A Perrytown ISD coach who sexually abused a 15-year-old student was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Cole Underwood, 29, was charged via criminal complaint in June 2024 and indicted later that same month. In September 2024, he pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor. He was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk to 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Perryton ISD’s superintendent reached out to law enforcement in May 2024 to report a possible inappropriate relationship between Mr. Underwood and a female student. According to the superintendent, surveillance video allegedly showed Mr. Underwood meeting with the girl alone after hours, despite being given a specific directive not to be alone with her.
Agents reviewed the footage and observed Mr. Underwood propping an exterior door open and then shutting off lights. Approximately 15 minutes later, the girl entered the darkened building through the propped door and walked into Mr. Underwood’s office.
In interviews with law enforcement, the child said Mr. Underwood had sex with her in his office more than a dozen times between February and May.
She said that after she added him as a contact on Snapchat, he established a personal friendship with her, and even invited her to his office to confide in him. She said that Mr. Underwood began messaging her in a flirtatious and sexual manner in December, and eventually used Snapchat to arrange sexual encounters.
A search of the girl’s cell phone revealed multiple late-night conversations – some lasting more than six hours – between her and Mr. Underwood, who allegedly occasionally referred to the child as “wifey” and told her he loved her.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, the student detailed how the situation escalated from the defendant acting as a confidant during a stressful period to isolating her and continually pressuring her for sex:
“I had no idea that he was slowly in the process of grooming me, I genuinely thought that he actually cared about me,” she said in a victim impact statement. “I didn’t know how to stop it… He convinced me to shut everyone out. I felt like I seriously had no one but him.”
“I hope if there is a girl out there who is going through what I have been through, she has the chance to hear my story to know it’s okay to speak up. There are people who want to help,” she bravely added. “Just because you have one bad chapter does not mean your story is over.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Amarillo Resident Agency, the Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Office, and the Perrytown Police Department conducted the investigation with the full cooperation of the Perryton Independent School District. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is prosecuting the case.
While the Martian clouds may look like the kind seen in Earth’s skies, they include frozen carbon dioxide, or dry ice. Red-and-green-tinted clouds drift through the Martian sky in a new set of images captured by NASA’s Curiosity rover using its Mastcam — its main set of “eyes.” Taken over 16 minutes on Jan. 17 (the 4,426th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity’s mission), the images show the latest observations of what are called noctilucent (Latin for “night shining”), or twilight clouds, tinged with color by scattering light from the setting Sun. Sometimes these clouds even create a rainbow of colors, producing iridescent, or “mother-of-pearl” clouds. Too faint to be seen in daylight, they’re only visible when the clouds are especially high and evening has fallen. Martian clouds are made of either water ice or, at higher altitudes and lower temperatures, carbon dioxide ice. (Mars’ atmosphere is more than 95% carbon dioxide.) The latter are the only kind of clouds observed at Mars producing iridescence, and they can be seen near the top of the new images at an altitude of around 37 to 50 miles (60 to 80 kilometers). They’re also visible as white plumes falling through the atmosphere, traveling as low as 31 miles (50 kilometers) above the surface before evaporating because of rising temperatures. Appearing briefly at the bottom of the images are water-ice clouds traveling in the opposite direction roughly 31 miles (50 kilometers) above the rover. Dawn of Twilight Clouds Twilight clouds were first seen on Mars by NASA’s Pathfinder mission in 1997; Curiosity didn’t spot them until 2019, when it acquired its first-ever images of iridescence in the clouds. This is the fourth Mars year the rover has observed the phenomenon, which occurs during early fall in the southern hemisphere. Mark Lemmon, an atmospheric scientist with the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, led a paper summarizing Curiosity’s first two seasons of twilight cloud observations, which published late last year in Geophysical Research Letters. “I’ll always remember the first time I saw those iridescent clouds and was sure at first it was some color artifact,” he said. “Now it’s become so predictable that we can plan our shots in advance; the clouds show up at exactly the same time of year.” Each sighting is an opportunity to learn more about the particle size and growth rate in Martian clouds. That, in turn, provides more information about the planet’s atmosphere. Cloud Mystery One big mystery is why twilight clouds made of carbon dioxide ice haven’t been spotted in other locations on Mars. Curiosity, which landed in 2012, is on Mount Sharp in Gale Crater, just south of the Martian equator. Pathfinder landed in Ares Vallis, north of the equator. NASA’s Perseverance rover, located in the northern hemisphere’s Jezero Crater, hasn’t seen any carbon dioxide ice twilight clouds since its 2021 landing. Lemmon and others suspect that certain regions of Mars may be predisposed to forming them. A possible source of the clouds could be gravity waves, he said, which can cool the atmosphere: “Carbon dioxide was not expected to be condensing into ice here, so something is cooling it to the point that it could happen. But Martian gravity waves are not fully understood and we’re not entirely sure what is causing twilight clouds to form in one place but not another.” Mastcam’s Partial View The new twilight clouds appear framed in a partially open circle. That’s because they were taken using one of Mastcam’s two color cameras: the left 34 mm focal length Mastcam, which has a filter wheel that is stuck between positions. Curiosity’s team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California remains able to use both this camera and the higher-resolution right 100 mm focal length camera for color imaging. The rover recently wrapped an investigation of a place called Gediz Vallis channel and is on its way to a new location that includes boxwork — fractures formed by groundwater that look like giant spiderwebs when viewed from space. More recently, Curiosity visited an impact crater nicknamed “Rustic Canyon,” capturing it in images and studying the composition of rocks around it. The crater, 67 feet (20 meters) in diameter, is shallow and has lost much of its rim to erosion, indicating that it likely formed many millions of years ago. One reason Curiosity’s science team studies craters is because the cratering process can unearth long-buried materials that may have better preserved organic molecules than rocks exposed to radiation at the surface. These molecules provide a window into the ancient Martian environment and how it could have supported microbial life billions of years ago, if any ever formed on the Red Planet. More About Curiosity Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego built and operates Mastcam. For more about Curiosity, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity News Media Contacts Andrew GoodJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-393-2433andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Molly WasserNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov 2025-017
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Quentin Grafton, Australian Laureate Professor of Economics, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Water is now a contested resource around the world. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fight playing out over the Northern Territory’s Roper River – one of the last free-flowing rivers in Australia, nurtured by the enduring presence of First Nations custodians.
The territory government recently doubled water extraction allowances from the aquifer that feeds the Roper River, making billions of litres available to irrigators, for free. The change risks permanent damage not just to the river but to world-famous springs and sacred sites fundamentally important to Traditional Owners.
Australia has a very poor track record on maintaining healthy river systems, and on respecting First Nations rights to access and use water.
The Roper River represents a chance to change course on decades of water policy failure. It also shows we must transform how Australia’s water is valued, who uses it, and who decides how vital rivers should be managed.
What’s happening on the Roper River?
The Roper River runs east for 400 kilometres from the Katherine region to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
First Nations people comprise 73% of the population in the Roper River area. Amid socioeconomic challenges, Country sustains them as it has done for 65,000 years. It is integral to maintaining cultural knowledge, as well as ceremonial practices, environmental care and traditional food systems. Traditional Owners’ rights are recognised through Aboriginal freehold land and native title across the area.
Irrigated crops including melons, mangoes and cotton are grown over a small part of the river catchment.
In a string of recent decisions – mainly the designation of regional “water allocation plans” – the territory government has vastly increased potential extraction from underground aquifers. This could allow agriculture and other industries to expand.
The decision came despite staunch opposition from Traditional Owners. As Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan told SBS:
Both the previous and the current NT Government have ignored the voices of Traditional Owners, who have repeatedly said that the health and viability of the Roper River and the springs at Mataranka are at great risk.
Water is life. It is our most valuable resource and Traditional Owners have an obligation to take care of the land and areas of cultural significance.
The Baaka: a sad story of degradation
Sadly, this story is not new to Australia. We need only look to the Baaka (Lower Darling River) in New South Wales as a cautionary tale.
More than a century of water extraction has left the river and its wetlands degraded. This was demonstrated in 2023 when up to 30 million fish died due to low levels of dissolved oxygen, caused by, among other factors, too much water extracted upstream.
The ecological damage has harmed the health and wellbeing of river communities – especially Traditional Owners such as the Barkandji people, who have long relied on the river for sustenance.
The problem is getting worse. As research late last year showed, an investment of more than A$8 billion to date has failed to prevent a stark decline in the health of the Murray-Darling Basin river system.
Traditional knowledge indicates climate change – among other harms – is threatening the Martuwarra. Ecological and ground water systems are drying up, making traditional food and medicine harder to find.
