norway advocating for legal requirements for DRR in corporate strategies.
The GAR 2025 findings reinforce this more holistic approach, recommending that countries reconfigure their financial and economic governance to create more favourable conditions for DRR investments, especially by shifting public spending “away from short-term consumption and toward resilience-building.”
Integrating disaster risk financing into budgets
Resilient budgets require more than a single DRR line item.
Mr. Kishore highlighted the need to embed risk considerations throughout public financial planning: “This includes exploring ways of embedding resilience into budget planning at every level.”
That means sectoral ministries, infrastructure agencies, local governments, and fiscal authorities must all adopt risk-informed budget planning. This shift is not just about earmarking funds, but about transforming how development priorities are selected, financed, and measured.
Countries including Brazil are calling for a global task force on effective DRR financing, while the Philippines proposed a global financing mechanism to support disaster resilience efforts, recognising the need to anchor DRR in fiscal systems.
In a conversation with Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, Mr Kishore noted that we need a coordinated, global system making the appropriate mechanisms accessible to those who need them most:
“We have the tools to assess risk and see how much investment will lead to what kind of reduction in risk. We really need to make it a comprehensive system – where national budgets, whether countries have high income or low income – take into account the kind of disaster risk they face and systematically invest in it.”
Ms. Mohammed noted the need to develop more innovative financing mechanisms as a key priority during the Global Platform.
“We need to get to a space where we have more tools accessible to us to do it, and that again is a big challenge for this week.”
Tackling systemic challenges
For many countries, even those with the political will to invest in reducing disaster risk, systemic barriers stand in their way. These include:
Weak institutional frameworks for DRR investment planning.
Limited understanding of how DRR links to fiscal risk.
Inadequate incentives to prioritise risk reduction in capital budgeting.
DRR financing also needs to penetrate to local levels, enabling resources to reach the communities that need them most. Without fiscal devolution, even the most risk-informed national strategies will fall short in implementation.
Incentives for private sector investment
Initiatives to finance resilience must move away from reliance on public coffers.
This involves building stronger partnerships with the private sector, and cultivating greater awareness of the benefits of such investments and the dangers of neglecting them.
“We must enhance partnerships with the private sector, as it is a major source of financing that is often not guided by an understanding of disaster risks,” Kamal Kishore said.
The financial sector can play a catalytic role by developing innovative instruments, such as resilience bonds, blended finance structures, and a broad spectrum of insurance solutions. Several countries are already putting such innovations into practice:
China described its rollout of agricultural insurance, and its investment of $154 billion in property insurance.
Kiribati described its community-based insurance for drought programme providing payouts to farmers and fishers.
Norway highlighted parametric insurance schemes.
The Bahamas explained how they use their disaster-related expenditures tracking tool to map pre-disaster investments and post-disaster costs.
To mainstream such approaches, updated regulatory frameworks, disclosure standards, and fiscal incentives are needed to guide private capital toward risk reduction and embed DRR into national financial systems.
Risk-aware international finance
The global community must step up to encourage investors, both public and private, to prioritize DRR financing.
“We must rally the international community to prioritize investment in disaster risk reduction. This includes dedicating a larger portion of assistance funding to disaster risk reduction and ensuring all development funding is risk informed.”
– Kamal Kishore
Official development assistance (ODA) and climate finance must be structured and delivered accordingly. Risk-blind development projects, even when well-intentioned, can inadvertently amplify vulnerability.
Several countries at the roundtable – including Cambodia, Paraguay, and Montenegro – highlighted the importance of integrating DRR into social investment strategies, including gender-responsive financing, elderly-focused social protection, and health system resilience. Czechia called for embedding DRR funding across the humanitarian-development nexus.
“The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development presents a critical opportunity to advance all these priorities to ensure all development is safe from disasters.”
– Kamal Kishore
The shift toward DRR financing within national budgets is technically feasible, economically wise, and morally urgent. As extreme weather events, pandemics, and conflict interact in increasingly complex ways, the costs of inaction grow exponentially.
By embedding DRR in national budgets, governments protect long-term development investments, and communities gain tools and funding for local resilience.
Additionally, the private sector becomes a co-architect of safety, increasing its stake in resilience building efforts, and international aid transitions from offering band-aids to repeated crises to providing a backbone for lasting stability.
“We must acknowledge that resilience is a long-term economic necessity, and it does have the best return on investment.”
