Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Tyler, has been charged with a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Marco Imanol Ferrusca-Ortega, 23, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on July 8, 2025, Ferrusca-Ortega was found illegally in the United States and in possession of a firearm
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Ferrusca-Ortega faces up to 15 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Tyler Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Farahnak.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
LOS ANGELES – A former Amtrak employee was sentenced today to 25 months in federal prison for conspiring with her husband to steal nearly $1 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and for fraudulently obtaining more than $63,000 in sickness benefits while she worked at the passenger railroad company.
Lizette Berrios Lathon, 48, of Moreno Valley, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin, who also ordered her to pay $1,061,667in restitution.
In November 2022, Lizette Lathon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of wire fraud.
Previously, in July 2024, Judge Olguin sentenced Lathon’s husband, Kenneth Andrew Lathon, 50, also of Moreno Valley, to 54 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $998,630 in restitution.
Kenneth Lathon pleaded guilty in November 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
From 2014 until at least September 2022, Lizette Lathon, in addition to her one-time duties as a service attendant for Amtrak, operated at least three tax preparation businesses: Miracle Tax Service, which was located on Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile; Hardcore Corp., which did business as “Hardcore Taxes”; and Lathon LLC, which did business as “LL Taxes.” The latter two companies were in Moreno Valley.
Lathon and her husband took advantage of the expanded eligibility for UI benefits made possible by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law in 2020. The CARES Act also established the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which provided additional UI benefits to qualified individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including people who did not otherwise qualify for UI such as business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, and those with a limited work history.
In some instances, Lizette Lathon submitted fraudulent applications with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for UI benefits using names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth that she obtained from former clients of her tax preparation businesses without the permission of those former clients. On the applications, she falsely asserted inflated income for the named claimants – many of whom had never lived in California – to receive the maximum benefit amount.
As a result of the fraudulent claims she filed, EDD authorized Bank of America to issue debit cards in the names of Lizette Lathon’s former clients, but the cards were mailed to addresses she and her family controlled. She and her husband then used the debit cards to make cash withdrawals at ATMs and to make purchases at retail stores.
During the conspiracy, which lasted from the spring of 2020 until March 2021, Lathon and her husband caused at least 44 fraudulent unemployment claims to be filed, resulting in losses to EDD and the United States Treasury of approximately $998,630.
Lizette Lathon, who was employed at Amtrak from 2000 to 2021, also schemed to defraud the Railroad Retirement Board out of sickness benefit payments by filing forged and false claims that stated she was being treated by a medical professional for pain and anxiety. Through this scheme, which lasted from September 2014 to January 2020, she fraudulently obtained approximately $63,047 in sickness benefit payments.
Kenneth Lathon possessed a .22-caliber rifle and 12-gauge shotgun despite his criminal history, which includes felony convictions in California state court for theft, cocaine possession, and fraud.
These matters were investigated by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General; the United States Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration; the California Employment Development Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Cory L. Burleson of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted these cases.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Christopher Murrita Diaz, 20, and Gustavo Vergara Avalos, 21, both of Monroe, N.C., were each sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release yesterday for drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Both Diaz and Avalos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a machinegun. Diaz also pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine, transfer of a machinegun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated and investigation into Diaz after they learned he was selling cocaine and machinegun conversion devices, commonly referred to as a “Glock switches.” During the investigation, Diaz sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with the ATF, 28 Glock switches, a firearm, two AR style firearms, and a machinegun. At least one of the sales of contraband occurred at Vergara-Avalos’ residence. In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they seized a total of 10 firearms, 26 Glock switches, and more cocaine.
Both men are in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF and Union the Union County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The U.S.
Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Ningbo (Agenzia Fides) – Saint Vincent de Paul bore witness to Christ’s charity by offering food to the hungry and care for the sick in 17th-century France. Today, following in his footsteps, the parishioners of the Longwan Church dedicated to him, in the diocese of Wenzhou, offer a cup of fresh tea to those who must work hours and hours outdoors in the Chinese coastal province of Zhejiang. Food delivery workers, postmen, bricklayers, and messengers of various kinds have had to work even on the so-called “dog days,” the 30 hottest days of the year, when the humid heat becomes oppressive and everything becomes more tiring. The fresh tea offered by the parish community to all those in need of refreshment has become a simple and appreciated sign of how Christian charity recognizes and embraces the needs, even physical needs, of all. In winter, in the same parish, those suffering from the cold can always find a steaming cup of hot tea. The parish of Longwan has become famous for its concern in bearing witness to and proclaiming faith in Jesus, also through many social works. In addition to the distribution of “Vincentian tea,” members of the parish community maintain a service of regular, free medical visits for those most in need.They also organize sacred music concerts, pilgrimages, and social gatherings for groups of the elderly, young people, and children. All of this is also inspired by devotion to the Patron Saint Vincent de Paul, in accordance with the ever-helpful suggestion of the Didache: “Seek the faces of the Saints every day and find rest in their words.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 18/7/2025)
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The European Union issued a statement restating its unwavering and unequivocal condemnation of the persistent malicious activities posed by Russia, as part of broader, coordinated, and long-standing hybrid campaigns aimed at threatening and undermining the security, resilience and democratic foundations of the EU, its member states and its partners.
The Council adopted additional restrictive measures against two individuals and two entities for acts that constitute serious human rights violations or abuses, or which threaten the peace, stability and security of Sudan or for obstructing the delivery of, access to, and distribution of humanitarian assistance in Sudan.
Samsung Electronics has introduced its 2025 OLED TV line-up featuring three next-gen series (S95F, S90F, and S85F) in screen class sizes up to 83”. The fastest growing OLED TV brand,[1], Samsung is continuing to innovate with its 2025 OLED lineup, delivering powerful full-screen brightness, deep blacks, vibrant, Pantone®-validated colours and our most advanced OLED Glare-Free technology – for distraction-free viewing.
“No two homes are the same, and we recognise that for some shoppers – sunlight and ambient lighting are often a top consideration when choosing which TV to buy for their space. We want to give them even more flexibility to enjoy their content when and where they want, without compromising great picture quality and colour reproduction,” said said Nivash Ramsern, Director, Visual Display at Samsung South Africa. “Our flagship S95F series offers all of that and more, featuring our best OLED Glare-Free technology yet, while maintaining pure blacks, clean whites, dramatic contrast and truly breathtaking, Pantone-validated colour. Paired with our most advanced 4K processor, an upgraded refresh rate and a 30% brightness boost, you’ll experience the most realistic picture possible on a Samsung OLED TV.”
All three series in the lineup also feature Samsung Vision AI,[2] to power not only their cinematic picture and sound, but also AI-backed experiences that will help you engage more deeply with your content and enjoy a viewing experience that’s catered to you.
Samsung Vision AI also unlocks new Samsung SmartThings features that simplify and enhance daily life. When you activate “Pet Care[3] ” and “Family Care[4] , you’ll get access to live video of your living room through your connected camera and receive alerts if your pet or child needs your attention – for peace of mind at home or away. Plus, “Home Insights[5] provides notifications from your smart devices right on screen, including a 3D Map View that shows your entire smart home at a glance.
“Universal Gestures[6] even let’s you control your TV through your Galaxy Watch – with simple hand motions like rotating the watch bezel to scroll the screen,or making a fist to return to a previous menu.
These intuitive features, along with all your favorite apps and services, will be available through One UI Tizen – the next evolution of our Tizen OS. One UI Tizen enhances the look and feel of Tizen OS, with a refreshed layout that mirrors the interface of many Samsung smartphones, tablets and Galaxy watches.
You can also now create separate profiles for each member of your household and enjoy suggested shows, movies and other content curated just for you. And, we’re maximising your entertainment with up to seven years[7] of OS updates, ensuring you’ll have access to the latest apps and services for many years to come.
S95F: The Best Samsung OLED TV Gets Even Better
The flagship series features our most powerful NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor[8] that optimizes contrast, brightness, depth and colour across every scene. No matter what you enjoy watching, the processor upscales,[9] it all into brilliant 4K resolution.
For gamers, Motion Xcelerator 165Hz,[10] ensures smooth motion and blazing fast speeds from even the most demanding games. Together, these upgrades make the S95F our best OLED yet, offering a cinematic picture without distractions.
77” Class S95F: R99,999*
S90F: Vivid Contrast and Breathtaking Clarity through AI-Powered Visuals
The S90F series (48” – 83” screen class sizes) also features our powerful NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor that delivers incredible picture and dynamic sound, and powers Samsung Vision AI experiences. You can also watch classic movies and shows like you never have before thanks to 4K AI Upscaling Pro,[11], which transforms everything on screen into impressive 4K resolution.
