Source: US State of Pennsylvania
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macOS 10.6 or higher
Windows 7 or higher
Supported desktop browsers:
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Supported mobile browsers:
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Source: US State of Pennsylvania
February 25, 2025 – Pottsville, PA
Governor Josh Shapiro visited The Perception Training Center in Pottsville, Schuylkill County to highlight the Governor’s 2025-26 proposed budget, which builds on his efforts to make child care more affordable by expanding and strengthening the child care workforce. Governor Shapiro has worked to make child care more affordable over his first two years – and this year’s budget proposal works to make child care more available for Pennsylvania families.
The budget proposal builds on Governor Shapiro’s first two budgets with a $55 million investment in workforce recruitment and retention grants to increase child care availability and pay these dedicated workers more. These grants would provide an additional $1,000 annually per employee working in licensed child care centers in the Child Care Works (CCW) Program. Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has expanded the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit, delivering $136 million in savings to over 218,000 families, and created the Employer Child Care Contribution Tax Credit to help businesses contribute to employees’ child care costs. These initiatives have been key in helping to make child care more affordable for families all across the Commonwealth.
“My budget proposal places a special emphasis on workforce development – addressing growing workforce shortages across several critical sectors, including child care,” said Governor Shapiro. “Right now, we have 3,000 unfilled jobs in child care centers across Pennsylvania and when families can’t find safe, affordable child care for their kids, it forces them out of our workforce and hurts our economy. That’s why my budget includes $55 million to give child care workers in Pennsylvania at least $1,000 in recruitment or retention bonuses to invest in our workforce and solve this problem.”
Speaker list:
Michelle Dallago, Owner and Executive Director of Perception Early Learning, Inc.
Governor Josh Shapiro
Meridith Driscoll, Parent
Bob Carl, President and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce
Senator David Argall
Representative Tim Twardzik
Source: US State of California 2
What you need to know: Governor Newsom is expanding access to the state’s program to create new housing on underutilized state property by streamlining the effort. Today the Governor launched a revamped Excess Sites Program and web portal, an innovative initiative to release state land suitable and available for affordable housing simultaneously, making bidding and building faster.
SACRAMENTO — Governor Newsom today expanded access to California’s program to transform underutilized state land into new affordable housing by announcing a web portal to make it easier for developers to bid on the projects. The revamped, streamlined Excess Sites Program aims to improve the speed and efficiency with which state land is leased for affordable housing.
Governor Gavin Newsom
The Department of General Services (DGS) and Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) are launching the newly revamped Excess Sites Program, the first housing initiative nationwide to release all state land identified as suitable and available for affordable housing development.
This announcement aligns with the Governor’s 2019 executive order to help scale up California’s response to a housing crisis decades in the making. The order called on HCD and DGS to identify and prioritize excess state-owned property for affordable housing development.
Since the executive order, HCD and DGS have assembled a statewide pipeline of nearly 4,300 housing units across 32 projects in various phases of development. The state estimates that the new sites being released have the capacity for at least 2,000 homes to be added as the sites are developed.
“We’re harnessing technology and innovation to help accelerate the rate of affordable housing construction in the Golden State,” said Government Operations Agency Secretary Amy Tong. “We look forward to the proposals from creative and resourceful developers whose efforts will give more Californians a place to call home.”
“California is committed to continuing to invest in programs that encourage infill development, transforming existing buildings into homes for future generations of Californians,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss. “The Excess Sites program is a unique tool that allows us to re-envision underutilized state land to build affordable and healthier communities.”
The new improvements allow developers to review all sites on the State Excess Sites map simultaneously and submit proposals continuously until an awardable submission is received and a final deadline is set for that specific site.
“Today, we are taking significant steps to enhance the management of state-owned land,” said DGS Director Ana M. Lasso. “The streamlined processes will help to ensure valuable resources are utilized effectively for growth and community development.”
“The Governor’s vision to develop state land for affordable housing—particularly in high-resource areas connecting low-income Californians to heightened opportunity—continues to strengthen communities,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “HCD and DGS will continue to work in partnership to add efficiencies like those announced today and build on the program’s successes for the benefit of all Californians.”
California has announced a number of recent projects throughout the state as part of its Excess Housing Site program including:
To learn more about the State Excess Sites map or the new submission process, please visit Executive Order N-06-19 Affordable Housing Development and/or register for a webinar by HCD and DGS.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Hart, Associate Professor, Film Screen & Animation, Queensland University of Technology
The Academy Awards represent the screen industry’s biggest annual global recognition for the very best of moviemaking. And in these troubled times, many recognise the power of documentaries to transform the world for the better.
Like last year, the 2025 nominations for Best Documentary are international in their scope, continuing an Academy trend of placing more emphasis on voices outside of the United States.
This year’s nominations feature a few milestones: it’s the first time a Japanese filmmaker has been put forward, and the first time an Indigenous North American filmmaker has been nominated in Oscars history.
All exhibit outstanding craftsmanship while exploring intense themes. The following roundup will hopefully encourage you to check them out at the cinema or online, and see why the experts also think they deserve the top gong.
Johan Grimonprez’s experimental essay examines the Cold War politics of the 1950s and 60s. At this time, many African nations were gaining independence from their colonial masters.
In Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, the uranium and mineral rich Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes a poignant case study.
As the first prime minister Patrice Lumumba breaks the country away from Belgian rule, a murderous plot by global superpowers to destroy the country’s newfound sovereignty unfolds.
And underneath it all: the frenetic beat of jazz as a revolutionary reaction against racism on both sides of the Atlantic.
A wealth of archival material featuring former world leaders, the Congolese situation, and the musical stylings of Nina Simone, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and others make this documentary effortlessly cool. The edit and sound design has a wonderful syncopated rhythm, revealing fascinating facets of modern history and the scramble for power.
St. Joseph’s Mission was a residential school for Indigenous children in Canada, which closed in 1981.
When ground penetrating radar begins looking for unmarked graves at the school, Julian Brave NoiseCat – whose father was born on the site – and co-director Emily Kassie embark on a quest of accountability for a myriad of institutional abuses.
Editors Nathan Punwar and Maya Daisy Hawke interweave archival reels alongside Emily Kassie and Christopher LaMarca’s stark verité cinematography. The film captures members of the Williams Lake First Nation community reckoning with generations of trauma at the hands of Catholic clergy.