Ngũgi wa Thiong’o reads from his work in Mexico in 2017. He wrote across a huge variety of genres.Tania Victoria/Secretaría de Cultura CDMX/Flickr, CC BY-SA
Celebrated Kenyan writer and decolonial scholar Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’opassed away on 28 May at the age of 87. Many tributes and obituaries have appeared across the world, but we wanted to know more about Thiong’o the man and his thought processes. So we asked Charles Cantalupo, a leading scholar of his work, to tell us more.
Who was Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o – and who was he to you?
When I heard that Ngũgĩ had died, one of my first thoughts was about how far he had come in his life. No African writer has as many major, lasting creative achievements in such a wide range of genres as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. His books include novels, plays, short stories, essays and scholarship, criticism, poetry, memoirs and children’s books.
His fiction, nonfiction and plays from the early 1960s until today are frequently reprinted. Furthermore, Ngũgĩ’s monumental oeuvre is in two languages, English and Gĩkũyũ, and his works have been translated into many other languages.
From a large family in rural Kenya and a son of his father’s third wife, he was saved by his mother’s pushing him to be educated. This included a British high school in Kenya and Makerere University in Uganda.
When the brilliant young writer had his first big breakthrough at a 1962 meeting in Kampala, the Conference of African Writers of English Expression, he called himself “James Ngũgi”. This was also the name on the cover his first three novels. He had achieved fame already as an African writer but, as is often said, the best was yet to come.
Not until he co-wrote the play I Will Marry When I Want with Ngũgĩ wa Mirii was the name “Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o” on the cover of his books, including on the first modern novel written in Gĩkũyũ, Devil on the Cross (Caitaani Mũtharaba-inĩ).
I Will Marry When I Want was performed in 1977 in Gĩkũyũ in a local community centre. It was banned and Ngũgĩ was imprisoned for a year.
And still so much more was to come: exile from Kenya, professorships in the UK and US, book after book, fiction and nonfiction, myriad invited lectures and conferences all over the world, a stunning collection of literary awards (with the notable exception of the Nobel Prize for Literature), honorary degrees, and the most distinguished academic appointments in the US, from the east coast to the west.
Yet besides his mother’s influence and no doubt his own aptitude and determination, if one factor could be said to have fuelled his intellectual and literary evolution – from the red clay of Kenya into the firmament of world literary history – it was the language of his birth: Gĩkũyũ. From the stories his mother told him as a child to his own writing in Gĩkũyũ for a local, pan-African and international readership. He provided every reason why he should choose this path in his books of criticism and theory.
Ngũgĩ was also my friend for over three decades – through his US professorships, to Eritrea, to South Africa, to his finally moving to the US to live with his children. We had an ongoing conversation – in person, during many literary projects, over the phone and the internet.
Our friendship started in 1993, when I first interviewed him. He was living in exile from Kenya in Orange, New Jersey, where I was born. We both felt at home at the start of our working together. We felt the same way together through the conferences, books, translations, interviews and the many more literary projects that followed.
What are his most important works?
Since Ngũgĩ was such a voluminous and highly varied writer, he has many different important works. His earliest and historical novels like A Grain of Wheat and The River Between. His regime-shaking plays.
His critical and controversial novels like Devil on the Cross and Petals of Blood. His more experimental and absolutely modern novels like Matigari and Wizard of the Crow.
His epoch-making literary criticism like Decolonising the Mind. His informal and captivating three volumes of memoirs written later in life. His retelling in poetry of a Gĩkũyũ epic, The Perfect Nine, his last great book. A reader of Ngũgĩ can have many a heart’s desire.
My book, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: Texts and Contexts, was based on the three-day conference of the same name that I organised in the US. At the time, it was the largest conference ever held on an African writer anywhere in the world.
What I learned back then applies now more than ever. There are no limits to the interest that Ngũgĩ’s work can generate anytime anywhere and in any form. I saw it happen in 1994 in Reading, Pennsylvania, and I see it now 30 years later in the outpouring of interest and recognition all over the world at Ngũgĩ’s death.
In 1993, he had published a book of essays titled Moving the Centre: The Struggle for Cultural Freedoms. Focusing on Ngũgĩ’s work, the conference and the book were “moving the centre” in Ngũgĩ’s words, “to real creative centres among the working people in conditions of gender, racial, and religious equality”.
What are your takeaways from your discussions with him?
First, African languages are the key to African development, including African literature. Ngũgĩ comprehensively explored and advocated this fundamental premise in over 40 years of teaching, lectures, interviews, conversations and throughout his many books of literary criticism and theory. Also, he epitomised it, writing his later novels in Gĩkũyũ, including his magnum opus, Wizard of the Crow.
