Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) today introduced a bill to rename the U.S. Post Office in Amarillo, Texas, as the Mayor Jerry H. Hodge Post Office Building to honor the life and legacy of Mayor Jerry Hodge:
“From helping to establish several institutions of higher education in Amarillo to leading the effort to bring a minor league baseball team to the city, Mayor Jerry Hodge was a cornerstone of the Amarillo community,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I am proud to join Senator Cruz and Congressman Jackson in introducing legislation to rename Amarillo’s downtown post office after Mayor Hodge, which will ensure that future generations of Texans in the Panhandle can learn about his contributions and help preserve his life and legacy.”
“Mayor Hodge was a pillar of the Amarillo community and a true servant leader to the Panhandle,” said Sen. Cruz. “He transformed a local pharmacy into a national enterprise, served his community as the youngest mayor of Amarillo’s history, and was instrumental in establishing the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. I am proud to introduce legislation to name the Amarillo post office in honor of his legacy.”
“Jerry Hodge’s impact on Amarillo extended far beyond his titles. He was the youngest mayor in the city’s history, a successful businessman, and a proud rancher,” said Rep. Jackson. “Jerry’s personality was larger than life, and he worked tirelessly each day to make life better for the people of the Texas Panhandle. I’m proud to have called him a friend and am honored to introduce this piece of legislation to recognize his enduring legacy.”
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced in the Senate the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act, legislation from U.S. Congressman Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) that would create a new federal offense for an illegal alien or deportable alien who commits murder in the United States, as Rep. Luttrell also introduced in the House of Representatives Sen. Cornyn’s Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act, which would codify President Trump’s Executive Order subjecting illegal immigrants who kill American citizens to the death penalty:
“Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants to come into this country and brutally murder innocent Americans,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I’m proud to join forces with Congressman Luttrell in introducing each other’s legislation to deliver justice for the victims who were tragically ripped from their families at the hands of the criminal aliens by holding these perpetrators accountable for their heinous actions and subjecting them to the death penalty.”
“America will never be a safe haven for violent criminals who enter our country illegally and murder those in our communities,” said Rep. Luttrell. “The Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act ensures accountability and sends a clear message that violence will not be tolerated. I applaud Senator Cornyn’s leadership on this critical issue and am proud to introduce companion legislation in the House.”
Senators Jim Justice (R-WV), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Tim Scott (R-SC) cosponsored the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act in the Senate.
Background:
The Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act aims to prosecute illegal alien murderers in federal courts, and the Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act aims to direct juries to administer the death penalty for illegal aliens who commit murders once the case has been prosecuted, tried, and a guilty verdict has been reached.
Rep. Luttrell introduced the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act last May, and it would:
Allow the federal government to prosecute illegal aliens who commit murder in the United States, and if convicted of first-degree murder under this statute, offenders could face the death penalty or life in prison;
Close a dangerous loophole by enabling the federal government to step in and vigorously prosecute an illegal alien murder in certain jurisdictions where a prosecutor may fail to seek an adequate penalty due to a lack of resources or partisan views;
And ensure those who are unlawfully in the U.S. and commit these heinous crimes do not slip through the cracks of the legal system due to jurisdictional challenges.
In May, Sen. Cornyn introduced the Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act, which would codify President Trump’s Executive Order subjecting illegal immigrants who kill American citizens to the death penalty. This legislation would:
Amend the Criminal Code to create a new aggravating factor for illegal immigrants who murder U.S. citizens;
Help direct juries to administer the death penalty when an illegal immigrant murders a U.S. citizen;
And fully implement and permanently codify President Trump’s Jan. 20, 2025 Executive Order, “Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety,” specifically Section 3(b)(i) of the Executive Order, which states that the “Attorney General shall, where consistent with applicable law, pursue Federal jurisdiction and seek the death penalty regardless of other factors for every federal capital crime involving … [a] capital crime committed by an alien illegally present in this country.”
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
July 23, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) met today with University of Texas at Austin Interim President Jim Davis to discuss furthering science and research opportunities for students on the Forty Acres, ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and efforts to recruit students for the university’s top-tier intelligence studies and national security programs. See photo attached and below.
This image is in the public domain, but those wishing to do so may credit the Office of U.S. Senator John Cornyn.
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
July 23, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) met today with members of a Corpus Christi-based U.S. Coast Guard Flight Crew to thank them for their bravery and heroic efforts in rescuing more than 160 individuals during the devastating July 4th flood in Texas. The crew included Petty Officer 3rd Class Seth Reeves, Lt. Ian Hopper, Lt. Blair Ogujiofor, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, listed from left to right in the photo attached and below.
This image is in the public domain, but those wishing to do so may credit the Office of U.S. Senator John Cornyn.
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
Legislation Would Allow Federal Prosecution of Illegal Immigrants Who Murder Americans
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Jim Justice (R-WV), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Tim Scott (R-SC) today introduced the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act, which would create a new federal offense for an illegal alien or deportable alien who commits murder in the United States:
“Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants to come into this country and brutally murder innocent Americans,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I’m proud to join with my GOP colleagues to deliver justice for the victims who were tragically ripped from their families at the hands of the criminal aliens by holding these perpetrators accountable for their heinous actions and subjecting them to the death penalty.”
“If you’ve entered into our country unlawfully and take the life of an American, you will face very real consequences handed down by our federal government: plain and simple,” said Sen. Justice. “This legislation serves as the ultimate deterrent to would be violent criminal aliens and represents real justice for those who illegally enter our country and murder our citizens.”
“Under President Biden, we saw the deadly effects of wide-open borders that far too often devastated our communities,” said Sen. Britt. “Tragically, too many Americans have lost loved ones at the hands of an illegal alien. I couldn’t be more grateful President Trump is back in control of the security of our borders and continues to take strong action to curb illegal migration and keep Americans safe. However, we still need tools at our disposal to prosecute the most violent illegal aliens, which is why I’m proud to join Senator Cornyn in cosponsoring the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act.”
“Under the Biden administration’s reckless open border policies, far too many innocent Americans tragically lost their lives at the hands of violent criminals who should not have been in the country,” said Sen. Budd. “Now that President Trump has secured our border, I am committed to putting ironclad policies in place to hold illegal aliens accountable for heinous crimes committed on U.S. soil. I am proud to join Senator Cornyn and my colleagues to bring justice to victims by making an act of murder committed by an illegal or deportable alien a federal offense.”
“The open-border policies under President Biden have made our country less safe, resulting in the tragic loss of American lives. In contrast, President Trump has taken swift action to restore border security. Now, we are left to address the consequences of the previous administration’s failures,” said Sen. Scott. “I’m joining my colleagues to protect American citizens and ensure justice for victims by holding any illegal immigrant who commits murder in the U.S. fully accountable.”
U.S. Congressman Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) is leading this legislation in the House of Representatives.
Background:
The Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act would:
Allow the federal government to prosecute illegal aliens who commit murder in the United States, and if convicted of first-degree murder under this statute, offenders could face the death penalty or life in prison;
Close a dangerous loophole by enabling the federal government to step in and vigorously prosecute an illegal alien murder in certain jurisdictions where a prosecutor may fail to seek an adequate penalty due to a lack of resources or partisan views;
And ensure those who are unlawfully in the U.S. and commit these heinous crimes do not slip through the cracks of the legal system due to jurisdictional challenges.
This legislation complements Sen. Cornyn’s Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act, introduced in the House of Representatives today by Rep. Luttrell, which would codify President Trump’s Executive Order subjecting illegal immigrants who kill American citizens to the death penalty.
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to remove three Democratic Consumer Product Safety Commissioners while challenges to their firings continue.
“For over 50 years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has been free from politics so it can remain focused on its core mission of keeping Americans safe—from banning lead paint, to ensuring electronics aren’t fire hazards, to making swimming pools safe for kids. Last year alone, the Commission recalled 153 million unsafe items.”
“By firing the three Democratic commissioners, the President has undermined the independent structure of the Commission and its critical work—and the Supreme Court is letting it happen.”
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) and other colleagues on the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in introducing the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment of 2025 (COLA) Act. The legislation would ensure the rate of disability compensation and other financial benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans and military survivors keep pace with rising costs and inflation, as is for Social Security benefits.