Experience powerful brightness and deeper contrast as OLED HDR+,[12] analyzes each scene to help you appreciate even the tiniest details – from fireworks in a night sky to the golden hue of a sunset.
With the S90F series, you can enjoy an uninterrupted, fluid picture across games and content with Motion Xcelerator 144Hz.,[13] And, AI Motion Enhancer Pro,[14]sharpens and smooths fast-moving objects – like a golf ball or hockey puck – so you never miss a play.
The S90F also envelops you in multidimensional sound tailored to your space and content – thanks to features like Object Tracking Sound Lite, Active Voice Amplifier Pro,[15] and Adaptive Sound Pro.,[16]
83” Class S90F: R129,999*
77” Class S90F: R79,999*
65” Class S90F: R42,998*
55” Class S90F: R26,999*
48” Class S90F: R18,999*
S85F: Amazing Detail and Brightness
The S85F series (55” – 65” screen class sizes) is powered by the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor, which makes movies, TV shows, video games and sports you love look and sound even better.
4K AI Upscaling,[17] can transform content from decades ago into 4K resolution, while Motion Xcelerator 120Hz brings smooth motion to games and sports. The TVs can also analyse each scene and use AI to deliver vivid colours and enhanced detail with Colour Booster Pro.[18]
Plus, you’ll enjoy the same pure blacks, bright whites and Pantone-Validated colour offered across the entire 2025 OLED lineup, so images on screen look as incredible as they do in real life.
65” Class S85F: R32,999*
55” Class S85F: R22,999*
Our 2025 TVs are also loaded with sleek, minimalist designs that blend with your environment, while SmartThings,[19] works with over 340 smart home brands, integrating all your devices into one central ecosystem and unlocking exclusive features with select Samsung products. All the while, Samsung Knox,[20] offers triple-layer protection, so your personal data stays safe and secure.
Whichever model you choose, you can shop confidently from the #1 global TV brand for 19 years running. [21]
For more on the newest OLED models and other Samsung TV and audio products, visit www.samsung.com/za .
[1] Circana, LLC, Retail Tracking Service, Display Type: OLED, US Sales, 52 Weeks Ending March 23, 2024.
[2] Samsung Vision Al is only available on 2025 Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, OLED, QLED and The Frame TV models. Samsung Vision Al features vary by TV model. (Excludes Crystal UHD, FHD and HD TV models).
[3] Available on certain models only, and on terrestrial, cable TV and Samsung TV Plus.
[4] Works with antenna broadcast only. Available languages vary and may require download. Translation accuracy not guaranteed.
[5] Samsung Account required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features. Separate computer, mobile, or other device may be necessary to create/log in to Samsung Account (free to download and create). Without Samsung Account log in, only external device connections (e.g., via HDMI) and terrestrial/over-the-air TV (only for TVs with tuners) are available. Each device must be signed into same Samsung Account and must have both Wi-Fi. It only works when the TV is turned off. Utilizes AI-based formulas.
[6] Samsung Account required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features. Separate computer, mobile, or other device may be necessary to create/log in to Samsung Account (free to download and create). Without Samsung Account log in, only external device connections (e.g., via HDMI) and terrestrial/over-the-air TV (only for TVs with tuners) are available. Each device must be signed in to same Samsung Account and must have both Wi-Fi. It only works when the TV is turned off.
[7] Samsung Account required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features. Separate computer, mobile, or other device may be necessary to create/log in to Samsung Account (free to download and create). Without Samsung Account log in, only external device connections (e.g., via HDMI) and terrestrial/over-the-air TV (only for TVs with tuners) are available.
[8] Requires Galaxy Watch 4 and higher / Wear OS 5 and higher.
[9] Samsung Account required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features. Computer, mobile or other device may be necessary to create/log in to Samsung Account (free to download and create). Without Account log in, only external device connections (e.g., via HDMI) and terrestrial/over-the-air TV (only for TVs with tuners) available. One UI Tizen OS updates are available for up to 7 years from the product release year starting in 2023. Availability, features, contents, apps and services are subject to change without notice and may vary by product and model. OS updates does not cover hardware-related performance, features or durability.
[10] Utilises AI-Based formulas to upscale to 4K resolution. Resulting picture may vary based on source content.
[11] Utilises AI-Based formulas to upscale to 4K resolution. Resulting picture may vary based on source content.
[12] 4K 165Hz is only available with PC connected games that support such specifications (PC graphic card required). Performance may vary.
[13] Utilises AI-Based formulas to upscale to 4K resolution. Resulting picture may vary.
[14] Compared to OLED HDR, 48″ & 42″ have OLED HDR.
[15] 4K 144Hz is only available with PC connected games that support such specifications (PC graphic card required). Performance may vary.
[16] Utilises AI-Based formulas.
[17] Utilises AI-Based formulas to upscale to 4K resolution. Resulting picture may vary based on source content.
[18] Utilises AI-Based formulas.
[19] Samsung Account required for network-based smart services, including streaming apps and other smart features. Additional apps required. A computer, mobile or other device may be necessary to create/log into Samsung Account (free to download and create). Without Account login, only external device connections (e.g., via HDMI) and terrestrial/over-the-air TV (only for TVs with tuners) available.
[20] Personal data includes directly input PIN-codes and passwords, and IoT device information shared through the SmartThings App. The latest software update is required.
[21] Source: Omdia, Feb 2025. Results are not an endorsement of Samsung. Any reliance on these results is at the third party’s own risk.
In my writing and rhetoric courses, students have plenty of opinions on whether AI is intelligent: how well it can assess, analyze, evaluate and communicate information.
When I ask whether artificial intelligence can “think,” however, I often look upon a sea of blank faces. What is “thinking,” and how is it the same or different from “intelligence”?
We might treat the two as more or less synonymous, but philosophers have marked nuances for millennia. Greek philosophers may not have known about 21st-century technology, but their ideas about intellect and thinking can help us understand what’s at stake with AI today.
The divided line
Although the English words “intellect” and “thinking” do not have direct counterparts in the ancient Greek, looking at ancient texts offers useful comparisons.
In “Republic,” for example, Plato uses the analogy of a “divided line” separating higher and lower forms of understanding.
A Roman mosaic from Pompeii depicts Plato’s academy in Greece. Wikimedia Commons
Plato, who taught in the fourth century BCE, argued that each person has an intuitive capacity to recognize the truth. He called this the highest form of understanding: “noesis.” Noesis enables apprehension beyond reason, belief or sensory perception. It’s one form of “knowing” something – but in Plato’s view, it’s also a property of the soul.
Lower down, but still above his “dividing line,” is “dianoia,” or reason, which relies on argumentation. Below the line, his lower forms of understanding are “pistis,” or belief, and “eikasia,” imagination.
Pistis is belief influenced by experience and sensory perception: input that someone can critically examine and reason about. Plato defines eikasia, meanwhile, as baseless opinion rooted in false perception.
In Plato’s hierarchy of mental capacities, direct, intuitive understanding is at the top, and moment-to-moment physical input toward the bottom. The top of the hierarchy leads to true and absolute knowledge, while the bottom lends itself to false impressions and beliefs. But intuition, according to Plato, is part of the soul, and embodied in human form. Perceiving reality transcends the body – but still needs one.
So, while Plato does not differentiate “intelligence” and “thinking,” I would argue that his distinctions can help us think about AI. Without being embodied, AI may not “think” or “understand” the way humans do. Eikasia – the lowest form of comprehension, based on false perceptions – may be similar to AI’s frequent “hallucinations,” when it makes up information that seems plausible but is actually inaccurate.
Embodied thinking
Aristotle, Plato’s student, sheds more light on intelligence and thinking.
A 15th-century relief of Aristotle and Plato by Luca della Robbia in the Florence Cathedral in Italy. sailko/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
In “On the Soul,” Aristotle distinguishes “active” from “passive” intellect. Active intellect, which he called “nous,” is immaterial. It makes meaning from experience, but transcends bodily perception. Passive intellect is bodily, receiving sensory impressions without reasoning.
We could say that these active and passive processes, put together, constitute “thinking.” Today, the word “intelligence” holds a logical quality that AI’s calculations may conceivably replicate. Aristotle, however, like Plato, suggests that to “think” requires an embodied form and goes beyond reason alone.
Aristotle’s views on rhetoric also show that deliberation and judgment require a body, feeling and experience. We might think of rhetoric as persuasion, but it is actually more about observation: observing and evaluating how evidence, emotion and character shape people’s thinking and decisions. Facts matter, but emotions and people move us – and it seems questionable whether AI utilizes rhetoric in this way.