Moreover, he codified his declaration of African language independence in co-writing The Asmara Declaration, which has been widely translated. It advocates for the importance and recognition of African languages and literatures.
Second, literature and writing are a world and not a country. Every single place and language can be omnicentric: translation can overcome any border, boundary, or geography and make understanding universal. Be it Shakespeare’s English, Dante’s Italian, Ngugi’s Gĩkũyũ, the Bible’s Hebrew and Aramaic, or anything else, big or small.
Third, on a more personal level, when I first met Ngũgĩ, I was a European American literary scholar and a poet with little knowledge of Africa and its literature and languages, much less of Ngũgĩ himself. He was its favourite son. But this didn’t stop him from giving me the idea and making me understand how African languages contained the seeds of an African Renaissance if only they were allowed to grow.
I knew that the historical European Renaissance rooted, grew, flourished and blossomed through its writers in European vernacular languages. English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and more took the place of Latin in expressing the best that was being thought and said in their countries. Yet translation between and among these languages as well as from classical Latin and Greek culture, plus biblical texts and cultures, made them ever more widely shared and understood.
From Ngũgĩ discussing African languages I took away a sense that African writers, storytellers, people, arts, and cultures could create a similar paradigm and overcome colonialism, colonial languages, neocolonialism and anything else that might prevent greatness.
Charles Cantalupo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Kris Jenner’s “new” face sparked myriad headlines about how she can look so good at 69 years old. While she’s not confirmed what sort of procedures she’s undergone, speculation abounds.
As a US reality TV personality, socialite and Kardashian matriarch, Jenner has long curated her on-screen identity. Her fame and fortune are intimately tied to a multinational cosmetics industry that has, for centuries, bartered in the illusion of timeless beauty.
The pursuit of cosmetic enhancement can be traced back as far as Ancient Egypt, reminding us the desire to look younger is hardly new.
But while many women try in vain to battle the ageing process, Jenner is an example of someone who’s actually succeeded, at least visually. What does that mean for the rest of us?
Decades of surgeries
Modern cosmetic plastic surgery has its roots in compassion. It was developed to help disfigured first world war soldiers rebuild their faces and identities.
But this origin story has been sidelined. Today, aesthetic procedures are overwhelmingly pursued by women and marketed as lifestyle enhancements rather than medical interventions.
Advancements in reconstructive surgery were made after both world wars with treatments on wounded soldiers. AFP/Getty Images
Plastic surgery, once considered extreme or shameful, began to gain popularity in the 1960s, and is now widespread.
Hollywood has long played a role in shaping these standards. During its Golden Age, stars like Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne are reported to have undergone cosmetic surgeries – rhinoplasty (nose jobs), chin implants, facelifts – to preserve their screen personas.
Even before Instagram, before-and-after images were a cultural obsession, often used to shame or expose.
From taboo to trend
The digital age has further normalised cosmetic enhancements, with social media influencers and celebrities promoting procedures alongside beauty products.
It’s estimated Jenner spent upwards of US$130,000 (around A$200,000) on cosmetic interventions, resulting in a look that some media outlets suggest places her in her 30s.
On Jenner, social media users are split. Some offer aspirational praise (“If I had the money, I’d get it all done!”), while others criticise her rejection of “ageing gracefully”.
Yet many stars, including Courtney Cox, Ariana Grande, and Mickey Rourke, have spoken openly about regrets and the psychological toll of these procedures. Even with agency, the pressure remains immense.
Youth as a cultural ideal
This obsession with agelessness reflects a deeper societal discomfort with visible ageing, particularly in women.
Celebrities, with access to elite medical professionals and procedures, seem to cheat time.
Yet the outcome of is often disorienting: when Jenner appears younger than her children, the generational lines blur.
This erasure of age difference entrenches youth as an end in itself. It also destabilises how we perceive kinship and mortality.
Supermodel Bella Hadid has said she regrets getting a rhinoplasty as a teenager. Of Palestinian descent, she said “I wish I’d kept the nose of my ancestors”.
In my own research, I’ve argued cosmetic enhancement is tied to a cultural denial of death.
The ageing isn’t the problem – it’s our refusal to accept it.
The desperate clinging to youth reflects a collective resistance to change. Celebrity culture and consumer capitalism exploit this vulnerability, making age a problem to be solved rather than a life stage to be honoured.
