Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
The National Lab Research SLAM, now in its second year, showcases the innovative research conducted at 17 Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories and illustrates the pivotal role the National Labs play in the nation’s innovation ecosystem. The National Lab Research SLAM challenges early-career scientists to deliver a compelling three-minute presentation of their research to a non-specialist audience, emphasizing the critical importance of science communication in society. Contestants are permitted one slide, but no additional resources or props. On March 5, 2025, finalists from each of the 17 National Laboratories will compete for the title of “Best Presentation” in their respective research categories awarded by a panel of esteemed judges and a “People’s Choice” winner awarded by the audience. For more information, visit nlresearchslam.org.
Source: US State of California 2
What you need to know: Governor Newsom has directed his Office of Emergency Services to coordinate with key partners during this next round of winter weather to strategically preposition critical resources to protect the public.
Los Angeles, California – As another round of winter weather is forecasted to make its way across California starting today, Governor Gavin Newsom has directed the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to coordinate with key partners to strategically preposition critical resources to protect the public. Bringing the potential for rain that could increase the likelihood of debris flow risk in the Eaton and Palisades fire areas in Los Angeles, Cal OES has prepositioned the following Fire and Rescue resources in the area:
Actively working to keep communities safe, the state continues coordinating with Los Angeles City Emergency Management Department and the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management to ensure their region has the resources it needs ahead of this inclement weather.
The National Weather Service has forecasted light to moderate rain Tuesday through Thursday with a chance of isolated thunderstorms for areas near burn scars in Los Angeles County.
As a new round of storms moves toward our state, California remains ever ready to protect lives and keep our communities safe.
Governor Gavin Newsom
In addition to the prepositioned resources, state specialized staff have continued their recovery coordination efforts in the Los Angeles area since the start of the fires. Together with other state, local and federal partners, crews stand ready for any weather impacts and have additional storm fighting resources readily available for timely response. Actions to protect communities also include:
Previously, the Governor directed state agencies to ensure Los Angeles communities were prepared during this storm season. The California National Guard cleared debris basins near burn scars, proactively removed 298,335 cubic yards of debris and materials from the Sierra Madre Villa Basin and Eaton Canyon Reservoir which worked as intended to protect homes from debris runoff. Additionally, Cal OES deployed over 120 miles of protective measures in an unprecedented effort to protect vulnerable communities.
As the incoming storm rolls in, the state encourages residents to reduce injury risks from falling limbs and trees by staying inside, not driving through flooded roadways and preparing in advance for power outages.
Residents in the affected counties are urged to stay informed and listen to local authorities about actions they should take including evacuation orders or safety recommendations. In burn scar areas, officials recommend preparing for possible sudden debris flows by having a go-bag packed and knowing evacuation routes.
Go to ready.ca.gov for tips to prepare for the incoming storm.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
LONDON, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EBC Financial Group (EBC), a global leader in financial brokerage, announces the return of its flagship Million Dollar Trading Challenge (MDTC) for its second edition, one of the world’s largest and a global benchmark for skill-based trading competitions, as industry demand for structured, transparent trading opportunities continues to grow.
The 2025 edition of MDTC comes at a time when traders are seeking greater accountability and access to proven strategies amid increasingly volatile markets. From 1 March to 30 May 2025, thousands of traders worldwide will compete for a $1 million trading account in a challenge that integrates real-time strategy sharing and zero-fee copy trading, setting a new standard for competitive trading.
For the first time, top traders will be invited to an exclusive awards ceremony at the FC Barcelona Museum (Barça Immersive Tour), marking a historic moment as a global trading event is recognised within one of football’s most prestigious institutions. The partnership reflects a growing convergence between financial markets and elite sports, reinforcing trading as a profession that demands the same level of skill, precision, and discipline as world-class athletics.
The inaugural MDTC in 2023 set multiple industry benchmarks, with 324 traders achieving profitable accounts and the top 10 traders recording an average return of 3,472.91%. The champion delivered an extraordinary 11,630.98% return in just 30 days, demonstrating the potential of skill-driven trading in a competitive environment.
This year, MDTC II takes it further—allowing traders to access professional-grade trading signals and instantly replicate top-performing strategies for free via copy trading. By combining competition with real-time strategy sharing and zero-fee copy trading, EBC is setting a new standard for transparency and accessibility in trading.
Real-Time Copy Trading: Automatically Replicate Top Traders’ Strategies
The rise of retail trading has transformed financial markets, yet many traders struggle to access transparent, structured learning environments that allow them to develop real skills. MDTC II is designed to bridge this gap—giving traders a unique opportunity to refine their strategies by actively engaging with top-performing traders through real-time copy trading.
Unlike traditional contests that reward high-risk speculation, MDTC II introduces an open, strategy-sharing ecosystem where traders can analyse, track, and instantly replicate the trades of leading participants at no cost. This levels the playing field, allowing both novice and experienced traders to benefit from collective insights while maintaining individual control over their trades.
“When you’re a growing company, you aim to create an event that truly reflects your values and passion—MDTC is ours. We are here to be a light in the industry, proving that traders can succeed; traders can be successful at trading, it requires education and grit, and it’s not just for the 1%. That’s the real beauty of MDTC—every participant must show their trading history, show the world what they are doing. Anyone can log in and take a look, and you can see for yourself what the winners are trading.
“At EBC, we don’t measure this (or any activity) by the number of signups or deposits we get—we measure it by the conversations we create. With this second iteration, we’re introducing more trading tools and enhanced features, another key aspect we’re all really proud of, because at EBC, ‘perfect’ is never enough,” said Samuel Hertz, Director of Operations at EBC Financial Group.
$1 Million Prize and A Once-in-a-Lifetime FC Barcelona VIP Experience
At the heart of MDTC II is one of the industry’s largest prizes—a $1 million trading account—designed to reward skill, discipline, and strategy execution. Rather than a one-time cash payout, the grand prize provides a unique opportunity for the winner to manage significant capital while retaining 100% of their profits, with a maximum allowable loss of $200,000. Alternatively, the winner can choose a $200,000 cash prize.
MDTC II is structured into two categories to ensure accessibility and fair competition. The Rising Stars category is open to traders with a minimum balance of $500, ranked by profit rate, providing an opportunity for those looking to refine their skills in a structured environment.
For more experienced traders, the Dream Squad category is designed for participants with balances between $10,000 and $200,000, ranked by net profit. This category recognises traders who can navigate market conditions effectively while managing larger capital.
Beyond financial rewards, top traders will gain industry recognition and a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the FC Barcelona Museum. In an exclusive awards ceremony, winners will be celebrated at the home of one of the world’s greatest multi-sports clubs—bridging the gap between trading and elite performance in professional sports.
“For EBC Financial Group, the Million Dollar Trading Challenge is a fantastic way for new and seasoned traders to be involved in a real-time event. It allows clients to see traders of all levels to engage with live market conditions, see real-time the trades executed by all entrants, and gives emerging traders the change to follow and learn from those with more experience, in a way that suits their trading style.
“This opportunity to watch, learn, and develop in a fully transparent environment is invaluable, and an excellent way to encourage new traders to understand what strategy works, when, and why. The trades that do not work are as much as lesson as those that do,” said David Barrett, CEO of EBC Financial Group (UK) Ltd.
Maximising Opportunities through Community Management and Cutting-Edge Trading Platforms
To further encourage community participation, MDTC II introduces an enhanced Referral Program, offering participants up to $300 per successful referral, with no cap on the number of referrals. This initiative encourages greater community participation, allowing traders to expand their network while benefiting from the competition.
With a focus on driving innovation in the financial markets, MDTC II expands trading opportunities by integrating Contracts for Difference (CFDs) on US stocks into the competition for the first time. US stocks account for over 65% of global market capitalisation, making them among the most liquid and dynamic assets across industries. This addition allows participants to access some of the world’s most influential companies, providing new opportunities to navigate volatile and fast-moving markets.
The competition takes place on industry-leading MT4 and MT5 platforms, enabling participants to trade Forex, Commodities, Indices, and US Stock CFDs with advanced charting tools, automated strategies, and real-time execution. By combining diverse asset classes, cutting-edge technology, and expanded market access, MDTC II continues to redefine the landscape of competitive trading.
Refining the Contest Experience: MDTC 2023’s Legacy
The first Million Dollar Trading Challenge in 2023 saw strong participation, with traders executing 431,827 trades and generating a total profit of $1,096,718.57. The event highlighted the growing interest in structured trading competitions and the role of copy trading in improving accessibility for traders at different experience levels.
Community engagement was a key aspect of the challenge, with many participants leveraging copy trading features to track and replicate successful strategies. The results underscored the potential for shared market insights to shape trading outcomes.
With MDTC II, the competition continues to evolve, incorporating past insights while maintaining a focus on transparency, strategy development, and trader engagement.
For more information and to be part of the journey that reshapes what’s possible in financial markets, visit https://www.ebc.com/million-dollar-challenge-2.
About EBC Financial Group
Founded in London’s esteemed financial district, EBC Financial Group (EBC) is renowned for its expertise in financial brokerage and asset management. With offices in key financial hubs—including London, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Cayman Islands, Bangkok, Limassol, and emerging markets in Latin America, Asia, and Africa—EBC enables retail, professional, and institutional investors to access a wide range of global markets and trading opportunities, including currencies, commodities, shares, and indices.
Recognised with multiple awards, EBC is committed to upholding ethical standards and these subsidiaries are licensed and regulated within their respective jurisdictions. EBC Financial Group (UK) Limited is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); EBC Financial Group (Cayman) Limited is regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA); EBC Financial Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, and EBC Asset Management Pty Ltd are regulated by Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
At the core of EBC are a team of industry veterans with over 40 years of experience in major financial institutions. Having navigated key economic cycles from the Plaza Accord and 2015 Swiss franc crisis to the market upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic. We foster a culture where integrity, respect, and client asset security are paramount, ensuring that every investor relationship is handled with the utmost seriousness it deserves.
As the Official Foreign Exchange Partner of FC Barcelona, EBC provides specialised services across Asia, LATAM, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. Through its partnership with the UN Foundation and the world’s largest grassroots campaign, United to Beat Malaria, the company contributes to global health initiatives. EBC also supports the ‘What Economists Really Do‘ public engagement series by Oxford University’s Department of Economics, helping to demystify economics and its application to major societal challenges, fostering greater public understanding and dialogue.
Media Contact:
Savitha Ravindran
Global Public Relations Manager (EMEA, LATAM)
savitha.ravindran@ebc.com
Chyna Elvina
Global Public Relations Manager (APAC, LATAM)
chyna.elvina@ebc.com
Douglas Chew
Global Public Relations Lead
douglas.chew@ebc.com
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/90e3f81c-a0fc-4bd3-9cd4-155c6a5a0fcf
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67625ee9-b2fb-48a5-aed2-c12b1830acae
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/34b28968-b7b2-4340-b114-57bcd09b90ac
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1dfd2dc-eb46-44e4-a2e1-cf90e948c91a
Source: European Parliament
B10‑0151/2025
European Parliament resolution on the white paper on the future of European defence
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
– having regard to Title V of the Treaty on European Union, in particular Chapter 2, Section 2 thereof, which includes provisions on the common security and defence policy,
– having regard to the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe of 1975,
– having regard to the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Russian Federation of 1997,
– having regard to the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security of 1994,
– having regard to the Charter for European Security of 1999,
– having regard to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949,
– having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,
– having regard to the EU Strategic Compass for Security and Defence of 2022,
– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 5 March 2024 entitled ‘A new European Defence Industrial Strategy: Achieving EU readiness through a responsive and resilient European Defence Industry’ (JOIN(2024)0010),
– having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 on the future of European competitiveness, specifically Chapter 4 on increasing security and reducing dependencies,
– having regard to the report of its Committee on Foreign Affairs of 10 February 2025 on the implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2024,
A. whereas the world is undergoing a significant transformation towards a multipolar order in which major powers such as the United States, Russia and China will play a decisive role;
B. whereas the United States has signalled a strategic shift in focus towards its own continent and its immediate vicinity, with potential implications for its long-term commitment to European security and NATO;
C. whereas for decades, the EU has unconditionally followed the United States in foreign and security policies, while the primary burden of defending the European continent has rested with the United States – an approach that is no longer sustainable given current geopolitical developments;
D. whereas the EU and its Member States currently lack a coherent strategy and clear situational awareness in order to effectively shape their foreign and defence policy;
E. whereas years of neglecting independent defence capabilities have created substantial gaps in the security and defence readiness of the EU and its Member States;
F. whereas hybrid warfare remains one of the most significant threats to European defence, independence and sovereignty;
G. whereas, in this regard, the US Government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), has for decades invested significant amounts in media organisations that engage in global influence, such as Internews Network and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP);
H. whereas the European External Action Service currently collaborates with USAID on multiple projects;
I. whereas Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump have taken steps to dismantle these deep-state operations in the US by defunding USAID, NED and OCCRP, leading to mass lay-offs within these organisations;
1. Calls on the Member States to acknowledge the new geopolitical reality and take decisive steps towards ensuring their own security and defence capabilities independently of external actors;
2. Stresses the need for an immediate and comprehensive security assessment, followed by the development of a robust strategy that clearly defines the EU’s independent foreign and defence policy objectives;
3. Calls for the development of a new continental European defence concept focused solely on protecting the interests and territories of the EU Member States, without advancing further supranational oversight of defence policy;
4. Proposes initial steps towards building a European Defence Alliance;
5. Supports the strengthening of the European defence industry, research and funding mechanisms to enhance European autonomy in defence production; notes that all funding and cooperation mechanisms must remain intergovernmental and respect the sovereignty of each EU Member State;
6. Welcomes the proposal to establish a new permanent decision-making body composed of the defence ministers of the Member States in order to consolidate European decision-making processes on security and defence matters; emphasises that this forum must not be vested with supranational decision-making powers;
7. Emphasises that consolidating defence capabilities should not lead to the Europeanisation of national armed forces, but rather to streamlining and mutual support in areas where individual Member States cannot act effectively alone;
8. Calls for an open debate on the recommendations of the Draghi report with regard to enhancing security and reducing dependencies, stressing the urgency of initiating this discussion at EU level;
9. Stresses that negotiations on the future security architecture of Europe must involve all the relevant actors; calls for the EU to engage in constructive dialogue with all stakeholders to establish a realistic and sustainable European security framework;
10. Reaffirms that all states have legitimate national security interests that must be respected; emphasises that no state should strengthen its security at the expense of another, in line with the principles of the Helsinki Final Act;
11. Calls for strict adherence to the principle of non-interference and other universal norms of international law as a guiding principle for EU foreign and security policy;
12. Expresses deep concern over the substantial financial influence exerted by USAID, NED and OCCRP over European media organisations; condemns, in this regard, the targeted media attacks orchestrated against multiple European politicians by these organisations in an apparent effort to manipulate electoral outcomes;
13. Calls for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the extent of the involvement of USAID, NED and OCCRP in EU Member States’ elections and policymaking processes; calls on the Commission to conduct a full audit of all financial transactions between the EU institutions and USAID, OCCRP, the Open Society Foundations and NED, and to make these findings public;
14. Demands that the European External Action Service immediately terminate all collaboration with USAID and reassess any remaining cooperation agreements with foreign entities engaged in political influence operations;
15. Stresses that financial influence exerted by foreign governments over EU Member States’ elections and media constitutes an act of hybrid warfare against European sovereignty;
16. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the President of the Commission, the relevant members of the Commission, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary General of NATO, the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.
Source: Europol
The agreement was signed today by Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, and the Minister of Justice and Public Security of Brazil, Ricardo Lewandowski, in the presence of Europol’s Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle.Brazil has been a key partner for Europol since 2017, with a strong record of operational cooperation across various crime areas, including drug trafficking, cybercrime…
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
BEIJING, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: JD and HKEX: 9618 (HKD counter) and 89618 (RMB counter), the “Company” or “JD.com”), a leading supply chain-based technology and service provider, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three months and the full year ended December 31, 2024 and an annual cash dividend for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Highlights
“We are pleased to report a strong quarter to close out 2024 amidst rebounding consumption. Our topline growth returned to double digits year-on-year, and bottom line also achieved healthy expansion. In addition, most of our product categories as well as key metrics such as our quarterly active users and shopping frequency saw strong double-digit growth year-on-year in Q4, reflecting our growing mindshare among consumers,” said Sandy Xu, Chief Executive Officer of JD.com. “We head into 2025 with more optimism, as consumption sentiment steadily picks up, and we continue to unlock high-quality growth potentials with our strong execution of strategic priorities.”