This harms Indigenous custodians reliant on the Martuwarra for their lifeways and livelihoods.
But there is hope. The Indigenous-led Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council has united West Kimberley people, First Peoples and others, along with stakeholders. It seeks to foster joint decision-making on planning and management to take full account of the social, cultural, spiritual and environmental impacts of water allocation across the catchment.
This world-leading example shows what can be achieved when Traditional Owners and their partners unite to defend nature, water and Country as sources of life, not just resources to be exploited.
Community members, researchers, Elders, advocates and decision-makers gathered to share stories from Argentina, Australia, India, Kenya, Brazil and Mexico.
Each tale described people working together to push back against water injustice, whether it involved unequal access, theft, dispossession, pollution or post-truth claims about water.
Participants also watched the premiere screening of the short film EveryOne, EveryWhere, EveryWhen. It highlights what is at stake for Australia’s living rivers – Baaka, Roper and Martuwarra – and tells of the struggle to bring justice to these rivers and their people.
A trailer for the film EveryOne, EveryWhere, EveryWhen.
A fork in the river
Clearly, the time for water reform is now. So what does this mean in practice?
First, the precautionary principle must be deeply embedded in all government decisions. This means the potential for serious environmental damage must be properly considered, and actions taken to avoid it, even when science is not certain.
Second, permission from First Peoples should be obtained for any activity affecting their land or waters, following the principles of “free, prior and informed consent”.
And finally, both Indigenous knowledge and Western science must be brought together to plan, monitor and regulate all water extraction, to ensure our precious rivers are managed for both the present and the future.
Australians face a stark choice.
We can keep gifting valuable water resources to powerful commercial interests, while ignoring the warning signs our rivers are sending.
Or we can follow First Nations leaders and listen to what Country is telling us: to safeguard water for everyone, including non-human kin, to secure a liveable and thriving future for all.
In response to issues raised in this article, the NT’s Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment, Joshua Burgoyne, said the Mataranka water allocation plan provides certainty to the environment and the community and supports regional economic development.
He said the plan was “precautionary, evidenced based, and developed with considered involvement from local community representatives” including Traditional Owners, and preserves more than 90% of dry season flows to the Roper River.
Quentin Grafton receives funding from the Australian Research Council and is the Convenor of the Water Justice Hub.
Anne Poelina is Chair, Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council. She is Professor, Chair and Senior Research Fellow Indigenous Knowledges and affiliated with Nulungu Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Broome. She is Project Lead for an Australian Research Council Funded Project.
Sarah Milne has received funding from the Australian Research Council.
A grand jury in Chicago returned an indictment yesterday charging a high-ranking affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States.
“As alleged, the defendant conspired to traffic dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States — and employed dozens of gunmen to protect his drug trafficking operation and the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Stopping Mexican cartels from poisoning our communities with fentanyl and other narcotics is a top priority of this Administration. Today’s indictment demonstrates that the Criminal Division is relentless in its pursuit of the drug traffickers who profit at the expense of the American people.”
“Our nation’s fentanyl crisis has devastated individuals and families in northern Illinois and throughout the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics before they can reach more victims.”
“From San Diego to Chicago to D.C., we are united to bring down the traffickers pushing these poisons into American communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. “We are attacking at every level — from street dealers to cartel leaders.”
“This indictment reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let this serve as a clear message: if you engage in cartel activity, we will pursue you and bring you to justice. Together with our law enforcement partners at every level, we remain fully committed to protecting the American people and stopping the flow of these dangerous drugs into our nation.”
According to court documents, Ceferino Espinoza Angulo, 43, employed dozens of gunmen in Mexico to protect and support the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, including Ivan Guzman-Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman-Salazar, Ovidio Guzman-Lopez, and Joaquin Guzman-Lopez, collectively known as “the Chapitos.” Espinoza Angulo allegedly conspired to obtain fentanyl precursor chemicals and to manufacture, distribute, and import into the United States fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. Ceferino Espinoza also allegedly illegally possessed a machinegun in furtherance of his drug trafficking scheme.
The Chapitos are the sons of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” who led the Sinaloa Cartel before being convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, and sentenced to life in prison. The Chapitos allegedly assumed their father’s role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Chapitos have been charged with drug trafficking in other U.S. indictments.
Espinoza Angulo is charged with drug conspiracy and firearm offenses. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Espinoza Angulo is believed to be residing in Mexico, and a U.S. warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, and the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau, Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Interdiction Taskforce.
Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Parthum and Andrew C. Erskine for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
B10‑0113/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the continuing detention and risk of death penalty for individuals in Nigeria based on blasphemy charge, notably the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu
–having regard to Rule 150 (5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas in 2020 Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death by hanging for sharing song lyrics on WhatsApp that were deemed blasphemous toward the prophet Mohammed; whereas Sharif-Aminu has appealed his case to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, challenging the constitutionality of Sharia-based blasphemy laws;
B.whereas particularly Christians continue to be targeted by Islamist groups, including Boko Haram, ISWAP (Islamic State in West Africa Province), Fulani militants and other armed bandit groups;
C.whereas Nigeria’s population is forecast to grow to 377 million people by 2050, overtaking the United States (US) to become the world’s third most populated country; whereas this demographic explosion will continue to fuel the mass migration of especially young Nigerians to the EU; whereas in the Sahel and Lake Chad region, Nigeria is the first country of illegal migration towards Europe; whereas in September 2024, the European Court of Auditors criticised the 5 billion Euro EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa for not concentrating enough on the priorities to tackle the root causes of illegal migration;
1.Takes note of the constitutionality challenge of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu against the Sharia-based blasphemy laws in Nigeria;
2.Considers that it is not consistent to advocate for Yahaya’s freedom while simultaneously
applauding and supporting “hate speech” laws that are, in fact, a secular equivalent to blasphemy laws; rejects, in this regard, the Commission’s proposal to extend the list of EU crimes in Article 83 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) to include hate speech;
3.Encourages Nigeria to address the root causes of illegal migration and calls on the EU and Nigeria to step up cooperation to combat illegal migration through intelligence sharing, joint law enforcement efforts and support for repatriation programs;
4.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy, the European External Action Service, the governments and parliaments
of the Member States and the President, government and parliament of Nigeria.
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law pursuant to Rule 150 of the Rules of Procedure
Sebastião Bugalho, Vangelis Meimarakis, Željana Zovko, Wouter Beke, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Tomáš Zdechovský, Mirosława Nykiel, Jessica Polfjärd, Luděk Niedermayer, Jan Farský, Inese Vaidere, Andrey Kovatchev on behalf of the PPE Group
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
Document selected :
B10-0122/2025
Texts tabled :
B10-0122/2025
Texts adopted :
B10‑0122/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the continuing detention and risk of the death penalty for individuals in Nigeria charged with blasphemy, notably the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu
–having regard to its previous resolutions on Nigeria,
– having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
whereasall people have the right to freedom of expression and to manifest their religion or belief, as well as to take part in cultural life and the development of their society through artistic expression, without fear of imprisonment, reprisals or even execution;
whereas on 10August2020, Nigerian singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was brought before an upper Sharia court in Kano State, where he was tried and sentenced to death by hanging for alleged blasphemy in a song he composed and shared on social media containing allegedly derogatory comments regarding the Prophet Muhammad;
whereashis death sentence was quashed by a court of appeal,butremainsdeeply concerned that Mr. Sharif-Aminu’s case will be re-prosecuted based on the same legal framework, the Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law, with serious risks that the death sentence will be confirmed;
whereas on 20 April 2023, the European Parliament adopted an urgencyresolution on the risk of the death penalty and the execution of singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu for blasphemy in Nigeria, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Yahaya Sharif, Rhoda Jatau, Mubarak Bala and others who face blasphemy allegations;
whereas blasphemy laws in Nigeria are in violation of its international human rights commitments, the African Charter and the Nigerian Constitution;
Urges Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, who was convicted of blasphemy for writing a song and sharing it on a social messaging service;
Commends the acquittal of Rhoda Jatau and release of Mubarak Bala while noting that neither of them should have been arrested in the first place;
Recalls that blasphemy laws are in clear breach of international human rights obligations, in particular the ICCPR, and contrary to the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom and freedom of expression;
Urges the Nigerian authorities to uphold human rights throughout the country by ensuring that federal, state and Sharia law do not deny Nigerians protection under the national Constitution and international conventions; urges the Nigerian authorities to repeal the blasphemy laws at federal and state level;
Recalls that Nigeria has immense influence throughout Africa and the Muslim world and stresses that this case is an unprecedented opportunity to lead the way towards abolishing blasphemy laws;
Urgesthe Supreme Court to consider Mr. Sharif-Aminu’s case as a priority, and to urgently adopt a decision taking into consideration Nigeria’s obligations under international human rights law;
Calls onthe Nigerian authoritiestoratifythe Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at theabolition of the death penalty;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, theEEAS, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union forForeign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Government and Parliament ofNigeria.