“As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I want to ensure we take care of those who have protected us,” said Senator Tuberville. “Veterans’ hard-earned benefits should keep pace with inflation and rising costs of living. I’m proud to join this legislation that would require the VA to account for a cost-of-living adjustment in its annual bottom-line budget. The department exists to serve our brave veterans, and this is one commonsense way to keep that mission top of mind.”
The legislation would increase certain VA benefits including disability compensation, clothing allowances and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children to reflect the reality of increases in the everyday cost of living. It comes as one of several pieces of legislation Senator Tuberville has helped introduce this year to help our veterans, including the Automotive Support Services to Improved Safe Transportation (ASSIST) Act, Veterans Home Choice Act of 2025, Veterans First Act of 2025, Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act, HBOT Access Act, and Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025.
Full text of the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment of 2025 (COLA) Act can be found here.
MORE:
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Tuberville, Boozman Introduce Legislation to Support Defrauded Veterans
Tuberville Reintroduces Legislation to Expand Treatment Options for Veterans
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Tuberville, Moran Introduce Legislation to Improve Access to Care for Veterans
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry hearing today to consider Mr. Richard Fordyce to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation. During the hearing, Sen. Tuberville and Mr. Fordyce discussed the Farm Board Act and Mid-South Oilseed Double Cropping Study Act—two pieces of legislation Sen. Tuberville introduced today to help Alabama farmers and livestock producers. Sen. Tuberville and Mr. Fordyce also discussed the need to increase guaranteed loan limits to ease the burden on our poultry producers and problems Alabama continues to face with feral swine.
Excerpts from the interview can be found below and the full interview can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.
ON ADDING A PRODUCER FOR LIVESTOCK AND CROPS TO FCIC:
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Fordyce for being here. I grew up close to a town called Fordyce in Arkansas, home of a famous football coach years ago, Mr. Bear Bryant.
Thanks for wanting to do this again in another fashion. Thanks for your service because it is awfully hard. […] First of all, I wanna know if you’ll help me support these bills. I just put two new bills, Ag bills, on the floor today. […] The first addresses the Federal Crop Insurance Board of Directors. There are four seats for producers, and we want one of those seats to be for a producer of both livestock and crops to provide a different perspective for various new livestock crops insurance products RMA (Risk Management Agency) is implementing. That’s my first one. Does that sound pretty good?”
FORDYCE: “Yes, Senator. It actually does. It sounds like it makes some sense. […]”
TUBERVILLE: “Now we’re from Alabama, and we can make some sense now. OK?”
[…]
FORDYCE: “So, I’m not backpedaling, Senator, but I think what I would need to do is understand exactly what the makeup is of the Federal Crop Insurance Board, but it sounds like a good idea to me.”
ON CONDUCTING AN RMA STUDY FOR OILSEED:
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Thank you. The second bill would authorize a study for double and rotational cropping of winter canola in the Mid-South region. This would gather data as farmers in North Alabama and Tennessee are starting to grow winter canola for synthetic aviation fuel and diesel fuel. All these bills get complex. […]”
FORDYCE: “I’m sure that is complex, but I am aware of the winter canola effort. And I would say that I would applaud the RMA for being responsive and having the ability to, you know, to evolve as things change. So, I would think that they would take a look at what kind of options might be available.”
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. And as we all know, our farmers are in bad trouble. I have a lot of friends that are huge farmers, and they don’t know whether they’re gonna make it through the year, much less through this crop. […]”
ON RAISING GUARANTEED LOAN LIMITS:
TUBERVILLE: “So, access to credit is becoming harder and harder. This year was really tough. We had to come up with some subsidies for some of the farmers to get them through this past winter to get another crop. Poultry producers are facing huge challenges, steep cost of poultry houses. $3.5 million for four houses. Can you discuss the importance of increasing our guaranteed loan limits to $3.5 million because of that?”
FORDYCE: “Well, I was serving as the Administrator for the Farm Service Agency the last time the loan limits were raised. And I think it was welcomed certainly by the agency, and it was welcomed by the producers that the farm loan programs serve. And if that were the intent of Congress to raise those loan limits, I think that would be appropriate given the cost of things and the entry level costs of things.”
ON FERAL SWINE ERADICATION PROGRAM:
TUBERVILLE: “It’s going to sky high. It’s not getting any cheaper. One quick question: feral swine. We got huge problems in our state, and I know in other states. In the Big BeautifulBill, we had $105 million for the feral swine eradication program. What’s your stance on the eradication program? You think we’re making progress?”
FORDYCE: “That would be tough for me to say. We do have those in Missouri as well.”
TUBERVILLE: “Y’all have hogs?!”
FORDYCE: “We have, yeah. We have feral swine. We have wild hogs in Missouri. […] Well, in Missouri, they’ve stopped the ability for folks to hunt them because the idea was that if they’re hunting them, then there has to continue to be a supply of them, and somehow, they just keep showing up. So, I don’t know, I guess, it was, maybe, is one way of looking at it.”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, just let them know that us and Alabama will send you some if you need them. Because we got a way over abundance. And we’re gonna send them to Senator Grassley in Iowa. He loves hogs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) shows that the national median rent in the three months to May edged down by -0.3% from last year, not a big fall but still the first since late 2009.
After significant increases over 2021-23, rental growth has generally petered out in recent months, or turned negative in some key centres.
There has been a rare shift in markets such as Auckland where the median weekly rent has dropped -2.0% over the past year to $650. Wellington City has also seen a decline of -0.8%, down to $602. Tauranga and Christchurch are other main centres with soft rents at present.
Median weekly rents in three months to May, % change from a year ago
Sources: MBIE, Cotality (formerly CoreLogic)
Cotality Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said this shift is being driven by a range of interrelated factors.
“There was a sharp rise in rents post-COVID as borders reopened and net migration spiked. Many new migrants tend to rent, especially given the foreign buyer ban, and that demand placed pressure on key centres such as Auckland.”
“At the same time, rental supply was tighter. Investor activity had dipped due to rising mortgage rates and tax rule changes, which arguably meant fewer rental properties were added to the available pool than otherwise might have been the case.”
Mr Davidson noted that these dynamics pushed rents up to high levels, both in dollar terms and relative to household incomes, placing strain on tenant affordability.
“This affordability ceiling is now acting as a natural brake on further rent increases.”
“And while it’s still expensive to be a tenant, the balance of power has shifted slightly. It’s not suddenly easy to rent, but it is nevertheless a friendlier market for tenants than it has been in recent years,” he said.
Recent falls in net migration have reduced marginal rental demand growth, while the supply of available listings rises.
“Supply has risen as investors are starting to return to the market, and at the same time we’re seeing the completion of many new-build properties.
“Overall, this has contributed to a softening in the rental market, with conditions gradually shifting in favour of tenants,” Mr Davidson concluded. Highlights from the July 2025 Housing Chart Pack include:
New Zealand’s residential real estate market is worth a combined $1.65 trillion. The Cotality Home Value Index shows property values across New Zealand ticked up by +0.2% in June. Over the three months to June, however, there was a -0.1% dip in median property values across NZ.
The total sales count over the 12 months to June is 85,951.
Total listings on the market were 27,006 in June. The total number of properties listed on the market remains elevated, although the seasonal fall for new listings flows means that agreed sales have just started to eat into stock levels.
The pace of rental growth remains subdued, with net migration having fallen a long way from its peak, and the stock of available rental listings on the market still elevated.
Buyer Classification data shows first home buyers made up 26% of purchases from April to June, while smaller investors (‘Mums and Dads’) are having a comeback, targeting cheaper, existing dwellings.
Gross rental yields now stand at 3.8%, which is the highest level since mid-16. Inflation is back in the 1–3% target range. The Reserve Bank looks set to cut the official cash rate again to 3.0%, potentially as soon as August.
The Chart of the Month for July highlights MBIE data showing the annual % change in median weekly rents over the three months to May. After years of sharp increases, rents are now softening in some main centres, with Auckland down -2.0% to $650, alongside modest declines in Wellington City (-0.8%) and Tauranga (-0.2%).
Covering period of Thursday 24th – Monday 28th July – Calm conditions set to turn wet, windy and warm:
Cold, settled weather holds through Saturday for most
Rain and wind move in from the south late Saturday
More widespread wet weather expected early next week, with possible heavy falls for the north of both islands.