“In the fourth quarter, our total revenues increased by 13.4% year-on-year. The momentum was broad-based across multiple categories and revenue streams, reflecting positive macro consumption trends and JD’s expanding market share,” said Ian Su Shan, Chief Financial Officer of JD.com. “Our profitability also continued to rise year-on-year throughout 2024, driven by our optimization in cost and operating efficiency. As we are confident to head towards our long-term profitability target, we are excited to announce an increased annual cash dividend for 2024 which, alongside our on-going US$5.0 billion share repurchase program, further demonstrates JD’s commitment to shareholder return.”
Dividend Payment
The Company announced that its board of directors (the “Board”) approved an annual cash dividend for the year ended December 31, 2024 of US$0.5 per ordinary share, or US$1.0 per ADS, to holders of ordinary shares and holders of ADSs, respectively, as of the close of business on April 8, 2025 Beijing/Hong Kong Time and New York Time, respectively, payable in U.S. dollars. The aggregate amount of the dividend is expected to be approximately US$1.5 billion, as calculated on the current number of the Company’s total issued and outstanding shares, which may be subject to minor adjustment by the record date. The payment date is expected to be on or around April 23, 2025 and on or around April 29, 2025 for holders of ordinary shares and holders of ADSs, respectively.
Updates of Share Repurchase Program
The Company repurchased a total of approximately 255.3 million Class A ordinary shares (equivalent of 127.6 million ADSs) for a total of approximately US$3.6 billion during the year ended December 31, 2024. All of these ordinary shares were repurchased from both Nasdaq and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase programs publicly announced. The total number of shares repurchased by the Company for the year ended December 31, 2024 amounted to approximately 8.1% of its ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 20233.
The Company has fully utilized the repurchase amount authorized under its US$3.0 billion share repurchase program announced in March 2024, with all of the 207 million Class A ordinary shares (equivalent of 104 million ADSs) repurchased under the program cancelled.
In addition, the Company adopted and announced a new share repurchase program (the “New Share Repurchase Program”) in August 2024. Pursuant to the New Share Repurchase Program effective from September 2024, the Company may repurchase up to US$5.0 billion worth of its shares (including ADSs) over the next 36 months through the end of August 2027.
Business Highlights
In January 2025, JD.com announced comprehensive upgrades to its PLUS membership, introducing a “Lifestyle Service Package” that allows members to redeem PLUS credits for seven services, including home cleaning, laundry, car wash and delivery, among other things. JD PLUS members will also enjoy a new “180-Day Replacement over Repair” policy for self-operated electronics and home appliances products in cases of any quality defects. Additionally, the “Unlimited Free Shipping” service has been expanded to cover the self-operated offerings on JD NOW, the on-demand retail business of the Company.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, JD Health further boosted up its service offerings with the expansion of its “Express Test at Your Doorstep” program, safeguarding more people’s health during periods of high incidence of respiratory illnesses. As of the end of the quarter, JD Health had launched 149 express testing products, with the service available in 12 core cities in China, covering a total population of over 150 million.
During the 2024 JD Singles Day Grand Promotion, JD Logistics’s (“JDL’s”) express delivery business celebrated the first anniversary of its upgraded offerings in Hong Kong and Macau. It provides seamless door-to-door delivery and other differentiated services in the regions, such as night-time pickups and intra-city delivery within as fast as four hours, significantly improving the online shopping and shipping experience for local customers. This in turn drives JDL’s rapid order volume growth in the regions.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, JDL further outlined its overseas roadmap. In particular, it will drive simultaneous progress of building its global warehouse network, air freight network, and express delivery capabilities. These efforts will enable JDL to provide integrated supply chain solutions to overseas customers, China-based brands expanding overseas, and cross-border merchants, driving toward the ultimate in delivering hassle-free and efficient supply chain logistics services globally.
Environment, Social and Governance
Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Net Revenues. Net revenues increased by 13.4% to RMB347.0 billion (US$47.5 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB306.1 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Net product revenues increased by 14.0%, while net service revenues increased by 10.8% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
Cost of Revenues. Cost of revenues increased by 11.9% to RMB293.9 billion (US$40.3 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB262.6 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Fulfillment Expenses. Fulfillment expenses, which primarily include procurement, warehousing, delivery, customer service and payment processing expenses, increased by 16.4% to RMB20.1 billion (US$2.8 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB17.3 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Fulfillment expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 5.8% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 5.6% for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Marketing Expenses. Marketing expenses increased by 28.4% to RMB16.8 billion (US$2.3 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB13.1 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Marketing expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 4.9% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 4.3% for the fourth quarter of 2023, primarily due to the increased spending in promotion activities.
Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses increased by 1.0% to RMB4.4 billion (US$0.6 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB4.3 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Research and development expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 1.3% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 1.4% for the fourth quarter of 2023.
General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by 3.3% to RMB2.5 billion (US$0.3 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB2.4 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 0.7% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 0.8% for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Income from Operations and Non-GAAP Income from Operations. Income from operations increased by 319.3% to RMB8.5 billion (US$1.2 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB2.0 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Operating margin was 2.4% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 0.7% for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP income from operations increased by 34.4% to RMB10.5 billion (US$1.4 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB7.8 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP operating margin was 3.0% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 2.5% for the fourth quarter of 2023. Operating margin of JD Retail before unallocated items for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 3.3%, compared to 2.6% for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Non-GAAP EBITDA. Non-GAAP EBITDA increased by 29.7% to RMB12.5 billion (US$1.7 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB9.7 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was 3.6% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 3.2% for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Others, net. “Others, net” was a gain of RMB3.5 billion (US$0.5 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to a gain of RMB1.7 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023, the variance was primarily due to fluctuations in investment gains or losses from equity investments.
Net Income Attributable to the Company’s Ordinary Shareholders and Non-GAAP Net Income Attributable to the Company’s Ordinary Shareholders. Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders increased by 190.8% to RMB9.9 billion (US$1.4 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB3.4 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 2.8% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 1.1% for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders increased by 34.2% to RMB11.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB8.4 billion for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 3.3% for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 2.7% for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Diluted EPS and Non-GAAP Diluted EPS. Diluted net income per ADS increased by 203.8% to RMB6.47 (US$0.89) for the fourth quarter of 2024 from RMB2.13 for the fourth quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP diluted net income per ADS increased by 40.0% for the fourth quarter of 2024 to RMB7.42 (US$1.02) from RMB5.30 for the fourth quarter of 2023.
Cash Flow and Working Capital
As of December 31, 2024, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments totaled RMB241.4 billion (US$33.1 billion), compared to RMB197.7 billion as of December 31, 2023. For the fourth quarter of 2024, free cash flow of the Company was as follows:
| For the three months ended | |||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
|||||||
| RMB |
RMB | US$ |
|||||||
| (In millions) | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 19,613 | 24,891 | 3,410 | ||||||
| Add: Impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow | 251 | 1,243 | 170 | ||||||
| Less: Capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds | |||||||||
| Capital expenditures for development properties | (4,596 | ) | (875 | ) | (120 | ) | |||
| Other capital expenditures* | (1,969 | ) | (1,789 | ) | (245 | ) | |||
| Free cash flow | 13,299 | 23,470 | 3,215 | ||||||
* Including capital expenditures related to the Company’s headquarters in Beijing and all other CAPEX.
Net cash used in investing activities was RMB12.5 billion (US$1.7 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024, consisting primarily of net cash paid for purchase of time deposits and wealth management products, cash paid for equity investments, and cash paid for capital expenditures.
Net cash used in financing activities was RMB2.8 billion (US$0.4 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024, consisting primarily of net repayment of borrowings.
Full Year 2024 Financial Results
Net Revenues. Net revenues increased by 6.8% to RMB1,158.8 billion (US$158.8 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB1,084.7 billion for the full year of 2023. Net product revenues increased by 6.5%, while net service revenues increased by 8.1% for the full year of 2024, compared to the full year of 2023.
Cost of Revenues. Cost of revenues increased by 5.4% to RMB975.0 billion (US$133.6 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB925.0 billion for the full year of 2023.
Fulfillment Expenses. Fulfillment expenses, which primarily include procurement, warehousing, delivery, customer service and payment processing expenses, increased by 9.1% to RMB70.4 billion (US$9.6 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB64.6 billion for the full year of 2023. Fulfillment expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 6.1% for the full year of 2024, compared to 6.0% for the full year of 2023.
Marketing Expenses. Marketing expenses increased by 19.5% to RMB48.0 billion (US$6.6 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB40.1 billion for the full year of 2023. Marketing expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 4.1% for the full year of 2024, compared to 3.7% for the full year of 2023, primarily due to the increased spending in promotion activities.
Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses increased by 3.9% to RMB17.0 billion (US$2.3 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB16.4 billion for the full year of 2023. Research and development expenses as a percentage of net revenues remained stable of 1.5% for the full year of 2024 and 2023.
General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses decreased by 8.5% to RMB8.9 billion (US$1.2 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB9.7 billion for the full year of 2023. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of net revenues was 0.8% for the full year of 2024, compared to 0.9% for the full year of 2023.
Income from Operations and Non-GAAP Income from Operations. Income from operations increased by 48.8% to RMB38.7 billion (US$5.3 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB26.0 billion for the full year of 2023. Operating margin was 3.3% for the full year of 2024, compared to 2.4% for the full year of 2023. Non-GAAP income from operations increased by 24.2% to RMB44.0 billion (US$6.0 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB35.4 billion for the full year of 2023. Non-GAAP operating margin was 3.8% for the full year of 2024, compared to 3.3% for the full year of 2023. Operating margin of JD Retail before unallocated items was 4.0% for the full year of 2024, compared to 3.8% for the full year of 2023.
Non-GAAP EBITDA. Non-GAAP EBITDA increased by 22.3% to RMB51.9 billion (US$7.1 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB42.5 billion for the full year of 2023. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was 4.5% for the full year of 2024, compared to 3.9% for the full year of 2023.
Others, net. “Others, net” was a gain of RMB13.4 billion (US$1.8 billion) for the full year of 2024, compared to a gain of RMB7.5 billion for the full year of 2023, the variance was primarily due to fluctuations in investment gains or losses from equity investments.
Net Income Attributable to the Company’s Ordinary Shareholders and Non-GAAP Net Income Attributable to the Company’s Ordinary Shareholders. Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders increased by 71.1% to RMB41.4 billion (US$5.7 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB24.2 billion for the full year of 2023. Net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 3.6% for the full year of 2024, compared to 2.2% for the full year of 2023. Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders increased by 35.9% to RMB47.8 billion (US$6.6 billion) for the full year of 2024 from RMB35.2 billion for the full year of 2023. Non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was 4.1% for the full year of 2024, compared to 3.2% for the full year of 2023.
Diluted EPS and Non-GAAP Diluted EPS. Diluted net income per ADS increased by 76.4% to RMB26.86 (US$3.68) for the full year of 2024 from RMB15.23 for the full year of 2023. Non-GAAP diluted net income per ADS increased by 40.1% for the full year of 2024 to RMB31.07 (US$4.26) from RMB22.17 for the full year of 2023.
Cash Flow and Working Capital
For the full year of 2024, free cash flow of the Company was as follows:
| For the year ended | |||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
|||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ | |||||||
| (In millions) | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 59,521 | 58,095 | 7,959 | ||||||
| Less: Impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow | (492 | ) | (132 | ) | (18 | ) | |||
| Less: Capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds | |||||||||
| Capital expenditures for development properties | (12,117 | ) | (7,286 | ) | (998 | ) | |||
| Other capital expenditures* | (6,261 | ) | (6,937 | ) | (951 | ) | |||
| Free cash flow | 40,651 | 43,740 | 5,992 | ||||||
* Including capital expenditures related to the Company’s headquarters in Beijing and all other CAPEX.
Net cash used in investing activities was RMB0.9 billion (US$0.1 billion) for the full year of 2024, consisting primarily of cash paid for capital expenditures and cash paid for equity investments, partially offset by net cash received from maturity of time deposits and wealth management products.
Net cash used in financing activities was RMB21.0 billion (US$2.9 billion) for the full year of 2024, consisting primarily of cash paid for repurchase of ordinary shares and dividends, partially offset by net proceeds from issuance of convertible senior notes.
Supplemental Information
From the first quarter of 2024, the Company started to report three segments, JD Retail, JD Logistics and New Businesses, to reflect changes made to the reporting structure whose financial information is reviewed by the chief operating decision maker of the Company under its ongoing operating strategies. JD Retail, including JD Health and JD Industrials, among other components, mainly engages in online retail, online marketplace and marketing services in China. JD Logistics includes both internal and external logistics businesses. New Businesses mainly include Dada, JD Property, Jingxi and overseas businesses.
The table below sets forth the segment operating results, with prior periods segment information retrospectively recast to conform to the current period presentation:
| For the three months ended | For the year ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
RMB |
RMB |
US$ | ||||||||||||
| (In millions, except percentage data) | |||||||||||||||||
| Net revenues: | |||||||||||||||||
| JD Retail | 267,646 | 307,055 | 42,066 | 945,343 | 1,015,948 | 139,184 | |||||||||||
| JD Logistics | 47,201 | 52,097 | 7,137 | 166,625 | 182,837 | 25,049 | |||||||||||
| New Businesses | 6,781 | 4,681 | 642 | 26,617 | 19,157 | 2,625 | |||||||||||
| Inter-segment eliminations* | (15,551 | ) | (16,847 | ) | (2,308 | ) | (53,923 | ) | (59,123 | ) | (8,100 | ) | |||||
| Total consolidated net revenues | 306,077 | 346,986 | 47,537 | 1,084,662 | 1,158,819 | 158,758 | |||||||||||
| Operating income/(loss): | |||||||||||||||||
| JD Retail | 6,937 | 10,036 | 1,375 | 35,925 | 41,077 | 5,628 | |||||||||||
| JD Logistics | 1,330 | 1,824 | 250 | 1,005 | 6,317 | 865 | |||||||||||
| New Businesses | (795 | ) | (885 | ) | (121 | ) | (329 | ) | (2,865 | ) | (393 | ) | |||||
| Including: gain on sale of development properties | 802 | 1,527 | 209 | 2,283 | 1,527 | 209 | |||||||||||
| Impairment of long-lived assets | (1,123 | ) | (1,027 | ) | (141 | ) | (1,123 | ) | (1,027 | ) | (141 | ) | |||||
| Total segment operating income | 7,472 | 10,975 | 1,504 | 36,601 | 44,529 | 6,100 | |||||||||||
| Unallocated items** | (5,447 | ) | (2,484 | ) | (341 | ) | (10,576 | ) | (5,793 | ) | (793 | ) | |||||
| Total consolidated operating income | 2,025 | 8,491 | 1,163 | 26,025 | 38,736 | 5,307 | |||||||||||
| YoY% change of net revenues: | |||||||||||||||||
| JD Retail | 3.4 | % | 14.7 | % | 1.7 | % | 7.5 | % | |||||||||
| JD Logistics | 9.7 | % | 10.4 | % | 21.3 | % | 9.7 | % | |||||||||
| New Businesses | (8.9 | )% | (31.0 | )% | (10.7 | )% | (28.0 | )% | |||||||||
| Operating margin: | |||||||||||||||||
| JD Retail | 2.6 | % | 3.3 | % | 3.8 | % | 4.0 | % | |||||||||
| JD Logistics | 2.8 | % | 3.5 | % | 0.6 | % | 3.5 | % | |||||||||
| New Businesses | (11.7 | )% | (18.9 | )% | (1.2 | )% | (15.0 | )% | |||||||||
* The inter-segment eliminations mainly consist of revenues from supply chain solutions and logistics services provided by JD Logistics to JD Retail, on-demand delivery and retail services provided by Dada to JD Retail and JD Logistics, and property leasing services provided by JD Property to JD Logistics.
** Unallocated items include share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, effects of business cooperation arrangements, and impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, which are not allocated to segments.
The table below sets forth the revenue information:
| For the three months ended | ||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
YoY% Change |
|||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
||||||||
| (In millions, except percentage data) | ||||||||||
| Electronics and home appliances revenues | 150,353 | 174,149 | 23,858 | 15.8 | % | |||||
| General merchandise revenues | 96,148 | 106,829 | 14,636 | 11.1 | % | |||||
| Net product revenues | 246,501 | 280,978 | 38,494 | 14.0 | % | |||||
| Marketplace and marketing revenues | 23,626 | 26,634 | 3,649 | 12.7 | % | |||||
| Logistics and other service revenues | 35,950 | 39,374 | 5,394 | 9.5 | % | |||||
| Net service revenues | 59,576 | 66,008 | 9,043 | 10.8 | % | |||||
| Total net revenues | 306,077 | 346,986 | 47,537 | 13.4 | % | |||||
| For the year ended | ||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
YoY% Change |
|||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
||||||||
| (In millions, except percentage data) | ||||||||||
| Electronics and home appliances revenues | 538,799 | 564,982 | 77,402 | 4.9 | % | |||||
| General merchandise revenues | 332,425 | 363,025 | 49,734 | 9.2 | % | |||||
| Net product revenues | 871,224 | 928,007 | 127,136 | 6.5 | % | |||||
| Marketplace and marketing revenues | 84,726 | 90,111 | 12,345 | 6.4 | % | |||||
| Logistics and other service revenues | 128,712 | 140,701 | 19,277 | 9.3 | % | |||||
| Net service revenues | 213,438 | 230,812 | 31,622 | 8.1 | % | |||||
| Total net revenues | 1,084,662 | 1,158,819 | 158,758 | 6.8 | % | |||||
Conference Call
JD.com’s management will hold a conference call at 7:00 am, Eastern Time on March 6, 2025, (8:00 pm, Beijing/Hong Kong Time on March 6, 2025) to discuss its financial results for the three months and the full year ended December 31, 2024.