We should mourn our ageing, not erase it. In another world, we could witness it, share it, and celebrate its quiet, powerful beauty.
So what about us?
But that’s not the world many live in, and the pressure extends beyond Hollywood.
With filters, apps, and social media platforms, ordinary people also curate and enhance their images, playing their part in a fantasy of perfection.
A recent study looked at the way young Australians use selfie editing tools. It found the widespread use of such apps have a significant effect on the body image of young people.
The line between self-care and self-deception has never been blurrier. We all want to present the best version of ourselves, even if reality slips into illusion.
So while women have long tried to outrun visible ageing, whether that be through anti-wrinkle creams or more invasive means, Jenner is an example of something relatively rare: a woman who’s actually managed to do it.
In doing so, she and her celebrity counterparts set a new youthful beauty standard in what ageing should (or shouldn’t) look like.
And while that standard may be felt by a variety of women, few will be able to achieve it.
Extremely wealthy beauty moguls like Kris Jenner can afford elite treatments, while most people face growing financial pressure and a cost-of-living crisis. The divide isn’t just aesthetic – it’s economic.
Beauty, in this context, is both a product and a privilege.
And of course, judgement of women’s appearances remains a powerful force for discrediting their political, social, and moral worth. For every bit of praise there is for Jenner’s “youthful” appearance, there are videos claiming she’s “ruined her face” and questioning of whether she should spend so much money on such a cause.
As long as gender inequality persists and beauty remains a currency of value, the pressure to conform will endure.
Margaret Gibson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Black and white rhino populations in the Greater Kruger (Kruger National Park and surrounding reserves) in South Africa have plummeted from over 10,000 rhinos in 2010 to around 2,600 in 2023. Hundreds of rhinos are killed each year by poachers for their horns. These are sold on the illegal global market.
Nature reserve managers, rangers, international funders, and local non-profit organisations have invested millions of dollars in anti-poaching interventions. These include tracking dogs to track poachers, artificial intelligence-enabled detection cameras, helicopters to monitor reserves and, more recently, dehorning (removing rhinos’ horns reduces the incentive for poachers).
Together, managers and scientists gathered seven years of rhino poaching data across 2.4 million hectares in the north-eastern region of South Africa and western Mozambique. During this time, we documented the poaching of 1,985 rhinos across 11 reserves in the Greater Kruger area. This number is about 6.5% of the rhino populations in these reserves annually.
This landscape is a critical global stronghold that conserves around 25% of all Africa’s rhinos.
Our study’s headline result was that dehorning rhinos to reduce incentives for poaching achieved a 78% reduction in poaching (average reduction across implementing reserves). This was based on comparison between sites with and without dehorning as well as changes in poaching before and after dehorning. Exactly 2,284 rhinos were dehorned across eight reserves over the seven years of our research – this was most of the rhino in the region.
Our findings show that significant progress can be made against rhino poaching by reducing the reward attached to poaching (removing the horn). This is a strategic shift in focus away from purely focusing on increasing risks to poachers.
But we are being careful to note that dehorning is not a complete solution. Our research found that 111 rhinos were poached even though they had been dehorned. This is because up to 15cm of horn is left on the rhino when it is dehorned by veterinarians. This is to protect the growth plate at the base of the horn.
Rhinos’ horns regrow over time. During our fieldwork, we also noticed that criminal syndicates remain willing to kill rhinos for their stumps, even if they do this at lower rates than before dehorning.
It may be best to think of dehorning as a very effective but short-term solution that buys us time to address the more ultimate drivers of poaching: horn demand, socio-economic inequality, corruption, and organised criminal networks.
A different approach to pinning down the problem
Part of what made our study special was its strong focus on collaboration between managers and scientists. The project was first conceived by reserve managers at the frontline of rhino conservation and led by Sharon Haussmann, chief executive officer of the Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation. They recognised the need to take a look at whether their investments into tracking dogs, artificial intelligence cameras and other anti-poaching interventions were paying off.
Faced with a poaching crisis despite millions of dollars invested in law enforcement, security and technology, Sharon and the team were bold enough to ask: “Why are we still losing so many rhinos? What could we do differently?” These managers then began working closely with scientists to tackle this problem together through our research.
Tragically, Sharon died unexpectedly on 31 May, less than a week before our research was published. We want to dedicate this research to her legacy.