Finally, Aristotle’s concept of “phronesis” sheds further light on AI’s capacity to think. In “Nicomachean Ethics,” he defines phronesis as “practical wisdom” or “prudence.” “Phronesis” involves lived experience that determines not only right thought, but also how to apply those thoughts to “good ends,” or virtuous actions. AI may analyze large datasets to reach its conclusions, but “phronesis” goes beyond information to consult wisdom and moral insight.
‘Thinking’ robots?
Today, AI takes on many physical forms, from autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots to health care robotsand drones. If intelligence requires embodiment, as Plato and Aristotle believed, it might seem as if AI is coming closer than ever to human thinking.
AI does take on many forms, but they’re still not bodies; they run on code, algorithms and datasets. Intuitive understanding, emotion, integrity and practical wisdom seem to require an embodied, perishable form that is moved by experience.
Perhaps we should ask AI itself – so I did. When I prompted ChatGPT with the simple question, “Can you think?” it responded: “I can process information, analyze patterns, and generate responses based on data. So in some ways, it might ‘seem’ like I’m thinking. But it’s not thinking like a human does. I don’t have consciousness, emotions, intentions, or awareness. Everything I ‘do’ is based on patterns learned from huge amounts of text and a set of rules and probabilities. I can ‘simulate’ certain aspects of thinking, but I don’t truly think or understand in the human sense.”
That response aligns with Plato and Aristotle’s views. For now.
Ryan Leack 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.
Mike returned home to Philadelphia after a 15-year prison sentence and suffered an emotional breakdown.
“I just couldn’t stop crying … I don’t know. It was the anxiety. It was just a lot,” he said. “I was under a lot of pressure and it just came crashing down.”
Mike, who was in his late 40s when we spoke, told me about his childhood filled with abuse, his first arrest at age 14, and the over 20 years of his life that he spent behind bars.
As a registered nurse and nurse scientist who studies how incarceration affects mental health, I know Mike’s experience after release from prison is not uncommon. Studies show that Black men who have experienced incarceration have higher rates of PTSD, depression and psychological distress compared with Black men who have never been incarcerated.
Working in psychiatric hospitals in Philadelphia, I met many patients in crisis who had been incarcerated at some point in their lives. As a part of my doctoral research, funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, I interviewed 29 formerly incarcerated Black men to understand how incarceration has affected their mental health.
My peer-reviewed findings were published in the journal Social Science & Medicine. All quotes shared here use pseudonyms to protect the men’s privacy.
Many formerly incarcerated men described experiencing or witnessing violence, including being beaten by correctional officers and witnessing close friends get assaulted or killed.
“You know you are not regular because you come from a traumatic situation, right?” said Thomas, 44, who spent 18 years incarcerated.
The participants expressed that racism was common, especially while incarcerated in facilities located in the rural central and northern regions of Pennsylvania.
“I ain’t gonna sugar coat it – Black people going up into them white people mountains, they call you [n-word] all day long and you basically there to accept it,” Antonio told me.
Incarceration was especially difficult for those who were held for months pretrial without ever being convicted and those incarcerated during COVID restrictions who spent more than 23 hours a day in their cells.
‘Even though I’m free, I ain’t free’
Participants described life on parole or probation, or in transitional housing, as another form of confinement.
Ken, 56, has been out of prison for over a decade but said, “I’m still locked up, even though I’m free, I ain’t free. You just get a whole new set of rules and regulations.”
Men described significant anxiety related to community supervision requirements, including difficulty sleeping the night before a probation appointment.
Participants also described distress caused by “no association” restrictions. These are common parole and probation requirements that prohibit people under supervision from interacting with others who have criminal records, are also under supervision or are currently incarcerated. Violating this requirement can lead to a technical violation and reincarceration.
While these requirements are meant to reduce the risk of reoffending, they often isolate people from supportive relationships and resources, including housing and employment.
“[There are] a lot of smart brothers in there. And it hurts my heart. And that’s where the depression coming in too,” said Reese, who spent six years incarcerated. “I can’t contact them in jail. … That’s just how it is in the system.”
Philadelphia has the highest rate of community supervision – including probation and parole – among the largest U.S. cities, according to a 2019 analysis by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The men I interviewed said they felt like parts of them never left jail or prison, while others felt that they brought prison or jail home with them.
Tyrese, 34, said he stays home as often as he can.
“I’ve been out of the joint for seven years now and feel like I’m still institutionalized, I guess,” he said. “I know people that don’t even come outside,” referring to other formerly incarcerated men.
Others had dreams that they were back in a cell, or at home still wearing jail clothing. Long after release, many described constant hypervigilance and anxiety.
“I can be walking to the bus station and there be people walking around me, I’m constantly watching them,” said Anthony, who was first incarcerated at age 18 and served 16 years. “I’m watching every movement they’re doing. That’s a habit I had from jail.”
Philly rapper Meek Mill, shown here at a 2018 rally outside a Center City courthouse, was sentenced to probation for 10 years after a conviction on drug and gun charges. He became an advocate of criminal justice reform. Michael Candelori/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
Finding work
People who have been incarcerated often struggle to find employment after release, as many employers are unwilling to hire a person with a criminal record.
At the time of our interview, Tay, 31, was working part-time in carpentry. “Because I had felonies on my record a lot of places won’t hire me,” he said. “And a couple of places that I was working with, they ended up firing me once they did the background check.”
These frustrations can easily spill over into family life.
Mark, 30, also works part-time and said he found himself frequently becoming agitated and snapping at his kids, other family members and his girlfriend. “I can’t get the job I want or the job that I need to do what I need to do for my family and I’ll be frustrated,” he shared.
Participants struggled with having to depend on others for basic needs upon release. Kenny, who is now self-employed as a caterer, recalled his experience a few years earlier. “I was crying. I was a grown man, almost 40 years old, and my mother had to buy me underwear, socks,” he said.
The importance of fatherhood
Despite their many hardships, some of the men spoke with joy about reconnecting with their children.
“I think the most positive thing that happened since I’ve been out of prison is I got custody of my sons,” said Ken, a father of two. “Them kids saved me.”
Like many of the other participants with children, however, he was frustrated about being unable to provide for them and worried about repeating harmful cycles.
“You want to do good, but it makes you think bad stuff when you don’t have the right resources,” he continued. “You don’t want [your kids] to do the same things you did.”
Others struggled to bond with their children after years of separation.
John, 29, explained, “The bonding is kind of awkward, because you wasn’t there, especially during the pandemic when there was no visits allowed.”
Shawn, who lives in pubic housing, showed me abandoned buildings and boarded storefronts in his neighborhood and described how the environment made rebuilding his life harder.
For many participants, returning to divested communities brought stress. They experienced frequent exposure to substance use, violence and negative police encounters, and they had limited access to basic resources and job opportunities needed to support recovery and stability.
“This is my real life. It’s not fake. It’s not no, ‘Well, why did he go back and do this or that?’” he said. “I live in an underserved, impoverished, danger zone – period.”
Moving forward
The experiences these men shared with me demonstrate how traumatic incarceration is, even many years after release.
Supporting the mental health of formerly incarcerated Black men requires trauma-informed services, such as culturally responsive counseling, peer support and care that acknowledges the lasting effects of incarceration.
It also means helping them build or rebuild their financial resources, reconnect with their children and loved ones, and supporting the broader communities they return to through investment in housing, employment and accessible health and social services.
Helena Addison received funding from National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number F31NR020434, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and American Nurses Association Minority Fellowship Program, the University of Pennsylvania’s Presidential PhD Fellowship, and Jonas Philanthropies to support this study and/or her PhD training. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, or any other funding organizations or institutions. The views expressed in written training materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Higher vitamin D levels in a mother’s blood during pregnancy have been linked to higher IQ scores in early childhood and reduced behavioral problems. gpointstudio/iStock via Getty Images
Children whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12 compared with those whose mothers had lower levels. That is a key finding of a new peer-reviewed study that my colleagues and I published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
This suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be a promising, low-cost strategy to support brain development while reducing racial disparities. Our study also suggested that vitamin D levels early in pregnancy may be most important for childhood cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early action by health care providers.
We analyzed more than 900 mother-child pairs across the U.S. who participated in a large national study called ECHO, short for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes. We measured vitamin D in the mothers’ blood during pregnancy and assessed children’s cognitive abilities using a standardized test battery. We also accounted for other important factors that shape childhood development such as the mother’s education, neighborhood conditions and the child’s age and sex.
This new study builds on our earlier findings that higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy are linked to higher IQ in early childhood and with reduced behavioral problems in middle childhood.