Together, they present some disturbing facts in the film, which won a directing award at the Sundance Film Festival.
National Geographic has routinely received a documentary Oscar nomination. This film is a challenging topic for Australian and New Zealand audiences. We also have a troubling history with the placement of Aboriginal children in homes, where many faced hardships and mistreatment.
Sugarcane gives a platform for truth-telling and healing.
Ceramists Slava Leontyev and Anya Stasenko are inspired by the nature of Ukraine and each other. Their friend, and fellow creator, Andrey Stefanov documents their lives on tape after his wife and children flee at the start of the Russian invasion.
All become involved in active defiance.
The film combines nonprofessional video, body cams and drone footage alongside wildlife photography and charming animations of Anya’s delicate paintings on clay.
There are gripping scenes of armed conflict from the viewpoint of Slava’s squad of reservists. These are everyday folks who have become involved in fighting on the ground.
Porcelain War benefits from a soundtrack composed and performed by folk music quartet DakhaBrakha. This adds an eerie texture to this portrait of hope.
The film thoughtfully balances light and shade with grace, demonstrating that art remains a potent way to oppose erasure.
When her high-profile #MeToo sexual assault case is dropped on the grounds of insufficient evidence, Japanese journalist, director and producer Shiori Itō commences chronicling her journey to justice.
Deploying abstract imagery over recorded conversations with investigators and witnesses, Itō builds her argument over several years. The passage of time is interspersed with her unfiltered video diary entries.
There has been controversy about the director including hotel footage of her drugged and being dragged out of a taxi by her attacker, senior reporter Noriyuki Yamaguchi, without permission. Itō had been given the footage for the legal case, but had agreed it would not be used outside of the courtroom.
The debate has prevented the film from showing on Japanese screens. However, Itō has argued the public good of using this material outweighs commercial interests – especially considering the pressure of Yamaguchi’s influential connections to quell the case, which include then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Itō doesn’t shy away from exposing the raw emotional depths of her remarkably brave undertaking against fierce odds, and she serves as an inspiring change-maker we should all heed.
No Other Land takes stock of the West Bank situation from the perspective of Basel Adra, who documents evictions of Palestinians in his home village of Masafer Yatta.
Basel works with journalist Yuval Abraham to bear witness to the army’s gradual destruction of his village to make way for a military training ground.
No Other Land features some great observational camerawork with many poetic images of resilience. Things kick up a notch when a villager, Harun, is shot by Israeli soldiers while trying to confiscate his building tools. Basel is targeted for filming the ensuing protests – but Adra and Abraham continue undeterred.
A friendship develops amid the chaos between the Palestinian activist and Israeli reporter, who co-direct and edit with Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor. It’s the touching humanity of their relationship that goes to the core of the film; compassion is key to deescalating tensions in the region.
In Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat, Porcelain War, Black Box Diaries and No Other Land are streaming on DocPlay; Sugarcane is streaming on Disney+.
Phoebe Hart 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. Outstanding craftsmanship and international voices: the 5 films up for best documentary at the 2025 Oscars – https://theconversation.com/outstanding-craftsmanship-and-international-voices-the-5-films-up-for-best-documentary-at-the-2025-oscars-249151
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the Department of State, on February 25, 2025.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Source: US Department of Labor
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the appointment of J. Ross Stewart as executive secretary.
“I am honored to step into this role and support the Department of Labor’s important work,” said Stewart. “I look forward to ensuring the Office of the Secretary operates seamlessly in advancing the Department’s mission.”
Stewart brings a wealth of experience to the position, previously serving in several key roles within the department in the first Trump Administration. He served as chief of staff for the Office of Public Affairs and as special assistant and policy advisor in the Office of the Secretary. His career spans over 20 years in government, government contracting, and non-profits, with expertise in executive-level decision support in government and in the private sector, as well as in policy coordination and public sector management. He most recently served as corporate advisor for PavCon LLC, a woman-owned small business headquartered in Pennsylvania.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Arizona woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to a narcotics crime related to driving a moving truck filled with 50 kilogram-bricks of cocaine from Arizona to Ohio.
Andrea Celaya-Rodriguez, 28, of Tucson, pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, Celaya-Rodriguez was stopped by Ohio State Highway Patrol on 1-70 in Madison County on March 22, 2024. She was driving a Penske box truck that she rented a few days prior in Tucson and, according to her rental agreement, was set to return the vehicle to Arizona within the next four days.
A drug canine positively alerted to the presence of cocaine and troopers subsequently searched the moving truck. The cargo space of the truck had in it a sectional couch, a suitcase and a produce bin with a blanket over it. Within the produce bin there were three duffel bags, which contained 50 individually wrapped kilogram-packages of cocaine.
After being arrested, Celaya-Rodriguez told DEA agents she was driving the drugs from Arizona to New York in exchange for $50,000 from a man she had met in Mexico two weeks prior. The defendant met the man on a rural road in Arizona, where she was given the cocaine in shoe boxes to be re-packaged for transportation.
The plea agreement includes a sentencing recommendation of 33 to 41 months in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Field Division; and Col. Charles A Jones, Superintendent, Ohio State Highway Patrol, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Nicole Pakiz are representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Francisco Villegas-Garcia, 37, a Mexican national who is here illegally, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbus today to 120 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl conspiracy. Villegas-Garcia was a high-level drug trafficker in a large-scale drug trafficking organization tied to Mexico that transported and distributed multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Villegas-Garcia often traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Columbus as part of his drug trafficking. During one traffic stop in Charlotte, agents seized $100,000 in cash from Villegas-Garcia.
DEA field offices in Charlotte and Columbus coordinated additional investigation, which revealed that Villegas-Garcia often spoke to other members of the drug trafficking organization about their supply of drugs, drug sales, wiring money to Mexico, and securing couriers to transfer money to Mexico. He was often in communication with the source of drug supply in Mexico.
When agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Columbus home on Willowswitch Lane in January 2023, they discovered eight kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue and $120,000 in cash. These items were hidden inside the wall.
Agents detained and then arrested Villegas-Garcia in January 2023, at the Los Gauchos Taqueria on South Hamilton Road in Columbus. At the time, he had 28 grams of cocaine and more than $10,000 in cash on his person.