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
B10‑0111/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on continuing detention and risk of the death penalty for individuals in Nigeria charged with blasphemy, notably the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu
–having regard to its previous resolutions on Nigeria,
– having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas on 10 August 2020, Nigerian singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was brought before an upper Sharia court in Kano State, where he was tried without legal representation and sentenced to death by hanging for alleged blasphemy in a song he composed and shared on social media containing allegedly derogatory comments regarding the Prophet Muhammad;
B.whereas on 21 January 2021, Kano State High Court ordered a retrial on the grounds of procedural irregularities and on 17 August 2022 the Court of Appeal upheld the constitutionality of the blasphemy provisions in the Sharia Penal Code and affirmed the retrial order;
C.whereas in November 2022, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against his conviction, arguing that the blasphemy law under Kano State’s Sharia Penal Code directly violates Nigeria’s Constitution and binding international human rights treaties; whereas he remains in prison;
D.whereas many other people have been harmed by Nigeria’s blasphemy laws
E.Recalls that Nigeria is party of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which restricts capital punishment to the most serious crimes, and that the Sharia is practiced in at least 12 states in northern Nigeria and imposes the death penalty for blasphemy;
F.whereas blasphemy laws in Nigeria are in violation of its international human rights commitments, the African Charter and the Nigerian Constitution;
1.Urges the Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, drop all charges against him and guarantee his due process rights and to all others who face blasphemy allegations;
2.Recalls that blasphemy laws are in clear breach of international human rights obligations, in particular the ICCPR, and contrary to the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom and freedom of expression;
3.Urges the Nigerian authorities to uphold human rights and religious liberty throughout the country by ensuring that federal and state law do not deny Nigerians protection under the national Constitution and international conventions neither their freedom of faith;
4.Recalls that Nigeria has enormous influence throughout Africa and the Muslim world, and stresses that this case presents an unprecedented opportunity to lead the way in addressing the Islamic fundamentalist backsliding in the region;
5.Urges the Nigerian Government to tackle the impunity surrounding blasphemy accusations and to repeal the blasphemy laws at federal and state level;
6.Recalls the international efforts to fight Islamic terrorist groups,such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, who are attacking, killing and displacingNigerians and particularly Christians and urges Nigeria to immediately take action to fight and prevent their terrorist attack;
7.Calls for the EU and its Member States, as key development partners, to raise individual cases, human rights concerns and blasphemy laws with the Nigerian authorities;
8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Nigerian authorities and international institutions.
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
Bernard Guetta, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, Karin Karlsbro, Ľubica Karvašová, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Urmas Paet, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
B10‑0131/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the repression by the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua, targeting human rights defenders, political opponents and religious communities in particular
–having regard to its previous resolutions on Nicaragua,
–having regard to Rules 150 of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas on 30th January 2025 the Nicaraguan National Assembly approved a constitutional reform that, radically changes the foundations of the State and the Nicaraguan political system; whereas it eliminates the division of powers, gives the Presidency control over all branches of government, independent institutions and the media and ignores the adherence of Nicaragua to international human rights conventions and treaties, including the one prohibiting torture;
B.whereas since 2018, the Nicaraguan regime has systematically, repeatedly and arbitrarily incarcerated, harassed and intimidated human rights defenders, opposition and religious representatives, among others; whereas over 5600 NGOs have been dissolved, including religious groups, and their assets have been confiscated;
C.whereas the main political opponents were imprisoned months before the elections, later expelled from the country together with human rights defenders, stripped of their nationality, and deprived of their political rights after being accused of “coup plotting” and “treason”;
1.Strongly condemns the Nicaraguan regime’s widespread repression; calls on the release of all those arbitrarily detained, the restoration of the rule of law and freedoms, the cessation of repression, the restoration of rights to exiles and their safe return; insist that they are sine qua non conditions for any prospect of meaningful dialogue;
2.Denounces the use of statelessness and exile as a weapon against any dissenting voice; reiterates the need to put an end to restrictions on civic space and respect the right to dissent;
3.Calls on the Nicaraguan regime to reverse the constitutional reform and all repressive laws, to fully respect its international human rights obligations and to implement the recommendations made by the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua;
4.Calls on the European Union and its Member States to include specific guarantees of respect for human rights with regard to the European funds allocated, as well as funds channelled through multilateral and financial institutions, and to ensure, through strict control, that these funds do not contribute to reinforce the Nicaraguan regime;
5.Calls on the relevant authorities to strengthen support for the Nicaraguan opposition currently in exile, and to maintain close cooperation with countries receiving large numbers of migrants fleeing the country;
6.Recalls that in the light of the Association Agreement between the EU and Central America, Nicaragua must respect and consolidate the principles of the rule of law, democracy and human rights; reiterates its demand to trigger the democratic clause of the Association Agreement;
7.Reiterates its call to include Daniel Ortega and his inner circle in the list of EU sanctioned individuals and entities;
8.Calls for the immediate extradition of Alessio Casimirri to Italy;
9.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, the OAS, the EuroLat Parliamentary Assembly, the Central American Parliament, the Presidency Pro Tempore of CELAC, the Vatican and the Government and Parliament of the Republic of Nicaragua.
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law pursuant to Rule 150 of the Rules of Procedure
Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Hannes Heide on behalf of the S&D Group
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
Document selected :
B10-0120/2025
Texts tabled :
B10-0120/2025
Texts adopted :
B10‑0120/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the continuing detention and risk of death penalty for individuals in Nigeria based on blasphemy charge, notably the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu
—having regard to its previous resolution on Yahaya Sharif Aminu in Nigeria,
—having regard to the Constitution of Nigeria,
—having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is party,
—having regard to the Samoa Agreement,
—having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
whereasin March 2020 Nigerian singer Yahaya Sharif Aminu was accused of singing lyrics which were deemed to contain derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad;whereas he was arrested and charged with blasphemy;whereas his family faced harassment and persecution following his arrest;
whereasin August 2020 Sharif Aminu was tried without legal representation and convicted for blasphemy; whereas he was sentenced by the Upper Sharia court in Kano State to death by hanging;whereas in January 2021 the Kano State High Court ordered a retrial;
whereas in August 2022 the Court of Appeal issued a judgement confirming it considers the Sharia Penal Code to be compatible with the Nigerian constitution; whereas Sharif Aminu appealed to the Supreme Court in November 2022; whereas he is still awaiting a trial date for the appeal;
whereasreports indicate his health has deteriorated and he is detained in unsuitable conditions without sufficient food, clothing, or medication;
whereas blasphemy laws are a violation of international human rights commitments and stifle freedom of expression and of religion and belief; whereas accusations of blasphemy frequently lead to harassment, violence and in the most serious cases mob killing;
whereas the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights restricts the use of capital punishment to only the most serious crimes; whereas death penalty sentences continue to be handed down in blasphemy cases in northern Nigerian states under Sharia law;
Calls on the Nigerian authorities to immediately release Sharif Aminu and withdraw the blasphemy charges against him; insists that while he remains in detention his access to adequate food, clothing and medical treatment must be ensured;
Calls on the Supreme Court of Nigeria to ensure an expedited and fair appeals process, pending his release;
Urges the Governor of Kano to refrain from signing any warrant for the execution of Sharif Aminu;
Underlines the EU’s strong opposition to the death penalty, in all cases and without exception; reiterates its calls for the Government of Nigeria to immediately withdraw the use of capital punishment for blasphemy, and take steps towards full abolition;
Calls on the HR/VP and Member States to raise the case of Sharif Aminu in engagement with the Nigerian authorities;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP,andthePresident,Governmentand ParliamentofNigeria, and the Governor of Kano State.
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law pursuant to Rule 150 of the Rules of Procedure
Jan‑Christoph Oetjen, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Urmas Paet, Marie‑Agnes Strack‑Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar on behalf of the Renew Group
NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.