Collectively, these studies suggest that vitamin D plays a crucial role in brain development during pregnancy, with lasting benefits for children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes.
The children of mothers who had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12. Prostock-Studio/iStock via Getty Images Plus
Although we can get vitamin D both from sun exposure and our diets, deficiency is common because these sources don’t meet everyone’s needs. Sunlight isn’t always a reliable source, especially for people with darker skin, those living in northern climates or those who often wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing. Natural food sources such as fatty fish, egg yolks and certain mushrooms contain some vitamin D, and fortified products such as milk and breakfast cereals help, but not everyone eats enough of these foods to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.
Although current guidelines recommend that pregnant women consume 600 international units, or IUs, of vitamin D daily, higher doses of at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU are often needed to correct deficiency. On average, U.S. women consume only 168 IU from food and beverages, and many prenatal vitamins providejust 400 IU. This highlights an important opportunity for clinicians to improve screening and support around vitamin D supplementation both before and during pregnancy.
If a simple, low-cost strategy such as prenatal vitamin D supplementation can help support brain development, it may yield lasting benefits for children. Long-term studies have shown that higher cognitive scores in childhood are linked to better memory and reasoning in older age, as well as longer lifespan.
What still isn’t known
While our studies have linked higher vitamin D levels in pregnancy to improved cognitive and behavioral development in children, we cannot yet prove that vitamin D is the direct cause.
Therefore, studies called randomized controlled trials – the gold standard of research – are needed to confirm these findings and determine how best to translate them into clinical practice. These studies will be essential for determining the optimal target levels for vitamin D to support brain development in pregnancy.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
Melissa Melough receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
These attacks are part of a broader strategy known as affective nationalism. It occurs when leaders use emotions, not just ideas, to build national identity. Feelings such as fear, pride, nostalgia and resentment are deployed to create a story about who belongs, who doesn’t and who’s to blame.
Trump followed Orbán’s playbook. On May 22, 2025, his administration declared that Harvard could no longer enroll foreign students. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security statement claimed that university leaders “created an unsafe campus environment by permitting anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators.” The statement suggested that many of the so-called agitators were foreign students.
These labels – “elite,” “foreign” or “anti-national” – are not neutral. They fuel fear, resentment and powerful narratives that frame universities as threats. Harvard, Central European University and Jawaharlal Nehru University have become symbols of broader national anxieties around identity and belonging.
British-Australian feminist scholar Sara Ahmed’s work on the sticky nature of emotions helps reveal the two emotions that often appear in attacks on universities: nostalgia and resentment.
Consider Trump’s “Make American Great Again” slogan. It implies the nation was once great, has declined and must reclaim its former glory. That’s a powerful emotional story. Nationalism often works this way – by telling a tale of a lost golden age and a future that must be saved.
For that reason, nostalgia is central to populist attacks on universities and institutional reform. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, for example, evoked Harvard’s symbolic past as part of the American Dream, arguing it has lost its way and “put its reputation in serious jeopardy.”
In India, Modi’s government rejects Western influence, while using nostalgia to revive a Hindu past in higher education. The Modi government promotes national pride on campuses by glorifying military heroes and installing symbolic figures – such as the statue of Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk and philosopher, at Jawaharlal Nehru University – to shape student identity and loyalty.
In Hungary, Orbán mobilizes a glorified Christian past to challenge discourses on diversity, inclusion, critical inquiry and academic freedom in higher education. A 2021 bill tasks universities with defending the nation and preserving its intellectual and cultural heritage.
In India, the Modi government has increasingly framed public universities as institutions corrupted by Western ideas. Tomas Cuesta/Getty Images News
Enemies of the nation
Resentment is a powerful emotion often used by states that see themselves as defenders of national unity and values. When Harvard resisted Trump’s reforms, the president framed the university’s stance in a Truth Social post as a betrayal to the nation, denouncing it as “terrorist inspired/supporting ‘sickness.’” Meanwhile, the Department of Education issued a statement that accused the university of a “troubling entitlement mindset.”
Similarly, in India, the Modi government has increasingly framed public universities – especially those with critical voices – as “anti-national” spaces. By casting critical voices as enemies within, the state turns resentment into a political weapon to justify the erosion of academic freedom.
In Hungary, the Orbán government mobilized resentment to portray universities and academics as disloyal elites working against the nation. One example of Hungary’s war on universities is the 2018 ban on gender studies, justified by the Orbán government as rejecting “socially constructed genders” in favor of “biological sexes.” This move reflects how the government uses resentment to assert ideological control over academic institutions.
Universities are under attack for what they represent. Hindustan Times
Emotional battlegrounds?
Universities, especially elite ones such as Harvard and Jawaharlal Nehru University, carry deep symbolic weight. People care because of what the institutions represent.
Harvard, with its elite status, has long been a symbol of academic authority. But more recently, it has been cast as a defender of liberal higher education – making it a Trump administration target.
Jawaharlal Nehru University in India holds similar symbolic weight. It’s historically associated with producing the country’s social elites and is seen, especially in mainstream media, as left-leaning, making it a lightning rod in India’s polarized political landscape.
Universities are under attack not just for what they teach and research, but for what – and who – they represent. These are not just ideological disputes; they are emotional struggles over identity, belonging and public trust.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Holy See Press Office Press Release: Telephone conversation of the Holy Father with the Prime Minister of Israel, 18.07.2025
This morning, in his residence at Castel Gandolfo, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, following yesterday’s military attack by the Israeli army that struck the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, killing three people and injuring others, including some seriously.
During the conversation, the Holy Father repeated his appeal for a renewed push for negotiations, a ceasefire and an end to the war. He again expressed his concern about the tragic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose children, elderly and sick are paying an agonizing price.
Finally, His Holiness reiterated the urgent need to protect places of worship and, especially, the faithful and all people in Palestine and Israel.
SAN JOSE – Andrew Alvarado was sentenced today to 38 years in federal prison for racketeering conspiracy and 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering, to run concurrently, for his role in multiple murders and attempted murders as part of the self-proclaimed “Murder Squad,” a crew of Salinas-based Norteño criminal street gang members falling under the Monterey County Regiment Enterprise affiliated with the Nuestra Familia prison gang. U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman handed down the sentence.
Alvarado, 34, of Salinas, pleaded guilty on April 15, 2025, to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering. According to court documents, the “Murder Squad” conducted more than a dozen “hunts,” tracking and shooting dozens of Salinas residents whom they perceived to be members of a rival gang for reasons as vague as they were Hispanic, bald, or wearing blue. The squad would often use military-style tactics, traveling in a convoy of vehicles with a designated shooter vehicle and a designated security/spotter vehicle, all of which were in constant communication via conference call. The security/spotter vehicles would patrol the streets, find a target, and transmit their location to the shooter vehicle. The shooters in the shooter vehicle would drive up, exit, fire at the victims until their magazines were empty, and speed away. The security/spotter vehicles would follow behind, ready to distract or intercept law enforcement and allow the shooter vehicle to escape.
Between 2015 and 2018, 11 people were killed during these hunts. Another 17 people were shot at but survived. Most of the victims were not actually members of a rival gang. Some of the victims were not the intended target at all but were nevertheless hit in the crossfire.
In connection with pleading guilty, Alvarado admitted that he personally participated in six “hunts” between January 2017 and May 2017. He was the shooter in three of those hunts, resulting in the deaths of three victims and the wounding of a fourth. In one instance, the hunt began when members of the “Murder Squad” gathered at a house to remember a family member killed in a car accident; they decided to commemorate the person’s death and lift their spirits by going out to kill another. Separately, Alvarado was in the security/spotter vehicle in three other hunts, resulting in the deaths of three victims, the wounding of four victims, and the near-miss of one victim.
“Gangs and the drugs and violence they bring with them wreak havoc on our communities and the hardworking families that live within them. The ruthless actions of the ‘Murder Squad’ shattered the public’s sense of safety and destroyed the lives of so many in Salinas,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “The so-called ‘hunts’ that Alvarado and his crew ran were simply inhumane. This lengthy sentence means that Alvarado, like many of his fellow gang members, will now answer for his brazen crimes.”
“HSI San Francisco has a long and impactful history of investigating transnational gangs that threaten the safety of our communities in Northern California. We are committed to the pursuit of justice for the victims of these criminal enterprises and the violence they perpetuate. Today’s sentencing is the product of countless investigative hours and the significant investigative resources which HSI brings to bear in combatting violent transnational criminal organizations and apprehending dangerous gang members like Alvarado,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release on count one and a three-year period of supervised release on count two, to run concurrently. Alvarado was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence.