Aotearoa New Zealand has enjoyed a run of calm, frosty mornings and crisp, clear days under a broad ridge of high pressure. Places like Dunedin Airport, Timaru, and Wanaka dipped to their lowest temperatures of the year this morning (Thursday), at -6.7°C, -4.7°C and -5.1°C respectively. While Aucklanders have seen consistent low morning temperatures, dropping below 4°C every day so far this week.
However, this spell of settled weather is coming to a close, as conditions gradually turn over the weekend with warmer temperatures, rain and wind firmly returning to the forecast from early next week. After what has been a notably cold and settled week of July, the shift to a more active pattern may feel like a dramatic change for many.
MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden says, “We can enjoy the clear days for a little bit longer. But that ridge is on the move, and we’ll start to feel the effects as early as Saturday in the south.” He adds, “Our focus is on the next system which will bring rain and wind back into the picture for many areas by late Sunday and into Monday, with more severe weather possible on Tuesday.”
The first signs of change eventuate in Fiordland late Friday, with cloud and showers spreading northward. By Sunday, areas like Northland and the West Coast can expect scattered showers, while eastern regions such as Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay stay dry a little longer.
Next week looks more unsettled overall, with warmer temperatures brought in by strengthening northerly winds. Showers spread further east on Monday, and by Tuesday, there is the risk of heavier rain developing for the north of the North Island, the Tasman District and the West Coast, areas that have already seen plenty of severe weather this winter.
“Warnings and Watches for Heavy Rain and for Strong Winds may be issued in the coming days. Keep up with the latest information at metservice.com, especially as we head into a more active and changeable weather week,” advises Lynden.
A Federated Farmers survey has revealed how the country’s biggest rural lenders are performing in the eyes of farmers – ranking the banks from best to worst.
“A farmer’s relationship with their bank is one of the most important relationships within their business, and for many farmers interest payments will be their single-biggest expense,” says Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Mark Hooper.
“Farmers, along with politicians and the general public, deserve full transparency of what each of the rural lenders is doing well – and just as importantly, what they’re not doing so well.
“That’s why, for the first time, we’ve asked farmers to tell us how the banks are stacking up.
“We’re now releasing these report cards because we want to create more visibility of rural banking issues and competition.”
Federated Farmers’ May banking survey of 681 farmers found Rabobank and ANZ were the top-performing rural banks, sharing first-place on the podium.
Rabobank received the highest scores for overall satisfaction, communication quality and overdraft rate.
ANZ scored the best farmer ratings for mortgage rates, the level of undue pressure felt by farmers, and mental health scores.
Westpac came in at the middle of the pack, scoring well with their mortgage rates and communication.
BNZ and ASB were nearly tied in last place, showing they’ve got some work to do with farmers.
Hooper says the banks’ CEOs should keep an eye out for a report card coming their way.
“The purpose of these report cards isn’t to tear down the banks – it’s to really help them see what they need to focus on to deliver a better service to Kiwi farmers.
“Over the coming weeks we’ll be providing each of the banks with a copy of their report card, and some constructive feedback on how they could improve.
“We hope this is a helpful process and results in a benefit to both farmers and their lenders.”
Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today blasted congressional Republicans during a committee hearing for ending clean energy tax credits in their disastrous budget bill, triggering a significant decrease in energy supply when demand is skyrocketing.
“The Republicans have been doing favors for their Big Oil buddies at the consumers’ expense, and that’s a major reason why energy bills are going through the roof,” Wyden said at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. “Fossil fuels cannot meet our demand today. If we’re going to meet demand we need solar and wind, we need these alternatives.”
In 2022, Wyden authored the clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act that encourage innovation and choice in energy markets by boosting technology-neutral tax credits. The Inflation Reduction Act also included substantial tax credits for domestic manufacturing of solar, wind, and battery components, and the processing of critical minerals. In the wake of passage of the Inflation Reduction Act into law, the United States saw an unprecedented clean energy and manufacturing boom.
Forecasts showed the clean energy tax credits would have taken meaningful long-term steps to securing U.S. energy independence by reducing oil consumption by up to 24 percent by 2030, increasing potential natural gas exports by more than 20 percent, reducing oil demand (and thus prices) and providing alternative sources of energy to Europe. Clean energy supply also helps keep energy costs down for households and creates good-paying jobs.
The cancellation of these credits by Republicans under their budget bill, comes when energy demand is soaring. By 2030, electricity demand may grow substantially; one estimate suggests demand will grow by as much as 25 percent relative to 2023 due to increased use of data centers for advanced computing that requires significant energy. Wyden sounded the alarm that doing away with these sources of energy will leave the energy grid unable to meet skyrocketing demand, plunge the country into an energy crisis, and raise utility costs for families nationwide.
Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced the Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act, legislation that would encourage local communities to cut burdensome regulations, encourage more housing options, and bring a new level of transparency to the community development process.
Currently, many communities across the U.S. are building paper walls of regulations that negatively affect and, at times, discriminate against low- and middle-income Americans seeking to live, work, and flourish in a city or town. The Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act would better ensure localities do their part to increase housing supply and make it more affordable for all Americans.
“In order to reverse anti-housing policies, we need to know where they are in place and how they hurt communities. Our bill will provide HUD and the public with more transparency on policies that are stopping much-needed housing from being built,” said Senator Schatz.
“Burdensome local zoning and land use policies can drive up housing costs in our communities and stifle the ability of Americans to move to areas of opportunity. Our bill will encourage transparency from cities, towns, and rural areas to cut harmful regulations and increase housing affordability across our nation,” said Senator Young.
The legislation would require recipients of federal Community Development Block Grants to report on whether they have already adopted less burdensome land use policies and/or to submit a plan for implementing said policies and how adopting them would benefit the jurisdiction. Some of the policies encouraged by the bill include enacting high-density single-family and multifamily zoning, allowing manufactured homes in areas zoned primarily for single-family residential homes, reducing minimum lot size, and allowing single-room occupancy development wherever multifamily housing is allowed.
The bill avoids encroaching on the rights of states and localities to set zoning policies. Instead, it conditions federal funds based on transparency regarding the rationale for choosing not to remove or reform harmful land use regulations.
In addition to Senators Schatz and Young, U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) are original co-sponsors.
Full text of the Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act can be found here.
“Forty-two years ago, an anti-Tamil pogrom erupted in Sri Lanka, leaving thousands dead, families shattered, and countless others forced to flee. Black July remains a tragic chapter in Sri Lanka’s history.
Driven by the advocacy of Tamil-Canadians, Canada implemented a Special Measures program in 1983 to welcome more than 1,800 Tamils fleeing persecution, and in 2022, the Parliament of Canada unanimously declared May 18 Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day – an enduring commitment to truth, justice, and accountability.
Canada stands with Tamil-Canadians in remembering the victims and survivors of these atrocities. On this solemn day, we honour the lives lost and affirm our work to build a world with meaningful justice and accountability.”
Prescribed burning is threatening the survival of skinks, ecologists say.
As Australia and the world grapple with global warming and increased bushfire risks, University of South Australia ecologists are turning their attention to the impact of prescribed burning on native animals.
In a new study published in The International Journal of Wildland Fire, researchers investigated the maximum temperatures that lizards could experience during prescribed (controlled) fires in the Mount Lofty Ranges and compared them to their maximum survivable temperatures.
Widespread prescribed burning is undertaken in spring and autumn each year in the Mount Lofty Ranges, a biodiversity hotspot and fire-prone region. Researchers measured surface and shelter temperatures during four prescribed fires and analysed their results alongside the lab-collected ‘critical thermal limits’ of three different species of skinks.
The findings demonstrated that the average temperatures under common shelters like logs and rocks during these fires were 108°C and 53°C respectively, which exceeded the survivable temperature range (37.5°C – 43.0°C) of each type of skink.
While only reptiles were studied, lead researcher and UniSA PhD candidate Shawn Scott says that these temperatures would also threaten the survival of other native animals and that the results can therefore be applied more broadly.
“These conditions dramatically exceed the 60°C threshold for most terrestrial vertebrates,” Scott says.
“Logs and rocks were the most effective shelters for buffering extreme temperatures during prescribed fire in our study.