Document selected :
B10-0117/2025
Texts tabled :
B10-0117/2025
Texts adopted :
B10‑0117/2025
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on continuing detention and risk of the death penalty for individuals in Nigeria charged with blasphemy, notably the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu
–having regard to its previous resolution of 20 April 2023 on the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu,
–having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas in March 2020, Nigerian singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was arrested and his family attacked following accusations of blasphemy over a song shared online;
B.whereas on 10 August 2020, he was sentenced to death by an Upper Sharia Court in Kano State without legal representation; whereas on 27 August 2020, the Kano State Governor publicly stated he would sign the execution warrant;
C.whereas following legal challenges citing procedural violations and constitutional concerns, the Kano State High Court ordered a retrial in January 2021; whereas in August 2022, the Court of Appeal upheld this ruling but affirmed the constitutionality of Sharia blasphemy laws;
D.whereas Yahaya Sharif-Aminu’s appeal to the Supreme Court remains pending; whereas in May 2024, UN human rights experts demanded his immediate release, condemning his detention as a violation of fundamental rights;
E.whereas in November 2024, his legal counsel petitioned Nigeria’s National Assembly to challenge the constitutionality of his detention and advocate for legislative reform;
F.whereas similar cases persist, including Deborah Yakubu, a student lynched in 2022, and Mubarak Bala, sentenced to 24 years in prison for blasphemy; whereas Rhoda Jatau was detained for two years before her acquittal in December 2024;
G.whereas religious freedom and freedom of expression are fundamental rights that must be upheld globally;
Condemns the continued imprisonment of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu and calls for his immediateand unconditionalrelease and the dismissal of all charges;
Welcomes Rhoda Jatau’s acquittal,but expresses grave concernover Mubarak Bala’s continued detention, and urges authorities to protect acquitted individuals from reprisals;
Calls on Nigeria to repeal blasphemy laws, including Section 204 of the Criminal Code, and align national laws with international human rights obligations;
Urges Nigeria toimmediately impose anationwidemoratorium on executions and work towards full abolition of the death penalty for blasphemy and non-violent offenses;
Denounces impunity surrounding blasphemy accusations and calls for protection against mob violence;
Calls on the Nigerian police to ensure prompt investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of mob killings related to blasphemy;
Stresses Nigeria’s responsibility to lead by example in abolishing blasphemy laws thatsystematicallyendangerreligiousminorities, violate fundamental freedoms and fuel sectarian violence;
Reaffirms the importance of international cooperation in advancing human rights and urges diplomatic engagement on blasphemy laws;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Nigerian government, National Assembly, African Union, UN, and EU institutions.
Exhibition “Legacy of Indo- Oman Relations” Mounted at Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Hall, Delhi Open to the Public from 11 February to 13 February, 2025
Posted On: 11 FEB 2025 8:58PM by PIB Delhi
The National Archives of India (NAI) in collaboration with the National Records and Archives Authority (NRAA), Sultanate of Oman, jointly inaugurated an exhibition on the theme “Legacy of Indo-Oman Relations” on 11th February 2025 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath, New Delhi. India and Oman.
The event was graced by esteemed dignitaries, historians, and scholars from both nations. Their Excellencies, the Ambassadors of Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Arab League, Egypt, Algeria, UAE, Palestine, Bahrain, Honorary Consul General of Montenegro were among the dignitaries who attended the inaugural function. The exhibition showcases a collection of rare archival documents that trace centuries-old trade, diplomatic relations, and cultural exchanges between India and Oman. It highlights significant historical moments and collaborations that have shaped bilateral relations over time.
Inaugurating the exhibition, Shri. Arun Singhal, Director General of Archives, National Archives of India, stated, “This exhibition stands as a testament to the enduring friendship and shared history between India and Oman. It offers a unique opportunity to reflect on our historical connections and further strengthen archival collaboration between our two nations.”Speaking at the event, H.E. Dr. Hamed Mohd. Al Dhawaini, Chairman of the National Records & Archives Authority, Oman stated that Oman and India have witnessed remarkable growth in bilateral relations, forming strategic partnerships based on trust and mutual respect. He emphasized that historical records and correspondence demonstrate the lasting significance of these ties, which continue to shape the social and cultural constituent of both countries.
The joint initiative aims to promote cultural understanding and academic research through archival exchanges. Open to the public from 11 February to 13 February, 2025, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the rich legacy of Indo-Oman relations.
A grand jury in Chicago returned an indictment yesterday charging a high-ranking affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States.
“As alleged, the defendant conspired to traffic dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States — and employed dozens of gunmen to protect his drug trafficking operation and the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Stopping Mexican cartels from poisoning our communities with fentanyl and other narcotics is a top priority of this Administration. Today’s indictment demonstrates that the Criminal Division is relentless in its pursuit of the drug traffickers who profit at the expense of the American people.”
“Our nation’s fentanyl crisis has devastated individuals and families in northern Illinois and throughout the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics before they can reach more victims.”
“From San Diego to Chicago to D.C., we are united to bring down the traffickers pushing these poisons into American communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. “We are attacking at every level — from street dealers to cartel leaders.”
“This indictment reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let this serve as a clear message: if you engage in cartel activity, we will pursue you and bring you to justice. Together with our law enforcement partners at every level, we remain fully committed to protecting the American people and stopping the flow of these dangerous drugs into our nation.”
According to court documents, Ceferino Espinoza Angulo, 43, employed dozens of gunmen in Mexico to protect and support the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, including Ivan Guzman-Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman-Salazar, Ovidio Guzman-Lopez, and Joaquin Guzman-Lopez, collectively known as “the Chapitos.” Espinoza Angulo allegedly conspired to obtain fentanyl precursor chemicals and to manufacture, distribute, and import into the United States fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. Ceferino Espinoza also allegedly illegally possessed a machinegun in furtherance of his drug trafficking scheme.
The Chapitos are the sons of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” who led the Sinaloa Cartel before being convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, and sentenced to life in prison. The Chapitos allegedly assumed their father’s role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Chapitos have been charged with drug trafficking in other U.S. indictments.
Espinoza Angulo is charged with drug conspiracy and firearm offenses. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Espinoza Angulo is believed to be residing in Mexico, and a U.S. warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, and the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau, Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Interdiction Taskforce.
Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Parthum and Andrew C. Erskine for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted airstrikes against ISIS-Somalia on Feb. 01, 2025. The joint airstrikes targeted senior ISIS-Somalia leadership in a series of cave complexes approximately 50 miles southeast of Bosaso.
The command’s current assessment is that approximately 14 ISIS-Somalia operatives were killedand no civilians were harmed. Among those killed was Ahmed Maeleninine, a key ISIS recruiter, financier, and external operations leader responsible for the deployment of jihadists into the United States and across Europe.
Degrading ISIS and other terrorist organizations’ ability to plot and conduct attacks that threaten the U.S. homeland, our partners, and civilians remains central to U.S. Africa Command’s mission.
A grand jury in Chicago returned an indictment yesterday charging a high-ranking affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States.
“As alleged, the defendant conspired to traffic dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States — and employed dozens of gunmen to protect his drug trafficking operation and the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Stopping Mexican cartels from poisoning our communities with fentanyl and other narcotics is a top priority of this Administration. Today’s indictment demonstrates that the Criminal Division is relentless in its pursuit of the drug traffickers who profit at the expense of the American people.”
“Our nation’s fentanyl crisis has devastated individuals and families in northern Illinois and throughout the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics before they can reach more victims.”
“From San Diego to Chicago to D.C., we are united to bring down the traffickers pushing these poisons into American communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. “We are attacking at every level — from street dealers to cartel leaders.”
“This indictment reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Let this serve as a clear message: if you engage in cartel activity, we will pursue you and bring you to justice. Together with our law enforcement partners at every level, we remain fully committed to protecting the American people and stopping the flow of these dangerous drugs into our nation.”
According to court documents, Ceferino Espinoza Angulo, 43, employed dozens of gunmen in Mexico to protect and support the leadership of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, including Ivan Guzman-Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman-Salazar, Ovidio Guzman-Lopez, and Joaquin Guzman-Lopez, collectively known as “the Chapitos.” Espinoza Angulo allegedly conspired to obtain fentanyl precursor chemicals and to manufacture, distribute, and import into the United States fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. Ceferino Espinoza also allegedly illegally possessed a machinegun in furtherance of his drug trafficking scheme.
The Chapitos are the sons of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” who led the Sinaloa Cartel before being convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, and sentenced to life in prison. The Chapitos allegedly assumed their father’s role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Chapitos have been charged with drug trafficking in other U.S. indictments.
Espinoza Angulo is charged with drug conspiracy and firearm offenses. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Espinoza Angulo is believed to be residing in Mexico, and a U.S. warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, and the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau, Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Interdiction Taskforce.
Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Parthum and Andrew C. Erskine for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Commission is not aware of the referred prospection projects for the extraction of rare earths.
The EU legal framework applicable to the extraction and processing of raw materials[1] aims to ensure that the activities within its scope, including mining, comply with high environmental standards.
The Critical Raw Materials Act[2] (CRMA) provides a framework to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials streamlining permitting procedures in mining and in the critical raw materials supply chain while keeping environmental checks.