Detecting and arresting poachers alone is not enough
The nature reserves we studied had invested US$74 million (R1 billion) in anti-poaching interventions between 2017 and 2021. Most of the investment focused on reactive law enforcement – rangers, tracking dogs, helicopters, access controls and detection cameras. This helped achieve over 700 poacher arrests. Yet we found no statistical evidence that these interventions significantly reduced poaching.
Why? These interventions are a necessary element of the anti-poaching toolkit. But they were compromised by bigger challenges. For example, stark socio-economic inequality in the region creates the ideal conditions for crime to thrive, and criminal syndicates find it easy to recruit people willing to take the large risk of poaching rhino.
Entrenched corruption among police and reserve staff allowed offenders access to inside information on the locations of dogs, cameras and rhinos. This meant that poaching was not deterred as much as it could have been.
Finally, ineffective criminal justice systems mean that arrested offenders often escape punishment, with evidence from the Greater Kruger of poachers who were multiple repeat offenders.
What can be done differently?
A range of interventions will be needed to complement dehorning, particularly as poaching for stumps would probably continue if there were no risk to poachers. There is also some evidence that dehorning rhino in one area means poachers may move to another area where rhino still have horns and poach there instead. (This has happened in South Africa’s second largest rhino stronghold in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park where rhino have not been dehorned.)
Our findings challenge the conventional wisdom that detecting and arresting poachers is enough on its own. Instead, we recommend these measures:
Give local people a voice and a stake. Many people affected by rhino conservation have no say and don’t share in the benefits of the industry.
Disrupt transnational criminal networks outside protected areas through intelligence-led investigations (follow the money).
Continue supporting dehorning in the short term. This will buy time to solve the biggest drivers of wildlife crime: inequality, horn demand, and corruption.
Dehorning needs to be supported by other measures to protect the rhino.
Support people first, then interventions. Rangers are key here – their welfare, wages, training and safety are not always given the attention or funding they deserve.
Keep loving rhinos and buying your kids pyjamas with them on.
Timothy Kuiper has received funding from the National Research Foundation in South Africa.
VICTORIA, Seychelles, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEXC, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has officially unveiled its new Launchpad, an innovative token issuance platform that provides users with guaranteed access to high-quality projects at discounted prices. MEXC’s first-ever Launchpad event and debut offering lets users subscribe to select tokens and unlock discounts on BTC.
According to data from Triple-A, the global crypto user base has surpassed 560 million, and market momentum continues to grow. However, many users remain sidelined from having early investment access to promising projects, but also access to established assets at significant discounts due to high entry barriers and complex risk factors.
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Subscription Period: June 6 to June 20
“The release of MEXC Launchpad marks a major milestone in MEXC’s commitment to inclusive finance,” said Tracy Jin, COO of MEXC. “By offering a fair and simple subscription model, we’re making premium project investment accessible to everyone, not just a privileged few. Choosing BTC as the first featured asset opens a new channel for everyday users to participate in “digital gold.” Looking ahead, we’ll continue introducing high-quality projects to bring more value to our global users.”
Cryptocurrency investing involves significant risk and is subject to market volatility. Investors may face potential loss of principal. Please ensure you thoroughly understand the project details and carefully evaluate your risk tolerance before making any investment decisions.
The first BTC Launchpad event is now live on MEXC. For more details, visit the official Launchpad page: https://www.mexc.com/launchpad
About MEXC
Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being “Your Easiest Way to Crypto.” Serving over 40 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, everyday airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding. MEXC Website｜X｜Telegram｜How to Sign Up on MEXC
For media inquiries, please contact MEXC PR Manager Lucia Hu: lucia.hu@mexc.com
Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by MEXC. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.
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Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
OKLAHOMA CITY, United States of America, June 6, 2025/APO Group/ —
The Indiana Pacers defeated Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-110, in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals (www.NBA.com). Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) led the Pacers with 19 points and 10 rebounds while Tyrese Haliburton finished with 14 points (2 3PM), 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in the victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander totaled 38 points (3 3PM), 5 rebounds, and 3 steals for the Thunder in the loss.
The Indiana Pacers lead the best-of-seven series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 1-0. Game 2 will take place on Sunday, June 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET (Monday, June 9 at 2:00 a.m. CAT) on ESPN.
Adam Silver on three-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam (Cameroon; participated in the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in Johannesburg in 2012) and growing the game in Africa:
“He was the 27th pick in the draft. He obviously was the MVP of our Conference Finals. There’s an enormous amount of talent out there in the world.”
“I’m very optimistic about the continent and our ability to continue to grow the game there.”