Alvarado is the sixth member of the “Murder Squad” to be sentenced. Five other defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1962(d) and one count of conspiracy to murder in aid of racketeering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(5) and were previously sentenced on Sept. 10, 2024.
This prosecution was brought by the Violent Crime Strike Force and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Hageman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Nina Burney, Lakisha Holliman, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, the FBI, the Salinas Police Department, and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
OAKLAND – Staccato Powell, a former bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (“AME Zion”), pleaded guilty in federal court today to wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with a far-reaching scheme to obtain control of church properties in California using false statements, forged documents, concealment, and deception.
Powell, 65, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, was indicted along with co-defendant Sheila Quintana by a federal grand jury in January 2022. Quintana pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in April 2025.
According to court documents and the plea agreement, in 2016, shortly after Powell was selected as bishop and assigned to AME Zion Church’s Western Episcopal District, a geographic division of the church covering several states in the western United States, including California, he formed an entity called Western Episcopal District, Inc. (WED, Inc.). Powell was the chief executive officer of WED, Inc. and Quintana was the chief financial officer from 2017 to 2019.
In 2016, Powell instructed pastors of AME Zion Churches throughout the Western Episcopal District to sign deeds granting WED, Inc. title to their congregation’s property – typically the church building, but also any outbuildings, lots, parking lots, and residences used by the pastors. At Powell’s direction, Quintana and other WED, Inc. officers worked on completing the necessary steps to accomplish the transfer of titles through grant deeds.
Starting in early 2017, Powell instructed Quintana and other WED, Inc. officers to obtain loans using the property of local AME Zion Churches acquired through the grant deeds as collateral for the loans. In response to the lenders’ request for confirmation of the local AME Zion Church’s authorization of the loan, Powell caused to be created documents purporting to be resolutions by churches to support WED, Inc.’s loan applications. In several instances, Powell directed WED, Inc. to use church resolutions with false statements, and directed Quintana to create the false documents and sign the resolutions in the name of an officer with the local church.
In pleading guilty, Powell admitted to fraudulently obtaining mortgages on the following church properties:
Kyles Temple in Vallejo: Powell formed a group that included co-defendant Quintana to assist with the purchase of a $1.5 million episcopal residence in Granite Bay, with approximately $1 million covered by a bank loan. At Powell’s direction, to obtain the additional $500,000 in funding, the group identified two church properties, including Kyles Temple in Vallejo, that would be used as collateral to secure the financing to purchase the episcopal residence. Quintana executed the loan documents using a false resolution, which she drafted at Powell’s direction, that purported to confirm approval of the transaction by the Kyles Temple congregation. Powell also directed Quintana to draft the resolution to indicate that there had been a church meeting at which the board of trustees approved it and purportedly gave Quintana authority to execute loan documents as chair of the Kyles Temple Board of Trustees. No such meeting to discuss or approve the resolution had occurred.
First AME Zion Church in San Jose: In 2017, Powell determined that the First AME Zion of San Jose would be used as collateral for a new loan to purchase a parsonage, and instructed Quintana to execute the purchase agreement on the new residential property. At Powell’s direction, Quintana prepared a resolution of the First AME Zion Church of San Jose’s trustee board approving the transaction including the use of the church’s property as collateral for the loan. Quintana then prepared, again at Powell’s direction, a second resolution on the San Jose church’s letterhead falsely stating that a membership meeting was held at the church to vote on “deeding all properties to the AME Zion Western Episcopal District, Inc., of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church” and that the church’s membership unanimously approved the transaction and authorized its pastor to sign all transaction documents. In fact, the church’s trustee board met twice to consider whether to execute a deed transfer to WED, Inc. and Powell knew that at these meetings the trustee board voted against the deed transfer. Nevertheless, Powell directed Quintana to proceed with the loan transaction in the amount of $750,000, using the church as collateral based on the false resolution. Powell later learned that the AME Zion Church of Los Angeles held a title interest in the San Jose church and directed Quintana to prepare another resolution. This resolution falsely stated that the AME Zion Church in Los Angeles held a membership meeting on October 12 and voted to deed the church in San Jose to WED, Inc. Subsequently, in December 2019, Powell directed WED, Inc. officers to encumber the San Jose church with an additional debt of $3 million. Powell admitted that he knew that the San Jose church did not authorize either the $750,000 loan or the $3 million loan.
Greater Cooper AME Zion Church in Oakland: Powell decided in 2018 to use the Greater Cooper AME Zion Church in Oakland as collateral for a loan in the amount of $1.1 million. At Powell’s direction, Quintana obtained a resolution from Greater Cooper signed by the reverend transferring title to WED, Inc., and signed grant deeds in May 2019 transferring the church property to WED, Inc. Then, in November 2019, the reverend signed a grant deed transferring all interest in title from Greater Cooper AME Zion Church to WED, Inc., which then executed a second loan of $500,000, with the Greater Cooper property used as collateral. Powell admitted that the Greater Cooper congregation did not authorize the loans.
University AME Zion Church of Palo Alto: In 2017, Powell informed the pastor of University AME Church that he planned to use the church as collateral for a $200,000 loan to assist another AME Zion Church in Sacramento. Powell directed Quintana to prepare a transfer of deed of the University AME Church to WED, Inc. After the reverend signed the grant deed, Powell directed Quintana to execute the necessary paperwork for a $2 million dollar loan using University AME Zion Church as collateral. Although Powell told Quintana he would inform the reverend of the $2 million loan, Powell never did so. Powell encumbered the University AME Church with unauthorized loans totaling approximately $3.9 million.
First AME Zion Church in Los Angeles: Powell decided in December 2017 that the First AME Zion Church in Los Angeles would be used as collateral for a new loan. Powell informed Quintana that he had spoken to the pastor of the Los Angeles church and that the pastor told him that the membership had approved the transfer of title from the Los Angeles church to WED, Inc. Based on Powell’s representation, Quintana prepared a resolution purportedly from the Los Angeles church confirming its approval of the loan and placed a signature on the resolution purporting to be that of the church’s secretary. Later, in furtherance of Powell’s instructions to use the Los Angeles church as collateral, Quintana prepared an updated resolution which also purported to document a meeting at which the membership approved the transfer of title to WED, Inc. and which authorized Powell to sign all documents pertaining to the transaction, again with the church secretary’s forged signature. Based on the false resolution with the forged signature, Quintana executed the deed of trust and other loan paperwork for this $1.2 million loan. As a result, WED, Inc. obtained the $1.2 million loan using the Los Angeles church property without the authorization of the congregation.
Further, Powell admitted that at his direction, WED, Inc. borrowed $2.15 million in September 2019 to pay off other outstanding loans and $3 million in December 2019 to pay off the September 2019 loan, using several AME church properties in Arizona and California as collateral.
In addition, while serving as bishop, Powell diverted some of the funds borrowed by WED, Inc., using properties of local AME Zion Churches as collateral, for his personal benefit, including purchase of real property in North Carolina for two of his children and payment of mortgage debt that he owed on a residence in North Carolina.
Powell caused WED, Inc. to file for bankruptcy in a July 2020 petition, in which it claimed its assets included 11 churches, a parsonage, and Powell’s official residence. The petition stated that WED, Inc.’s real property was worth over $26 million with debts totaling over $12 million.
In connection with pleading guilty, Powell agreed to pay restitution in an amount no less than $3,000,000 and no greater than $12,475,453. He also agreed to forfeit any interest, claim, or right in the properties of the AME Zion Church denomination.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Powell is currently released on bond. Powell’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White. Defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan U. Lee is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kathy Tat, Helen Yee, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Boost for travelers and businesses as Germany opens up eGates
UK and Germany agree to phased opening of German eGates for UK travellers
Germany agrees to phased opening of e-gates for the over 3 million Brits visiting each year
Follows UK-EU Summit in May and agreement that there were no legal barriers to allow UK citizens access to e-gates in more EU Member States after the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System
Millions of UK travellers to Germany will be able to use e-gates in the future thanks to a new agreement made between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz today (Thursday 17 July). Part of a landmark bilateral treaty between the two countries.
Germany will roll out the first phase of e-gates access for UK travellers by the end of August, starting with frequent travellers such as Brits with family in Germany or who travel regularly for business. Access for all UK nationals will be possible once Germany has completed technical updates to its entry systems as it introduces the new EU’s Entry/Exit System.
3.2 million Brits visited Germany in 2023, with numbers growing steadily since the Covid pandemic. Opening up e-gates in Germany, and across the EU, will support UK trade and tourism and boost growth through the Plan for Change.
The agreement follows the successful UK-EU Summit in May, where the UK and EU made clear that there were no legal barriers to even more EU countries allowing UK citizens to use eGates at airports. EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas Symonds also visited Berlin in June to discuss e-gates, among other issues, with German ministers.