I n the case of Strategic Projects for which the obligation to carry out assessments of the effects on the environment arises simultaneously from the Environmental Impact Assessment[3], Habitats[4], Birds[5], Water[6] and Waste Framework[7], Industrial Emissions[8], or the Seveso III[9] Directives, Member States shall apply a coordinated procedure fulfilling all the requirements of these acts[10].
The regulation applies without prejudice to the obligations under the Aarhus and Espoo Conventions[11] and the requirements on public participation included in the above-mentioned legislation.
Under the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive[12] and the Batteries Regulation[13], companies are required to take steps with regard to social and environmental risks when sourcing raw materials but those rules have not yet entered into application.
The 2022 Communication on the EU’s outermost regions[14] stresses the importance of protecting and restoring the high biodiversity value of these regions. Several EU instruments can support biodiversity protection and restoration in the outermost region of the Canary Islands[15].
[1] Directive 2006/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 on the management of waste from extractive industries and amending Directive 2004/35/EC, OJ L 102, 11.4.2006, p. 15-34.
[2] Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020, OJ L, 2024/1252, 3.5.2024.
[3] Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 26, 28.1.2012, p. 1-21, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of 16 April 2014, OJ L 124, 25.4.2014, p. 1-18.
[4] Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7-50.
[5] Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (Codified version), OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7-25.
[6] Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1-73.
[7] Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives, OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3-30.
[8] Directive (EU) 2024/1785 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 amending Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) and Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste. OJ L, 2024/1785, 15.7.2024. Transposition date of this directive is 1 July 2026.
[9] Directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances, amending and subsequently repealing Council Directive 96/82/EC, OJ L 197, 24.7.2012, p. 1-37.
[11] United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, signed at Aarhus on 25 June 1998, and UNECE Convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context, signed at Espoo on 25 February 1991 and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment, signed in Kyiv on 21 May 2003.
[12] Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859, OJ L, 2024/1760, 5.7.2024.
[13] Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 concerning batteries and waste batteries, amending Directive 2008/98/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Directive 2006/66/EC, OJ L 191, 28.7.2023, p. 1-117.
[14] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic And Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions, COM (2022) 198 final.
[15] Eg. European Regional Development Fund: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funding/erdf_en or the regulation (EU) 2021/783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE), and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013, OJ L 172, 17.05.2021, p.53.
The Commission is aware of the challenges facing the outermost regions in terms of water shortages and is fully committed to supporting these regions in improving water management and related infrastructure.
The Commission reiterated this commitment in its communication on the outermost regions[1] of May 2022, which aims to contribute to improving the quality of life of citizens in these regions, in particular as regards basic needs such as water and sanitation.
An independent study[2] on living conditions and access to basic needs in the outermost regions published by the Commission in 2024 further sheds light into the remaining challenges related to access to drinking water and sanitation in some of these regions.
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) provides substantial financial support to the French outermost regions on structural investments in drinking water and sanitation, for example to ensure the resilience of water catchments, develop drinking water treatment facilities and equipment, and improve the efficiency of distribution networks.
Support to drinking water is also a priority for cohesion policy in these regions in 2021-2027. For instance, in Réunion, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, and Mayotte, the ERDF will invest respectively EUR 106 million, EUR 148 million, EUR 10 million and EUR 47.5 million to improve the quality of drinking water and sanitation infrastructure.
In addition, the directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption[3] includes provisions to protect human health by ensuring that drinking water is clean and to improve access to drinking water, in particular for vulnerable and marginalised groups.
Member States had to transpose this directive into national law by 12 January 2023, which France did.
[3] Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on the quality of water intended for human consumption, OJ L 435, 23.12.2020, p. 1-62.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
The Secretary-General joins the people of Namibia in mourning the passing of His Excellency Dr. Sam Nujoma.
An architect of Namibia’s liberation struggle and recognized as its founding father, Dr. Nujoma led the nation’s transition to independence in 1990, when he was elected as the country’s first President. The United Nations stood alongside Dr. Nujoma and all Namibians, as the world witnessed the raising of the flag of the newly free and sovereign nation on 21 March of that year.
As President, Dr. Nujoma demonstrated steadfast leadership in the face of immense challenges, leaving an indelible mark on his country, Africa and the world.
The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to Dr. Nujoma’s family and to the Government and people of Namibia.
Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Albanese Government has imposed additional cyber sanctions in response to the 2022 cyberattack against Medibank Private.
The attack affected millions of Medibank’s customers whose personal and sensitive medical information was stolen. Some records were published on the dark web.
This is the first time that Australia has imposed cyber sanctions on an entity and the first time Australia has imposed sanctions on those providing the network infrastructure and services that make cyberattacks like this possible.
The Government is imposing these cyber sanctions on the Russian entity, ZServers, and five Russian cybercriminals who provided the network infrastructure and services used to host and release the data stolen from Medibank. The individuals are ZServers’ owner, Aleksandr Bolshakov, and employees Aleksandr Mishin, Ilya Sidorov, Dmitriy Bolshakov and Igor Odintsov.
ZServers and the five sanctioned individuals also provided enabling services that supported a range of other cybercrimes, including ransomware activities conducted by affiliates of LockBit and BianLian and other ransomware groups.
The sanctions announced today make it a criminal offence to provide assets to ZServers or the five sanctioned individuals, or to use or deal with their assets, with penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or heavy fines. The sanctions also ban the individuals from entering Australia.
Today’s sanctions follow the Government’s decisive action to sanction Aleksandr Ermakov, announced in January 2024, for his role in the Medibank Private data breach.
They are a result of the close collaboration between the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), other Commonwealth agencies and key international partners, including the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), who have all worked tirelessly to unmask these cybercriminals.
The UK and the US have also imposed sanctions on these malicious cyber actors, demonstrating our collective resolve to combat cybercrime.
These sanctions reflect the Albanese Government’s commitment in the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy to deter and respond to malicious cyber activity, including by using sanctions to hold cybercriminals to account.
Malicious cyber actors continue to target Australian governments, critical infrastructure, businesses and individuals. Australia’s autonomous cyber sanctions framework is a key tool in imposing costs on cyber actors and protecting Australians from this threat.
Australians should report cybercrimes, incidents or vulnerabilities to the Australian Signals Directorate at 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371) or https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.
Australian businesses can help protect themselves from ransomware by updating devices, regularly backing up files and ensuring staff know to never visit suspicious websites, open emails from unknown sources or click on suspicious links. More information can be found at cyber.gov.au/ransomware
Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles:
“These sanctions send a clear message to malicious cyber actors that there are consequences of trying to do Australians harm.
“The Albanese Government continues to take decisive action to hold to account those responsible for one of Australia’s largest cyber incidents.
“Importantly, this is the first cyber sanction against an enabler of cybercrime. Disrupting the criminal ecosystem in this way impacts hundreds of cybercriminals at once.”
Quotes attributable to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong:
“The Albanese Government is using all elements of our national power to make Australia more secure and to keep Australians safe.
“We are preventing, deterring and disrupting malicious cyber activity through attributions and targeted sanctions in the national interest.
“We will continue to work with our international partners to impose costs on cyber criminals and protect Australians from cyber threats.”
Quote attributable to Cyber Security Minister Tony Burke:
“This Government established the cybersecurity portfolio because national security requires cybersecurity. This strong action is about keeping Australians safe.”
Mahe, Seychelles, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BitMart, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has announced the launch of its monthly “Trading King” Campaign, a recurring trading competition designed to recognize and reward top traders worldwide. Open to participants across 46+ countries, the Campaign offers exclusive BitMart merchandise, USDT prizes, and premium rewards to outstanding traders each month.
The Campaign provides traders with an opportunity to compete regionally and globally, showcasing their trading expertise and securing valuable prizes. Participants will be ranked based on their spot trading volume, with both regional champions and top global performers receiving special rewards.
Campaign Structure
Monthly Regional Winners – Traders compete within their respective regions, including Europe, CIS, Turkey, and Brazil, among others. The trader with the highest spot trading volume in each region will be awarded custom BitMart gifts and USDT rewards.
Global Leaderboard – The top three traders worldwide will receive customized premium rewards, recognizing their exceptional performance on a global scale.
Campaign Duration
Start Date: February 1, 2025, 00:00 UTC End Date: February 28, 2025, 23:59 UTC
BitMart’s Trading King Campaign not only fosters a competitive trading environment but also provides participants with exclusive incentives. With the crypto trading landscape constantly evolving, this initiative underscores BitMart’s commitment to rewarding excellence and fostering engagement within its global community.