He pleaded guilty in March 2024 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Field Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman announced today that federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas have filed more than 900 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases since Jan. 20. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Along with enhanced interdiction efforts at the border, federal law enforcement has been also prioritizing immigration enforcement operations and prosecutions of aliens unlawfully in the interior of the country and also those otherwise engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, who have active warrants for their arrest, or who have outstanding final orders of removal from the U.S., issued by an immigration judge. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us all.
Cases of interest include the arrest of Juan Ramon Hernandez-Limon in San Antonio, who had been previously convicted on April 28, 2021 for illegal re-entry into the United States and alien in possession of a firearm, and a second time on Feb. 8, 2024 for illegal re-entry. Hernandez-Limon repeatedly attempted to evade arrest during an ICE ERO operation on Jan. 26, 2025, and was eventually taken into custody. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
Guatemalan nationals Anderson Morales-Calderon and Ever Morales-Calderon were arrested on Jan. 24 in Waco on criminal charges related to their alleged aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm as undocumented noncitizens. Troy Police Department and Lorena Police Department officers were responding to a road rage complaint called into 911. The 911 caller alleged that an individual pointed a rifle at a semi-truck on IH-35. During the traffic stop, officers observed two air rifles and one .22 caliber rifle in plain view in the back seat and on the back floorboard of the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that both Anderson and Ever Morales-Calderon were unlawfully present in the United States. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison.
Honduran national Melvin Armando Funes-Canales was transferred to federal custody after he was located in the Williamson County jail, where he had been detained for alleged possession of a controlled substance. An investigation revealed Funes-Canales had been previously removed from the U.S. to Honduras on or about Oct. 9, 2020, and had also been deported on five other occasions. Additionally, Funes-Canales was previously convicted of burglary, grand theft and illegal re-entry. He now faces up to 10 years in federal prison for illegal re-entry, if convicted.
Four individuals illegally present in the U.S. were arrested in El Paso and face up to 10 years in federal prison each for criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in a human smuggling conspiracy. Yair Alejandro Aguilar-Flores, Angel Eduardo Carrillo-Carrillo, Jorge Alfredo Lopez-Acevedo, and Jesus David Reyes-Villagran allegedly conspired to harbor 12 illegal aliens in two El Paso hotels.
A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury in Austin for one count of possession of a firearm by illegal alien. Marcelo Olvera-Moreno was stopped while driving in Hutto, Jan. 24. A Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted the traffic stop after allegedly observing the passenger in Olvera-Moreno’s vehicle fire a handgun from the front passenger window. Olvera-Moreno admitted to law enforcement that he knew that he was illegally and unlawfully in the U.S. and that he had purchased the pistol at a flea market approximately three months prior. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
“Because the Western District of Texas shares 660 miles of common border with Mexico and is home to three of Texas’ largest cities and an estimated 7.6 million people, prosecuting immigration and border-related crimes has long been and remains a priority within this district,” said Leachman. “With the valuable investigative and enforcement efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting immigration-related crimes in the interest of the nation and our citizens.”
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Two others previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
Leonardo Lara, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving five kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025.
Previously, co-defendants Merced Navarro Morfin, 44, of Lunenberg and Leandro Martinez, 43, or Lawrence, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. Navarro Morfin pleaded guilty to an additional count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Navarro Morfin’s sentencing is scheduled for May 6, 2025. Martinez’s sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2025.
A federal grand jury indicted Lara, Navarro Morfin and Martinez on Aug. 3, 2023.
In April 2022 an investigation revealed that Lara was in possession of $230,000 in drug proceeds that he sought to send to Mexico. On April 20, 2022, Lara was stopped on Interstate-84 in Sturbridge and approximately $40,000 in drug proceeds was found hidden in baby-wipe containers in the trunk. Approximately 36 minutes after the traffic stop concluded, Martinez and Navarro Morfin were observed travelling to Lara’s residence and removing eight kilograms of cocaine. Another kilogram of cocaine, and approximately $196,000 in bundled cash, were found in the car Martinez and Navarro Morfin had traveled in.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, involving five kilograms or more of cocaine, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provide for a maximum of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: United Nations (Video News)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
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Highlights:
– Security Council/ Middle East
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Ukraine/Security Council
– Biodiversity
– Deputy Secretary-General
– Senegal
– DR Congo/humanitarian
– DR Congo/peacekeeping
– Chad
– Haiti
– International Organization for Migration
– Financial Contributions
** Security Council/ Middle East
You saw Sigrid Kaag, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Senior Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza, brief the Security Council. She told the members that this may be our last chance to achieve a two-state solution, reiterating that all hostages must be released and while in captivity, they must be allowed to receive visits and assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross. And she said that the resumption of hostilities must be avoided at all costs. Ms. Kaag called on both sides to fully honour their commitments to the ceasefire deal and conclude negotiations for the second phase.
She told the Council that we are ready to support reconstruction efforts, and that Palestinians must be able to resume their lives, must be able to rebuild, and to construct their future in Gaza. There can be no question of forced displacement.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation on the ground in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that our humanitarian partners, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Gaza, yesterday continued to administer polio vaccinations for the third day to 548,000 children under the age of 10. This represents 93 per cent of the target population. The campaign has been extended until tomorrow to ensure full coverage.
Since the start of the ceasefire, our friends at the World Food Programme have brought in more than 30,000 metric tonnes of food into Gaza. More than 60 kitchens supported by WFP across the Gaza Strip, including in North Gaza and in Rafah, have handed out nearly 10 million meals.
For its part, the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, tells us that its teams have reached nearly 1.3 million people with flour and reached about two million people with food parcels since the start of the ceasefire.
The head of Gaza’s Ministry of Health has said today that six children from the Gaza Strip have died in recent days due to the severe cold wave recently, bringing to 15 the total number of children who’ve passed away from the cold.
And the Food and Agriculture Organization reports that last week it delivered animal feed in northern Gaza for the first time since the ceasefire, benefiting 146 families with livestock in Gaza city alongside another 980 in Deir al Balah. So some in Gaza City and some in Deir al Balah.