Since then, the UK has secured e-gates access for UK citizens traveling to Bulgaria and now into Germany. Other countries and airports have also opened up access, including Portugal (Faro airport) and the Czech Republic (Prague airport) and Estonia has confirmed they will open up access at (Tallinn airport) in 2026.
EU Relations Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds said:
eGates can make the slog of travelling through an airport that bit easier, which is why I have been working with the EU and member states to get more airports opened up to Brits abroad.
With £30 billion of services trade between the UK and the EU, this agreement isn’t just good for holidaymakers, it’s good for British businesses too. Making traveling easier between Europe’s biggest economies, to get deals done and boost growth.
The UK and Germany have a trading relationship worth almost £150 billion a year. Germany is the UK’s second largest trading partner behind the USA, where the UK agreed a new trade deal last month.
The UK exports almost £30 billion worth of services to Germany each year, a growing market for British service providers. Services trade, like financial services, IT and consultancy are heavily reliant on face to face meetings and this e-gates agreement will save British firms valuable time.
While many EU countries now allow UK citizens to use e-gates, the government is continuing to work with others to do so.
7th Round of Pakistan-UK Dialogue on Arms Control & Non-Proliferation: Joint statement
The 7th Round of the United Kingdom-Pakistan Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament was held in London on 16 July 2025
Director of Defence and International Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Stephen Lillie CMG, and Additional Foreign Secretary for Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (ACDIS) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad, Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, led the respective delegations.
The two sides engaged in comprehensive discussions on a wide array of issues, including international and regional security, strategic stability, arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. Deliberations also focused on the dynamics of the United Nations General Assembly (First Committee), the Conference on Disarmament (CD), international conventions (such as the BTWC, CWC, and CCW), multilateral export control regimes, and the use and implications of new and emerging technologies.
In addition, both sides exchanged views on UK-Pakistan bilateral cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
Since its inception in 2015, the Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament has remained a key component of the broader bilateral engagement between the two countries.
Both sides recognized the vital role of regular dialogue in fostering mutual understanding and promoting cooperation. In this context, they agreed to convene the next round of consultations in Islamabad next year.
7th Round of Pakistan-UK Dialogue on Arms Control & Non-Proliferation: Joint statement
The 7th Round of the United Kingdom-Pakistan Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament was held in London on 16 July 2025
Director of Defence and International Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Stephen Lillie CMG, and Additional Foreign Secretary for Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (ACDIS) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad, Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, led the respective delegations.
The two sides engaged in comprehensive discussions on a wide array of issues, including international and regional security, strategic stability, arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. Deliberations also focused on the dynamics of the United Nations General Assembly (First Committee), the Conference on Disarmament (CD), international conventions (such as the BTWC, CWC, and CCW), multilateral export control regimes, and the use and implications of new and emerging technologies.
In addition, both sides exchanged views on UK-Pakistan bilateral cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
Since its inception in 2015, the Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament has remained a key component of the broader bilateral engagement between the two countries.
Both sides recognized the vital role of regular dialogue in fostering mutual understanding and promoting cooperation. In this context, they agreed to convene the next round of consultations in Islamabad next year.
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Rosneft and the Ministry of Tourism of the Samara Region presented the second joint project for auto tourists “Zavolzhskie Gorizonty”. The route runs through the natural and cultural attractions of the Samara and Saratov Regions.
The route presentation was organized at the Rosneft gas station in Samara, where the Company’s volunteers held a thematic quiz for car owners with useful prizes. During the presentation, the famous Russian racing driver of the LADA Sport ROSNEFT team Vladimir Sheshenin held an autograph session, during which everyone could take a joint photo with the famous athlete.
Rosneft actively supports initiatives to develop domestic tourism and aims to create comfortable conditions for car travelers. Developing roadside service and improving the level of customer service provided at Rosneft filling stations is one of the Company’s priority areas of activity.
The “Zavolzhskie Horizons” route starts in Samara, where the dacha of the merchant Golovkin is located. The building was built in the early 20th century in the Art Nouveau style and is a cultural heritage site. A distinctive feature of the house, located on a steep bank, is two life-size sculptures of elephants. They are clearly visible from ships passing along the Volga.
On the way out of the capital of the province, travelers can visit the Vertoletka culture and recreation park, which is recognized as the best implemented public space project in Russia and has become the best observation deck in the city. The steep bank offers breathtaking panoramic views of Samara, the majestic Volga and the legendary Zhiguli Mountains.
The route then leads to the Serebro Severa ethnographic center in the village of Yagodnoye, where guests can get acquainted with northern culture, visit a reindeer camp and a village with sled dogs. In ancient Syzran, tourists will meet history at the Spasskaya Tower, the only surviving structure of the 17th-century Syzran Kremlin, a cultural heritage site of federal significance.
The journey along the route ends in Khvalynsk, Saratov Region, in the national park – the center of ecotourism, preserving rare species of flora and fauna, with its holy springs, eco-trails and thematic exhibitions and museums dedicated to representatives of flora and fauna.
The Rosneft network of petrol stations is the most extensive in the region, covering all the main roads in key tourist destinations. There are 78 stations of the company in the Samara Region, where you can fill up your car with guaranteed high-quality fuel, relax in a café or buy necessary goods on the road.
Rosneft actively supports initiatives to develop domestic tourism – together with partners, over 40 routes for car travel across the regions of the Russian Federation have already been developed. Some of them are already presented on the platformHorizons of Russia“
Department of Information and AdvertisingPJSC NK RosneftJuly 18, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Rosneft and the Ministry of Tourism of the Samara Region presented the second joint project for auto tourists “Zavolzhskie Gorizonty”. The route runs through the natural and cultural attractions of the Samara and Saratov Regions.
The route presentation was organized at the Rosneft gas station in Samara, where the Company’s volunteers held a thematic quiz for car owners with useful prizes. During the presentation, the famous Russian racing driver of the LADA Sport ROSNEFT team Vladimir Sheshenin held an autograph session, during which everyone could take a joint photo with the famous athlete.
Rosneft actively supports initiatives to develop domestic tourism and aims to create comfortable conditions for car travelers. Developing roadside service and improving the level of customer service provided at Rosneft filling stations is one of the Company’s priority areas of activity.
The “Zavolzhskie Horizons” route starts in Samara, where the dacha of the merchant Golovkin is located. The building was built in the early 20th century in the Art Nouveau style and is a cultural heritage site. A distinctive feature of the house, located on a steep bank, is two life-size sculptures of elephants. They are clearly visible from ships passing along the Volga.
On the way out of the capital of the province, travelers can visit the Vertoletka culture and recreation park, which is recognized as the best implemented public space project in Russia and has become the best observation deck in the city. The steep bank offers breathtaking panoramic views of Samara, the majestic Volga and the legendary Zhiguli Mountains.
The route then leads to the Serebro Severa ethnographic center in the village of Yagodnoye, where guests can get acquainted with northern culture, visit a reindeer camp and a village with sled dogs. In ancient Syzran, tourists will meet history at the Spasskaya Tower, the only surviving structure of the 17th-century Syzran Kremlin, a cultural heritage site of federal significance.
The journey along the route ends in Khvalynsk, Saratov Region, in the national park – the center of ecotourism, preserving rare species of flora and fauna, with its holy springs, eco-trails and thematic exhibitions and museums dedicated to representatives of flora and fauna.
The Rosneft network of petrol stations is the most extensive in the region, covering all the main roads in key tourist destinations. There are 78 stations of the company in the Samara Region, where you can fill up your car with guaranteed high-quality fuel, relax in a café or buy necessary goods on the road.
Rosneft actively supports initiatives to develop domestic tourism – together with partners, over 40 routes for car travel across the regions of the Russian Federation have already been developed. Some of them are already presented on the platformHorizons of Russia“
Department of Information and AdvertisingPJSC NK RosneftJuly 18, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On July 17, 2025, the State University of Management was visited on a working visit by GUU graduates: Anton Ageyev, General Director of the ANO “Expert Coordination Center of the Commissions of the State Council of the Russian Federation”, Deputy Chairperson of the State Council of Russia Commission on Personnel Elena Lagoshina, Deputy Governor of the Kaluga Region Tatyana Leonova.
At the beginning of the meeting, the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev spoke in detail about his participation in the work of the 1st All-Russian Festival of Student Families.
Anton Ageyev, Director General of the Expert Coordination Center of the Commissions of the State Council of Russia, outlined the purpose of the working visit. Since April of this year, the structure of the State Council commissions that work in the areas of national projects has been changed.