About BitMart BitMart is the premier global digital asset trading platform. With millions of users worldwide and ranked among the top crypto exchanges on CoinGecko, it currently offers 1,600+ trading pairs with competitive trading fees. Constantly evolving and growing, BitMart is interested in crypto’s potential to drive innovation and promote financial inclusion. To learn more about BitMart, visit their Website, follow their X (Twitter), or join their Telegram for updates, news, and promotions. Download BitMart App to trade anytime, anywhere.
Disclaimer:
Use of BitMart services is entirely at your own risk. All crypto investments, including earnings, are highly speculative in nature and involve substantial risk of loss. Past, hypothetical, or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The value of digital currencies can go up or down and there can be a substantial risk in buying, selling, holding, or trading digital currencies. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital currencies is suitable for you based on your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. BitMart does not provide any investment, legal, or tax advice.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Solidarity and social inclusion are more important than ever as the world grapples with multiple emergencies such as the climate crisis, democratic backsliding and repeated human rights abuses, high-level ministers said today at a panel discussion at the 2025 session of the Commission for Social Development.
Ministers ranging from Sweden to Uganda in a panel discussion titled “Strengthening solidarity and social cohesion” spotlighted various ways their Governments were working to promote progress in health, education, gender equality, human rights, microfinance and macroeconomic measures, while also calling on the wider international community to recommit to sustainable development. They expressed concern that trust and faith in Government and institutions had eroded in recent years just as progress faced new roadblocks.
“Progress towards eradication of poverty has lately stalled,” said the Commission’s Chair, Krzysztof Maria Szczerski (Poland), who also moderated the discussion. Income and wealth inequality remain, while decent work is in short supply. These developments, together with global trends and intersecting crises, hamper social inclusion. “Governments need to tackle these challenges, but trust in them is in decline in many countries, weakening social cohesion and limiting the effectiveness of the social policies,” he stressed. Key to addressing these challenges is strengthening solidarity. Stressing the need to combat mis- and disinformation, he said that citizen participation in Government and policy can indeed boost trust in the public sector.
Kaisa Juuso, Minister for Social Affairs and Health of Finland, said that a society’s resilience to challenges and crises heavily relies on social cohesion and trust. Universal social protection — such as health services, long-term care and education — enhances stability and security. She went on to introduce the so-called “economy of well-being” approach, emphasizing that the policies and structures supporting human well-being are vital for inclusive economic growth. They are linked directly to economic activity, labour market participation and productivity, she said, adding that it highlights the mutually reinforcing nature of economy and well-being and encourages collaboration across sectors. Investing in universal health coverage, social protection, education and gender equality is key to social cohesion and inclusive economic growth. These together with decent work and inclusive labour markets are “the best ways to tackle poverty and discrimination”, she said. Stressing the importance of leaving no population groups behind, she affirmed that “in Finland, we share a deep understanding in society that a nation can only prosper by providing an enabling environment for everyone to grow to their fullest potential”.
“As one of the largest donors to the global development system, Sweden remains fully committed to reaching the SDG targets, but we are not happy with the progress,” said Camilla Waltersson-Grönvall, Minister for Social Services of Sweden. According to the World Bank, almost 700 million people live in extreme poverty globally, she added, urging lawmakers and leaders to “work hard to ensure sound and inclusive social protection systems”. This is fundamental to guarantee that those in vulnerable situations receive the support they need. Sweden believes that gender equality is both a human right and a key driver of inclusive growth and social development. Turning to child rights, she highlighted several national efforts and underscored evidence that suggests there is a correlation between children growing up in circumstances of parity and deprivation and increased risks in terms of worse physical and mental health, worse educational achievement and lower participation in society. “Families and parents might be the most important tool to prevent children from ending up in negative patterns,” she added.
Betty Amongi Ongom, Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development of Uganda, highlighted her country’s initiatives to promote social integration by prioritizing health, education, microfinance and macroeconomic measures to drive growth. These efforts have facilitated the absorption of unemployed youth into the private sector. Uganda has also attracted investors through prudent economic and investment policies that have bolstered foreign direct investment (FDI). The country has reformed its labour laws and encouraged private-sector investment in health insurance policies. To further support vulnerable groups, Uganda has made affordable financial services accessible to women, youth, persons with disabilities, older persons, refugees and the rural poor. “We are offering online services with affordable Internet and technology, enabling the rural poor to access many services online,” she noted. Vulnerable communities have also benefited from grants and cash transfers. Additionally, Uganda launched free skilling programmes targeting the underprivileged and supported the establishment of shared facilities, which are freely available to help women and youth incubate their businesses.
Maria Luisa Ramirez, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, said the Government has worked hard to improve trust in institutions, through fighting corruption, providing access to public information and encouraging citizen participation in the formulation of public policies. “In Guatemala, around 59 per cent of the population live in conditions of poverty, with significant differences in the rural and Indigenous areas,” she added. This has led the Government to promote policies for social protection, ensuring that the most vulnerable families have access to quality education, health services with a cultural perspective and opportunities for dignified employment. Concentrating on this is very important “to prevent everyone having to leave rural areas to go to urban areas”, she added. Guatemala is also seeking to promote a safe environment for investment and for entrepreneurship through generating trust in key sectors such as sustainable agriculture and the digitalization of services.
Mahdi Mohamed Djama, Director General of the Social Development Agency in Djibouti, highlighted the significant challenges faced by his country, which has a population of just over 1 million. These challenges include severe weather, desertification and a youth unemployment rate of 73 per cent for those under 25. While Djibouti’s economy has shown resilience — with gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaging 6 per cent from 2011 to 2021 and reaching 6.7 per cent in 2023 — it remains marked by inequality, with a Gini coefficient of 41.6 and an extreme poverty rate of 19.1 per cent. Djibouti Vision 2035 places human capital development and social infrastructure at its core. The Government has implemented social welfare programmes, job creation initiatives through vocational training, and support for small- and medium-sized enterprises. It has also launched efforts to promote solidarity and transparency. To address inequality and poverty, Djibouti is focused on diversifying its economy while strengthening its social and economic systems.
As the granddaughter of immigrants from Lithuania and Poland who spoke little English, I understand what it’s like to be treated as a stranger in America.
As a journalist, I covered stories of war and trauma in the 1990s, including the crushing of Chinese protests in Tiananmen Square and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, followed by the Soviet Union’s collapse two years later. I covered the war between Iraq and Iran. I witnessed ethnic strife in South Africa and the toll poverty takes in Mexico.
And having worked in senior levels of the U.S. government for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama on international conflict resolution, I have learned that compassion is a key ingredient of peacemaking.
Perhaps that all explains my curiosity about a new study on the state of compassion in America – part of the glue that holds communities together.
Defining compassion
Sociologists define compassion as the human regard for the suffering of others, and the notion of using action to alleviate this pain.
The report that caught my eye was issued in January 2025 by the Muhammad Ali Center, which the late boxer co-founded 20 years ago in Louisville, Kentucky, to advance social justice.
As the Ali Center explains, compassion starts with the individual – self-care and personal wellness. It then radiates out to the wider community in the form of action and engagement.
You can see compassion at work in the actions of a Pasadena, California, girl, who started a donation hub for teens affected by fires that ripped through the Los Angeles region in early 2025. She began collecting sports bras, hair ties and fashionable sweaters – helping hundreds of her peers begin to recover from their losses in material and emotional ways.
It’s also visible in the estimated 6.8 million people in the U.S. who donate blood each year, according to the American Red Cross.
The researchers who worked on the Ali Center report interviewed more than 5,000 U.S. adults living in 12 cities in 2024 in order to learn more about the prevalence of compassionate behaviors such as charitable giving, volunteering and assisting others in their recovery from disasters.
They found that the desire to help others still animates many Americans despite the nation’s current polarization and divisive politics.
The center has created an index it calls the “net compassion score.” It approximates the degree to which Americans give their time and money to programs and activities that nurture and strengthen their communities.
Cities with high compassion scores have more community engagement and civic participation than those with low scores. A higher-scoring community performs better when it comes to things like public housing and mental health resources, for example. Its residents report more career opportunities, better communications between local government and citizens, more community programs and more optimism around economic development where they live.
The report provides some clues as to what drives compassionate behavior in a city: a sense of spirituality, good education, decent health care, resources for activities like sports, and opportunities to engage in local politics.
All told, Americans rate their country as a 9 on a scale that runs from minus 100 to 100.
The report also identified some troubling obstacles that stand in the way of what it calls “self-compassion” – meaning how volunteers and donors treat their own mental and physical health. Frequent struggles with self-care can lead to rising levels of isolation and loneliness.