Over the past four days, our partners working in education have identified additional schools in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir al Balah that were used as shelters for displaced people. These schools will be assessed and repaired to prepare for their reopening.
And turning to the situation West Bank, OCHA reports that the security situation remains alarming, with the ongoing Israeli operations in the north causing further casualties, mass displacement and generating additional humanitarian needs due to the displacement.
In Jenin governorate, the two-day operation in Qabatiya was concluded yesterday.
The operation was launched with bulldozers, involving exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Palestinians, as well as detentions and significant destruction of infrastructure, including electricity lines, water lines, and the closure of schools.
We once again warn that lethal, war-like tactics are being applied, raising concerns over use of force that exceeds law enforcement standards.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme said it reached 190,000 people in January with cash assistance and has provided one-off cash assistance to more than 5,000 displaced people from the Jenin refugee camp.
** Ukraine/Security Council
Yesterday, Rosemary DiCarlo, our Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, briefed the Security Council on the situation in Ukraine.
She said that during these three long years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 10 million Ukrainians remain uprooted – they are either internally displaced or refugees abroad. She reiterated our commitment to delivering assistance to those who need it as we’ve been telling you almost on a daily basis.
Referring to the Resolution the Council adopted during the meeting, Ms. DiCarlo said that indeed it is high time for peace in Ukraine. This peace, however, must be just, sustainable and comprehensive, in line with the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and resolutions of the General Assembly, including the one that was adopted yesterday morning.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=25%20February%202025
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Today, VA Secretary Doug Collins announced in a video that VA has found $2 billion in cuts to contracts that will be redirected to Veterans’ health care and benefits.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID for TSA PreCheck Members
Link: https://f.io/Bo2c6DsJ
File: TSA_Touchless-ID_EN1920X1080_OC_021325
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
This resource is specifically designed for the Deaf community, offering clear steps on how to request assistance from FEMA if you have experienced losses due to the recent wildfires in Los Angeles County.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Is there potential for life on Europa? This icy moon of Jupiter has a massive ocean hidden beneath its icy crust — one that might have the right ingredients for life. Currently en route, our upcoming Europa Clipper mission will explore this mysterious world, searching for clues about its potential habitability. Watch as a NASA scientist explains more. Dive deeper: www.nasa.gov/europaclipper
Producers: Scott Bednar, Pedro Cota, Jessica Wilde
Editor: James Lucas
Credit: NASA
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
VA education and training benefits help eligible Veterans, service members
and their family members with a variety of education and employment
needs.
To learn more, visit va.gov/education.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
February 25, 2025
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., pressed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stop companies from misleadingly offering people the ability to “buy” online content, including TV, e-books, movies, music, and video games, when the reality is consumers do not have total control over their purchases. Far too often, consumers “buy” digital goods only to learn they cannot own, sell, or transfer the items, and may even have them deleted with no recourse— a legal loophole that many companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Sony only explain in the finely printed terms of service.
In the letter to FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, Wyden said, “This information should be presented before and at the point of sale in a way that is clear and understandable for consumers, so that they can use all the information at hand to determine if they want to purchase or rent the product at the offered price. To put it simply, prior to agreeing to any transaction, consumers should understand what they are paying for and what is guaranteed after the sale.”
Over the past several years, many companies have shifted from producing and selling physical copies of books, music, TV, video games, and other content to online versions. As people increasingly buy their products online, this shift has raised concerns about companies failing to be transparent about what consumers are actually buying. Online purchasers are left vulnerable and susceptible to getting less than what they paid for.
Companies may be able to change or remove people’s online content at any time. In 2023, Sony announced users could no longer watch previously purchased Discovery content, including shows such as Cake Boss, MythBusters, and Deadliest Catch, until the companies reached a deal. Amazon also recently announced that consumers would no longer be able to download or back up their e-books, making it more difficult for them to access and keep their purchases.
Wyden concluded, “The shift from physical to digital goods presents some complex legal questions. One thing is clear, however: consumers deserve transparency about their ownership rights in digital goods. Guidance from the FTC on this issue will help ensure that digital goods sellers are aware of best practices and that American consumers can make informed buying decisions.”
Wyden is a longtime champion in the Senate of protecting consumers while holding companies accountable in today’s digital environment. In 2019, Wyden introduced a bill to hold corporations accountable for abusing their use of Americans’ information. Also, in 2019, Wyden and his colleagues introduced a bill requiring companies to target flawed algorithms that have resulted in biased or discriminatory decisions harming Americans. In 2023, Wyden and then-Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, wrote a letter to stakeholders requesting their policy clarifications on taxing digital assets.
The text of the letter is here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
February 25, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined an effort to press U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner about the alarming consequences of a recently announced “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) Task Force that threatens to seriously hinder HUD’s ability to support vulnerable communities.
Reportedly, the DOGE Task Force plans to lay off 50 percent of its workforce, eliminate half of HUD’s field offices serving local communities across the country, and gut programs that protect families and people with disabilities from discrimination, address our homelessness crisis, and provide resources to communities to tackle our housing shortage and recover from disasters. There are also reports that HUD is terminating the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, which was created by Congress to help repair and improve efficiency in homes for families, seniors, and people with disabilities. These funds have already been awarded and obligated to nonprofits and other housing providers to improve more than 30,000 homes all across the country – but now DOGE at HUD is trying to illegally claw these funds back.
“HUD engages in critical work supporting communities in expanding their housing supply, providing rental assistance, and preventing homelessness—work that is urgently important for millions of Americans looking to purchase a home to build generational wealth or find an affordable place to rent,” wrote the Senators in their letter. “Axing these offices will handicap the Department’s ability to serve the American public and exacerbate the housing crisis we currently find ourselves in.”
The Senators are also seeking clarity on the DOGE Task Force’s overall objectives and how it is defining waste.
“In addition to personnel cuts, you also announced that HUD and DOGE have identified $260 million in savings on wasteful contracts. If this represents legitimate waste, we are happy to work with you to wipe it out,” wrote the Senators. “But to date, there has been no transparency about DOGE’s involvement, or what exactly it is finding. We ask that you provide additional information on the allegedly wasteful spending identified by DOGE, and a clear accounting of how these funds have been misused.”
The Senators have requested detailed information from Secretary Turner by February 26, 2025, urging immediate transparency to protect the interests of American families.