Please register in advance of the conference using the link provided below and dial in 15 minutes prior to the call, using participant dial-in numbers, the Passcode and unique access PIN which would be provided upon registering. You will be automatically linked to the live call after completion of this process, unless required to provide the conference ID below due to regional restrictions.
PRE-REGISTER LINK: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10044957-x2nu4z.html
CONFERENCE ID: 10044957
A telephone replay will be available for one week until March 13, 2025. The dial-in details are as follows:
| US: | +1-855-883-1031 |
| International: | +61-7-3107-6325 |
| Hong Kong: | 800-930-639 |
| Mainland China: | 400-120-9216 |
| Passcode: | 10044957 |
Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the JD.com’s investor relations website at http://ir.jd.com.
About JD.com
JD.com is a leading supply chain-based technology and service provider. The Company’s cutting-edge retail infrastructure seeks to enable consumers to buy whatever they want, whenever and wherever they want it. The Company has opened its technology and infrastructure to partners, brands and other sectors, as part of its Retail as a Service offering to help drive productivity and innovation across a range of industries.
Non-GAAP Measures
In evaluating the business, the Company considers and uses non-GAAP measures, such as non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders, non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders, free cash flow, non-GAAP EBITDA, non-GAAP EBITDA margin, non-GAAP net income/(loss) per share and non-GAAP net income/(loss) per ADS, as supplemental measures to review and assess operating performance. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The Company defines non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations as income/(loss) from operations excluding share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, effects of business cooperation arrangements, gain on sale of development properties and impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets. The Company defines non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders as net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders excluding share-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions, effects of business cooperation arrangements and non-compete agreements, gain/(loss) on disposals/deemed disposals of investments and others, reconciling items on the share of equity method investments, loss/(gain) from fair value change of long-term investments, impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets and investments, gain on sale of development properties and tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments. The Company defines free cash flow as operating cash flow adjusting the impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow and capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds. Capital expenditures include purchase of property, equipment and software, cash paid for construction in progress, purchase of intangible assets, land use rights and asset acquisitions. The Company defines non-GAAP EBITDA as non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations plus depreciation and amortization excluding amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions. Non-GAAP basic net income/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the periods. Non-GAAP diluted net income/(loss) per share is calculated by dividing non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares and dilutive potential ordinary shares outstanding during the periods, including the dilutive effects of share-based awards as determined under the treasury stock method and convertible senior notes. Non-GAAP net income/(loss) per ADS is equal to non-GAAP net income/(loss) per share multiplied by two.
The Company presents these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by management to evaluate operating performance and formulate business plans. Non-GAAP income/(loss) from operations, non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders and non-GAAP EBITDA reflect the Company’s ongoing business operations in a manner that allows more meaningful period-to-period comparisons. Free cash flow enables management to assess liquidity and cash flow while taking into account the impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow and the demands that the expansion of fulfillment infrastructure and technology platform has placed on financial resources. The Company believes that the use of the non-GAAP financial measures facilitates investors to understand and evaluate the Company’s current operating performance and future prospects in the same manner as management does, if they so choose. The Company also believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses, gain/loss and other items that are not expected to result in future cash payments or that are non-recurring in nature or may not be indicative of the Company’s core operating results and business outlook.
The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools. The Company’s non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect all items of income and expense that affect the Company’s operations or not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures. Further, these non-GAAP measures may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited. The Company compensates for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measure, all of which should be considered when evaluating performance. The Company encourages you to review the Company’s financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.
CONTACTS:
Investor Relations
Sean Zhang
+86 (10) 8912-6804
IR@JD.com
Media Relations
+86 (10) 8911-6155
Press@JD.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as JD.com’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. JD.com may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in announcements made on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about JD.com’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: JD.com’s growth strategies; its future business development, results of operations and financial condition; its ability to attract and retain new customers and to increase revenues generated from repeat customers; its expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; trends and competition in China’s e-commerce market; changes in its revenues and certain cost or expense items; the expected growth of the Chinese e-commerce market; laws, regulations and governmental policies relating to the industries in which JD.com or its business partners operate; potential changes in laws, regulations and governmental policies or changes in the interpretation and implementation of laws, regulations and governmental policies that could adversely affect the industries in which JD.com or its business partners operate, including, among others, initiatives to enhance supervision of companies listed on an overseas exchange and tighten scrutiny over data privacy and data security; risks associated with JD.com’s acquisitions, investments and alliances, including fluctuation in the market value of JD.com’s investment portfolio; natural disasters and geopolitical events; change in tax rates and financial risks; intensity of competition; and general market and economic conditions in China and globally. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JD.com’s filings with the SEC and the announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided herein is as of the date of this announcement, and JD.com undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||||||||
| (In millions, except otherwise noted) | |||||||||
| As of | |||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
|||||||
| RMB | RMB | US$ | |||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||
| Current assets | |||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 71,892 | 108,350 | 14,844 | ||||||
| Restricted cash | 7,506 | 7,366 | 1,009 | ||||||
| Short-term investments | 118,254 | 125,645 | 17,213 | ||||||
| Accounts receivable, net (including consumer financing receivables of RMB2.3 billion and RMB2.0 billion as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2024, respectively)(1) | 20,302 | 25,596 | 3,507 | ||||||
| Advance to suppliers | 2,753 | 7,619 | 1,044 | ||||||
| Inventories, net | 68,058 | 89,326 | 12,238 | ||||||
| Prepayments and other current assets | 15,639 | 15,951 | 2,185 | ||||||
| Amount due from related parties | 2,114 | 4,805 | 658 | ||||||
| Assets held for sale | 1,292 | 2,040 | 279 | ||||||
| Total current assets | 307,810 | 386,698 | 52,977 | ||||||
| Non-current assets | |||||||||
| Property, equipment and software, net | 70,035 | 82,737 | 11,335 | ||||||
| Construction in progress | 9,920 | 6,164 | 845 | ||||||
| Intangible assets, net | 6,935 | 7,793 | 1,068 | ||||||
| Land use rights, net | 39,563 | 36,833 | 5,046 | ||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 20,863 | 24,532 | 3,361 | ||||||
| Goodwill | 19,980 | 25,709 | 3,522 | ||||||
| Investment in equity investees | 56,746 | 56,850 | 7,788 | ||||||
| Marketable securities and other investments | 80,840 | 59,370 | 8,134 | ||||||
| Deferred tax assets | 1,744 | 2,459 | 337 | ||||||
| Other non-current assets | 14,522 | 9,089 | 1,245 | ||||||
| Total non-current assets | 321,148 | 311,536 | 42,681 | ||||||
| Total assets | 628,958 | 698,234 | 95,658 | ||||||
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||||||||
| (In millions, except otherwise noted) | |||||||||
| As of | |||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
|||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
|||||||
| LIABILITIES | |||||||||
| Current liabilities | |||||||||
| Short-term debts | 5,034 | 7,581 | 1,039 | ||||||
| Accounts payable | 166,167 | 192,860 | 26,422 | ||||||
| Advance from customers | 31,625 | 32,437 | 4,443 | ||||||
| Deferred revenues | 2,097 | 2,097 | 287 | ||||||
| Taxes payable | 7,313 | 9,487 | 1,300 | ||||||
| Amount due to related parties | 1,620 | 1,367 | 187 | ||||||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | 43,533 | 45,985 | 6,300 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities | 7,755 | 7,606 | 1,042 | ||||||
| Liabilities held for sale | 506 | 101 | 14 | ||||||
| Total current liabilities | 265,650 | 299,521 | 41,034 | ||||||
| Non-current liabilities | |||||||||
| Deferred revenues | 964 | 502 | 69 | ||||||
| Unsecured senior notes | 10,411 | 24,770 | 3,393 | ||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities | 9,267 | 9,498 | 1,301 | ||||||
| Long-term borrowings | 31,555 | 31,705 | 4,344 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities | 13,676 | 18,106 | 2,481 | ||||||
| Other non-current liabilities | 1,055 | 835 | 114 | ||||||
| Total non-current liabilities | 66,928 | 85,416 | 11,702 | ||||||
| Total liabilities | 332,578 | 384,937 | 52,736 | ||||||
| MEZZANINE EQUITY | 614 | 484 | 66 | ||||||
| SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | |||||||||
| Total JD.com, Inc. shareholders’ equity (US$0.00002 par value, 100,000 million shares authorized, 3,188 million shares issued(2) and 2,903 million shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024) | 231,858 | 239,347 | 32,791 | ||||||
| Non-controlling interests | 63,908 | 73,466 | 10,065 | ||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 295,766 | 312,813 | 42,856 | ||||||
| Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders’ equity | 628,958 | 698,234 | 95,658 | ||||||
| (1) JD Technology performs credit risk assessment services for consumer financing receivables business and absorbs the credit risk of the underlying consumer financing receivables. Facilitated by JD Technology, the Company periodically securitizes consumer financing receivables through the transfer of those assets to securitization plans and derecognizes the related consumer financing receivables through sales type arrangements. | |||||||||
| (2) The number of ordinary shares issued as of February 28, 2025 was 2,981 million, with all of the 207 million Class A ordinary shares (equivalent of 104 million ADSs) repurchased under the US$3.0 billion share repurchase program announced in March 2024 cancelled. | |||||||||
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations | |||||||||||||||||
| (In millions, except per share data) | |||||||||||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the year ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ | RMB |
RMB |
US$ | ||||||||||||
| Net revenues | |||||||||||||||||
| Net product revenues | 246,501 | 280,978 | 38,494 | 871,224 | 928,007 | 127,136 | |||||||||||
| Net service revenues | 59,576 | 66,008 | 9,043 | 213,438 | 230,812 | 31,622 | |||||||||||
| Total net revenues | 306,077 | 346,986 | 47,537 | 1,084,662 | 1,158,819 | 158,758 | |||||||||||
| Cost of revenues | (262,575 | ) | (293,869 | ) | (40,260 | ) | (924,958 | ) | (974,951 | ) | (133,568 | ) | |||||
| Fulfillment | (17,283 | ) | (20,121 | ) | (2,757 | ) | (64,558 | ) | (70,426 | ) | (9,648 | ) | |||||
| Marketing | (13,110 | ) | (16,832 | ) | (2,306 | ) | (40,133 | ) | (47,953 | ) | (6,570 | ) | |||||
| Research and development | (4,341 | ) | (4,384 | ) | (601 | ) | (16,393 | ) | (17,031 | ) | (2,333 | ) | |||||
| General and administrative | (2,377 | ) | (2,455 | ) | (336 | ) | (9,710 | ) | (8,888 | ) | (1,218 | ) | |||||
| Impairment of goodwill | (3,143 | ) | (799 | ) | (109 | ) | (3,143 | ) | (799 | ) | (109 | ) | |||||
| Impairment of long-lived assets | (2,025 | ) | (1,562 | ) | (214 | ) | (2,025 | ) | (1,562 | ) | (214 | ) | |||||
| Gain on sale of development properties | 802 | 1,527 | 209 | 2,283 | 1,527 | 209 | |||||||||||
| Income from operations(3)(4) | 2,025 | 8,491 | 1,163 | 26,025 | 38,736 | 5,307 | |||||||||||
| Other income/(expenses) | |||||||||||||||||
| Share of results of equity investees | 497 | 556 | 76 | 1,010 | 2,327 | 319 | |||||||||||
| Interest expense | (927 | ) | (926 | ) | (127 | ) | (2,881 | ) | (2,896 | ) | (397 | ) | |||||
| Others, net(5) | 1,711 | 3,493 | 479 | 7,496 | 13,371 | 1,832 | |||||||||||
| Income before tax | 3,306 | 11,614 | 1,591 | 31,650 | 51,538 | 7,061 | |||||||||||
| Income tax expenses | (1,394 | ) | (750 | ) | (103 | ) | (8,393 | ) | (6,878 | ) | (943 | ) | |||||
| Net income | 1,912 | 10,864 | 1,488 | 23,257 | 44,660 | 6,118 | |||||||||||
| Net income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interests shareholders | (1,477 | ) | 1,010 | 138 | (910 | ) | 3,301 | 452 | |||||||||
| Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders | 3,389 | 9,854 | 1,350 | 24,167 | 41,359 | 5,666 | |||||||||||
| Net income per share: | |||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 1.08 | 3.39 | 0.47 | 7.69 | 13.83 | 1.90 | |||||||||||
| Diluted | 1.07 | 3.23 | 0.44 | 7.61 | 13.43 | 1.84 | |||||||||||
| Net income per ADS: | |||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 2.15 | 6.79 | 0.93 | 15.37 | 27.67 | 3.79 | |||||||||||
| Diluted | 2.13 | 6.47 | 0.89 | 15.23 | 26.86 | 3.68 | |||||||||||
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations | |||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions, except per share data) | |||||||||||||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the year ended | ||||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ | RMB |
RMB |
US$ | ||||||||||||||
| (3) Includes share-based compensation as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of revenues | (34 | ) | (26 | ) | (4 | ) | (133 | ) | (80 | ) | (11 | ) | |||||||
| Fulfillment | (127 | ) | (115 | ) | (16 | ) | (697 | ) | (424 | ) | (58 | ) | |||||||
| Marketing | (96 | ) | (50 | ) | (7 | ) | (426 | ) | (273 | ) | (37 | ) | |||||||
| Research and development | (169 | ) | (88 | ) | (12 | ) | (859 | ) | (599 | ) | (82 | ) | |||||||
| General and administrative | (554 | ) | (517 | ) | (70 | ) | (2,689 | ) | (1,623 | ) | (223 | ) | |||||||
| Total | (980 | ) | (796 | ) | (109 | ) | (4,804 | ) | (2,999 | ) | (411 | ) | |||||||
| (4) Includes amortization of business cooperation arrangement and intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fulfillment | (103 | ) | (72 | ) | (10 | ) | (414 | ) | (288 | ) | (39 | ) | |||||||
| Marketing | (221 | ) | (229 | ) | (31 | ) | (880 | ) | (903 | ) | (123 | ) | |||||||
| Research and development | (66 | ) | (53 | ) | (7 | ) | (305 | ) | (205 | ) | (28 | ) | |||||||
| General and administrative | (32 | ) | — | — | (128 | ) | (64 | ) | (9 | ) | |||||||||
| Total | (422 | ) | (354 | ) | (48 | ) | (1,727 | ) | (1,460 | ) | (199 | ) | |||||||
| (5) “Others, net” consists of interest income; gains/(losses) related to long-term investments without significant influence, including fair value changes, acquisitions or disposals gains/(losses), and impairments; government incentives; foreign exchange gains/(losses); and other non-operating income/(losses). | |||||||||||||||||||
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Non-GAAP Net Income Per Share and Per ADS | |||||||||||||||||
| (In millions, except per share data) | |||||||||||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the year ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders | 8,415 | 11,294 | 1,547 | 35,200 | 47,827 | 6,552 | |||||||||||
| Weighted average number of shares: | |||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 3,147 | 2,903 | 2,903 | 3,144 | 2,990 | 2,990 | |||||||||||
| Diluted | 3,166 | 3,041 | 3,041 | 3,171 | 3,076 | 3,076 | |||||||||||
| Non-GAAP net income per share: | |||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 2.67 | 3.89 | 0.53 | 11.20 | 16.00 | 2.19 | |||||||||||
| Diluted | 2.65 | 3.71 | 0.51 | 11.08 | 15.53 | 2.13 | |||||||||||
| Non-GAAP net income per ADS: | |||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 5.35 | 7.78 | 1.07 | 22.39 | 31.99 | 4.38 | |||||||||||
| Diluted | 5.30 | 7.42 | 1.02 | 22.17 | 31.07 | 4.26 | |||||||||||
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Free Cash Flow | |||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | |||||||||||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the year ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ | RMB |
RMB |
US$ | ||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 19,613 | 24,891 | 3,410 | 59,521 | 58,095 | 7,959 | |||||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (63,072 | ) | (12,483 | ) | (1,710 | ) | (59,543 | ) | (871 | ) | (119 | ) | |||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (745 | ) | (2,784 | ) | (381 | ) | (5,808 | ) | (21,004 | ) | (2,877 | ) | |||||
| Effects of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | (213 | ) | 1,136 | 155 | 125 | 98 | 13 | ||||||||||
| Net (decrease)/increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | (44,417 | ) | 10,760 | 1,474 | (5,705 | ) | 36,318 | 4,976 | |||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period, including cash and cash equivalents classified within assets held for sale | 123,868 | 104,956 | 14,379 | 85,156 | 79,451 | 10,884 | |||||||||||
| Less: Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash classified within assets held for sale at beginning of period | — | (2 | ) | —* | (41 | ) | (53 | ) | (7 | ) | |||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period | 123,868 | 104,954 | 14,379 | 85,115 | 79,398 | 10,877 | |||||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period, including cash and cash equivalents classified within assets held for sale | 79,451 | 115,716 | 15,853 | 79,451 | 115,716 | 15,853 | |||||||||||
| Less: Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash classified within assets held for sale at end of period | (53 | ) | —* | —* | (53 | ) | —* | —* | |||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period | 79,398 | 115,716 | 15,853 | 79,398 | 115,716 | 15,853 | |||||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 19,613 | 24,891 | 3,410 | 59,521 | 58,095 | 7,959 | |||||||||||
| Add/(Less): Impact from consumer financing receivables included in the operating cash flow | 251 | 1,243 | 170 | (492 | ) | (132 | ) | (18 | ) | ||||||||
| Less: Capital expenditures, net of related sales proceeds | |||||||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures for development properties | (4,596 | ) | (875 | ) | (120 | ) | (12,117 | ) | (7,286 | ) | (998 | ) | |||||
| Other capital expenditures | (1,969 | ) | (1,789 | ) | (245 | ) | (6,261 | ) | (6,937 | ) | (951 | ) | |||||
| Free cash flow | 13,299 | 23,470 | 3,215 | 40,651 | 43,740 | 5,992 | |||||||||||
*Absolute value is less than RMB1 million or US$1 million.