Jeni Stepanek, left, chair of the Muhammad Ali Index; Lonnie Ali, co-founder and vice chair of the Muhammad Ali Center; and DeVone Holt, the center’s president and CEO, at the launch of the Muhammad Ali Index on Jan. 16, 2025. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Muhammad Ali Center
Doubting their own capacity
The 2025 Compassion Report’s findings show that many Americans still want to live in a compassionate country but also that Americans view the country as less compassionate today than four years ago.
The report delves into gaps in compassion. About one-third of those interviewed acknowledged that there are groups toward whom they feel less compassionate toward, such as people who have been convicted of crimes, immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization and the rich.
Only 29% said they feel compassion toward everyone.
The report also identifies gender gaps. Despite expressing greater awareness of systemic challenges, the women surveyed reported less self-compassion than men.
It’s not the first compassion study ever done. But I believe that this one is unique due to its focus on specific cities, and how it assessed limits on the compassion some people feel toward certain groups.
Helping health and humanity
The Compassion Institute, another nonprofit, seeks to weave compassion training into health care education to “create a more caring and humanitarian world.” It cites the benefits of compassion for human beings, with everything from reducing stress to alleviating the effects of disease on the mind and body.
Academic institutions, including Stanford University, have conducted many studies on how teaching compassion can guide health care professionals to both treat patients better and achieve better outcomes.
A team of Emory University researchers examined how training people to express more compassion can reduce stress hormones levels, triggering positive brain responses that improve immune responses.
Offering an advantage
Although there are plenty of adorable videos of dogs and cats behaving kindly with each other or their human companions, historically compassion has differentiated humans from animals.
Human beings possess powers of emotional reasoning that give us an edge.
Scholars are still working to discover how much of human compassion is rooted in emotional reasoning. Another factor they’ve identified is the aftermath of trauma. Studies have found evidence that it can increase empathy later on.
You might imagine that in a world of hurt, there’s a deficit of compassion for others. But the Ali Center’s report keeps alive the notion that Americans remain compassionate people who want to help others.
My experiences around the world and within the U.S. have taught me that human beings both have the power to be violent and destructive. But despite it all, there is, within all of us, the innate ability and desire to be compassionate. That is a net positive for our country.
Tara Sonenshine does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
he Secretary-General joins the people of Namibia in mourning the passing of His Excellency Dr. Sam Nujoma.
An architect of Namibia’s liberation struggle and recognized as its founding father, Dr. Nujoma led the nation’s transition to independence in 1990, when he was elected as the country’s first President. The United Nations stood alongside Dr. Nujoma and all Namibians, as the world witnessed the raising of the flag of the newly free and sovereign nation on 21 March of that year.
As President, Dr. Nujoma demonstrated steadfast leadership in the face of immense challenges, leaving an indelible mark on his country, Africa and the world.
The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to Dr. Nujoma’s family and to the Government and people of Namibia.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sven Batke, Associate Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange – Reader in Plant Science, Edge Hill University
A tomato greenhouse in north-west England. Sven Batke, CC BY-NC-ND
When was the last time you walked into a supermarket and marvelled at the abundance of exotic fruits and vegetables, even in the dead of winter? This luxury, now an expectation, only became common in the mid-20th century, reaching the UK some decades later.
Not long ago, winter produce in UK supermarkets was limited; root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and parsnips, alongside hardy greens such as kale and cabbage. Fruits were even scarcer, mostly apples and pears. Today’s variety owes much to advances in global trade and smarter greenhouses, which help extend growing seasons and bring once seasonal produce to shelves all year round.
Fast forward just one generation, and now supermarket shelves are stocked with dragon fruit, bananas, coconuts, avocados, and a variety of exotic nuts and vegetables. These items not only hail from the farthest reaches of the globe, but have also been bred to offer consumers unique sensory experiences or health benefits, such as higher concentrations of antioxidants. It’s no surprise that most of these exotic foods are often not grown locally or even within Europe.
According to the latest government figures from 2023, 53% of the vegetables consumed in the UK are imported, and only 17% of fruits are grown locally. The contrast is stark when you look at exports, which remain relatively small (about 100,000 tonnes in 2023).
UK food security could be improved by growing more produce inside smart greenhouses. Sven Batke, CC BY-NC-ND
How often do you eat a UK-grown strawberry or tomato outside summer? Many such vegetables come from the Netherlands, Morocco and Spain, while most fruit comes from Colombia, Costa Rica and Brazil. No surprise, given their warmer climates. The UK averages 9-12°C annually, compared to Morocco’s 18-20°C.
Increasing demand for exotic foods available year-round has made the UK’s food system vulnerable to external market fluctuations. Disruptions, such as trade barriers following Brexit or global hikes in energy prices due to the Ukraine war have placed supply chains under strain.
Empty supermarket shelves could become more common if we see disruptions in supply chains, putting further pressure on the undervalued domestic growing sector. But could the UK grow more of its own food and reduce reliance on volatile global markets?
Hi-tech solutions
Protected horticulture (specifically in the food sector, as opposed to ornamental plants) involves growing fruits and vegetables year-round in controlled environments, such as polytunnels, greenhouses and indoor vertical farms.
These facilities regulate temperature, humidity and light, and in some cases, even atmospheric gases like CO₂. Water and nutrient inputs are also tightly controlled, reducing waste by up to 95% compared to traditional field-grown methods. This allows year-around protection from the elements. They are often overlooked despite holding the key to solving some of the current food security challenges.
As part of the Greenhouse Innovation Consortium, my team of biologists, geographers and I recently mapped over 12,000 greenhouses in Britain. Estimates suggest that around 70% of these structures are more than 40 years old.
So why haven’t we seen more UK-grown fruits and vegetables on supermarket shelves if we have the technology to produce them? One major reason is the high energy demand of indoor growing, especially in cold and cloudy weather – something we are all too familiar with in the UK. For example, 2024 has seen one of the worse years in total recorded sun hours.
The UK’s horticulture sector has also received very little government support over the years. There are few incentives for growers to adopt new technology or upgrade infrastructure. Many UK growers still have not adopted technologies like automatic harvest robots or AI-controlled systems, and even simple upgrades like LED growing lights could boost yield by over 50%. However, resource management in this sector requires experience and making these changes is a fine balancing act.
Most British greenhouses are more than 40 years old so investment is needed to upgrade them. Sven Batke, CC BY-NC-ND
But the future can be bright – if we choose to make it so. To grow more produce all year round without compromising on flavour, the sector needs more investment in local expertise and cutting-edge facilities.
From precision horticulture to advanced AI-controlled greenhouses, with the right drive and investment, the UK could move towards a more sustainable food production system. Sweden for example is currently investing over £700 million into horticulture.
While achieving 100% self-sufficiency may not be feasible due to other demands on land, such as housing, conservation, and industry, creating a more resilient and less dependent food sector would benefit everyone (not to mention reducing food miles).
The UK’s food future doesn’t have to rely on global markets. With investment and innovation, the country can build a resilient, sustainable food system. Year-round demand for exotic produce has exposed supply chain fragility, but fostering domestic growth and technology can change the narrative.
It’s not about turning back the clock, but about making the most of what the UK has while driving forward the solutions that make sense for the country’s future. The answer is not just more local food. It’s smarter, more resilient food systems that can weather whatever challenges lie ahead.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Sven Batke works together with industry growers and manufactures in the horticulture industry. The work we are doing is part of the Greenhouse Innovation Consortium, which aims to support local growers in the UK.
The Ugandan government and the World Health Organization recently confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus disease. The index (first-known) case of this outbreak is thought to be a 32-year-old male nurse from a hospital in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
The WHO reported two main clusters, related to the patient’s family and a hospital cluster. At the time of writing, the index case is the sole recorded death. The second case was the patient’s wife, and as of February 11, there were nine confirmed cases.
Outbreaks of this virus are relatively rare. This new outbreak is the ninth to have been recorded since 1976 when the virus was first identified and – as was practice at the time – named after the location where this first outbreak took place, southern Sudan.
A 2022 Sudan virus outbreak also in Uganda resulted in 164 cases and 77 deaths (a fatality rate of 47%). There are no treatments or vaccines against the Sudan virus.
Sudan virus disease is essentially a disease very similar to Ebola. The Ebola virus has caused several high-profile outbreaks. The west Africa 2014-16 outbreak was the largest with 28,600 cases and 11,325 deaths.
The Sudan and Ebola viruses both come from the orthoebolavirus family, but they have different proteins and genetic components, so the immune response to each virus is different. As such, it’s thought that the Ebola vaccines will not be effective against the Sudan virus.