The letter was led by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and was signed by Merkley, Wyden, Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Warner, Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) highlighting multiple requests — some dating back to June 2021 — for records relating to Joe Biden and his family business dealings. For years, NARA failed to provide the requested records, but now that both Sens. Johnson and Grassley hold gavels, they are reiterating their previous requests.
“Since 2021, we have conducted oversight of Joe Biden’s use of multiple pseudonyms and personal email addresses for official government business when he served as Vice President. Despite our multiple requests for information, the Biden White House failed to respond. Our offices have also sent five letters to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), requesting documents in NARA’s possession that are vital to our oversight. Unfortunately, as we will explain, NARA has also failed to provide all the information that we have sought involving Joe Biden,”the senators wrote.
“Although former President Biden is no longer in office and he pardoned his son Hunter and other family members, we believe it is of importance to review these records so the American people have a full accounting of Joe Biden and his family’s activities while Joe Biden was in government,”the senators continued.
Read more about Chairman Johnson’s letter on Fox News.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000732/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Rody Tolassy (PfE), Sarah Knafo (ESN), Christophe Bay (PfE), Mathilde Androuët (PfE), Philippe Olivier (PfE), Gilles Pennelle (PfE), Julie Rechagneux (PfE), Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain (PfE), Julien Leonardelli (PfE), Valérie Deloge (PfE), Angéline Furet (PfE), Pierre Pimpie (PfE), Pascale Piera (PfE)
Guadeloupe, one of the EU’s outermost regions, is actively developing a sustainable and environmentally friendly farming industry. The Gardel factory, a key operator in the cane sugar sector, produces high-quality organic sugar. The sugar is manufactured using an additive identical to one used in Brazil, whose organic sugar is recognised and accepted in the EU.
This state of affairs creates a gross imbalance between an EU producer and a non-EU producer, to the detriment of the competitiveness of our outermost regions. It hampers the development of local agri-food chains and undermines Guadeloupe’s efforts to bolster its food and economic autonomy.
Submitted: 18.2.2025
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Summary
Company Announcement Date:
February 25, 2025
FDA Publish Date:
February 25, 2025
Product Type:
Drugs
Reason for Announcement:
Recall Reason Description
Microbial contamination of the product with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)
Company Name:
Ascent Consumer Products Inc.
Brand Name:
Brand Name(s)
SinuCleanse
Product Description:
Product Description
Soft Tip Squeeze Bottle Nasal Wash System
Company Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 02/25/2025 Melville, NY. Ascent Consumer Products Inc. is voluntarily recalling one lot of SinuCleanse Soft Tip Squeeze Bottle Nasal Wash System to the consumer level. The recall is being initiated due to a confirmed test result of microbial contamination of the product with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).
Risk Statement:
Use of the SinuCleanse Soft Tip Squeeze Bottle Nasal Wash System, contaminated with S. aureus, can result in blood infections in users whose nasal mucosa may be compromised due to inflammation and mechanical injuries, caused by nasal irrigation. Resulting secondary infections may occur, such as endocarditis (infection of the heart’s inner lining), bone and joint infections, splenic abscesses or meningitis, and bacterial sinusitis which may lead to eye tissue infections, vision problems, cranial nerve damage, or meningitis. These infections are serious and potentially life-threatening. To date, no adverse events have been reported to Ascent Consumer Products, Inc. related to this recall.
SinuCleanse Soft Tip Squeeze Bottle Nasal Wash System is used as a nasal wash of the nasal passages to help temporarily relieve symptoms associated with sinusitis, cold, flu, or allergies. The only affected product lot includes the following:
Product Name
Lot Number
Expiration Date
SinuCleanse Soft Tip Squeeze Bottle Nasal Wash System
024122661A1
12-31-2027
The SinuCleanse Soft Tip Squeeze Bottle Nasal Wash System is packaged in a carton, containing the squeeze bottle and 30 Saline Packets. The lot number and expiration date can be identified on the side of the carton or on the back of the Saline Packets within the carton. The affected lot was distributed in January 2025 nationwide through retail and online outlets.
Ascent Consumer Products Inc. is notifying its distributors and customers by electronic mail. Distributors and retailers in possession of the affected lot should immediately cease distribution and remove the recalled SinuCleanse Soft Tip Squeeze Bottle Nasal Wash System lot from inventory. Consumers who have this product should discontinue use immediately and return it to the place of purchase or discard it.
Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Ascent Consumer Products Inc. by email at cs@ascentconsumerproducts.com Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm ET. Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they experience any problems related to the use of this product.
Reporting Adverse Reactions
Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program:
This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Company Contact Information
Product Photos
Content current as of:
02/25/2025
Regulated Product(s)
Follow FDA
Source: United States Navy (Medical)
LIMA, Peru – U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) SOUTH published a collection of peer-reviewed articles highlighting the command’s ongoing military medical research efforts in The Journal of Infectious Diseases on February 15.
The articles cover 40 years of NAMRU SOUTH’s medical achievements in infectious disease surveillance, control and prevention in Peru and partner nations in Latin America, with the goal of ensuring U.S. service member readiness, and of reinforcing strategic global alliances.
“The research conducted by NAMRU SOUTH plays a crucial role in detecting and characterizing infectious disease threats that can impact the U.S. warfighter in deployed operations,” said Capt. Michael Prouty, commanding officer for NAMRU SOUTH. “Through the efforts of our dedicated staff, of which 95% are Peruvian nationals, we are able to both maximize service member readiness, and protect the U.S. from emerging infectious diseases. Additionally, through our collaborations with partner nations, we also strengthen these partnerships, enhancing health security for both their military and civilian populations.”
The Journal of Infectious Diseases publishes patient and disease-focused research for scientific audiences, to help translate laboratory science into the clinical and experimental setting. The Journal is produced by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, whose work focuses on research, education and prevention efforts.
NAMRU SOUTH has driven research projects since 1983, when the Peruvian Navy invited the U.S to collaborate on shared health science research objectives.
The command is one of six overseas organizations within the DoD dedicated to the detection, prevention, treatment and preventative measures of infectious disease prevalent in regions where military training, deployments or operations could occur.