Let us recall that Decree No. 309 of the President of Russia in May 2025 defined the national development goals of the Russian Federation until 2030.
Given the cross-cutting, interdepartmental nature of the national projects developed in pursuance of this Decree, it is necessary to strengthen interaction with the scientific and expert community. For this purpose, it is planned to conclude an agreement with the State University of Management, which implies the joint implementation of the tasks facing the commissions of the State Council of the Russian Federation in the relevant areas of socio-economic development, for which it is supposed to use the scientific and educational potential of the oldest management university in the country.
The meeting participants discussed the development and implementation of research, expert-analytical, educational and project activities; areas of preparation, publication and distribution of methodological, analytical and information materials; organization and holding of joint events, exchange of experience, best practices and information in the field of joint activities.
Deputy Governor of the Kaluga Region Tatyana Leonova outlined priority areas of joint work, which will primarily concern the activities of the State Council commissions “Personnel”, and noted the need for interdepartmental cooperation to solve the strategic task set by the President of Russia to achieve technological leadership for Russia.
Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Maria Karelina proposed a systematic approach to solving the issues under discussion and integrating the results of the work of the State Council commissions into mathematical models, formalizing this in the form of a special project.
The meeting participants particularly focused on the issue of eliminating the need for personnel and current instruments for regulating the labor market: forecasting the need, recruiting students in sought-after specialties in colleges and universities, and cooperation with employers and the state.
The guests and representatives of the rector’s office of the State University of Management exchanged many other ideas, one of which suggested the obligation of all state structures to post their research on a single resource, which will expand the analytical capabilities of the State Council commissions and speed up the synchronization and updating of data.
The colleagues compared schedules and agreed to approve specific projects in the near future within the framework of the cooperation and interaction agreement.
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The ECOWAS Resident Representation in Benin has officially handed over 5,000 reusable menstrual towel kits to schools in Benin on the 27th of June, 2025. This event too place in Zé Benin is a part of the regional project titled “Support for Benin’s Initiatives to Raise Awareness Among Young Girls on Good Personal and Menstrual Hygiene Practices and for the Promotion of ECOWAS Among Young People.”
Funded by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), this initiative aims to combat menstrual insecurity, empower young girls and raise the profile of ECOWAS among young people. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the sectoral ministries, Zè Town Hall,Departmental Social Affairs Departments, Guichets Uniques de Protection Sociale (GUPS), the beneficiary schools, as well as pupils, parents and technical partners.
Representing the ECOWAS Resident Representative, Mr Mamadou Konate emphasised that this action is in line with the institution’s Vision 2050, which places human dignity, equal opportunities and social justice at the heart of regional integration.”Menstrual hygiene is a matter of dignity, health and social justice. Under no circumstance should itnever be a barrier to schooling or to young girls’ self-esteem” he said. The kits, made locally, will be distributed fairly by the GUPS of Zè and Djidja, in coordination with the relevant departmental structures.
Symbolically, ECOWAS handed over the kits to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance, represented by the Atlantic Departmental Director of Social Affairs. The kits were then transferred to the Atlantic and Zou Departmental Directorates of Social Affairs for distribution to 23 identified secondary schools.
The presentation of the project also included awareness-raising and training sessions for pupils, teachers and supervisors, with focus on promoting the values and missions of ECOWAS.
The ceremony ended with a symbolic handover of the kits to some of the girls, followed by a group photo and interviews with the media personnel present. The spokeswoman for the beneficiaries expressed her gratitude by declaring this donation as “a life-changing gesture” and encouraged her colleagues to “never give up on their dreams”.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) undertook a coordination and benchmarking mission to the African Union Commission (AUC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 30 June to 4 July 2025. The visit is part of ongoing efforts to deepen collaboration in the implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA IV) and to strengthen institutional synergies with the African Union (AU) and relevant stakeholders. The mission brought together key personnel from the ECOWAS Peace Fund and the Directorate of Financial Reporting and Grants, who engaged with counterparts at the African Union Commission, the African Union Peace Fund (AUPF), the APSA Support Programme Management Team and other relevant stakeholders.
The mission sought to achieve several strategic objectives, notably the reinforcement of coordination frameworks between ECOWAS and the AU in line with APSA IV goals, as well as the advancement of data-driven approaches to peace and security programming. Particular attention was given to the effective use of the African Monitoring and Evaluation Reporting Tool (AMERT), with discussions focusing on aligning its functionalities to ensure seamless data sharing, monitoring, and evaluation among various stakeholders.
Furthermore, the delegation engaged with counterparts at the AU Peace Fund and the Compliance and Risk Management Units to benchmark operational models in areas such as data management, visibility, fund mobilization, disbursement, and compliance. These engagements aimed to identify areas for mutual learning, propose technical roadmaps for platform interoperability and explore opportunities for capacity building in the effective use of digital tools for monitoring and reporting.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate of Peacekeeping and Regional Security, convened the two-day Governmental Experts’ Validation Meeting on the ECOWAS Standby Force Training Policy for Peace Support Operations held from 16 to 17 July 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria. The meeting brought together Training Experts from ECOWAS Member States, technical experts, and strategic partners to finalise and Validate ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) Training Policy on Peace Support Operation.
Opening the meeting, Major General Umar Abubakar, Director of Peacekeeping and Regional Security at the Ministry of Defence Nigeria, emphasised the importance of transforming the Standby Force into an operational mechanism for regional peace and stability:
“This is a pivotal moment for ECOWAS. The policy we are validating today will transform our Standby Force from concept to reality. It will ensure we are prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to conflicts across the region and also serve as a standby brigade of the African Standby Force. Let us work together to finalise a policy that reflects both our regional realities and our ambition for peace.”
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Sani Adamu, Acting Head of the Peace Support Operations Division, highlighted the vision behind the policy and its relevance in today’s operational context:
“This policy is not simply a document—it is a framework that integrates human rights Observance, gender, civilian protection, and post-conflict recovery. It lays the foundation for a responsive and professional force that can meet the complexity of today’s peace support operations.”
He further stated: “For over a decade, we have envisioned a unified training doctrine. This process today brings that vision within reach. I commend the unwavering commitment of our experts and partners.”
Speaking during the closing session, Mrs. Yvonne Akpasom, representing GIZ under the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project, reaffirmed the role of technical partners in supporting regional transformation: “GIZ is proud to support ECOWAS in developing a training policy that is comprehensive, operational, and aligned with global standards. Your contribution to designing and validating this framework underscores our joint resolve to build a Standby Force that is capable, credible, and cohesive.”
The meeting followed a structured agenda including plenary technical sessions and syndicate working groups. Participants reviewed the policy’s architecture, scope, training standards, operational responsibilities, and implementation mechanisms. The revised policy aligns with the African Standby Force framework and incorporates key themes such as inclusivity, gender mainstreaming, accountability, and standardisation.
This initiative is supported under the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project, co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ. Additional collaboration was provided by Expertise France and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
The ECOWAS Commission reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening peace support operations across West Africa and called for swift adoption and implementation of the finalised training policy by all stakeholders.
This initiative is in direct alignment with ECOWAS Vision 2050, which aspires to build a fully integrated, peaceful, and prosperous West Africa. By institutionalising a unified training policy for the ECOWAS Standby Force, the Commission is reinforcing its commitment to preventive diplomacy, regional solidarity, and rapid response to crises. This training framework will not only enhance operational effectiveness but also promote stability, resilience, and human security across all fifteen Member States.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Professor Behr joins a distinguished community of over 1,800 scholars who share a commitment to advancing the humanities and social sciences
A University of Aberdeen Professor is among the distinguished scholars newly elected to the British Academy’s Fellowship in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the humanities and social sciences.
Reverend Professor John Behr, Regius Chair in Humanity and Head of the Department of Divinity at the School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History, is one of 92 academics elected this year.
Previously at St Vladimir’s Seminary, New York, where he also served as Dean, he is also a part-time Professor at Radboud University, Nijmegen, Holland; and has published editions and translations of various Patristic texts with Oxford University Press, and most recently In Accordance with the Scriptures: The Shape of Christian Theology.
“I am deeply touched and honoured to be elected a Fellow,” said Professor Behr, adding that he looks forward “to working with the British Academy to help ensure that research in the Humanities at the highest level continues to be supported.”
Professor Behr was elected alongside other notable academics such as Professor Lily Kong BBM, PPA, FBA, the first Singaporean woman to lead a university in Singapore, and Professor Jonathan D Jansen FBA, the first Black Vice Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State, now Distinguished Professor of Education at Stellenbosch University.