“However, the maximum temperatures and duration of these conditions may still prove lethal for small vertebrates if prescribed burning is undertaken during conditions that exacerbate fire severity.”
Researchers also discovered that when ambient temperatures on days of prescribed burnings were higher, maximum temperatures beneath the shelters – and the duration at which they stayed lethally hot – also increased.
“Our analysis showed that the temperatures of the fires increased by up to 700°C as ambient temperatures increased from 17°C to 22°C,” Scott says.
“The hotter the fire, the hotter it’s going to be inside or beneath the shelters sought out by small animals during prescribed burnings, making it more difficult for them to survive, especially over an extended period.”
“In terms of shelter quality, rocks and logs maintained the coolest temperatures, showing that they are critical to small animals,” says co-researcher and UniSA wildlife ecologist Associate Professor Sophie (Topa) Petit.
“However, many of those sites still reached temperatures far above what reptiles can withstand. Not all rocks and logs are good enough.”
As climate change increases the risk of bushfires, prescribed burnings are also expected to increase, especially in fire-prone, Mediterranean climates like the Mount Lofty Ranges, other parts of Australia, and also Greece, Italy, Spain and California.
Scott says that animal survival and biodiversity conservation should be prioritised in burning processes, and that his team’s research can help inform relevant strategies not only on the home front but also abroad.
”If lower intensity fires are to be achieved during prescribed burns, they should be undertaken on mild days when ambient temperatures are below 17°C,” he says.
“In Australia, burning does occur on days that are considered mild – between 17°C to 22°C – but our research demonstrates that even in these conditions the maximum temperatures and their duration are high enough to threaten small animals relying on shelters like rocks and logs for protection.
“Second, pre-fire surveys should be conducted to establish the availability and density of shelter sites that may increase the likelihood of animal survival during fire.”
The researchers suggest that larger shelters and below-surface shelters like soil, hollows, and burrows should be examined next, as well as animal movement and mortality during and after fires.
The study, titled ‘Between a rock and a hot place: do surface shelters facilitate survivable conditions for small vertebrates during prescribed fire?’ is availableonline. DOI:10.1071/WF24184
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s unwavering commitment to public safety, New York continues to see record reductions in gun violence. This funding ensures that our local law enforcement agencies and community organizations can build on the strategies that are working, saving lives, strengthening communities, and restoring trust. I am so proud of my DCJS team members who provide our partners across the state with the tools, training, and resources that allow them to sustain this progress.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The GIVE initiative continues to produce results that matter. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s ongoing commitment and the leadership of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, law enforcement agencies across the state are better equipped to target and reduce gun violence. This funding supports the critical work being done on the ground, providing local agencies with the tools, training, and resources they need to keep their communities safe. The New York State Police is proud to support our partners in this effort and remains committed to doing everything we can to protect the people of New York.”
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “This funding is a vital investment in the safety and well-being of New Yorkers. By directing this funding to local law enforcement and public safety partners through the GIVE initiative, we are reinforcing evidence-based strategies that are driving down gun violence and saving lives. Our communities throughout the state have made tremendous progress, and this continued investment ensures that momentum continues. I was proud to work with Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie, and my Senate Majority colleagues to deliver $347 million in this year’s budget to support GIVE and other gun violence prevention efforts across the state.”
State Senator Monica Martinez said, “When it comes to protecting our streets from gun violence, we must ‘GIVE’ law enforcement agencies the funding they need to succeed. These grants help make Suffolk County and other recipient communities safer, as proven by the double-digit declines in shooting-related incidents with injury and shooting deaths. I thank Governor Hochul and the Division of Criminal Justice Services for prioritizing this investment in safer neighborhoods across New York.”
State Senator Siela Bynoe said, “Gun violence is a public health crisis in New York State, and I am grateful to Governor Hochul for taking action to reduce the number of individuals injured or killed in this epidemic. Community-based solutions like the GIVE initiative, which supports Nassau’s law enforcement in their mission to combat gun violence in our neighborhoods, are critical to maintaining statewide progress in reducing shooting incidents. While Nassau County has an extraordinary safety record, there is more work to be done, and this initiative proves to be an invaluable resource.”
Assembly Deputy Speaker Phil Ramos said, “New York continues to lead the nation with bold, innovative strategies that combine precision policing with community-driven public safety. This record-level investment of $36 million underscores our state’s unwavering commitment to real solutions to reduce gun violence. This investment builds on the progress New York has made in saving lives, curbing illegal firearms, and empowering the communities we serve. As a former Detective and Police Officer, I’ve seen firsthand how funds like these provide the necessary resources, focused training, modern technology, and data-driven strategies that produce tangible, measurable results. The numbers speak for themselves: fewer shootings, fewer victims, and safer communities. I commend Governor Hochul for her continued partnership and leadership in ensuring that Long Island and New York State continue to be a safe and prosperous places to live, work, and visit.”
Assemblymember Charles Lavine said, “Since being sworn-in, Governor Hochul has remained laser-focused on fighting crime through all means at her disposal. This includes providing financial support for local law enforcement to ensure it has the necessary resources to do its job and enacting legislation, like my ghost guns bill, designed to keep dangerous firearms off the streets. I am proud of the great progress made so far and look forward to continuing to work with her to prevent senseless violence from occurring and keeping our communities as safe as possible.”
Public safety is my top priority, and since taking office, my administration has been laser focused on working with local law enforcement to drive down gun violence across New York.”
Governor Hochul
Assemblymember Judy Griffin said, “Reducing gun violence is directly linked to public safety. I am proud to live in a state where our constituents know this and demand that we continue to take action. This vital funding will ensure that our local police departments have the equipment and technical assistance needed to continue their fight. Public safety is a top priority for my constituents, and I thank the Governor for designating a portion of this funding to police agencies that serve Nassau County residents.”
Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay said, “Thank you to Governor Hochul for these funds that will provide essential support to our local law enforcement as they work to reduce gun violence, and strengthen safety in our neighborhood. State investments like the GIVE initiative help ensure officers have the training and tools they need to stay safe, protect the public, and build trust within the community.”
Assemblymember Tommy John Schiavoni said, “I would like to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership and steadfast commitment to keeping our communities safe. Governor Hochul’s continued investment in the GIVE initiative is saving lives and making our communities safer. This targeted support for law enforcement and evidence-based violence prevention strategies has produced real, measurable results. I am especially grateful for the funding directed to Long Island, where local agencies are working tirelessly to reduce gun violence and improve public safety for all residents.”
Assemblymember Kwani O’Pharrow said, “Together, we invest in safer streets and stronger communities as we tackle gun violence head on with unwavering support and commitment from our Governor.”
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said, “Thank you to Governor Hochul for providing Suffolk County with vital resources to address gun violence and domestic abuse in our communities. These grants help ensure that our law enforcement officers have the tools they need to protect our families, support survivors, and build safer neighborhoods for everyone who calls Suffolk home.”
Suffolk County Police Department Commissioner Kevin Catalina said, “The grant money builds upon our success in fighting gun violence, providing funds to focus on enforcement and community outreach efforts. The SCPD extends our gratitude to Governor Hochul for the GIVE grant funding which enhances our public safety efforts in Suffolk County.”
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Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. said, “The GIVE grant has been a critical tool in our efforts to reduce gun violence by funding key personnel and supporting programs that reach at-risk youth before trouble does. This is what real collaboration looks like, and we’re proud to continue this vital work together. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her investment in this initiative to help keep Suffolk County and our communities safe.”
Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin said, “It is devastating and unacceptable that gun violence is still the leading cause of death for children in the United States. I deeply commend the Governor for taking action—investing in law enforcement and delivering the tools our county needs to safeguard our children. Today marks a significant step forward in our fight to keep our kids safer in Suffolk County, ensuring that their future is not defined by the fear of violence but rather the promise of hope and possibility.”
Scott J. Beigel Memorial Fund Founder Linda Beigel Schulman said, “I thank Governor Hochul for her visit to Suffolk County and her steadfast support to prevent gun violence. I worked closely with her to make red flag laws in New York a reality. Her commitment to better funding for community policing is crucial to deterring crime. We must always do more, and I know the governor is committed to progress.”
GIVE data for each of the 28 police departments and an interactive dashboard featuring current year and annual historical data are available on the Statistics page of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website.