“Constant environmental changes contribute to more frequent spread of emerging infectious diseases, potentially threatening DoD’s readiness to achieve and maintain its national defense goals,” explained Dr. Henju Marjuki, chief science officer at NAMRU SOUTH. “The U.S. National Biodefense Strategy recognizes that pathogens are global risks, and that enhancing resilience means strengthening global health defense to protect the nation in the same ways we develop and project conventional defenses.”
NAMRU SOUTH conducts research on a wide range of infectious diseases of military and public health significance, and supports Global Health Engagement through surveillance of those diseases, including dengue fever, malaria, diarrheal diseases and antimicrobial-resistant infections.
NMR&D, led by Naval Medical Research Command, is engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies in austere and remote areas of the world to investigations in operational environments. In support of the Navy, Marine Corps, and joint U.S. warfighters, enterprise researchers study infectious diseases, biological warfare detection and defense, combat casualty care, environmental health concerns, aerospace and undersea medicine, medical modeling, simulation, operational mission support, epidemiology and behavioral sciences.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
TORONTO, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sprott Inc. (“Sprott” or the “Company”) (NYSE/TSX: SII) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a fourth quarter 2024 dividend of US$0.30 per common share, payable on March 25, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 10, 2025.
Registered shareholders who are residents of Canada as reflected in the Company’s shareholders register, as well as beneficial holders (i.e., shareholders who hold their common shares through a broker or other intermediary) whose intermediary is a participant in CDS Clearing and Depositary Services Inc. or its nominee, CDS & Co. (“CDS”), will receive their dividend in Canadian dollars, calculated based on the spot price exchange rate on March 25, 2025. Registered shareholders resident outside of Canada as reflected in Sprott’s shareholders register, including the United States, as well as beneficial holders whose intermediary is a participant in The Depository Trust Company or its nominee, Cede & Co., will receive their dividend in U.S. dollars. However, beneficial holders whose intermediary is a participant in CDS, may elect to change the currency of their dividend payments to U.S. dollars and can contact their broker for more details. Registered shareholders, other than CDS, who are residents of Canada and wish to receive their dividend in U.S. dollars should make arrangements to deposit their common shares with CDS, and make a currency election, prior to March 10, 2025.
The dividend is designated as an eligible dividend for Canadian income tax purposes.
About Sprott
Sprott is a global asset manager focused on precious metals and critical materials investments. We are specialists. We believe our in-depth knowledge, experience and relationships separate us from the generalists. Our investment strategies include Exchange Listed Products, Managed Equities and Private Strategies. Sprott has offices in Toronto, New York, Connecticut and California and the company’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol (SII). For more information, please visit www.sprott.com.
Investor contact information:
Glen Williams
Managing Partner
Investor and Institutional Client Relations
(416) 943-4394
gwilliams@sprott.com
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the 1071 Repeal to Protect Small Business Lending Act, legislation to reverse a Biden-era Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule requiring banks to collect and report personal information, such as a business owners’ race, ethnicity and sex, or if a business was minority or LGBT-owned, when seeking a small business loan.
This reversal will increase access to credit for small businesses, save millions in compliance costs for lenders and remove disproportionately high regulatory burdens on community banks and credit unions. Further, the legislation prevents the CPFB from publishing certain personal information required under Section 1071 on its website, which threatened to compromise borrower privacy.
“Overzealous data collection and any requirement to publish small businesses owners’ personal information online creates unnecessary risk while burying smallbusiness lenders under costly layers of bureaucratic red tape,” said Boozman. “I am pleased to work with my colleagues to reverse further erosion of Americans’ privacy and ease the regulatory burden on banks that provide loans to entrepreneurs and job creators.”
“President Biden’s woke CFPB put small business owners’ information at risk by requiring their personal details to be exposed online. My bill would repeal the last administration’s misguided regulation so that job creators’ private information isn’t public, and government doesn’t stand in the way of Main Street’s access toloans,” Kennedy said.
This legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX-25) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Read the text of the bill here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
RELEASE: Senator Mullin Slams Democrat Falsely Blaming Trump for Biden’s Disastrous Withdrawal from Afghanistan
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), a member of the Senate Armed Service Committee, responded to Democrat Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) comments falsely blaming President Trump for former President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan during the confirmation hearing for Deputy Defense Secretary Nominee Stephen A. Feinberg. During his remarks, the Senator also debunked false claims on the administration’s effort to shrink the federal government, and the U.S. posture towards Russia amid peace negotiations.
“The disastrous withdrawal came 100% from the Biden administration. And American lives were left behind, and are still dying because of it,” said Senator Mullin. “And you’re going to sit there with a straight face and try to say that it was President Trump’s fault?”
Watch the senator’s full remarks here.
Highlights below:
“And then, as the Senator that just asked questions wanted to bring up the Afghanistan withdrawal. Brother, that’s very, very close to me. That hits home. And you’re going to lay the withdrawal on President Trump, and say it was his fault?”
“The Biden administration threw out the entire withdrawal plan that the Trump administration had and decided to go their own way. And man, wasn’t that great?”
“And then we’re going to start talking about President Trump not calling a bully out, like Putin. Do we forget what happened in 2017 when Trump 100% told Russia to stay out of Syria, not to be involved, especially with the bombing of Assad’s own people? And when they did, President Trump, within 30 minutes, took out the airfield that they operated out of, destroyed it, and then took back the airspace, and we had the airspace in Syria all the way up until Biden took office and we gave it back to Putin.”
“Do we want to go back to Israel and Hamas and discuss the way the Biden administration handled that? And the way they refused to call Hamas a terrorist organization, and the Houthis a terrorist organization, and Iran a terrorist organization. And you’re going to sit there with a straight face and actually say that about President Trump?”
“Are we serious saying that President Trump isn’t willing to stand up to a bully when underneath his administration, was the only time that Russia didn’t advance into Ukraine, because [Putin] did it underneath Obama, when they took Crimea and they did it underneath Biden, because they didn’t respect him, because of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. And every expert will tell you that.”
“The President is bringing back hostages. He also brought back the hostage that Biden left behind, and he didn’t give up one thing to Russia, including a guy that was highly, highly considered a threat to the world… Doctor death, that we that we decided to trade for. And I’m sure you guys thought that was a good trade.”