This year, a total of 58 new Fellows have been elected from 25 universities across the United Kingdom, as well as 30 International Fellows from universities in the United States, Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, China, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Cyprus. Four Honorary Fellows have also been elected in recognition of their exceptional achievements in music, art, journalism and librarianship.
This year’s cohort join a community of over 1,800 scholars who share a commitment to advancing the humanities and social sciences.
Professor Susan J. Smith PBA, new President of the British Academy, said: “With specialisms ranging from the neuroscience of memory to the power of music and the structural causes of poverty, they represent the very best of the humanities and social sciences. They bring years of experience, evidence-based arguments and innovative thinking to the profound challenges of our age: managing the economy, enabling democracy, and securing the quality of human life.
“This year, we have increased the number of new Fellows by nearly ten percent to cover some spaces between disciplines. Champions of research excellence, every new Fellow enlarges our capacity to interpret the past, understand the present, and shape resilient, sustainable futures. It is a privilege to extend my warmest congratulations to them all.”
Home » Latest News » Work to start on St George’s Lane improvements
Work on improvements to St George’s Lane by the bus station gets underway on Monday (21 July).
It’s the latest of our levelling up projects to get up and running, with the two key aims of improving accessibility and safety, and enhancing the appearance of this important location that welcomes thousands of people each day.
The six-week scheme involves widening the pavement on the bus station side, improving the pedestrian crossing by Fenwicks and resurfacing the road that the buses and taxis use.
We are also deep cleaning the existing bus shelters and carrying out work around the existing trees, which involves increasing the size of the tree pits and surfacing them with a walkable permeable surface to help with watering.
During this time, the road will be closed to buses and taxis. Any buses that would normally stop on this section will use the bus station. Taxis will drop off and pick up from Canterbury Lane.
Fencing will be installed to segregate the area and keep the public safe. The colonnade area fronting the Whitefriars buildings will not be affected by any restrictions.
Access between Whitefriars and the bus station will be maintained, but work is required at the crossings. This will be in phases and people will be redirected to crossings that are open.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
An undated file photo shows the People’s Republic of China flag and the U.S. Stars and Stripes fly along Pennsylvania Avenue near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, U.S. [Photo/Xinhua]
China on Friday firmly opposed a U.S. report amplifying the so-called “China threat” and urged relevant U.S. politicians to cease smearing and suppressing China.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks during a regular press briefing, responding to a query about the report in which Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee called for congressional action toward restoring the country’s global reputation and influence to prevent the U.S. from being overtaken by China as the world’s leading power.
Lin said the report, filled with Cold War thinking, peddles major country confrontation and the false narrative of “China threat,” with the real aim of going after and suppressing China. China firmly opposes it.
He stressed that China follows an independent foreign policy of peace and always acts as a positive and stable force for good, and has no intention to and will not engage in a contest with any country for influence.
Noting that China follows the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation in viewing and handling its relations with the U.S., Lin urged relevant U.S. personnel to foster a right perception of China, view China and China-U.S. relations in an objective and rational way, stop attacking, smearing, containing and going after China, and contribute to a steady, sound and sustainable bilateral relationship.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Flags of the European Union fly outside the Berlaymont Building, the European Commission headquarters, in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The European Union (EU) approved a new round of sanctions against Russia on Friday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said.
“The EU just approved one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia to date,” Kallas wrote on the social media platform X.
The package contains a provision to lower the price cap on Russian oil sold to third countries by 15 percent below the market rate. Initially set at 60 U.S. dollars per barrel by the G7 in 2022, the cap under this new EU scheme will launch at 47.6 dollars, with the flexibility to adjust in line with future oil price movements.
As part of the package, measures are also included to ensure that the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea cannot be reactivated.
Also, Kallas said the EU will impose sanctions on a Russian-owned oil refinery in India and blacklist more than 100 additional vessels from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” believed to be circumventing EU sanctions by carrying mainly Russian oil.
Slovakia, which relies heavily on Russian gas, had been holding up the proposed EU sanctions package. However, it said Thursday evening that it will green-light the new EU sanctions after securing guarantees from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that protect Slovakia’s energy interests.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Michael Hart, president of AmCham China, said at a Shandong-Thailand thematic event and supply chain international cooperation promotion conference in Beijing on Wednesday that this year’s China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) has provided a platform for communication and cooperation, with the number of U.S. exhibitors increasing significantly.
Michael Hart, president of AmCham China, speaks at an event during the 3rd CISCE in Beijing on July 16, 2025. [Photo courtesy of CISCE]
“The supply chain expo has provided a fantastic platform for communication and cooperation,” Hart said. “I’m pleased to share that the number of U.S. exhibitors at this year’s expo has grown by 15% compared to last year, once again making them the largest group of overseas exhibitors.”
Among U.S. exhibitors, 60% are Fortune Global 500 companies. American tech leader NVIDIA also makes its debut at this year’s expo.
“The foundation of China-U.S. relations lies in people-to-people ties,” said Yu Jianlong, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. “Currently, business communities from both countries maintain smooth communication and share a common desire to strengthen supply chain cooperation. At this critical juncture, Chinese and American businesses are taking concrete actions to advance bilateral economic and trade relations. We’ve reached clear consensus on maintaining stable and unimpeded global supply chains.”
Hart also noted the launch of AmCham China’s 2025 Navigator Program last November at the second CISCE, which has helped to develop supply chain leaders for collaboration with Chinese supply chain hubs. He said this year marks AmCham China’s first participation with an exhibition booth alongside member companies.
AmCham China represents U.S. businesses operating in China. With nearly 800 member companies, the chamber serves as a key platform for communication between the business community and both the U.S. and Chinese governments. The organization focuses on supporting member success in China, strengthening U.S.-China economic ties to benefit both nations and the global economy.
Hart said this event connects with business leaders from Chinese and foreign companies to explore new collaboration opportunities, on the opening day of CISCE.
“Since the first U.S. investment in Shandong in 1986, nearly 1,000 American companies have invested in the province, making it a key partner in bilateral trade,” he said. “Today, Shandong stands as one of China’s most dynamic provinces – a leader in economic and industrial development with long-established strengths in manufacturing, agriculture, port logistics, and new energy.”
The AmCham China booth at the 3rd CISCE in Beijing on July 16, 2025. [Photo/China.org.cn]
Shandong’s robust industrial ecosystem, efficient infrastructure, and skilled workforce have made it a cornerstone of global supply chain resilience, while many AmCham China member companies have established production bases and regional hubs in the province, Hart said. The chamber has also led multiple business delegations to Shandong, facilitating investment and strengthening cooperation between U.S. companies and the province, he added.
The third CISCE opened on Wednesday and runs through Sunday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China has strengthened its status as the world’s second largest consumer market during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). The country’s retail sales of consumer goods grew 5.5% on average annually over the past four years, and are expected to top 50 trillion yuan (US$7 trillion) in 2025, Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said Friday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Photo taken on May 1, 2022 shows a container vessel docking at the Qianwan Container Terminal in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]
China believes that the United States should abandon zero-sum thinking and continue to remove a series of unreasonable economic and trade restriction measures against China, the Ministry of Commerce said Friday.
China has noted that the United States has recently taken the initiative to announce the approval of Nvidia’s H20 chip sales to China, a spokesperson for the ministry said in response to a media inquiry.
Following the economic and trade talks in London, the two sides have maintained close communication, confirming the details of the framework established in London and advancing its implementation, said the spokesperson.
China has approved qualified export applications for controlled items in accordance with the law, and the United States accordingly lifted relevant restrictions on China in early July, as discussed in the talks, according to the spokesperson.
Win-win cooperation is the right path for China and the United States, while suppression and containment lead nowhere, the spokesperson said.
In May of this year, the United States issued export control guidelines targeting Huawei’s Ascend chips, imposing stricter controls on Chinese chip products based on unwarranted allegations, thereby interfering with fair market competition through administrative power and severely undermining the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, according to the spokesperson. “China has solemnly stated its position and firmly opposes this.”
China expects the United States to work with China in the same direction, engage in equal consultations, and correct its erroneous practices, to foster a favorable environment for mutually beneficial cooperation between enterprises of both countries, and jointly safeguard the stability of global semiconductor production and supply chains, the spokesperson said.
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Thursday, noting that China’s policy on attracting foreign investment will remain unchanged, and its door will only open wider.
Wang said China has a huge market scale, diverse application scenarios, and dynamic innovation and creativity, expressing the hope that multinational companies, including Nvidia, will provide high-quality and reliable products and services to Chinese customers.
Huang noted that the Chinese market is very attractive, and Nvidia is willing to deepen cooperation with Chinese partners in the field of artificial intelligence.