View the breakdown of funding awarded to GIVE police departments, and district attorneys’ offices, probation departments, and sheriffs’ offices in 21 counties outside of New York City for the contract period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Dutchess, Erie, Jefferson, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Rensselaer, Rockland, Schenectady, Suffolk, Tompkins, Ulster, and Westchester. DCJS administers GIVE grants and provides training and technical assistance to partner agencies through the program, which requires agencies to use evidence-based strategies to reduce shootings, save lives and combat violent crime.
The FY26 Enacted Budget sustained unprecedented funding secured by Governor Hochul, including $347 million for GIVE and other gun violence prevention programs, as well as additional initiatives to improve public safety, expand support for victims and survivors of crime, and strengthen communities.
The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the state’s criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the re-release of the ConnectALL Digital Equity Program Capacity Grant Request for Applications (RFA), committing over $5 million in State funding to continue New York’s digital equity grantmaking after federal funding was terminated by the Trump administration in May 2025. The ConnectALL Digital Equity Program will award grants across the state to support digital equity and inclusion projects that provide New Yorkers with devices, skills, and awareness needed to make use of affordable, reliable broadband service. Applications are due August 25, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET and must be submitted through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application Portal at https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa.
“Digital access is essential for success in today’s world — whether it’s applying for a job, completing schoolwork, accessing health care, or staying connected to loved ones. In New York, we believe that access to affordable, reliable internet is a basic right, not a luxury,” Governor Hochul said. “That’s why we are taking action to ensure every New Yorker has the tools, skills, and support they need to thrive in the digital age. No matter the challenges, we will continue forging ahead — investing in communities, strengthening partnerships, and delivering on our promise of a more connected and equitable future.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Digital equity is essential to economic mobility, educational access, and full participation in modern life. New York State remains unwavering in our commitment to ensuring that every community — urban, rural, and everything in between—can connect to the resources and opportunities the digital world offers. Through continued investment, strong partnerships, and innovative strategies, we are moving forward to close the digital divide and build a more inclusive future for all New Yorkers.”
Governor Hochul also announced a campaign to educate New Yorkers on the low-cost internet service options available under New York State’s Affordable Broadband Act (ABA) — the nation’s first legally mandated low-cost broadband option. Under the ABA, internet service providers are required to offer internet connections for $20/month or less and to promote and provide enrollment guidance to consumers.
By re-releasing the Digital Equity Program RFA, ConnectALL reaffirms the Governor’s commitment to address barriers to internet adoption and access and enhance the opportunities and security for New Yorkers using the internet by:
Increasing access to affordable broadband subscriptions
Providing access to internet devices
Expanding digital literacy programs
Protecting the privacy and safety of residents, and
Ensuring the accessibility of government services
ConnectALL will work with state and local partners to promote enrollment in low-cost internet options secured for eligible consumers through the Affordable Broadband Act.
This groundbreaking legislation has earned national recognition, with ConnectALL winning the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) Community Broadband and Digital Equity Award for 2025 Broadband Visionary/Legislative Achievement of the Year.
ConnectALL will partner with New York City and State agencies to engage with eligible households, make them aware of low-cost internet plans, and support their enrollment. This partnership will implement a multi-channel outreach strategy that includes multilingual flyers, text campaigns to households receiving public benefits, summer street and back-to-school outreach, information via NYC 3-1-1, and a plain language self-enrollment guide, among other actions. In addition, the State is investing $500,000 in 2-1-1 NY, a subsidiary of the United Way New York, to launch ABA support for 2-1-1 callers with screenings and targeted enrollment guidance for up to 10,000 low-income households seeking reduced-cost internet services outside of New York City.
Expanding New York’s Digital Infrastructure
Governor Hochul has made expanding broadband access a cornerstone of her administration’s efforts to create a more equitable New York. Through the ConnectALL initiative, New York State is investing over $1 billion to transform the state’s digital infrastructure, enhance competition among providers, and ensure that every New Yorker has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. To date, ConnectALL has overseen the successful launch and implementation of several programs to advance broadband access, including:
The Digital Equity Program is implementing the $50 million New York State Digital Equity Plan to close the digital divide. The Plan outlines New York’s statewide strategy to increase its capacity to improve digital literacy and digital job readiness skills, facilitate access to affordable internet and devices, enhance digital privacy and safety, and make government services more accessible through the internet.
The Municipal Infrastructure Program has awarded over $242 million to support construction of open access municipal broadband networks across the state. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects fund, facilitates a variety of models of municipal broadband and public-private partnerships to provide New Yorkers with affordable, high-quality service options. Information on projects funded through this program is available on the ConnectALL Projects Dashboard (Beta).
The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program will bring new broadband infrastructure to homes in affordable and public housing leveraging federal support from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund as part of an overall $100 million investment. Information on projects funded through this program is available on the ConnectALL Projects Dashboard (Beta).
The Excelsior Broadband Network is a new statewide public broadband network. The first component of this project will be a new fiber line running the full length of the New York Thruway which will connect public broadband assets across the state and improve access to consistent high-speed internet and reliable cell phone service for communities across the state.
The Mobile Service Connectivity initiative will work with local stakeholders, state agencies, and industry to develop regional plans to expand cellular coverage across the state. The program will identify top opportunities to expand coverage and provide funding to deploy innovative, scalable solutions that can address gaps in wireless cellular coverage.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has committed $44.9 million to Calix to build a novel demonstration plant using its Zero Emissions Steel Technology (ZESTY).
Powered by renewable electricity and hydrogen, the plant will aim to produce up to 30,000 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen direct reduced iron (HDRI) and hot briquetted iron (HBI) each year in a strong step toward cleaner steelmaking.
ZESTY leverages Calix’s proprietary Flash Calciner technology which aims to reduce the cost of green iron production. The new funding builds on the successful outcomes of ARENA funded engineering studies for the demonstration plant. The funding also supports early-stage engineering studies for a much larger commercial scale ZESTY plant, helping build local capability in low emissions metals—a strategic priority for ARENA and a critical future industry for Australia.
The project will also showcase a flexible green iron process that can ramp production up or down to match renewable energy supply—supporting a smarter, cleaner industrial future.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller stressed that finding a low or zero emissions pathway for steelmaking is crucial, given its significant contribution to global emissions.
“As the world’s largest producer and exporter of iron ore, Australia has a critical role in reducing emissions across the steel value chain,” he said.
“ZESTY is a strong step toward building a low-emissions steel industry at home.”
“What makes ZESTY so compelling is its potential to dramatically lower the amount of hydrogen required to convert iron ore into pure iron. ZESTY, in combination with use of renewable electricity from Australia’s world-class solar and wind resources, has the potential to create a new green iron industry targeting both domestic and export markets as the world transitions away from fossil fuels.”
Calix CEO Phil Hodgson welcomed the funding, saying, “green iron can tackle one of the world’s hardest to abate emissions sources while adding value to Australia’s biggest export. ZESTY is designed to do this cost effectively – minimising hydrogen use, avoiding pelletisation, and operating flexibly on low-cost electricity.”
Founded in 2005, Calix is an Australian innovator in sustainable high-temperature mineral processing, with applications across steel, cement, alumina, lithium and critical minerals.
Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation
23rd July 2025
The Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment, Alan Dillon, today launched the fourth Strategy Statement of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ‘A Decade of Impact, A Future of Fair Work and Equality’.
Over the previous Strategy Statement period (2022-2024), while its fundamental purpose and the services it provided remain unchanged, the WRC has dealt with broad operational and structural challenges and has been required to respond agilely to what has proved a sometimes challenging economic, social and statutory environment.
Through the newly launched Strategy Statement 2025-2027 ‘A Decade of Impact, A Future of Fair Work and Equality’ the strategic direction of the WRC must include proactive engagement with emerging labour dynamics, support for inclusive employment practices, and adaptive frameworks to maintain industrial harmony in a fast-evolving growing economy.
The strategic framework is built around four interlocking pillars ensuring the WRC continues to protect workers rights, resolve disputes, empower people with knowledge, and strengthen the WRC’s capabilities through continuous improvement. These pillars support a vision of a just, inclusive, and equitable world for all in Irish society.
Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment, Mr Alan Dillon said:
“I welcome the WRC’s Strategy Statement through which the WRC will seek to achieve its broader strategic vision over the next three years whilst continuing to effectively deliver its important statutory remit serving workers, employers, their representatives, its own staff, and wider society. The next decade will bring changes and challenges for the WRC and as we enter the second decade of the Commission, this framework strategy illustrates a vision and provides the next steps for the organisation which will embed and enhance its performance and services to the public into the short and medium term.”
Among the targets and objectives set by the strategy, covering the years 2025-2027, are:
Increase accessibility to services for all
Strengthen compliance in high-risk sectors
Improve efficiencies across all services
Build a modern, data-informed, adaptive and agile organisation
Strengthen resilience and build on positive culture
Launch and embed the Knowledge, Information & Advisory Division
Empower service user led resolution over imposed solutions.
Speaking on the Strategy, Dr David Begg, Chairperson of the Board of the WRC said:
“This document, “A Decade of Impact, A Future of Fair Work and Equality,” marks the WRC’s fourth strategic statement since its establishment on 1 October 2015. It reflects both our evolution over the past decade and our ambitions for the future—ensuring that the WRC remains a responsive, trusted, and forward-looking institution at the heart of Ireland’s labour market.
This strategy, which was informed through a deeply consultative process, is rooted in the lived realities of the work of the WRC and the evolving needs of its service users. It positions the WRC to lead confidently into the next decade – promoting fair and inclusive workplaces, enforcing employment rights, and fostering constructive industrial relations across Ireland.”
Ms Audrey Cahill, WRC Director General outlines in her Forword that:
“As the Workplace Relations Commission enters its 10th year, we reaffirm our commitment to championing fairness, dignity, and equality in Irish workplaces. The next phase of our strategy builds on a decade of progress and is shaped by the evolving world of work, societal expectations, and importantly the needs of those we serve.
It is important that the strategic direction of the WRC must include proactive engagement with emerging labour dynamics, support for inclusive employment practices, and adaptive frameworks to maintain industrial harmony in a fast-evolving growing economy.”
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) was established in October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. It is the body to which all industrial relations disputes and all disputes and complaints about employment laws are referred.
The functions of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) are to:
adjudicate on employment and equality complaints and disputes
provide conciliation, pre-adjudication mediation and other voluntary dispute resolution services to assist in the resolution of individual and collective disputes and maintain industrial peace
monitor employment conditions to ensure compliance with and (where necessary) enforcement of employment rights legislation
provide information on employment legislation, and process employment agency and protection of young persons (employment) licences
provide advisory services to employers, employees and their representatives
Additional functions set out in section 11 (1) of the Workplace Relations Act 2015 include:
promoting the improvement of workplace relations, and maintenance of good workplace relations,
promoting and encouraging compliance with relevant enactments,
providing guidance in relation to compliance with codes of practice approved under Section 20 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015,
conducting reviews of, and monitor developments as respects, workplace relations,
conducting or commissioning research into matters pertaining to workplace relations,
providing advice, information and the findings of research conducted by the Commission to joint labour committees and joint industrial councils,
advising and apprising the Minister in relation to the application of, and compliance with, relevant enactments, and
providing information to members of the public in relation to employment
It has specific functions in resolving industrial disputes and implementing employment laws. More information is available on the Workplace Relations Commission website Home – Workplace Relations Commission.
ENDS
For further information please contact Press Office, D/Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, press.office@enterprise.gov.ie or (01) 631-2200
The United Nations’ highest court has found that countries can be held legally responsible for their greenhouse gas emissions, in a ruling highly anticipated by Pacific countries long frustrated with the pace of global action to address climate change.
In a landmark opinion delivered yesterday in The Hague, the president of the International Court of Justice, Yuji Iwasawa, said climate change was an “urgent and existential threat” that was “unequivocally” caused by human activity with consequences and effects that crossed borders.
They were frustrated at what they saw was a lack of action to address the climate crisis, and saw current mechanisms to address it as woefully inadequate.
Their idea was backed by the government of Vanuatu, which convinced the UN General Assembly to seek the court’s advisory opinion on what countries’ obligations are under international law.
The court’s 15 judges were asked to provide an opinion on two questions: What are countries obliged to do under existing international law to protect the climate and environment, and, second, what are the legal consequences for governments when their acts — or lack of action — have significantly harmed the climate and environment?
The International Court of Justice in The Hague yesterday . . . landmark non-binding rulings on the climate crisis. Image: X/@CIJ_ICJ
Overnight, reading a summary that took nearly two hours to deliver, Iwasawa said states had clear obligations under international law, and that countries — and, by extension, individuals and companies within those countries — were required to curb emissions.
Iwasawa said the environment and human rights obligations set out in international law did indeed apply to climate change.
‘Precondition for human rights’ “The protection of the environment is a precondition for the enjoyment of human rights,” he said, adding that sea-level rise, desertification, drought and natural disasters “may significantly impair certain human rights, including the right to life”.
To reach its conclusion, judges waded through tens of thousands of pages of written submissions and heard two weeks of oral arguments in what the court said was the ICJ’s largest-ever case, with more than 100 countries and international organisations providing testimony.
They also examined the entire corpus of international law — including human rights conventions, the law of the sea, the Paris climate agreement and many others — to determine whether countries have a human rights obligation to address climate change.
The president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Yuji Iwasawa, delivering the landmark rulings on climate change. Image: X/@CIJ_ICJ
Major powers and emitters, like the United States and China, had argued in their testimonies that existing UN agreements, such as the Paris climate accord, were sufficient to address climate change.
But the court found that states’ obligations extended beyond climate treaties, instead to many other areas of international law, such as human rights law, environmental law, and laws around restricting cross-border harm.
Significantly for many Pacific countries, the court also provided an opinion on what would happen if sea levels rose to such a level that some states were lost altogether.
“Once a state is established, the disappearance of one of its constituent elements would not necessarily entail the loss of its statehood.”
Significant legal weight The ICJ’s opinion is legally non-binding. But even so, advocates say it carries significant legal and political weight that cannot be ignored, potentially opening the floodgates for climate litigation and claims for compensation or reparations for climate-related loss and damage.
Individuals and groups could bring lawsuits against their own countries for failing to comply with the court’s opinion, and states could also return to the International Court of Justice to hold each other to account.
The opinion would also be a powerful precedent for legislators and judges to call on as they tackle questions related to the climate crisis, and give small countries greater weight in negotiations over future COP agreements and other climate mechanisms.
Outside the court, several dozen climate activists, from both the Netherlands and abroad, had gathered on a square as cyclists and trams rumbled by on the summer afternoon. Among them was Siaosi Vaikune, a Tongan who was among those original students to hatch the idea for the challenge.
“Everyone has been waiting for this moment,” he said. “It’s been six years of campaigning.
“Frontline communities have demanded justice again and again,” Vaikune said. “And this is another step towards that justice.”
Vanuatu’s Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu (cenbtre) speaks to the media after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings on climate change in The Hague yesterday. Image: X/CIJ_ICJ
‘It gives hope’ Vanuatu’s Climate Minister Ralph Regenvanu said the ruling was better than he expected and he was emotional about the result.
“The most pleasing aspect is [the ruling] was so strong in the current context where climate action and policy seems to be going backwards,” Regenvanu told RNZ Pacific.
“It gives such hope to the youth, because they were the ones who pushed this.
“I think it will regenerate an entire new generation of youth activists to push their governments for a better future for themselves.”
Regenvanu said the result showed the power of multilateralism.
“There was a point in time where everyone could compromise to agree to have this case heard here, and then here again, we see the court with the judges from all different countries of the world all unanimously agreeing on such a strong opinion, it gives you hope for multilateralism.”
He said the Pacific now has more leverage in climate negotiations.
“Communities on the ground, who are suffering from sea level rise, losing territory and so on, they know what they want, and we have to provide that,” Regenvanu said.
“Now we know that we can rely on international cooperation because of the obligations that have been declared here to assist them.”
The director of climate change at the Pacific Community (SPC), Coral Pasisi, also said the decision was a strong outcome for Pacific Island nations.
“The acknowledgement that the science is very clear, there is a direct clause between greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and the harm that is causing, particularly the most vulnerable countries.”