“Guys, give me a break. We’re trying to advance America’s agenda and do what’s best for this country, and the American people agree with the direction we’re going.”
Source: Government of Canada regional news
Released on February 25, 2025
Today, the Government of Saskatchewan announced further measures to protect communities from illicit fentanyl and methamphetamine production, transportation, trafficking and street use in the province.
The measures enacted will provide additional tools to remove fentanyl and methamphetamine from our communities, significantly deter anyone from trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, and prevent street-level use to help protect the health and safety of all citizens and ensure our medical system is not undermined by these harmful substances.
“These drugs have caused immense harm in our communities, leading to addiction, crime and loss of life,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod said. “We are taking a firm stance to disrupt the flow of fentanyl and methamphetamine while also providing options for offenders to access the resources necessary for recovery.”
These measures will include:
“We all know that these illicit drugs are hurting our people,” Métis Nation-Saskatchewan President Glen McCallum said. “It is more important than ever to work together with all governments – federal, provincial, Métis and Frist Nations in coordination to deter illegal activity but also work with those wanting to start the recovery path. We want to support these people with programming and transitioning into recovery-based living. The Government of Saskatchewan has committed to meaningful engagement with Métis Nation-Saskatchewan on the details of and before the implementation of these changes.”
Fentanyl and methamphetamine are increasingly the cause of overdose deaths, violent crime and community instability. By addressing both the supply and demand sides of the issue, these measures work toward reducing drug-related harm, improving public safety and fostering healthier, more stable neighborhoods and communities.
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For more information, contact:
Source: US State of Colorado
With approximately 57,000 federal workers in Colorado, many may be eligible for various support through Colorado’s Statewide Workforce System
DENVER – The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) in partnership with the Statewide Workforce System is prepared to support Colorado’s federal civilian workforce impacted by recent restructuring and both voluntary and involuntary layoffs. There are roughly 57,000 federal workers in Colorado.
“The State of Colorado is prepared to support Coloradans impacted by federal job cuts. Colorado’s strong economy is supported by a dedicated state workforce, and I encourage impacted federal workers to join us in building a Colorado For All,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
“Together with the Statewide Workforce System and our Unemployment Insurance Division, we are prepared to help Colorado’s skilled and competent federal workforce navigate any potential period of joblessness,” said CDLE Executive Director Joe Barela. “CDLE is committed to supporting individuals with a variety of workforce development support to ensure all Coloradans can continue to thrive and prosper.”
CDLE has information posted on its website related to reemployment support and unemployment insurance including what is required to file a claim for impacted federal workers. Impacted federal workers can file their claims online at coloradoui.gov.
If a federal worker continues to receive payment from their federal employer related to a resignation, they will need to report this income and may not be eligible for unemployment benefit payments during those weeks. These workers will have the option to upload a copy of the letter they received about the Deferred Resignation during the claim filing process. More information on what to select as the appropriate reason for being out of work is available to federal workers on CDLE’s Resources for Federal Workers page.
All workers experiencing a period of joblessness are encouraged to take advantage of the resources and programs available through the Statewide Workforce System to support them on their career journeys. Workforce centers across the state are available to support job seekers via personal job search support and coaching, resume development, interview preparation, and a variety of activities including job fairs, hiring events, workshops and training opportunities.
Connecting Colorado, the state’s labor exchange, currently has more than 60,000 job openings posted. The State of Colorado also has nearly 500 open positions at various State agencies and institutions. Federal workers are encouraged to explore careers with the State of Colorado and consider the State’s employee benefits: PERA retirement benefits, medical and dental plans, eleven paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave, and a variety of work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more.
For those that are eligible for unemployment benefits, there is a mandatory one-week waiting period before a claim is activated. Workers may not file their claim until their last day of work. CDLE’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division has the following resources available for new UI claimants:
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Source: US State of Connecticut
Dr. Se-Jin Lee first discovered myostatin in 1997, a protein that is part of a system of checks and balances that limits human muscle growth. That discovery launched an extensive effort in the pharmaceutical community to develop myostatin inhibitors to treat muscle diseases.
Despite numerous drugs that were taken into clinical trials for a wide range of conditions characterized by muscle loss and weakness, the results of those trials were initially disappointing in terms of improving clinical outcome — until now.
Three companies – Scholar Rock, Biohaven, and Roche – have been testing myostatin inhibitors in phase 3 trials in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare neuromuscular disease with devastating consequences. Based on the results of these trials, one of these companies, Scholar Rock, is now seeking FDA approval for their myostatin inhibitor, which is based on a fundamental mechanism discovered by Lee by which myostatin is regulated.
“I could not be more excited to see this effort now on the doorstep of finally reaching fruition,” says Lee, Presidential Distinguished Professor at UConn School of Medicine and professor at The Jackson Laboratory who consults for Biohaven.
With the potential use of myostatin inhibitors in patients with SMA on the horizon, this is now accelerating into efforts to target myostatin for obesity.
This effort has its origin over two decades ago with studies that Lee did showing that knocking out myostatin not only increased muscle growth but also reduced body fat. Fast forward decades later, his discovery of the power of the myostatin pathway is fueling new promising obesity drug development and clinical trial testing.
As spotlighted in February’s Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, in which Lee’s myostatin discovery and ensuing investigations over the next three decades are featured, there are clinical trials of at least 10 drugs either underway or soon launching that target myostatin and the related protein activin A or their receptors in varied ways or with a combination of drugs, with even more clinical trials rapidly evolving.
“Many major pharmaceutical companies as well as biotech companies are developing drugs capable of blocking this signaling pathway, as these drugs have the potential to simultaneously increase muscle mass and reduce body fat,” says Lee. “The potential indications for myostatin drug discovery are going to explode in the coming years.”
At UConn School of Medicine Lee and his wife, Dr. Emily Germain-Lee, a physician-scientist and pediatric endocrinologist who is a professor of Pediatrics at the UConn School of Medicine and Head of Academic Affairs and Research for Endocrinology at Connecticut Children’s, are further co-investigating the underlying biologics of obesity and the potential for creating future healthier, weight loss drug options.