| JD.com, Inc. |
|||||||
| Supplemental Financial Information and Business Metrics (In RMB billions, except turnover days data) |
|||||||
| Q4 2023 | Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 | |||
| Cash flow and turnover days | |||||||
| Operating cash flow – trailing twelve months (“TTM”) | 59.5 | 69.8 | 74.0 | 52.8 | 58.1 | ||
| Free cash flow – TTM | 40.7 | 50.6 | 55.6 | 33.6 | 43.7 | ||
| Inventory turnover days(6) – TTM | 30.3 | 29.0 | 29.8 | 30.4 | 31.5 | ||
| Accounts payable turnover days(7) – TTM | 53.2 | 51.8 | 57.0 | 57.5 | 58.6 | ||
| Accounts receivable turnover days(8) – TTM | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.9 | ||
| (6) TTM inventory turnover days are the quotient of average inventory over the immediately preceding five quarters, up to and including the last quarter of the period, to cost of revenues of retail business for the last twelve months, and then multiplied by 360 days. | |||||||
| (7) TTM accounts payable turnover days are the quotient of average accounts payable for retail business over the immediately preceding five quarters, up to and including the last quarter of the period, to cost of revenues of retail business for the last twelve months, and then multiplied by 360 days. | |||||||
| (8) TTM accounts receivable turnover days are the quotient of average accounts receivable over the immediately preceding five quarters, up to and including the last quarter of the period, to total net revenues for the last twelve months and then multiplied by 360 days. Presented are the accounts receivable turnover days excluding the impact from consumer financing receivables. | |||||||
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results | |||||||||||||||||
| (In millions, except percentage data) | |||||||||||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the year ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ | RMB |
RMB |
US$ | ||||||||||||
| Income from operations | 2,025 | 8,491 | 1,163 | 26,025 | 38,736 | 5,307 | |||||||||||
| Add: Share-based compensation | 980 | 796 | 109 | 4,804 | 2,999 | 411 | |||||||||||
| Add: Amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions | 309 | 241 | 33 | 1,281 | 1,010 | 137 | |||||||||||
| Add: Effects of business cooperation arrangements | 113 | 113 | 15 | 446 | 450 | 62 | |||||||||||
| Reversal of: Gain on sale of development properties | (802 | ) | (1,527 | ) | (209 | ) | (2,283 | ) | (1,527 | ) | (209 | ) | |||||
| Add: Impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets | 5,168 | 2,361 | 323 | 5,168 | 2,361 | 323 | |||||||||||
| Non-GAAP income from operations | 7,793 | 10,475 | 1,434 | 35,441 | 44,029 | 6,031 | |||||||||||
| Add: Depreciation and other amortization | 1,868 | 2,054 | 281 | 7,011 | 7,894 | 1,083 | |||||||||||
| Non-GAAP EBITDA | 9,661 | 12,529 | 1,715 | 42,452 | 51,923 | 7,114 | |||||||||||
| Total net revenues | 306,077 | 346,986 | 47,537 | 1,084,662 | 1,158,819 | 158,758 | |||||||||||
| Non-GAAP operating margin | 2.5 | % | 3.0 | % | 3.3 | % | 3.8 | % | |||||||||
| Non-GAAP EBITDA margin | 3.2 | % | 3.6 | % | 3.9 | % | 4.5 | % | |||||||||
| JD.com, Inc. | |||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results | |||||||||||||||||
| (In millions, except percentage data) | |||||||||||||||||
| For the three months ended | For the year ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2024 |
||||||||||||
| RMB |
RMB |
US$ | RMB |
RMB |
US$ | ||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders | 3,389 | 9,854 | 1,350 | 24,167 | 41,359 | 5,666 | |||||||||||
| Add: Share-based compensation | 744 | 649 | 89 | 3,817 | 2,429 | 333 | |||||||||||
| Add: Amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions | 144 | 116 | 16 | 669 | 458 | 63 | |||||||||||
| Add: Reconciling items on the share of equity method investments(9) | 69 | 563 | 77 | 1,071 | 1,227 | 168 | |||||||||||
| Add: Impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets, and investments | 4,430 | 2,971 | 406 | 6,202 | 5,667 | 775 | |||||||||||
| Add/(Reversal of): Loss/(Gain) from fair value change of long-term investments | 453 | (611 | ) | (83 | ) | 848 | (1,083 | ) | (148 | ) | |||||||
| Reversal of: Gain on sale of development properties | (601 | ) | (1,145 | ) | (157 | ) | (1,721 | ) | (1,145 | ) | (157 | ) | |||||
| Reversal of: Gain on disposals/deemed disposals of investments and others | (71 | ) | (574 | ) | (78 | ) | (126 | ) | (853 | ) | (117 | ) | |||||
| Add: Effects of business cooperation arrangements | 113 | 113 | 15 | 446 | 450 | 62 | |||||||||||
| Reversal of: Tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments | (255 | ) | (642 | ) | (88 | ) | (173 | ) | (682 | ) | (93 | ) | |||||
| Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders | 8,415 | 11,294 | 1,547 | 35,200 | 47,827 | 6,552 | |||||||||||
| Total net revenues | 306,077 | 346,986 | 47,537 | 1,084,662 | 1,158,819 | 158,758 | |||||||||||
| Non-GAAP net margin attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders | 2.7 | % | 3.3 | % | 3.2 | % | 4.1 | % | |||||||||
| (9) To exclude the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciling items on the share of equity method investments and share of amortization of intangibles not on their books. | |||||||||||||||||
1 The U.S. dollar (US$) amounts disclosed in this announcement, except for those transaction amounts that were actually settled in U.S. dollars, are presented solely for the convenience of the readers. The conversion of Renminbi (RMB) into US$ in this announcement is based on the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as of December 31, 2024, which was RMB7.2993 to US$1.00. The percentages stated in this announcement are calculated based on the RMB amounts.
2 See the sections entitled “Non-GAAP Measures” and “Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this announcement.
3 The number of ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023 was approximately 3,138 million shares.
4 JD Ecosystem is a closely integrated business network providing comprehensive service for customers and comprises the Company and certain affiliates who share the “JD” brand name, currently including Jingdong Technology Holding Co., Ltd. and Allianz Jingdong General Insurance Company Ltd..
Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Wednesday, 5 March 2025
MM
Jeremie (Agenzia Fides) – “I have returned to Jeremie for a few days to stock up on supplies so I can continue with community activities. With the March 8th celebration approaching, the parish, together with the women of Pourcine-Pic Makaya, is organizing a day of training, dialogue and celebration. I hope to return to the parish with all the necessary material to begin adult literacy classes in mid-March,” said Father Massimo Miraglio, Camillian missionary and parish priest of the Pourcine-Pic Makaya community, to Fides.“Thanks to the support of the humanitarian organization Heks Eper,” he continued, “I should be able to transport the sheets for the roof of the guest house to the bottom of the valley. Then the local people will take them to the village.” However, he warns that the work on the house is progressing slowly despite having greatly simplified the project. “There are many difficulties,” he added.Haiti is the poorest country on the American continent, with a very high rate of illiteracy among young people and adults, especially in rural areas, where access to education for these two categories of people is almost impossible. Illiteracy is an obstacle to the human and socio-economic development of communities, reducing employment opportunities and the participation of citizens in civil society. In the complex Haitian rural context, this reality aggravates discrimination against women and the most vulnerable groups. Thanks to the support of Madian Orizzonti ETS, the non-profit organization of the Camillian Religious, the literacy project for young people and adults (Alfa) in the rural mountain community of Pourcine-Pic Makaya continues with the aim of improving the living conditions of its inhabitants. “In mid-February, Alfa teachers participated in a training day on teaching in these schools for adults. It was a very enriching experience for everyone and we hope to be able to organize more sessions soon. It is another small step forward for our community. 150 people have already signed up and we have 12 teachers involved.” “Education,” insists Father Massimo Miraglio, “is a fundamental tool for Pourcine-Pic Makaya to fight poverty. Literacy is key both for individuals, as it expands their development possibilities, and for the local community, by strengthening their resilience and promoting a sustainable development model.”Father Miraglio also talks about another project he is working on, which he describes as “more delicate” and complex: a microcredit program for 20 women with children in the Pourcine-Pic Makaya community. “It is a program with a significant potential impact, but it must be managed with caution. The situation in Haiti is difficult everywhere at the moment, but, like our brothers and sisters in Port-au-Prince, we remain firm in our place. And we work…”Experience in various countries has shown that, with even limited financial capital, the poor can achieve profound changes in their lives. This microcredit project is aimed especially at women with children and seeks to enhance their personal background and skills, enabling them to start activities that, due to lack of resources, they cannot carry out. Its main objectives are to strengthen the self-confidence of the beneficiaries, improve the economic stability of their households and help them overcome the poverty line.“We are entering the great planting season for beans and corn, a period of intense work for the community of Pourcine-Pic Makaya,” says Father Miraglio, who is involved on multiple fronts. “I am also preparing part of the parish land for planting, in the hope that there will be a good harvest for everyone, God willing. It is important to share the same hopes and work alongside them.” In the meantime, the Camillian missionary has also launched a project for coffee production, although its progress has been slowed by heavy rains, which have delayed the germination of the seeds sown at the end of 2024. “In addition, the phytocells – small bags bought in Italy – are still stuck in Port-au-Prince, as land access to Jérémie remains blocked,” he explains. “Reviving coffee cultivation is essential for the Pourcine-Pic Makaya community. In the meantime, the first seedbed is germinating and I have finally obtained a first batch of small bags for the seedlings. We will soon have to prepare the physical space for the nursery.” This nursery will be managed by students in grades 4, 5 and 6 of the parish school, boys and girls between 12 and 16 years old, under the guidance of an elderly coffee farmer. “From time to time, an agronomist who passes through the area will offer us theoretical training,” concludes Father Miraglio. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 5/3/2025)
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Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
From planting a billion trees in Zimbabwe, in southern Africa, to exporting products from the moringa tree in Mali and developing a climate action-focused board game called “Rescuing Penguins,” in Costa Rica, a group of young people has been recognized by the UN for making a positive impact in the fight to counter desertification, land degradation and drought.
Source: United Nations MIL OSI b
“Our world is going through a period of turbulence and unpredictability, reflected in growing conflict and divided societies,” Türk told the Human Rights Council.
“We cannot allow the fundamental global consensus around international norms and institutions, built painstakingly over decades, to crumble before our eyes.”
Presenting his global update covering more than 30 countries, the High Commissioner described as “outrageous” the fact that legal safeguards for non-combatants were being repeatedly ignored.
“Civilians are deliberately attacked. Sexual violence and famine are used as weapons of war,” Mr. Türk said. “Humanitarian access is denied, while weapons flow across borders and circumvent international sanctions. And humanitarian workers are targeted. In 2024, a record 356 humanitarian workers were killed while providing aid to people in some of the world’s most appalling crises.”
In Sudan, the High Commissioner once again condemned devastating bomb attacks launched in heavily built-up areas with total impunity, by the parties to the conflict.
All the while, the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe deepens, threatening regional stability, he maintained: “Civilians are paying an unbearable price, in a naked struggle for power and resources. All countries must use their influence to apply pressure on the parties and their allies, to stop the war, embark on an inclusive dialogue, and transition to a civilian-led Government.”
Turning to Ukraine, whose future material support from the United States appeared unclear following televised disagreements between Presidents Trump and Zelensky at a White House meeting on Friday, Mr. Türk opposed any peace deal that excluded Ukraine.
“Three years since the full-scale Russian invasion, people continue to suffer appallingly…Any discussions about ending the war must include Ukrainians and fully respect their human rights. Sustainable peace must be based on the United Nations Charter and international law.”
Civilian casualties in Ukraine rose by 30 per cent between 2023 and 2024, the High Commissioner continued, as he accused Russia’s armed forces of systematically targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with coordinated strikes, causing widespread disruptions to essential services.
“Relentless attacks with aerial glide bombs, long-range missiles and drones have placed civilians in a state of constant insecurity and fear,” Mr. Türk noted.
Ukrainian prisoners also continue to face summary executions and “widespread and systematic torture” by Russian forces, he continued.
In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the UN rights chief insisted that the fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza “and becomes the basis for peace”.
He also insisted that aid deliveries into Gaza should resume immediately, just as Israel announced a halt to aid flowing into the shattered enclave, having proposed extending the first phase of the ceasefire which ended at the weekend and which would allow Israeli troops to stay in Gaza.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher responded with alarm to the Israeli decision, insisting that the ceasefire “must hold”.
In an online appeal, he added: “International humanitarian law is clear: We must be allowed access to deliver vital lifesaving aid. We can’t roll back the progress of the past 42 days. We need to get aid in and the hostages out.”
Back in the Council, Mr. Türk explained that the Gaza had been “razed” by constant Israeli bombardment in response to the “horrific” Hamas-led attacks on Israel that sparked the war in October 2023. “Any solution to the cycles of violence must be rooted in human rights, including the right to self-determination, the rule of law and accountability. All hostages must be freed; all those detained arbitrarily must be released; and humanitarian aid into Gaza must resume immediately.”
Reflecting deep concerns by humanitarians and the human rights community about Israeli military raids on Palestinian settlements in the West Bank, the UN High Commissioner insisted that Israel’s “unilateral actions and threats of annexation in the West Bank, in violation of international law, must stop”.
Mr. Türk also condemned the use of “military weapons and tactics, including tanks and airstrikes, against Palestinians”. Equally worrying was “the destruction and emptying of refugee camps, the expansion of illegal settlements, the severe restrictions on movement and the displacement of tens of thousands of people”.
Turning to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the High Commissioner underscored that entire communities in North and South Kivu had been devastated.
“In the past five weeks, thousands of people have reportedly been killed during attacks by the M23 armed group, backed by the Rwandan Armed Forces, in intense fighting against the Armed Forces of the DRC and their allies,” the UN rights chief said, pointing to reports of rape, sexual slavery and summary executions.
“More than half a million people have been forced to flee this year, adding to almost 7.8 million people already displaced in the country,” Mr. Türk said. “The violence must stop, violations by all parties must be investigated, and dialogue must resume.”
© WFP/Michael Castofas
More than half a million people have been forced to flee DR Congo this year.
Moving on to the ongoing escalation of violence in Myanmar sparked by the military coup on 1 February 2021, the UN rights chief noted that 2024 was the deadliest year for civilians since the junta takeover.