For the current Sudan virus outbreak, there are efforts to deploy vaccine candidates and also monoclonal antibody medicines. These medicines create antibodies that aim to stop the virus from replicating.
In 2022, the WHO recommended two monoclonal antibodies for use against Ebola. There is enthusiasm for similar research related to treatments for the Sudan virus.
A phase 1 vaccine trial, the earliest phase of testing in humans, is underway.
The similarities in structure between these two types of orthoebolavirus mean that the symptoms in patients are similar. The illness for both viruses may typically begin with fever, aches and fatigue with potential progression onto diarrhoea, vomiting and unexplained bleeding.
Laboratory testing is needed to differentiate between the diseases, though the urgent need for isolation remains.
Early supportive treatment has been shown to reduce mortality rates of Sudan and Ebola virus disease, giving the patient time for their body to recover. This usually involves replacing fluids and treating pain, fever and other possible infections, such as malaria.
The reporting of the 2022 Sudan virus disease outbreak described how patients would first visit care facilities that were outside of the mainstream health service. There were many new infections across late August 2022 from within private health facilities that drove transmission early on in the outbreak. This suggested a low level of infection prevention and control, and quite possibly a lack of equipment and good practice to contain serious infections.
When cases were confirmed, most known contacts who developed symptoms were referred to specialist units for testing and hospital care. These referrals typically happened in October, and the outbreak was declared over by the end of November 2022. Although we lack vital tools such as effective vaccines and drugs, contact tracing and appropriate infection control can contain serious outbreaks such as these.
Climate change driving distribution
Climate change will have an effect on the geographical distribution of new and emerging infections, such as Ebola and Sudan virus disease and the Crimean-Congo virus. Mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria and yellow fever, will find new habitats while dengue and West Nile virus are already becoming more common in Europe and North America.
International cooperation for addressing global health threats is vital. However, these efforts will be hindered by the volatility and lack of coherence from key stakeholders such as the US government. The world faces uncertain times, and these are ideal circumstances for the Sudan virus and other infectious diseases to thrive.
Michael Head has previously received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Research England and the UK Department for International Development, and currently receives funding from the UK Medical Research Foundation.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
LUANDA, Angola, February 11, 2025/APO Group/ —
Antonio Morais, from Paraíso neighborhood in Cacuaco, one of Luanda’s nine municipalities, has witnessed friends and neighbours succumb to cholera. So, when Morais heard about an oral cholera vaccination campaign as part of Angola’s efforts to step up outbreak control, he was first in line to receive a vaccine. “I feel relieved, as I know that vaccines save lives,” he says.
More than 1 million people have been vaccinated in the three hardest-hit provinces in a five-day campaign to complement the ongoing public health measures to halt the spread of the infectious disease.
Health facilities and other public places such as markets, churches and schools were used as vaccination posts, while mobile teams visited communities to ensure widespread reach during the 3–7 February campaign. At least 99.5% of the targeted population received the vaccine in a drive led by the Ministry of Health, with support from World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Bank.
Around 2000 teams were deployed, including health professionals and community volunteers, under the supervision of around 500 coordinators. In total, more than 6400 staff were involved in the operation, to ensure wide coverage and the success of the campaign. As they conducted vaccinations, health workers provided information on preventive measures, such good hygiene practices and promoted access to safe drinking water, which are fundamental to preventing new cases.
Together with key partners such as UNICEF, World Bank, Red Cross, and the private sector, WHO supported the Government in procuring 978 000 vaccine doses through the International Coordinating Group for Vaccine Provision, microplanning, ensuring efficient resource allocation and vaccination coverage. The joint efforts also supported training almost 2000 vaccinators to enhance their capacity to administer the vaccine safely and effectively and provided supportive supervision during the campaign.
“In this fight against cholera, we acknowledge the role of our development partners and thank them for their unwavering cooperation and support, including WHO and other partners and friends, who have been strong allies in the fight to control this disease,” says Minister of Health Dr Silvia Lutucuta.
Oral cholera vaccines are an additional tool for cholera control, complementing others such as use of safe water, good hygiene, surveillance, and early treatment. As of 11 February 2025, 3047 cases and 180 deaths had been reported in eight provinces, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 3.4%. During cholera outbreaks, a CFR lower than 1% is commonly considered as acceptable threshold.
“WHO congratulates the government leadership and reiterates its commitment to continue supporting Angola in its response to the cholera outbreak,” says Dr Zabulon Yoti, WHO Representative in Angola. “We will continue to collaborate with other UN agencies and partners, including the private sector, to support the government in developing sustainable initiatives that guarantee prevention, response, and protection of the population against cholera and other preventable diseases.”
WHO and key partners have also supported other aspects of the cholera response in Angola, facilitating the drafting of a National Cholera Response Plan, procuring medical supplies, strengthening the capacity of health professionals, distributing water treatment solutions, implementing basic sanitation measures and community mobilization.
Back in Paraíso, Morais has encouraged everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. “With this vaccine, I know we’ll be better protected. With the availability of drinking water and if we all comply with basic sanitation measures, our community can resume activities and live without fear,” he says.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
LAGOS, Nigeria, February 11, 2025/APO Group/ —“Grassroots sports represent the foundation of our nation’s sporting future. Investing in inclusive and accessible facilities is not just about playing the game; it is about fostering talent, strengthening communities, and fueling the economic potential of sports. SAIS2025 provides a vital platform to drive these conversations and unlock new opportunities for grassroots sports development in Nigeria and across Africa.”
As Nigeria continues to position sports as a driver of economic diversification, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports remains committed to policies that expand access, promote participation, and harness sports’ transformative power to create opportunities for all.
Join Prince Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye and other leading voices at SAIS2025 as they discuss actionable pathways to sustainable and inclusive sports development.
Event Details
Dates: February 17–18, 2025
Venue: Lagos Continental Hotel, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos
Time: 9:00 AM Daily
For tickets and registration, visit www.SportNigeria.ng/SAIS, email sais@sportnigeria.ng, or contact 0706 203 8705 (Call/WhatsApp).
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) cosponsored the American Beef Labeling Act, legislation that would reinstate mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef. The bill is led by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
The legislation would require the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to develop a World Trade Organization-compliant means of reinstating MCOOL for beef within one year of enactment. USTR would have six months to develop a reinstatement plan followed by a six-month window to implement it. If USTR fails to reinstate MCOOL for beef within one year of enactment, it would automatically be reinstated for beef only.
“American consumers deserve to know where their food comes from,” said Chad Franke president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union (RMFU). “American ranchers produce the highest quality beef and they deserve to benefit from that. On behalf of RMFU members and our communities, we thank Senators Lummis and Heinrich for cosponsoring this important legislation.”
Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.).
The Secretary-General joins the people of Namibia in mourning the passing of His Excellency Dr. Sam Nujoma.
An architect of Namibia’s liberation struggle and recognized as its founding father, Dr. Nujoma led the nation’s transition to independence in 1990, when he was elected as the country’s first President. The United Nations stood alongside Dr. Nujoma and all Namibians, as the world witnessed the raising of the flag of the newly free and sovereign nation on 21 March of that year.
As President, Dr. Nujoma demonstrated steadfast leadership in the face of immense challenges, leaving an indelible mark on his country, Africa and the world.
The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to Dr. Nujoma’s family and to the Government and people of Namibia.
Thousands of people affected by the fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are leaving displacement sites in and around Goma for safer areas, the UN humanitarian affairs office OCHA reported on Tuesday.
Last month, M23 rebels captured the city – the largest in the region and capital of North Kivu province. Nearly 3,000 people have reportedly been killed and 2,880 injured.
OCHA Spokesperson Jens Laerke said more than 110,000 displaced people have left sites in Goma and have started to move to villages in the Masisi, Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories.
UN teams carried out humanitarian assessments in Rutshuru last week and will continue assessments this week in return areas to inform the response.
Ultimatum to leave
He said humanitarian partners remain concerned by the 72-hour ultimatum given by M23 representatives two days ago urging displaced people living in sites and collective centres in Goma to leave and return to their villages.
Mr. Laerke noted, however, that the M23 issued a statement on Monday, which he quoted. It explained that the group “fully supports and encourages voluntary returns, but does not compel anyone to return without firm security guarantees.”
“We reiterate that all returns had to be voluntary and take place under safe, informed and dignified conditions in accordance with international humanitarian law,” he said.
Displacement sites dismantled
Meanwhile, humanitarian partners are also alarmed by the ongoing but unplanned dismantling of sites for internally displaced people.
“This situation leads to the loss of humanitarian infrastructure at the sites, including border facilities, health centres and cholera treatment centers, resulting in significant losses of humanitarian investments and reduced response capacities,” he said.