She said the health of the environment is closely linked to the health of people, which was acknowledged by the court.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Your fitness tracker might be lying to you. That 10,000-step target flashing on your wrist? It didn’t come from decades of careful research. It came from a Japanese walking club and a marketing campaign in the 1960s.
A major new study has found that 7,000 steps a day dramatically cuts your risk of death and disease. And more steps bring even greater benefits.
People hitting 7,000 daily steps had a 47% lower risk of dying prematurely than those managing just 2,000 steps, plus extra protection against heart disease, cancer and dementia.
The findings come from the biggest review of step counts and health ever done. Researchers gathered data from 57 separate studies tracking more than 160,000 people for up to two decades, then combined all the results to spot patterns that individual studies might miss. This approach, called a systematic review, gives scientists much more confidence in their conclusions than any single study could.
So where did that magic 10,000 number come from? A pedometer company called Yamasa wanted to cash in on 1964 Tokyo Olympics fever. It launched a device called Manpo-kei – literally “10,000 steps meter”. The Japanese character for 10,000 resembles a walking person, while 10,000 itself is a memorable round number. It was a clever marketing choice that stuck.
At that time, there was no robust evidence for whether a target of 10,000 steps made sense. Early research suggested that jumping from a typical 3,000 to 5,000 daily steps to 10,000 would burn roughly 300 to 400 extra calories a day. So the target wasn’t completely random – just accidentally reasonable.
This latest research paper looked across a broad spectrum – not just whether people died, but heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, depression and even falls. The results tell a fascinating story. Even tiny increases matter. Jump from 2,000 to 4,000 steps daily and your death risk drops by 36%. That’s a substantial improvement.
But here’s where it gets interesting. The biggest health benefits happen between zero and 7,000 steps. Beyond that, benefits keep coming, but they level off considerably. Studies have found meaningful benefits starting at just 2,517 steps per day. For some people, that could be as little as a 20-minute stroll around the block.
Age changes everything, too. If you’re over 60, you hit maximum benefits at 6,000 to 8,000 daily steps. Under 60? You need 8,000 to 10,000 steps for the same protection. Your 70-year-old neighbour gets 77% lower heart disease risk at just 4,500 steps daily.
The real secret of why fitness targets often fail? People give up on them.
Research comparing different step goals found a clear pattern. Eighty-five per cent of people stuck with 10,000 daily steps. Bump it to 12,500 steps and only 77% kept going. Push for 15,000 steps and you lose nearly a third of people.
One major study followed middle-aged adults for 11 years. Those hitting 7,000 to 9,999 steps daily had 50-70% lower death risk. But getting beyond 10,000 steps? No extra benefit. All that extra effort for nothing. Other researchers watching people over a full year saw the same thing. Step programmes worked brilliantly at first, then people slowly drifted back to old habits as targets felt unrealistic.
Here’s something that might surprise you. Most of your daily steps don’t come from structured walks or gym sessions. Eighty per cent happen during everyday activities – tidying up, walking to the car, general movement around the house.
People naturally build steps through five main routes: work (walking between meetings), commuting (those train station treks), household chores, evening strolls and tiny incidental movements. People using public transport clock up 19 minutes of walking daily just getting around.
Research has also found something else interesting. Frequent short bursts of activity work as well as longer walks. Your body doesn’t care if you get steps from one epic hike or dozens of trips up the stairs. This matters because it means you don’t need to become a completely different person. You just need to move a bit more within your existing routine.
So, what does this mean for you? Even 2,500 daily steps brings real health benefits. Push up to 4,000 and you’re in serious protection territory. Hit 7,000 and you’ve captured most of the available benefits.
For older people, those with health conditions, or anyone starting from a sedentary baseline, 7,000 steps is brilliant. It’s achievable and delivers massive health returns. But if you’re healthy and can manage more, keep going. The benefits climb all the way up to 12,000 steps daily, cutting death risk by up to 55%.
The 10,000-step target isn’t wrong exactly. It’s just not the magic threshold everyone thinks it is.
What started as a Japanese company’s clever marketing trick has accidentally become one of our most useful health tools. Decades of research have refined that original guess into something much more sophisticated: personalised targets based on your age, health and what you can actually stick to.
The real revelation? You don’t need to hit some arbitrary target to transform your health. You just need to move more than you do now. Every single step counts.
Jack McNamara does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Inter-Civilizational Dialogue Among SCO Countries 2025 held in Tianjin
Updated: July 24, 2025 07:07Xinhua
This photo taken on July 23, 2025 shows a scene during the Inter-Civilizational Dialogue Among Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Countries 2025 in north China’s Tianjin. The event attracted some 300 participants from home and abroad. Sideline events including a calligraphy exhibition, a sculpture exhibition, and an intangible heritage exhibition were also held during the dialogue. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Investing in China for win-win future becomes prevailing consensus among global investors: spokesperson
BEIJING, July 23 — Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Wednesday said investing in China for a win-win future has become a prevailing consensus among global investors.
He added that China welcomes companies from across the world, including those from the United States, to participate in the Chinese modernization drive and strive for greater progress while integrating themselves into high-quality development.
A recent report released by the U.S.-China Business Council shows that 82 percent of U.S. companies in China reported profit in the year of 2024, and many say uncertainties in China-U.S. relations and tariffs are their top concerns but the Chinese market remains vital.
In response, Guo said as of March 2025, 1.24 million foreign-funded companies had been established in China, with a total investment volume of nearly 3 trillion U.S. dollars.
“While contributing to China’s reform and opening up, these companies have gained opportunities to grow stronger and received considerable returns,” said Guo, adding that the first half of 2025 witnessed a two-digit growth rate in the number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises in China.
Guo noted that the third China International Supply Chain Expo wrapped up with the number of participating countries and regions reaching 75, growing from 55 in the first expo.
The number of U.S. exhibitors is up by 15 percent compared with that of last year, continuing to lead in the number of foreign exhibitors. Over 65 percent of exhibitors were Fortune Global 500 firms or industry leaders, he added.
“Foreign-funded companies have cast a vote of confidence in China’s economic prospects with their concrete actions,” he said.
Guo added that the Chinese government recently rolled out new steps to encourage foreign investment, showing its sincerity and determination in advancing high-standard opening up.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Russian and Ukrainian delegations held a third round of peace talks on Wednesday evening at the Ciragan Palace, during which the two sides agreed on another prisoner exchange but clashed on ceasefire terms and a potential presidential meeting.
Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky and Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov led the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, respectively. The closed-door talks were chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Following the talks, which lasted for less than one hour, Umerov said at a press conference that Ukraine continues to insist on a full and unconditional ceasefire as the essential foundation for effective diplomacy.
“We are ready for a ceasefire now and to start substantive peace negotiations, and it is up to the other side to accept this basic step towards peace,” Umerov said.
“We emphasize that the ceasefire must be genuine. It must include a complete cessation of strikes on civilian and critical infrastructure,” he said.
Prior to the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow and Kiev are “diametrically opposed” in their positions on how to end the conflict, noting that “much work” still needs to be done.
The Ukrainian side has proposed to Russia to hold a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “by the end of August,” where the participation of U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be “especially valuable,” he said.
During a separate press conference after the talks, Medinsky said Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners of war each, including a proposal from Moscow to swap about 30 civilians held by Ukraine in the Kursk region.
Russia has returned the bodies of 7,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers and is ready to return 3,000 more, he said, requesting the return of any number of deceased Russian soldiers from Ukraine.
He also said that the Russian side proposed establishing three online working groups with Ukraine to address political, humanitarian, and military issues, and asked Ukraine to consider declaring short ceasefires of 24-48 hours along the contact line to evacuate the wounded soldiers and recover the bodies of fallen troops.
As to the Putin-Zelensky meeting Ukraine proposed, Medinsky said such a meeting is not being considered until certain processes are completed.
Meanwhile, Zelensky wrote on social media platform X after the talks that the ninth stage of prisoner exchange took place “today,” which involved more than 1,000 people from the Ukrainian side, including those “seriously ill and severely wounded.”
“It is important that the exchanges are ongoing,” he wrote.
In his opening remarks to the talks, Fidan urged the two delegations to engage in result-oriented negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire and ultimately ending the war.
“Our goal is to end this bloody war, which has come at a heavy cost, as soon as possible,” Fidan said.