“The military ramped up brutal attacks on civilians as their grip on power eroded, with retaliatory airstrikes and artillery shelling of villages and urban areas…and the forcible conscription of thousands of young people,” he said, before calling for the supply of arms and finance to the country’s military’s to be “cut decisively”.
The UN rights chief also expressed deep concerns about chronic lawlessness and heavily armed clashes in Haiti involving gangs that humanitarians warned last week recruit children as young as eight. More than 5,600 people were killed last year and thousands more were injured or kidnapped, Mr. Türk told the Human Rights Council.
“Full implementation of the Security Council‘s arms embargo and support to the Multinational Security Support Mission are crucial to resolving this crisis,” he insisted.
On Yemen, the High Commissioner noted that amid ongoing hostilities, nearly 20 million Yemenis need humanitarian support. Mr. Türk also expressed his outrage at the death of a UN World Food Programme colleague in detention earlier this month. “All 23 UN staff – including eight colleagues from my own Office – who are arbitrarily detained by the Houthis must be released immediately.”
In a half-hour address to the Council that traditionally highlights the most worrying emergencies in the world and the need to tackle their root causes, the UN rights chief issued a call for greater global solidarity and accountability for crimes as a way to push back against those who would violate fundamental freedoms.
“We all have a responsibility to act – through our consumption habits, our social media use, and our political and social engagement,” he told the Council’s 47 Member States.
“We can trace a clear line between the lack of accountability for airstrikes on hospitals in Syria in the 2010s, attacks on healthcare facilities in Yemen, and the destruction of health systems in Gaza and Sudan,” he continued.
Equally alarming is the rise of unelected and unregulated “tech oligarchs” who reflect the new global power dynamic, Mr. Türk warned, before urging governments to fulfil their primary purpose of protecting their people from unchecked power.
Today’s tech oligarchs “have our data: they know where we live, what we do, our genes and our health conditions, our thoughts, our habits, our desires and our fears…And they know how to manipulate us,” the High Commissioner insisted.
“I have followed recent election campaigns in Europe, North America and beyond with increasing trepidation. Single-issue soundbites devoid of substance oversimplify complex issues and are often based on scapegoating, disinformation, and dehumanization,” he continued.
“Dehumanization is a well-worn step towards treating an entire group as outsiders, unworthy of the basic rights we all enjoy. It is a dangerous precursor to hate and violence and must be called out whenever it occurs.”
UN Human Rights Council/Marie Bambi
Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, presents his latest report on the obligation to ensure accountability and justice in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The High Commissioner also voiced his concern about the resurgence of toxic ideas about masculinity and efforts to glorify gender stereotypes, especially among young men.
To blame for this are “misogynistic influencers” with millions of followers on social media who “are hailed as heroes”, Mr. Türk said.
Online and offline, their ideas push back against gender equality and result in “violence and hateful rhetoric against women, women’s rights defenders, and women politicians”, the High Commissioner continued.
In a message of solidarity with people who have been left “feeling alienated and abandoned” by such malign influences, Mr. Türk insisted that the United Nations was by their side. “Your concerns are our concerns, because they are about human rights: to education, to health, to housing, to free speech, and access to justice. Human rights are about people’s daily concerns for their families and their future. We must cherish the values of respect, unity and solidarity; and work together for a safer, more just, more sustainable world. We can and will persevere,” he concluded.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lauren Johnston, Associate Professor, China Studies Centre, University of Sydney
Since taking office, US president Donald Trump has implemented policies that have been notably hostile towards China. They include trade restrictions. Most recently, a 20% tariff was added to all imports from China and new technological restrictions were imposed under the America First Investment Policy. This isn’t the first time US-China tensions have flared. Throughout history the relationship has been fraught by economic, military and ideological conflicts.
China-Africa scholar and economist Lauren Johnston provides insights into how these dynamics may also shape relations between Africa and China.
First, China tends to have a defiant official response. It expresses disappointment, then states that the US policy position is not helpful to any country or the world economy.
Second, China makes moves domestically to prioritise the interests of key, affected industries.
Third, China will sometimes impose retaliatory sanctions.
In 2018, for instance, China imposed a 25% tariff on US soybeans, a critical animal feed source. The US Department of Agriculture had to compensate US soybean farmers for their lost income.
Another example is how, following US tech sanctions, China took a more independent technology path. It has channelled billions into tech funds. The goal is to make financing available for Chinese entrepreneurs and to push technological boundaries in areas of US sanction, such as semiconductors. These efforts are backed up by subsidies and tax reductions. In some cases, the Chinese state will invest directly in tech companies.
More recently, China retaliated to the US trade war by announcing tariffs on 80 US products. China is set to place 15% tariffs on certain energy exports, including coal, natural gas and petroleum. An additional 10% tariffs will be placed on 72 manufactured products including trucks, motor homes and agricultural machinery.
Agricultural trade has been hard hit. The day the US announced a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, China announced “an additional 15% tariff on imported chicken, wheat, corn and cotton originating from the US”. Also, “sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables and dairy products will be subject to an additional 10% tariff”.
We can’t say for certain that China’s response to US trade tensions has explicitly affected its Africa policy, but there are some notable coincidences.
Less than one month after Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, and soon after the first tariffs were slapped on China’s exports to the US, China announced new measures to foster China-Africa trade efforts. The policy package aims to “strengthen economic and trade exchanges between China and Africa.”
This is the latest in a series of Chinese actions.
In January 2018 trade hostilities began to escalate after Trump imposed a first round of tariffs on all imported washing machines and solar panels. These had an impact on China’s exports to the US.
Later the same year, China imposed 25% tariffs on US soy bean imports and took steps to reduce dependence on US agricultural products. China also took steps to expand trade with Africa, agricultural trade in particular.
In September 2018, Beijing hosted the Forum on China and Africa Cooperation summit, a triennial head of state gathering. It was announced that China would set up a China-Africa trade expo and foster deeper agricultural cooperation. In the days after the summit, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was already acting on this. A gathering of African agricultural ministers took place in Changsha, Hunan province.
Hunan province has since taken centre stage in China-Africa relations. It’s now the host of a permanent China-Africa trade exhibition hall and a larger biennial China-Africa economic and trade exhibition (known as CAETE).
Hunan also hosts the pilot zone for In-Depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation. The zone has numerous initiatives designed to overcome obstacles to China-Africa trade and investment, like support in areas of law, technology and currency, and vocational training.
Finally, the zone is located in a bigger free-trade zone that is better connected to Africa by air, water and land corridors. African agricultural exports to China pass through Hunan, where local industry either uses these imports or distributes them across the country to retailers.
Companies in Hunan are well placed to play a key role in supporting China-Africa trade, capitalising on the opportunities left by China-US hostilities.
Hunan’s agritech giant Longping High-Tech, for instance, is investing in Tanzanian soybean farmers.
Hunan is also home to China’s construction manufacturing and electronic transportation frontier. This includes global construction giant Sany, which produces heavy industry machinery for the construction, mining and energy sectors. China’s global electronic vehicle manufacturing BYD and its electronic railway industry are also in Hunan. They have deep and increasing interests in Africa and can also support China’s key minerals and tech race with the US.
As my new working paper sets out, African countries are, for example, responding to the new opportunities from China.
At the end of 2024, while the world waited for Trump’s second coming, various African countries made moves to strengthen economic ties with China, Hunan province especially.
In December 2024, Tanzania became the first African country to open an official investment promotion office in the China-Africa Cooperation Pilot Zone in Changaha.
In November 2024, both the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Africa and the China Engineering Technology Exhibition were held in Abuja, Nigeria. Equivalent events were hosted in Kenya.
Early in 2025 in Niamey, Niger, a joint pilot cooperation zone was inaugurated , and which is direct partner of the China-Africa Pilot zone in Hunan.
As China moves away from US agricultural produce, for instance, African agricultural producers can benefit. Substitute African products and potential exports will enjoy a price boost, and elevated Chinese support.
China’s newly elevated interest in African development and market potential will bring major prospects. The question will be whether African countries are ready to grasp them, and to use that potential to foster an independent development path of their own.
– US trade wars with China – and how they play out in Africa
– https://theconversation.com/us-trade-wars-with-china-and-how-they-play-out-in-africa-249609
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lauren Johnston, Associate Professor, China Studies Centre, University of Sydney
Since taking office, US president Donald Trump has implemented policies that have been notably hostile towards China. They include trade restrictions. Most recently, a 20% tariff was added to all imports from China and new technological restrictions were imposed under the America First Investment Policy. This isn’t the first time US-China tensions have flared. Throughout history the relationship has been fraught by economic, military and ideological conflicts.
China-Africa scholar and economist Lauren Johnston provides insights into how these dynamics may also shape relations between Africa and China.
First, China tends to have a defiant official response. It expresses disappointment, then states that the US policy position is not helpful to any country or the world economy.
Second, China makes moves domestically to prioritise the interests of key, affected industries.
Third, China will sometimes impose retaliatory sanctions.
In 2018, for instance, China imposed a 25% tariff on US soybeans, a critical animal feed source. The US Department of Agriculture had to compensate US soybean farmers for their lost income.
Another example is how, following US tech sanctions, China took a more independent technology path. It has channelled billions into tech funds. The goal is to make financing available for Chinese entrepreneurs and to push technological boundaries in areas of US sanction, such as semiconductors. These efforts are backed up by subsidies and tax reductions. In some cases, the Chinese state will invest directly in tech companies.
More recently, China retaliated to the US trade war by
announcing tariffs on 80 US products. China is set to place 15% tariffs on certain energy exports, including coal, natural gas and petroleum. An additional 10% tariffs will be placed on 72 manufactured products including trucks, motor homes and agricultural machinery.
Agricultural trade has been hard hit. The day the US announced a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, China announced “an additional 15% tariff on imported chicken, wheat, corn and cotton originating from the US”. Also, “sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables and dairy products will be subject to an additional 10% tariff”.
We can’t say for certain that China’s response to US trade tensions has explicitly affected its Africa policy, but there are some notable coincidences.
Less than one month after Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, and soon after the first tariffs were slapped on China’s exports to the US, China announced new measures to foster China-Africa trade efforts. The policy package aims to “strengthen economic and trade exchanges between China and Africa.”
This is the latest in a series of Chinese actions.
In January 2018 trade hostilities began to escalate after Trump imposed a first round of tariffs on all imported washing machines and solar panels. These had an impact on China’s exports to the US.
Later the same year, China imposed 25% tariffs on US soy bean imports and took steps to reduce dependence on US agricultural products. China also took steps to expand trade with Africa, agricultural trade in particular.
In September 2018, Beijing hosted the Forum on China and Africa Cooperation summit, a triennial head of state gathering. It was announced that China would set up a China-Africa trade expo and foster deeper agricultural cooperation. In the days after the summit, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was already acting on this. A gathering of African agricultural ministers took place in Changsha, Hunan province.
Hunan province has since taken centre stage in China-Africa relations. It’s now the host of a permanent China-Africa trade exhibition hall and a larger biennial China-Africa economic and trade exhibition (known as CAETE).
Hunan also hosts the pilot zone for In-Depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation. The zone has numerous initiatives designed to overcome obstacles to China-Africa trade and investment, like support in areas of law, technology and currency, and vocational training.
Finally, the zone is located in a bigger free-trade zone that is better connected to Africa by air, water and land corridors. African agricultural exports to China pass through Hunan, where local industry either uses these imports or distributes them across the country to retailers.
Companies in Hunan are well placed to play a key role in supporting China-Africa trade, capitalising on the opportunities left by China-US hostilities.
Hunan’s agritech giant Longping High-Tech, for instance, is investing in Tanzanian soybean farmers.
Hunan is also home to China’s construction manufacturing and electronic transportation frontier. This includes global construction giant Sany, which produces heavy industry machinery for the construction, mining and energy sectors. China’s global electronic vehicle manufacturing BYD and its electronic railway industry are also in Hunan. They have deep and increasing interests in Africa and can also support China’s key minerals and tech race with the US.
As my new working paper sets out, African countries are, for example, responding to the new opportunities from China.
At the end of 2024, while the world waited for Trump’s second coming, various African countries made moves to strengthen economic ties with China, Hunan province especially.
In December 2024, Tanzania became the first African country to open an official investment promotion office in the China-Africa Cooperation Pilot Zone in Changaha.
In November 2024, both the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Africa and the China Engineering Technology Exhibition were held in Abuja, Nigeria. Equivalent events were hosted in Kenya.
Early in 2025 in Niamey, Niger, a joint pilot cooperation zone was inaugurated , and which is direct partner of the China-Africa Pilot zone in Hunan.
As China moves away from US agricultural produce, for instance, African agricultural producers can benefit. Substitute African products and potential exports will enjoy a price boost, and elevated Chinese support.
China’s newly elevated interest in African development and market potential will bring major prospects. The question will be whether African countries are ready to grasp them, and to use that potential to foster an independent development path of their own.
Lauren Johnston does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. US trade wars with China – and how they play out in Africa – https://theconversation.com/us-trade-wars-with-china-and-how-they-play-out-in-africa-249609
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced the reopening of the Post Office in Baring, Missouri. The Post Office originally closed due to tornado damage in August 2023 and Senator Hawley has been working to restore services ever since.
I’m delighted to report that the Post Office in Baring, Missouri has finally reopened after closing due to tornado damage in 2023. Rural post offices are a lifeline – I’ll always fight to keep them open & serving Missouri pic.twitter.com/eAI2OjeP2X
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 5, 2025
In September 2023, Senator Hawley sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis Dejoy seeking an update on the status of the Baring Post Office. During a Senate hearing in 2024, Senator Hawley, again, pushed Postmaster DeJoy for a timeline to rebuild the Baring Post Office. He questioned DeJoy about it, again, later in the year. Senator Hawley also introduced legislation that would establish a clear timeframe for reopening rural post offices that experience closure due to natural disaster damage or other unforeseen circumstances.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
Wednesday, March 05, 2025
In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) confronted Kevin Rachlin, the Washington director of The Nexus Project, over his refusal to unequivocally condemn university campuses’ coddling of antisemitic criminals. The Senator went on to press Rachlin—a witness invited by Senate Democrats—about Rachlin’s support for universities’ DEI systems and the reverse discrimination they promote.
“If you come to this country on a student visa, you are here as a guest of the United States for particular purposes,” Senator Hawley stated. “If you assault a Jewish student on campus, you ought to be out of here. And we ought to make it clear to people that we are no going to tolerate it,” he continued, triggering a loud applause from the room.
[embedded content]
Watch the full exchange here, or click on the image above.
“Shouldn’t we condemn . . . DEI officials for saying ‘Israeli students are colonizers,’ ‘Jewish-American students are colonizers,’ ‘Israel is an apartheid state?” Senator Hawley asked. “That is wrong—full stop, no conditions.”
Rachlin proceeded to defend DEI programs.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor denouncing President Trump and his Administration for their blatant disregard for the rule of law and sounded the alarm on their threats to our justice system.
As the courts block many of President Trump’s blatantly illegal Executive Orders, Padilla condemned Vice President J.D. Vance and Elon Musk’s recent statements trying to intimidate judges and undermine the rule of law.
Padilla also slammed Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) nominees who have repeatedly refused to commit to upholding their oaths to defend the Constitution. Last week, Padilla warned against these dangerous DOJ nominees, many of whom have represented Trump in a personal capacity.
Key Excerpts:
Video of Senator Padilla’s remarks is available here.
Footage of his remarks can be downloaded here.
Senator Padilla has fought to hold Trump’s DOJ nominees accountable and has warned against the Trump Administration’s attack on the rule of law. Padilla opposed advancing Attorney General Bondi’s nomination after she refused to affirm birthright citizenship, which is constitutionally guaranteed, and declined to disavow the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing. He also sounded the alarm on Kash Patel’s reckless nomination to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), delivering remarks ahead of Patel’s confirmation at a press conference outside FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. and in a speech on the Senate floor. Padilla also recently questioned three of President Trump’s DOJ nominees, raising concerns over Republican DOJ nominees’ apparent willingness to disregard the rule of law and ignore court orders they disagree with. Additionally, Padilla joined Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats earlier this year in demanding answers from Bondi, Patel, and other Trump Administration nominees and officials on the removal or reassignment of career law enforcement officials across the DOJ and FBI.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Wellings, Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations, Monash University
There’s been some “great television” this past week for those who like to watch the end of the West.
The US president and vice-president effectively sided with Russia in an attempt to bring the war in Ukraine to an end in a way that benefits a) the United States, b) the US president’s vanity, and c) Vladimir Putin.
But every crisis also provides an opportunity. The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, grasped the chance to slough off his uninspiring domestic image as he sought to keep the US engaged in negotiations and preserve a semblance of Ukrainian sovereignty.
In truth, Starmer’s diplomacy continues the policy of the previous government, which made Ukraine the crucible for Britain’s post-Brexit reintegration into European diplomacy.
Since the Russian invasion of 2022, Britain distinguished itself as one of Ukraine’s most vociferous backers. It provided strident rhetorical support alongside around £13 billion in aid since the conflict began.
Like his predecessors, Starmer’s support for Ukraine has offered respite from domestic challenges. His recent advocacy has led to a three-month high in the polls, albeit with a still dismal net approval rating of -28.
But we shouldn’t be overly cynical. His government has provided us with a framework to understand its approach. According to the doctrine of Progressive Realism, the UK government’s foreign policy reflects a “tough-minded” assessment of Britain’s position within the balance of power as it pursues enlightened ends.
The initial fit is evident: throughout his advocacy, Starmer’s continued appeals for a US backstop indicate awareness of British limitations while championing Ukrainian self-determination.
However, increasing Britain’s military budget to counter Russia at the expense of the country’s overseas aid budget is hardly progressive, as both Starmer and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy have previously noted. Most recently, in Lammy’s case, this concerned Trump’s cuts to USAID last month.
To his credit, Starmer has recognised that Britain cannot deter Russia alone, and is assembling a “coalition of the willing”. However, even with France and smaller players such as the Scandinavians, Canadians and Australians, this may well be insufficient. Hence the ongoing appeals to the US for security guarantees that it is clearly unwilling to provide.
If we accept Einstein’s famous definition of insanity as doing the same thing and expecting different results, how should we interpret Starmer’s plans?
Amid all the crisis diplomacy and commentary suggesting this might be the end of the trans-Atlantic alliance, continuity as well as change can be observed.
One of the most striking examples is the extent to which Starmer emphasises Britain’s longstanding self-perception as a “bridge” between the US and Europe. While recent turmoil has prompted Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz to declare the need for strategic independence from the US, Starmer continues to depict the US as the “indispensable” ally with whom Britain must strengthen ties.
Considered alongside Britain’s deep integration in the US’s defence and intelligence architecture, including through AUKUS – with which Trump seemed unfamiliar – it is unlikely Britain will break with America. In fact, it may even strengthen its relationship if Trump’s remarks about a UK-US trade agreement are to be believed.
For some, these structural explanations suffice when considering Britain’s commitment to the “special relationship” and its identity as the transatlantic bridge. However, psychological factors are also worth considering. Britain’s relationship with the US has been a crucial element of Britain’s pretensions to global leadership since the second world war.
The uncomfortable truth about bridges is that they get walked over, as was evident when Starmer was blindsided by the US decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine.
With regard to Europe, it is another case of “plus ça change”. As in 1945, Europe again finds itself caught in the middle between Russia and the US. Critics might say the Europeans should have seen this coming.
Following the 2022 invasion, Germany, Europe’s most significant economy, proclaimed the moment as one of Zeitenwende, or a “turning point”. However, it subsequently failed to fully substantiate the claim.
Recently, President of the European Commission and former German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a “Rearm Europe Plan” that could see up to €800 billion (A$1.36 trillion) allocated to European defence. Whether this materialises remains to be seen.
France has sought to assume its traditional leading role in advocating for Europe’s strategic autonomy from the US. President Emmanuel Macron has been a prominent figure, but his plan for a partial one-month truce has garnered only lukewarm support.
However, Putin and Trump do have their admirers in Europe. What is perhaps surprising is that some of this has been too much even for the radical right to stomach – Nigel Farage, for example, leaped to Britain’s defence after Vance’s disparaging remarks. This only underscores the differences in attitudes towards Ukraine between MAGA Americans and Europeans.
Starmer has undoubtedly secured diplomatic plaudits. However, the structural forces at play suggest that his “coalition of the willing”, if it sticks to outdated ideas, will struggle to make liberal democracy great again, much as that is needed.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Can the UK prime minister make liberal democracies great again? – https://theconversation.com/can-the-uk-prime-minister-make-liberal-democracies-great-again-251360
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Geneva/Bonn, 26 February 2025 – DHL Group, the world’s leading logistics company, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) today announced the signing of a new global partnership agreement that will mark a milestone in DHL Group and IOM’s ongoing collective efforts to enhance humanitarian logistics and lifesaving aid projects worldwide.
The collaboration between DHL and IOM encompasses initiatives across various regions, with ongoing projects in Kenya, Lebanon, Sudan, and Türkiye, as well as capacity-building programs planned for Greece and Panama. The new agreement establishes a formal legal framework for that collaboration, minimizing potential hurdles and enabling seamless coordination on various projects.
“This partnership strengthens our commitment to humanitarian logistics, improving our capacity to coordinate and manage responses, ensuring critical aid reaches those in need,” said Mayyada Ansari, Global Head of GoHelp – Disaster Preparedness and Response. “Building on the success of the DHL GoHelp/IOM pilot project in Kenya, we aim to scale disaster preparedness and relief efforts globally, supporting communities and strengthening resilience.”
“Our partnership with DHL exemplifies our shared dedication to supporting those in need during times of crisis,” said Catalina Devandas, IOM Director General Representative and Senior Director for Partnerships, Advocacy, and Communications. “By combining our expertise, we can enhance efficiency and expand our impact, ensuring more effective support for people in crisis. We look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead for our continued collaboration.”
One example of that collaboration came in 2024, when flooding in Kenya displaced thousands, and jeopardized clean water access. In response, DHL GoHelp, with its efficient coordination, ensured that 1,000 donated water filters from the US reached Kenya. These filters, essential for providing clean water, helped thousands of flood-affected individuals who lacked access to safe drinking water. Through their expertise, GoHelp coordinated the project, while their Disaster Response Team in Kenya assisted in assembling and distributing the filter kits to affected communities. This initiative underscores GoHelp’s strong commitment to humanitarian aid and their dedication to supporting disaster-affected communities.
DHL’s GoHelp program focuses on disaster management, providing logistics expertise and support to communities affected by natural disasters. Through GoHelp, the Group collaborates with various humanitarian organizations to improve emergency response capabilities and build resilience in vulnerable regions.
For more information, please contact:
At IOM: Amber Christino, achristino@iom.int
At DHL: Jessica Balleer, pressestelle@dhl.com
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Dear Chairman Grassley,
I had the honor and privilege of knowing and working for nearly thirty years with the late Simon Wiesenthal. Mr. Wiesenthal survived six Nazi concentration camps and later became the original “Nazi Hunter.” I learned many life lessons from this giant of humanity, who was first a victim of the Nazis and then a pursuer of justice. His constituency was six million Jewish ghosts, and the families and survivors who continue to cry out for justice.
Two of his statements guide me and define The Simon Wiesenthal Center: “Hope lives when people remember” and “Freedom is not a gift from heaven, it must be fought for every day.”
Chairman Grassley, these statements perfectly describe your devotion and tenacity in helping The Simon Wiesenthal Center to expose the hidden truth about Swiss banks’ collaboration with the Nazis before, during, and after World War ll.
As the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, we want to thank you again for your leadership and commitment to the finding truth. Your recent letter to Argentine President Milei inspired him to order the opening of all Argentina’s archives for the first time in history. This will provide a full picture of the activities of the Nazis and their enablers, notably including more details about the post-WWII ratlines that allowed major Nazi war criminals escape to South America.
Your steadfast support and President’s Milei’s unprecedented response also means that millions of people, many born long after that horrific era, will learn crucial lessons from the Nazi era that have major relevance today in a world riven with unprecedented antisemitism. The Simon Wiesenthal Center knows that with your leadership, this Committee will expose the complete truth about the economic components of genocide and antisemitism, and those who have escaped the full weight of accountability will receive history’s reckoning.
God Bless you,
Rabbi Abraham Cooper
Associate Dean and Director of Social Action
Simon Wiesenthal Center
-30-
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today stood up for the constitutional system of checks and balances and called out Democrats’ years long crusade against the federal court system.
In response to Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) request for unanimous consent on a resolution affirming the Constitution vests judicial power in the federal courts, Grassley noted, “I’ve made very clear that we have a separation of powers and each branch has to respect the others’ powers.” Grassley then offered an amendment to the Durbin resolution that highlighted Democratic efforts to delegitimize the courts, recognized the lawlessness of the Biden administration and acknowledged jurisdictional and constitutional limits to courts’ authority. Grassley’s amendment affirms that the executive branch must comply with all lawful federal court rulings. Durbin objected to the commonsense amendment.
Grassley pointed out Democrats have spent years degrading the federal court system, yet “now that we have a Republican president, [Democrats] appear to have a newfound respect for the courts.” He concluded by urging the Committee to review the ongoing abuse of nationwide injunctions and temporary restraining orders that Democrats have also questioned in the past.
Video and a transcript of Grassley’s remarks are below.
[embedded content]
VIDEO
I’ve always advocated due respect for the federal courts. In particular, over the last few years, I’ve opposed a vicious smear campaign by Democrats designed to undermine faith in our Supreme Court and our judicial system.
Now that we have a Republican president, my Democratic colleagues appear to have a newfound respect for the courts. It wasn’t very long ago that they were singing a different tune.
In the last few years, Democrats have called the Supreme Court, “controlled by creepy right-wing billionaires, a radical Supreme Court, and a partisan and reactionary court.”
One of my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee said, “The idea that you can trust a Supreme Court… has been blown to smithereens.”
Another Committee colleague declared, “I oppose these Justices.”
And yet another Committee colleague questioned, “How can they call it an honorable Court… the far-right justices… are cherry-picking their way through constitutional text and history to impose their own ideological agenda on the American people.”
Over the last few years, Democrats have repeatedly threatened the Court for ruling in ways they did not like.
Famously, in 2020, the Senate Democratic Leader threatened the Court to influence its rulings on abortion.
He said, “I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
In the wake of the 2024 presidential immunity decision, Democratic House Minority Leader said, “House Democrats will engage in aggressive oversight and legislative activity with respect to the Supreme Court to ensure that the extreme, far-right justices in the majority are brought into compliance with the Constitution.”
I’m happy that Democrats have finally discovered the importance of respecting the judiciary. They certainly didn’t hold this view when President Biden was in office.
President Biden ignored the Court’s position that the CDC’s eviction moratorium was unconstitutional and his own lawyers’ advice that he couldn’t do it. He went ahead and extended it anyway, and the Court had to strike it down.
President Biden boasted that the Court’s decision on student loan forgiveness “didn’t stop him.”
The Biden administration undermined the Court’s 2023 decision that racial discrimination in college admissions is unconstitutional, and even issued a Dear Colleague letter on how to circumvent that ruling.
More broadly, President Biden flouted law after law throughout his entire administration. He ignored the plain text of our immigration laws, the parole statute and our civil rights laws in the name of advancing his agenda.
You know what? I heard no complaint from my Democratic colleagues.
Although I fully agree that Congress [must] stand for the rule of law, this resolution is a partisan messaging statement.
President Trump has been clear on this. Just a few weeks ago, he said, “I always abide by the courts and then I’ll have to appeal it… the answer is I always abide by the courts.”
There have been numerous extreme orders from various district courts improperly encroaching on core Article II powers. President Trump and his administration have worked diligently to abide by those orders, no matter how outrageous, by appealing them and challenging their scope and reach. He is completely within his right to do so and his conduct is appropriate and legitimate.
Our constitutional system has a robust system of checks and balances. The Executive Branch must abide by the courts and the courts must also ensure that their rulings are respectful of jurisdictional limits and the separation of powers.
Some of the recent orders from individual district judges, issued on an expedited basis with very broad nationwide impact, have concerned me. I think Congress needs to examine this issue closely.
Concerns about nationwide injunctions and temporary restraining orders have been raised by both sides of the aisle, across presidential administrations. If my colleagues want to work with me on it, we will head down that route of addressing those abuses.
For today’s purposes, however, this resolution is incomplete. And coming from Democrats, I think it shows that they’re totally inconsistent. It unfairly targets President Trump, it ignores the Democratic attacks on the legitimacy of the court and it ignores President Biden’s flagrant violations of law.
So, I’m offering Senator Durbin an opportunity that he can’t turn down, a resolution to highlight the inappropriate attacks by Democrats against the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, and to clarify that the Executive Branch must comply with lawful orders of federal courts.
-30-
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined the entire Iowa congressional delegation to urge Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and Farm Service Agency Acting Administrator Kimberly Graham to deliver critical financial relief for Iowa’s turkey producers who have been severely impacted by avian metapneumovirus (aMPV).
Specifically, the delegation requested USDA allow aMPV to qualify as an eligible adverse event under the Livestock Indemnity Program, which provides financial compensation to farmers who have experienced high levels of livestock death due to adverse events such as a natural disaster or disease.
“Iowa’s sharp decline in turkey production is reflective of the national turkey industry at large. Despite devastating financial shortfalls and supply chain disruptions caused by aMPV, there are currently no federal assistance programs available to offset these devastating losses, leaving many family-owned operations at risk of closure. Without immediate support, the viability of these farms—and the stability of the U.S. turkey industry—is in jeopardy,” the members wrote.
“To mitigate these losses and prevent future outbreaks, we urge the USDA Farm Service Agency (USDA-FSA) to consider determining aMPV as an eligible adverse event under the Livestock Indemnity Program so that our farmers can access much-needed financial relief to affected producers,” the lawmakers concluded.
Since its identification in the fall of 2023, aMPV has spread to all turkey producing states, having a major impact on turkey farmers, processors, small businesses and the consumer supply chain. aMPV has caused some Iowa turkey farmers to lose 30 to 50 percent of their flocks since the fall of 2023, threatening producer stability and the broader national turkey supply.
In 2024, Iowa farmers lost an estimated 569,700 turkeys due to aMPV– a loss of $18 million in farm income.
Last month, Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) also urged Rollins to quickly address the ongoing spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the largest animal health outbreak in U.S. history.
Text of the letter to Rollins and Graham follows:
March 4, 2025
The Honorable Brooke Rollins
Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
The Honorable Kimberly Graham
Acting Administrator of FSA
Farm Service Agency
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Secretary Rollins and Acting Administrator Graham,
We write today with deep concerns regarding the avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), an acute respiratory virus of turkeys and poultry breeding stock, and the devastating impact it has had on Iowa’s turkey farmers. Given the severe implications threatening the viability of turkey operations, we ask that the U.S. Department of Agriculture consider providing immediate financial assistance to the nation’s turkey producers by allowing aMPV to qualify as an eligible adverse event under the Livestock Indemnity Program.
The aMPV virus, or Turkey Rhinotracheitis, is a highly contagious, viral respiratory disease that can infect turkeys, broilers, layers, and breeders for up to four weeks, leading to high flock mortality, reproductive disorders, and potentially a permanent reduction in egg production.
Since its identification in the fall of 2023, the disease has spread to all turkey producing states, having a major impact on turkey farmers, processors, small businesses, and the consumer supply chain. Iowa turkey farmers have reported flock losses ranging from 30 percent to 50 percent due to aMPV, threatening both their livelihoods and the broader U.S. turkey supply. Last year alone, Iowa’s farmers lost an estimated 569,700 turkeys due to aMPV. This attributed to a loss of $18 million in farm income.
Iowa’s sharp decline in turkey production is reflective of the national turkey industry at large. Despite devastating financial shortfalls and supply chain disruptions caused by aMPV, there are currently no federal assistance programs available to offset these devastating losses, leaving many family-owned operations at risk of closure. Without immediate support, the viability of these farms—and the stability of the U.S. turkey industry—is in jeopardy.
We appreciate the USDA’s efforts in authorizing the importation of one inactivated vaccine and three live vaccines for aMPV. As this process develops, it is critical that the USDA act swiftly to approve its use and expedite its distributions across the nation. In the interim, turkey farmers continue to suffer substantial losses without any meaningful financial safety net.
To mitigate these losses and prevent future outbreaks, we urge the USDA Farm Service Agency (USDA-FSA) to consider determining aMPV as an eligible adverse event under the Livestock Indemnity Program so that our farmers can access much-needed financial relief to affected producers.
We appreciate your consideration and look forward to working together to support American
turkey farmers during this crisis. Should you have any questions about this request, please
contact Congressman Zach Nunn’s Legislative Assistant, Madeline Willis, at
madeline.willis@mail.house.gov.
Sincerely,
Zach Nunn
Member of Congress
Randy Feenstra
Member of Congress
Ashley Hinson
Member of Congress
Mariannette miller-Meeks, M.D.
Member of Congress
Charles Grassley
United States Senator
Joni K. Ernst
United States Senator
-30-
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
The purpose of Indo-Pacific Motorized Forum 25, is for senior leaders and multinational partners to discuss, plan, and prepare to enhance modernized war fighting functions among the Indo-Pacific region.
The Forum began with a conference held at the Le Méridien, with 91 participants, including 42 U.S. personnel and 49 allied and partnered nation representatives from Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and the Kingdom Thailand.