While the previous two rounds of talks in Istanbul — held on May 16 and June 2 — led to the exchange of thousands of war prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers, they produced little progress toward a ceasefire.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said Wednesday that Tehran has agreed to receive a technical team of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which will visit Iran in two to three weeks.
The visit from the IAEA technical delegation to Iran will happen “very soon, in two to three weeks,” Gharibabadi told reporters.
He said the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is assessing the damages to the nuclear installations, and “the delegation will come to Iran to discuss the modality, not to go to the (nuclear) sites.”
Gharibabadi added that if a new round of negotiations between the United States and Iran takes place, it will only be done indirectly.
On Monday, Gharibabadi held a special meeting with the ambassadors of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, during which he “detailed the dimensions of the recent acts of aggression” by Israel and the United States against Iran, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China has called for opposition to unilateral tariff actions and the defense of the multilateral trading system at a two-day meeting of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) General Council, which concluded on Wednesday.
In a statement presented at the meeting, the Chinese delegation noted that global trade turbulence is intensifying, marked by rising uncertainty and increased risks of fragmentation.
In recent months, new unilateral tariff measures have continued to emerge, and the volume of trade affected by restrictive measures has reached 2.7 trillion U.S. dollars, the highest level since statistics became available in 2009, the delegation said.
Against this backdrop, the delegation called on WTO members to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and to more effectively support the multilateral trading system.
The delegation elaborated on a three-pronged “SDR” framework previously proposed by China, namely “Stability as the cornerstone, Development as the priority, and Reform as the pathway,” noting that the proposed efforts include jointly upholding WTO principles such as the most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment and non-discrimination, supporting the integration of developing members into the multilateral trading system, and advancing in-depth WTO reform.
The delegation stressed that bilateral agreements reached or related measures taken by relevant members to ease trade tensions must comply with WTO rules.
The delegation also suggested that the WTO Secretariat strengthen its monitoring and analysis of unilateral measures and bilateral agreements, and promptly inform members of their impact, especially the potential negative spillover effects on third-party members.
Brazil, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Venezuela and other WTO members stated at the meeting that escalating trade turbulence is not in the common interest of members. Unilateral tariff measures, they noted, undermine the foundation of multilateral rules, significantly raise costs for businesses and consumers, and particularly hinder the economic growth and social development of vulnerable developing members.
Given the current circumstances, they emphasized that upholding the multilateral trading system has become more critical than ever.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Sporadic clashes, drone strikes, and ground fighting continued in southern Syria’s Sweida province and surrounding areas despite a declared truce, with the number of displaced reaching over 145,000, the United Nations said Wednesday.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the violence between July 20 and 22 has included mortar attacks and aerial surveillance, further injuring civilians and forcing thousands to flee. Most of the displaced have remained within Sweida province, while others have sought safety in neighboring Daraa and Rural Damascus governorates.
Access to basic services remains severely disrupted across Sweida. The UN reported widespread outages in electricity, water, fuel, and telecommunications, while food insecurity is worsening due to market disruptions and the closure of bakeries.
Humanitarian organizations have begun responding to the crisis, delivering medical care, protection services, food, clean water, and non-food items to affected communities, although access constraints continue to hamper efforts.
Two batches of aid distributions from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) have reached parts of Sweida and Salkhad districts, providing food, fuel, and medical supplies.
The UN warned that displacement is still ongoing and that overcrowded shelters, poor sanitation facilities, and contamination from explosive ordnance are compounding protection risks for already vulnerable populations.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Buick LPGA Shanghai will return to the Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club from October 9-12, organizers announced on Wednesday.
As the first event of the 2025 LPGA Fall Asia Swing, it will bring together the world’s top female golfers for a thrilling showdown, delivering an elite competition and reigniting golf’s momentum.
Yin Ruoning of China competes during the women’s individual stroke play round 1 of golf at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)
Jointly sanctioned by the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) and the China LPGA (CLPGA), the Buick LPGA Shanghai has established itself as a global stage for champions.
Featuring 81 top players competing for a 2.2 million U.S. dollars purse under a no-cut format, the Buick LPGA Shanghai will see defending champion Yin Ruoning headline the world-class lineup. The Chinese star, a former world No. 1 and major winner, aims for back-to-back victories on home soil.
In the autumn of 2024, Yin Ruoning delivered a career-defining performance at the Buick LPGA Shanghai, carding eight birdies in a blistering final round to shoot 8-under par and finish at a record-breaking 25-under par, claiming the title and etching her name into the tournament lore.
“The Buick LPGA Shanghai holds a special place in my heart,” said Yin. “It has witnessed my growth and opened the door for countless young Chinese players to pursue their dreams. I am deeply grateful to the Buick brand for its lasting support of me, junior golf, and the overall development of the sport in China.”
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services’ Subcommittee on Seapower and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, (D-VA) and a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues reintroduced a resolution urging the U.S. Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS, which has been ratified by 170 parties, defines the rights and responsibilities of nations regarding the world’s oceans—including guidelines for businesses and the management of marine natural resources—and provides a legal framework to protect those rights while avoiding conflict.
“Ensuring freedom of navigation is critical to protecting our economic and national security,” said Kaine. “The U.S. should not sit on the sidelines when it comes to this important issue, and that’s why I’m calling on my colleagues to ratify UNCLOS.”
UNCLOS is a comprehensive legal framework governing all uses of the world’s oceans and seas, and their resources. It also allows for further development of specific areas of the law of the sea. It is the globally recognized framework for dealing with all matters relating to the law of the sea, governing areas including, but not limited to, environmental control, marine scientific research, economic and commercial activities, and the settlement of disputes relating to ocean matters.
The treaty was opened for signature on December 10, 1982 and was entered into force on November 16, 1994. The United States signed UNCLOS on July 29, 1994, but the U.S. Senate has not yet voted to ratify the treaty, despite urging from environmental, scientific, labor, and industry organizations.
U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) led the resolution. In addition to Kaine, the bill was cosponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Todd Young (R-IN), and Angus King (I-ME).
The full text of the resolution is available here.
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (D-VA) and U.S. Representative Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), alongside Senate and House colleagues, introduced the bicameral Charting My Path to Future Success Act, legislation to restore the abruptly discontinued federal program designed to help students with disabilities succeed in adulthood. The funding disruption has impacted 13 school districts across 11 states, including Spotsylvania County Public Schools.
The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Education to reissue the solicitation and award the contract for the “Charting My Path for Future Success Program,” a $45 million, ten-year initiative originally launched in 2019 during President Donald Trump’s first term, which works to help students with disabilities transition from high school to adulthood. The program was abruptly canceled in February 2025 after more than $25 million had already been spent and just as participating students began receiving services.
“Ripping away critical funding and resources for students with disabilities is cruel and hurts America’s future,” said Kaine. “The Charting My Path for Future Success Program was established during Trump’s first term, but now Trump and DOGE have cancelled funding with no warning. Not only does this harm students with disabilities who are depending on this support, it also hurts the teachers and Spotsylvania schools whose jobs and school budgets depend on this funding. I’m proud to introduce the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to immediately reissue this funding and ensure all students are set up for success.”
“Students across Virginia’s Seventh District and our country deserve a real chance to thrive after high school. And yet, the Trump Administration just recklessly cut the ‘Charting My Path for Future Success’ program from Spotsylvania County Public Schools and I cannot let that stand,” said Vindman. “That’s why I am proud to introduce this bill – we owe it to students and families to re-start this program and prohibit the Administration from canceling it without Congressional approval.”
Designed to support students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) across a wide range of disabilities, the “Charting My Path for Future Success Program” provided one-on-one and small group sessions, mentoring, and year-round tutoring. Over 1,600 high school juniors, seniors, and their families were affected across the 11 states. In addition to Virginia, impacted districts include school systems in Georgia, Utah, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, and New York.
The bill is endorsed by a coalition of disability advocacy organizations, including the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Education Task Force, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, The Arc of the United States, the Autism Society of America, the National Disability Rights Network, and the Council of Administrators of Special Education.
In addition to Kaine, U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the legislation in the Senate. In addition to Vindman, U.S. Representatives Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53), and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10) introduced the legislation in the House.
The full text of the resolution is available here.