I Corps subordinate units, 7th Infantry Division, 5th Security Forces Assistance Brigade, and many others, joined the discussion in regards to the Indo-Pacific Motorized Forum becoming a key platform for force modernization, operational integration, and strategic discussions.
Participants shared their thoughts on modernization and future motorized operations, and discussed strategic methods to enhance security cooperation through training. The Indo-Pacific Motorized Forum 25 has become a cornerstone for multinational collaboration, allowing partners to refine doctrines, tactics, and operational strategies for motorized formations.
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Matthew W. McFarlane, commanding general of America’s First Corps, expressed the importance and his appreciation for U.S. Army service members, and multinational partners working together to maintain effectiveness and cohesion within the military.
“The Indo-Pacific Motorized Forum 25 represents the continued commitment of the U.S. and its allies to enhancing regional security and interoperability,” said McFarlane. “Through collaboration, modernization, and shared operational experiences, we strengthen our collective ability to meet evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.”
On Feb. 27, The Royal Thai Army held a visit at the 112th Stryker RegimentCombat Team Headquarters in Chon Buri, Thailand. Discussions were made on behalf of maintaining sufficient military tactical vehicles for operations, and displayed a scenario based training utilizing a terrain model in a tactical environment.
Leaders from all participating nations spoke on behalf of their military history. They emphasized their common goal of defense and security being an essential aspect between nations when working together and enhancing interoperability. Future Indo-Pacific Motorized Forums will continue to push these goals forward.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
WASHINGTON – Today, at the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing on ushering in the Golden Age of American innovation, Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) unveiled her Investing in National Next-Generation Opportunities for Venture Acceleration and Technological Excellence (INNOVATE) Act to reauthorize and reform the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs that enable small businesses to bring innovation to the defense industrial base.
Ernst detailed how her bill will cut red tape to make way for new applicants, eliminate corporate welfare for mills, and strengthen protections against China’s attempts to steal taxpayer-funded intellectual property.
Watch Chair Ernst’s full opening remarks here.
The SBIR-STTR programs allocate a portion of participating federal agencies’ research and development budgets to small businesses to accelerate their development of critical technologies. In 2022, Ernst led the SBIR and STTR Extension Act to reform and reauthorize the programs by establishing a new foreign ties vetting requirement and a new measurement of small businesses’ success in commercializing research, among other improvements.
The INNOVATE Act:
Eliminates small business welfare and reorients SBIR-STTR to its original purpose as merit-based seed funding for innovators by:
Eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) preferences in the award process and requiring businesses with dozens of awards to be commercially viable and not exclusively rely on SBIR awards as a source of perpetual revenue.
Accelerates innovation among new SBIR awardees across America by:
Reserving 2.5% of the SBIR allocation for smaller, one-time $40,000 awards to new applicants with a shorter, streamlined application focused on the commercialization potential of their innovation.
Promotes transition for battle-ready SBIR-STTR technologies by:
Empowering the Department of Defense (DoD) to scale the most-promising technologies to long-term contracts by using existing funds to establish targeted, larger-dollar awards to bridge the “valley of death.”
Closes loopholes and strengthens due diligence assessment of foreign risks by:
Defining foreign risk to provide a consistent baseline for agencies’ evaluation of potential awardees, implementing a clear list of ties to foreign countries of concern that deem a small business ineligible for awards, and strengthening federal agencies’ ability to claw back award dollars if a small business exposes SBIR-STTR-funded intellectual property to adversarial influence.
Streamlines the bloated SBIR-STTR program operations by:
Eliminating underperforming pilot programs and restricting the number of award proposals that a single company can offer annually.
Ernst’s full opening remarks:
“With its authorization expiring at the end of this fiscal year, today we turn our attention to the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs, or SBIR-STTR. This program has effectively partnered federal agencies with private sector entrepreneurs to scale research and development projects aimed at addressing the pressing challenges of the day.
“While we’ve seen a measure of success over the years, through the committee’s oversight efforts, agency studies, and GAO reports, it is clear SBIR is in need of additional reforms to safeguard taxpayer funds and enable this program to meet its full potential.
“Despite the funding spanning 11 agencies and countless critical technology areas, SBIR has demonstrated an incredible potential to revitalize our small business industrial base and preserve America’s technological leadership. The cutting-edge technologies being generated are already serving to enhance competition, improve supply chains, and increase overall readiness.
“For these reasons, I am excited to announce that today I am introducing the ‘Investing in National Next-Generation Opportunities for Venture Acceleration and Technological Excellence’ or ‘INNOVATE’ Act, a bill to reauthorize and comprehensively reform the SBIR-STTR program.
“My legislation streamlines and simplifies existing processes, directs the funding toward projects based on merit, channels funding to help accelerate the most promising projects towards final stage commercialization, protects against waste and abuse, and introduces enhanced protections and accountability tools to prevent these new technologies from getting into the hands of our foreign adversaries.
“First, the INNOVATE Act reforms Phase I to provide new applicants with a simplified, two-page proposal process with smaller, one-time awards so that more innovators throughout the country can have access to this program, even if they can’t hire professional grant-writers. My bill also eliminates DEI preferences. These measures enable agencies to scout the best proposals based on substance from across the country. I am committed to ensuring open competition for innovators with traditionally lower engagement in the program.
“Second, my bill addresses the practice of ‘SBIR mills,’ where firms benefiting from their beltway connections and grant writing expertise have been able to collect an outsized portion of the funding, with fewer results to show for it.
“This problem was verified by both the GAO, the government accounting office, and the DoD’s Defense Industrial Board, which reported that the firms that got the most awards, were less productive in terms of commercialization, investments, and patents, than those who got fewer awards.
“To prevent the use of Phase I or II funding as a permanent source of revenue, my bill imposes a $75 million lifetime cap. It forces small businesses with dozens of awards to demonstrate commercial traction or follow-on contracts with non-SBIR dollars.
“Third, my bill empowers DoD to repurpose underutilized and overly regulated STTR Phase II funding to more efficiently scale the most promising technologies for long-term contracts for deployment through ‘strategic breakthrough awards.’ For these awards of up to $30 million, the bill limits eligibility to small businesses making clear progress towards commercialization and with an identified DoD end user. It also requires 100% matching funds to ensure that firms have skin in the game and aren’t just in it for corporate welfare. These reforms will enable more flexible use of SBIR funding to help bridge the ‘valley of death’ for the companies on the verge of success.
“Finally, my bill builds upon my longstanding work to safeguard these new SBIR technologies from being stolen by our adversaries. For years, China and other state actors have stolen intellectual property and proprietary secrets from American businesses and universities. That is why I championed the foreign ties due diligence program reforms in the 2022 reauthorization. But we have found that more needs to be done.
“That’s why my INNOVATE Act introduces a new definition of ‘foreign risk’ to create a stronger risk assessment baseline standard that must be applied consistently across all agencies. It implements a clear list of ties to foreign countries of concern that disqualify an applicant. And it empowers agencies with clear claw back authority if a small business exposes SBIR-funded products to adversarial influence post-award.
“By targeting SBIR funds to the very best inventors in the country.
“By cutting off the unserious applicants who are just after corporate welfare.
“By providing a boost to the best companies who need it to get over the final hurdles.
“And by better protecting our taxpayer-funded innovations from going directly to China, the SBIR-STTR program can expedite new technologies, increase economic opportunity, and attract investment back into our towns and cities – and help to usher in a new Golden Age of Innovation for America.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this across the finish line. It’s up to us, the members of this committee, to work together to optimize this important program.
“I’d like to thank the witnesses for being here today and being willing to share their experience and expertise with us.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Stakeholders from Massachusetts and national energy assistance organizations discuss funding shortfalls, rising energy burdens, and the urgent need to strengthen LIHEAP
Senator Markey Speaks with LIHEAP Roundtable Attendees
Washington (March 5, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today convened a roundtable with Massachusetts-based Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) providers, consumer advocates, and national energy assistance organizations to discuss the urgent need to strengthen and expand LIHEAP to better serve families struggling with rising energy costs.
At the roundtable, Senator Markey underscored the growing demand for heating and cooling assistance through LIHEAP as energy prices continue to rise and reaffirmed his commitment to push for full program funding. Roundtable participants discussed how LIHEAP funding cuts have forced providers to ration aid, leaving many low-income households without critical energy assistance. In Massachusetts, LIHEAP applications have surged by 20 percent in the past year, and the number of first-time applicants has increased by 50 percent. Participants also highlighted the lack of dedicated cooling assistance in many states, including Massachusetts, leaving vulnerable residents at risk as extreme summer heat events become more frequent due to climate change.
“Heating and cooling isn’t a luxury – it is a necessity. But too many families are having to choose between heating and cooling their home or putting food on the table,” said Senator Markey. “In Massachusetts, energy prices have skyrocketed as climate change fuels more extreme weather, making accessible and affordable heating and cooling assistance a lifeline for low-income families. We need to strengthen and expand LIHEAP so working families can pay their bills and heat their homes in the winter and cool their homes in the summer.”
At the roundtable, Senator Markey announced the forthcoming reintroduction of the Heating and Cooling Relief Act, which aims to ensure LIHEAP serves more families in need by increasing funding, expanding eligibility, and improving access to cooling assistance. The bill would transform LIHEAP from a limited relief program into a robust safeguard against energy poverty, ensuring households can afford safe, reliable energy year-round.
“Senator Markey has supported LIHEAP since it was first enacted more than 40 years ago during a period of very high heating oil prices. We are again facing high winter home energy prices but also record summer cooling prices,” said Mark Wolfe, Executive Director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. “As a result, families are facing high levels of utility debt, and millions could be facing the shut-off of power this year if additional LIHEAP funding is not provided. Fortunately, we have members of Congress like Senator Markey who have supported LIHEAP funding each and every year. With the support of members of Congress like Senator Markey low-income families will not have to choose between paying for food or their home energy bill.”
“The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC) is pleased to join Senator Markey to plan for the future of LIHEAP for Massachusetts and the country,” said Katrina Metzler, Executive Director at The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC). “Avoiding energy poverty is critical to protecting the health and safety of families, and Senator Markey’s leadership in fighting energy insecurity is legend. Protecting LIHEAP is our highest priority, and Senator Markey shares that priority.”
Director of Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) Energy Services Andrea Mendoza said, “Heating and cooling costs have risen to unprecedented levels, crippling households and their ability to afford necessities like food and heat. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) continuously enables millions of individuals and families to mitigate these challenges. We must continue to work across sectors, raise awareness, and develop solutions to improve access to economic success, and better health outcomes in our communities. ABCD thanks Senator Markey for being a tireless champion for LIHEAP and for the opportunity to participate in this discussion.”
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Senator Markey for letting me take part in this discussion regarding the importance of LIHEAP,” said Liz Berube, Executive Director at Citizens for Citizens. “Not only was I given the chance to share our fear of funding cuts in a program that supplements the cost of heating and cooling, but I was also able to convey the successful impact LIHEAP has on thousands of hard working families, their children, and elderly as we continue to keep our most vulnerable populations warm in safe and healthy homes. The Senator continues to be such a great leader and supporter of our LIHEAP program!”
“On behalf of the residents and families of Berkshire County, I would like to express my gratitude for Senator Markey’s longtime and steadfast support of the LIHEAP program. This program is vital in assisting our energy burdened families remain safe and warm through the cold Massachusetts winters,” said Deb Leonczyk, Executive Director of the Berkshire Community Action Council. “It has become ever more crucial as the cost of energy continues to rise. We must not allow this program to be cut or eliminated, as the health of our community is at stake. We are fortunate to have Senator Markey working at the forefront of this cause.”
“Senator Markey has shown unwavering support for the LIHEAP program over these many years. We look forward to working with the Senator to ensure LIHEAP is able to keep struggling families connected to critical energy service year-round, particularly during periods of extreme cold and extreme heat,” said Olivia Wein, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center.
Senator Markey is a champion for expanding energy assistance and fighting for full LIHEAP funding. In April 2024, he signed onto an appropriations letter led by Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), calling for robust LIHEAP funding in the FY2025 budget. He has also successfully advocated for emergency LIHEAP funding releases and will soon reintroduce his Heating and Cooling Relief Act, which he originally introduced with Representative Jamaal Bowman in January 2022, to significantly expand the program. In October 2023, he celebrated the release of $130 million in LIHEAP funding for Massachusetts, helping residents afford winter heating costs. Additionally, he has pushed for greater investments in home efficiency and electrification to help low-income families reduce their energy burdens.
Source: Sony
March 6, 2025
Showcasing a variety of products and initiatives incorporating inclusive design.
Sony Corporation (“Sony”) will participate in the 40th CSUN Assistive Technology Conference, taking place Monday, March 10 to Friday, March 14 in Anaheim, California.
Sony aims to contribute to an inclusive society by developing technology and products geared towards creating a more accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone, under the theme of “Delivering innovation for an accessible future.”
The exhibit will showcase accessible products and various inclusive design initiatives, including 4K Mini LED/OLED BRAVIA TVs with new features such as a menu timeout function that allows users to keep menus on the screen longer as well as color inversion and grayscale modes. The LinkBuds Open truly wireless earbuds, which have an open ring design that keeps users connected to their surroundings, will also be on display.
For more information, visit: CSUN 2025
BRAVIA TVs offer a variety of accessibility features, implemented based on feedback from people with disabilities who want to use the TV more independently, including the TalkBack screen reader for initial settings, a menu timeout function that allows users to keep menus on the screen longer, as well as color inversion and grayscale modes for people with low vision or visual sensitivities. Additionally, the tactile dots on the HDMI and S-CENTER terminals of BRAVIA TVs match those found on the BRAVIA Theater products to simplify the process of locating and connecting ports for a smooth setup experience.
To help people with visual disabilities set up BRAVIA Theater home audio products, a raised square frame on the package indicates a QR code*1 for the BRAVIA Connect app*2, which offers screen reader support. Tactile dots on the back panel of BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 and 8 indicate the eARC HDMI terminal for connecting to a TV.
LinkBuds Open have a unique open-ring design that keeps users connected to the outside world while enjoying their favorite tunes. The Fitting Supporters have a tail that is soft and hollow to reduce ear contact and therefore pressure, while the point of attachment is hooked and hard, to prevent accidental dislodging. As a part of efforts to enhance the accessibility of our products and services, the earbuds and the case are designed with non-slip materials and designs, incorporating feedback from people who are blind or partially sighted. In addition, LinkBuds Open work with Eye Navi, a walking support application for people with visual disabilities, developed by Computer Science Institute, for intuitive voice navigation (for customers in Japan only).
Furthermore, Sony’s audio products have introduced “Guide for QR” to make it easier for users to recognize a QR code on the packaging, allowing them to access information on how to use the product. At CSUN, the packaging of LinkBuds Open with Guide for QR will be on display and handouts will be distributed with semicircular notches and tactile frames to make it easier to find a QR Code.
For more information, visit: Guide for QR | Sony USA
Self-fitting OTC hearing aids*3 have been available in the U.S. market were developed in collaboration with WS Audiology after listening to users’ opinions through interviews prior to development. Both the Bluetooth ®-compatible CRE-E10*4, with streaming music playback capability, and the virtually invisible CRE-C20 are supported with the Hearing Control smartphone app*5. The Hearing Control app’s self-fitting process customizes a hearing profile for each ear and users can also use the app to manually adjust a variety of sound settings as well. In addition, both the CRE-C20 and CRE-E10 are rechargeable and can be used comfortably for up to 26-28 hours with a single charge.
Sony will introduce a Screen Reader Function*6 and Enlarge Screen Function*7 incorporated in a selection of Sony’s digital cameras. Users can navigate menus and operation screens audibly instead of visually and can change the magnification of the screen display with the simple press of a button. These features were developed in collaboration with a Sony employee who is blind and has a passion for photography.
Another unique and innovative development is the Retina Projection Camera Kit (DSC-HX99 RNV kit) with a laser retinal projection technology that is less affected by eye’s focusing ability. By combining the Cyber-shot® “DSC-HX99” and QD Laser Co., Ltd.’s “RETISSA NEOVIEWER” viewfinder*8, a digital image from the camera is directly projected to the retina, allowing people with difficulty using a conventional viewfinder to view and photograph the world.
Sony will showcase a retail display with Braille and audio product description capabilities, created in cooperation with the Braille Institute, a nonprofit organization that supports the lives of people with visual disabilities. The retail displays with audio description capabilities have been installed in 925 Best Buy stores in the U.S.
In addition to the exhibits above, Sony will hold a session on March 12 to showcase a selection of accessibility initiatives.
Kazuo Kii, Executive Deputy President of Sony Corporation, and Neal Manowitz, President and COO of Sony Electronics in North America, will share video messages regarding accessibility at Sony. Additionally, Mike Nejat, Head of Accessibility of Sony Electronics North America, will introduce Sony’s ongoing accessibility initiatives, such as collaboration with organizations for people with disabilities and the latest accessible products.
“Sony,” “SONY” logo and any other product names, service names or logo marks used in this website are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Group Corporation or its affiliates. Other product names, service names, company names or logo marks are trademarked and copyrighted properties of their respective owners and/or licensors.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, questioned Dan Bishop, nominee for Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), on his support of OMB and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) irresponsible mass cuts to the federal workforce. He also pressed Bishop on whether he agrees with OMB Director Russell Vought’s agenda of putting federal employees into “trauma.”
Senator Padilla outlined the devastating impacts of these cuts — and future funding and hiring freezes — on California families.
The reckless DOGE cuts championed by President Trump haphazardly removed people working to contain the bird flu outbreak, thousands of seasonal National Park Service employees, and nuclear weapons security officials. Padilla pressed Bishop on his previous statements in his confirmation hearing in the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, in which he consistently claimed that President Trump’s firing of civil servants was not indiscriminate. Bishop repeatedly dodged Padilla’s questioning.
Senator Padilla also referenced OMB Director Vought’s previous statements of his mission to put federal employees into “trauma.” Padilla questioned Bishop on his alignment with this goal, especially given the traumatic mass firings since Vought’s confirmation.
Video of Senator Padilla’s full questioning is available here.
Senator Padilla spoke on the Senate floor last month in strong opposition to the chaotic OMB funding freeze memo and Russell Vought’s nomination. He also protested the Budget Committee advancing Vought’s nomination to be OMB director behind closed doors, despite the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attempt to freeze federal funding. Padilla questioned Vought on disaster relief funding to help Southern California recover and rebuild after the recent fires during his nomination hearing.
More information on today’s hearing is available here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, demanded the Trump Administration protect Congressionally mandated legal representation for unaccompanied children in the immigration system. The letter comes in response to the Trump Administration’s stop work order last month to organizations that provide legal services for unaccompanied children. Last week, following public pressure, the order was rescinded, however confusion and uncertainty still remains.
Padilla joined 31 other Senators in demanding that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum continue legal services for unaccompanied children involved in immigration proceedings as required by law. The termination of legal services for unaccompanied children violates the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and risks the safety of 26,000 unaccompanied children to trafficking, exploitation, and other harm.
“Cutting off access to legal services makes it more likely that the government will lose track of unaccompanied children, given the challenges such children would face in independently appearing for immigration court hearings, submitting address updates, or otherwise communicating with immigration authorities,” wrote the Senators. “Not only will this make children more vulnerable to trafficking, but it will also create further inefficiencies in an already backlogged immigration court system.”
“Every day without access to counsel is another day in which vulnerable children face grave danger by human traffickers, abusers, or other bad actors, without an advocate at their side,” continued the Senators.
Access to legal services, including representation, is essential for providing unaccompanied children fairness in the legal process. Without an attorney, many of these children face enormous roadblocks to advocate for themselves in a challenging immigration system because of their age, development, and language barriers.
The TVPRA was passed by Congress in a bipartisan manner in 2008 and requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide counsel for unaccompanied children as much as possible by representing them in legal proceedings and protecting them from exploitation and abuse.
Padilla signed the letter, led by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. He sharply criticized Trump’s harmful executive orders targeting immigrants at the start of his second Administration. Last week, Padilla denounced Trump’s transfer of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo as unlawful and demanded answers regarding these transfers. He also condemned the Trump Administration’s intended use of Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities to detain immigrants as part of President Trump’s mass deportation plan. Additionally, Padilla cosponsored the Born in the USA Act to effectively block the implementation of Trump’s unconstitutional executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for certain children born in the United States, or a similar subsequent executive order. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Earlier this year, Senator Padilla introduced the Access to Counsel Act to ensure that U.S. citizens, green card holders, and other individuals with legal status can consult with an attorney, relative, or other interested parties to seek assistance if they are detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for more than an hour at ports of entry, including airports.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Kennedy and Secretary Burgum:
We write to express our strong opposition to the February 18, 2025 stop work order issued regarding your agencies’ contract for the provision of legal services for unaccompanied children. Although the order has now been rescinded, we are concerned about the chaos and confusion it caused for legal services providers and the children they serve. Any disruption to services for unaccompanied children is alarming, particularly in light of recent reports of the administration’s intent to place unaccompanied children into removal proceedings.
Pausing or terminating the provision of legal services to unaccompanied children under this contract runs directly counter to the requirements of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and places 26,000 unaccompanied children at increased risk of trafficking, exploitation, and other harm. The TVPRA, passed by Congress in 2008 on a bipartisan basis, requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that all unaccompanied children have counsel to represent them in legal proceedings and protect them from mistreatment, exploitation, and trafficking. Shirking this statutory mandate heightens the risk of harm for these uniquely vulnerable children.
Access to legal services often provides unaccompanied children their only hope for a fair legal process. Unaccompanied children’s age, developmental stage, and communication and comprehension constraints make it virtually impossible for them to effectively navigate the complex and adversarial immigration system without an attorney at their side. The government-funded legal services provided under this contract are, in many cases, the only thing preventing a two or three-year-old unaccompanied child from facing court proceedings alone against a government attorney seeking their deportation.
Attorneys are vital to unaccompanied children’s comprehension of and compliance with immigration requirements and processes. From fiscal year (FY) 2005 through June of FY 2019, 98 percent of juveniles placed in removal proceedings who were represented by a lawyer appeared for their hearings. Cutting off access to legal services makes it more likely that the government will lose track of unaccompanied children, given the challenges such children would face in independently appearing for immigration court hearings, submitting address updates, or otherwise communicating with immigration authorities. Not only will this make children more vulnerable to trafficking, but it will also create further inefficiencies in an already backlogged immigration court system. Moreover, attorneys help children understand their options and are often in a position to facilitate prompt voluntary departures, where appropriate.
For these reasons, we urge you to publicly commit to maintaining this contract. We further request a briefing about why the contract was paused and your plan for compliance with your statutory mandate to ensure that children have counsel in immigration proceedings.
Every day without access to counsel is another day in which vulnerable children face grave danger by human traffickers, abusers, or other bad actors, without an advocate at their side. Thank you for your consideration of this critical issue.
Sincerely,
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON – A slate of Tribal water rights settlement bills introduced by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs today. The legislation next heads to the Senate floor for consideration.
The full slate of Tribal water rights settlements legislation includes:
“I’m proud to fight for these bills to finally unlock critical water infrastructure funding from these water rights settlements and ensure Tribes have the resources to use the water they own,” said Heinrich. “These settlements are supported by all parties involved, including Tribal and non-Tribal communities. Congress should pass these urgently needed bills to help communities manage their precious and limited water resources.”
“Water rights are part of the federal trust responsibility for our Tribal communities,” said Luján, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. “I’m proud to have helped advance this critical legislation, allowing our Tribal communities to promote water security and complete much-needed water infrastructure projects. I’m particularly proud that my legislation to amend the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project has advanced, ensuring the resources and time needed to deliver clean drinking water to communities in northwestern New Mexico. These pieces of legislation will help fulfill our trust responsibility and promote water security for Tribes and Pueblos, as well as non-Tribal users, in New Mexico.”
“This legislation upholds our trust responsibility to Tribes and helps bring certainty to disputes about water across the Southwest. The settlements included in these bills secure clean, reliable water for Navajo Nation, Jicarilla Apache Nation, 11 pueblos, and the rural communities that are their neighbors across New Mexico,” said Leger Fernández. “It is with great expectation that I reintroduce this legislation which reflects decades of negotiation and collaboration. We must pass these bills so the scarce water resources our communities need to thrive for generations to come are available to all.”
“In New Mexico, we know water is life,” said Stansbury. “That’s why these Tribal Water Settlement bills are so important. These pieces of legislation will give water rights back to our Tribes and Pueblos, ensuring the federal government upholds our Trust and Treaty Responsibilities. Indigenous people have been stewards of the land and water since time immemorial, and now is the time for them to lead these efforts.”
“New Mexicans know the importance of safe and reliable water access, and today’s progress brings us one step closer to securing these fundamental resources for our Tribal communities. I’ll continue to honor my commitment to our Tribes and Pueblos to ensure they have the water infrastructure they need to thrive,” said Vasquez.
The Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Rights Settlements Act is led by Heinrich and Leger Fernández. Luján, Stansbury, and Vasquez are original cosponsors. The bill would implement two fund-based water settlements: one between the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia, the United States, the State of New Mexico, and non-Tribal parties; and another between the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna, the United States, the State of New Mexico, and non-Tribal parties. The settlements are strongly supported by all parties involved.
Heinrich and Leger Fernández previously introduced this legislation in March 2023. The bill received a hearing and was reported out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in December 2023. The House version of this bill received a legislative hearing in the House Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee in July 2024.
Read the full bill text here.
The Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act is also led by Heinrich and Leger Fernández. Luján and Stansbury are original cosponsors. The bill establishes a trust fund to implement the negotiated settlement between the United States, the State of New Mexico, the City of Española, the Asociación de Acéquias Norteñas de Rio Arriba, El Rito Ditch Asociación, La Asociación de las Acéquias del Rio Tusas, Vallecitos y Ojo Caliente, the Rio de Chama Acéquia Association, and Ohkay Owingeh to settle the Pueblo’s water claims in the Rio Chama Basin. The funding will be used for Ohkay Owingeh’s development of water resources to ensure the Pueblo has appropriate water infrastructure to use the water that they have claim to in the basin.
Heinrich and Leger Fernández initially introduced the bill in June 2024. The bill then received a key hearing before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in July 2024.
Read the full bill text here.
The Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act is led by Heinrich and Vasquez. Luján, Stansbury, and Leger Fernández are original cosponsors. The bill authorizes $685 million to support a trust for sustainable water management and infrastructure development that upholds the federal government’s trust responsibility while protecting the sacred Zuni Salt Lake. The bill ratifies the settlement between the federal government, State of New Mexico and Zuni Tribe that affirms their water rights for irrigation, livestock, storage, and domestic and other uses.
Heinrich and Vasquez initially introduced the bill in July 2024. The bill received a key hearing before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in September 2024.
Read the full bill text here.
The Navajo Nation Rio San José Water Rights Settlement Act is led by Heinrich and Leger Fernández. Luján, Stansbury, and Vasquez are original cosponsors. This bill would approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation as well as participating non-Tribal parties in the Rio San José watershed.
Heinrich and Leger Fernández initially introduced this bill in September 2024. The bill then received a key hearing before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that same month.
Read the full bill text here.
The Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments is led by Luján and Leger Fernández. Heinrich and Stansbury are original cosponsors. The bill amends the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project to ensure it has the resources and time needed to reach completion to deliver drinking water to northwestern New Mexico communities.
The Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project was first authorized as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which settled the Navajo Nation’s water rights in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico and funded the design and construction of the waterline to reach an estimated 250,000 people by the year 2040. Upon completion, the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project will provide a long-term, sustainable water supply from the San Juan River to roughly 43 Chapters on the eastern Navajo Nation, the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, which currently rely on a rapidly depleting groundwater supply of poor quality.
Luján, Leger Fernández, and Heinrich initially introduced the bill in June 2023. The bill was passed out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in November 2023.
Read the full bill text here.
The Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act is led by Luján and Leger Fernández. Heinrich and Stansbury are original cosponsors. This bill authorizes the appropriation of $6.3 million for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Fund; $7.8 million for the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund; and $4.3 million for the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund, which covers Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos. It will support water resources development projects for the Tribes.
Luján and Leger Fernández initially introduced this bill in December 2023.
Read the full bill text here.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has introduced AI Token Analysis, a new feature designed to help users make informed trading decisions. By analyzing token narratives, market sentiment, and social media discussions, the feature provides traders with real-time insights and a clearer understanding of market trends.
Users can access AI Token Analysis within the K-line page of supported tokens in the Bitget Wallet app. The feature delivers real-time sentiment analysis, AI-driven insights, and a curated feed of key discussions, all seamlessly integrated into the trading interface for easy access. It is currently available for select tokens, and support for additional assets will be introduced in the future.
AI Token Analysis goes beyond traditional data tracking by identifying emerging narratives, market sentiment shifts, and token momentum. It scans social media, whitepapers, on-chain activity, news, and influencer discussions, providing a real-time view of market trends. Users can quickly assess sentiment from X and follow aggregated updates from project teams, influencers, and communities, all within a streamlined, easy-to-use interface.
AI is rapidly reshaping crypto trading, with AI-driven solutions projected to generate $10.2 billion in revenue by 2030, according to VanEck. Public blockchains are expected to accelerate AI adoption, improving transparency and accessibility in trading. As AI technology advances, Bitget Wallet is expanding its capabilities beyond market analysis to include predictive modeling, automated strategies, and deeper data-driven insights, making trading more efficient and intuitive.
“Crypto moves fast, and traders need reliable insights at their fingertips,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “AI Analysis simplifies market research by delivering clear, real-time intelligence, helping traders make informed decisions faster. This is just the beginning — we are committed to expanding AI-driven tools to enhance the onchain trading experience.“
About Bitget Wallet
Bitget Wallet is the home of Web3, uniting endless possibilities in one non-custodial wallet. With over 60 million users, it offers comprehensive onchain services, including asset management, instant swaps, rewards, staking, trading tools, live market data, a DApp browser, an NFT marketplace and crypto payment. Supporting over 100 blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and 500,000+ tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges, along with a $300+ million protection fund to ensure safety of users’ assets. Experience Bitget Wallet Lite to start a Web3 journey.
For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook
For media inquiries, please contact media.web3@bitget.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c8d43be-7b06-402c-843d-2886776b05a8
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on Copernicus data reporting global sea ice cover is at a record low, and that February was the third warmest on record.
Professor Simon Josey, Professor of Oceanography at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, said:
“The current record low global sea ice extent revealed by the Copernicus analysis is of serious concern as it reflects major changes in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Warm ocean and atmospheric temperatures will prove critical for Antarctic sea-ice in the coming months as they may lead to an extensive failure of the ice to regrow in southern hemisphere winter. A recent study (Josey et al., 2024) has shown that this can lead to increasingly stormy conditions in the Southern Ocean and altered ocean properties with potential impacts for the wider ocean and atmospheric circulation.”
Josey, S. A., A. J. S. Meijers, A. T. Blaker, J. P. Grist, J. Mecking and H. C. Ayres, 2024: Record-low Antarctic sea ice in 2023 increased ocean heat loss and storms, Nature, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08368-y.
Dr Robert Larter, Marine Geophysicist, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), said:
“The results from C3S showing that global sea ice extent reached a new all-time minimum in February highlight the substantial effects climate change is having in polar regions and are a cause for serious concern. These results are consistent with independent analysis from the National Snow and Ice Data Center in the US. Sea ice has an important climate feedback effect because of its high “albedo”, reflecting a large proportion of incident solar radiation back into space. It also plays an important role in the ecology of the polar oceans and helps protect floating ice shelves in Antarctica, which buttress the ice sheet, by suppressing ocean swell. Furthermore, brine rejection during seasonal formation of sea ice is a key process in the formation of dense water masses that sink to the depths of the ocean and are critical to driving the global overturning thermohaline circulation.
“The near-record low in Antarctic sea-ice extent follows on from extents in the previous two years that were the lowest in the period over which satellite records have been available, and extends the run of years with low minimum sea ice extents that started with a steep decline in 2016. Antarctic sea-ice extent has usually started to grow again before the end of February as the days get shorter in the Southern Ocean, but this year several days into March the data show no sign of significant new sea ice formation.”
Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading, said:
“February 2025 saw the lowest recorded coverage of sea ice globally as the Arctic reached a record low maximum extent of around 14 million square kilometres and sea ice at the fringes of Antarctica stayed near the record low minimum extent of around 2 million square kilometres, which has been reached every February since 2022. Every successive February, the Arctic has been losing on average 42 thousand square kilometres of sea ice, twice the area of Wales. Parts of the high Arctic have been up to 12 degrees Celsius above average while on the other hand the USA and Canada froze, showing that heat can temporarily shift from one place to another. But averaging over all regions, the global warming trend is clear with February 2025 more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial conditions, repeating a level of excess warmth experienced in all but 1 of the past 20 months, despite a weak cooling influence of La Niña conditions in the Pacific. The long term prognosis for Arctic sea ice is grim as the region continues to rapidly heat up and can only be saved with rapid and massive cuts to greenhouse gas emissions that will also limit the growing severity of weather extremes and long term sea level rise across the world.”
Declared interests
Dr Robert Larter: No conflicts.
Professor Richard Allan: no conflicting interests
For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.