Their study explorations are identifying the key tissues responsible for the regulation of obesity by myostatin and activin A and developing the most effective strategies for modulating the molecules’ signaling pathways. In 2019, they even sent mice to the International Space Station, where studies showed that blocking these molecules prevented bone and muscle loss in the mice, even in the setting of microgravity in which dramatic decreases in both bone and muscle mass typically occur. Now, they are building on their out-of-this-world research efforts to help tackle the obesity epidemic.
Why myostatin?
The renewed interest in targeting myostatin for obesity coincides with the enormous success of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) obesity drugs. As effective as these drugs are in causing weight loss, one concern has been that up to 40% of that weight loss is not due to fat loss but rather due to muscle loss. Moreover, when patients discontinue these drugs, the weight that they regain is predominantly fat rather than muscle.
As a result, there is an enormous interest in developing myostatin inhibitors to preserve muscle mass in patients receiving GLP-1 drugs. The UConn team’s research has already shown in the lab in mouse models that myostatin inhibitors cause fat loss, so they are currently examining the possibility of developing them as future obesity drugs that can also preserve muscle. The myostatin drugs work by helping muscles grow while in turn reducing fat as the muscles consume more energy.
The UConn team’s goal is to try to find a more practical and potent solution and to offer obese patients a healthier muscle-sparing weight loss drug option with fewer side effects. Also, they believe the new-age myostatin drugs might work best if given alongside the injectable GLP-1 obesity drugs. The hope is the combination would allow for a reduction in GLP-1 doses leading to fewer untoward consequences.
“The challenge of the obesity epidemic is widespread and one that even pediatricians face constantly,” adds Germain-Lee, who frequently sees first-hand in children the significant morbidity from obesity. She explains that “effective treatments having the least detrimental impact on the musculoskeletal system are crucial.” As a physician-scientist with a long-term focus on both endocrine and rare disorders, particularly a rare condition in which obesity is unable to be treated by dietary measures or current therapeutics, she is very excited about the benefits that myostatin inhibitors could provide.
In her role as director of the Scientific Center for Rare Disease at Connecticut Children’s Research Institute, Germain-Lee adds, “in addition to helping to tackle the global problem of obesity, the potential for seeing infants and children with SMA having their lives transformed by myostatin inhibitors is truly amazing.”
February 28 marks National Rare Disease Day.
Source: US State of New York
Commits $1 Million to Albany Police Department and $500,000 to Albany County Sheriff for Supplemental Safety and Enforcement Activities
Dedicates a Record $2.4 Million Investment To Combat Gun Violence in Albany Through GIVE Initiative
Strengthens Albany County Law Enforcement Agencies With $2.5 Million Commitment for New Technology and Equipment
Governor Has Deployed Over $47.6 Million To Strengthen Public Safety and Law Enforcement Efforts Within City of Albany
Build on Governor’s $400 Million Executive Budget Proposal To Revitalize Downtown Albany
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $19.5 million in State investments to improve public safety in Albany, including a new $1 million commitment to the City of Albany Police Department and $500,000 for the Albany County Sheriff’s Office. Governor Hochul’s announcement came after convening a roundtable with local elected officials and public safety leaders to discuss a comprehensive plan to reduce crime in the City of Albany.
“Our State’s capital should be a vibrant, thriving city that reflects the best qualities New York has to offer,” Governor Hochul said. “By increasing investments in public safety, we’re not only strengthening local law enforcement, but also ensuring all Albany residents and businesses feel safe and secure. When New Yorkers feel safe, our cities and towns thrive and I’m committed to ensuring that Albany’s future is bright, safe and prosperous.”
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After meeting with local elected and law enforcement leaders, Governor Hochul detailed the State’s investment in the City of Albany and Albany County, administered by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, $47.6 million in funding has already been invested in strengthening public safety and law enforcement efforts throughout the city. Following recent investments, illegal gun seizures have increased by 170 percent and gun violence statewide has dropped by 49 percent. In Albany, crime decreased by 7 percent from January to September 2024 compared to the previous year and shootings decreased from 101 in 2020 to 52 in 2024.
The $1.5 million investment builds on the Governor’s $47.6 million total commitment to support Albany’s city and county law enforcement since taking office. The funding will enable the City of Albany to expand resources in locations that have seen a persistent increase in crime and will supplement existing funding to expand tactics that prove most impactful in suppressing crime. By engaging, supporting and funding local law enforcement agencies and community partners; leveraging technology and data; and implementing evidence-based strategies, the State can help localities address their unique public safety needs while healing and strengthening neighborhoods and families.
Governor Hochul’s latest public safety investment follows the recent allocation of funding for programs in Albany’s city and county including:
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership on public safety and comprehensive approach to helping keep our communities safe and strong. These new investments will help our partners within the City of Albany and Albany County continue to drive down violence and reduce crime. We look forward to building a brighter future for all who live, work, and visit the Capital Region.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said,“The New York State Police is proud to stand alongside Governor Hochul and our local law enforcement partners in the shared mission of ensuring the safety and security of Albany’s residents. This significant investment in public safety—particularly in technology, enforcement, and crime prevention initiatives—demonstrates a firm commitment to making our communities safer. By working together, we can continue to reduce violent crime, disrupt illegal gun activity, and enhance public trust in law enforcement. The New York State Police remains dedicated to supporting these efforts and safeguarding the future of our state’s capital.”
When New Yorkers feel safe, our cities and towns thrive and I’m committed to ensuring that Albany’s future is bright, safe and prosperous.
Governor Kathy Hochul
State Senator Patricia Fahy said, “Investing in our law enforcement partnerships and evidence-based gun violence prevention programming is how we combat the scourge of gun violence and crime. These investments will help Capital Region communities disrupt cycles of violence and provide law enforcement the tools they need to get the job done. Thank you to Governor Hochul for again investing in Albany and the Capital Region—I look forward to working with her, our community, and partners in law enforcement to continue making our communities safer.”
Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said, “The Governor’s announcement for additional public safety support and resources for the Capital City of Albany is sincerely appreciated. As a former Mayor and former representative for the Capital City, I understand the importance of this commitment and the impact that it will have. When it comes to public safety, despite statistics showing crime has decreased, public perception at times trails the reality and we must be responsive to give our residents peace of mind. The dedication of additional resources to assist the Albany Police Department and Albany County Sheriff along with supporting the efforts of the City of Albany Mayor and Albany County Executive will work toward addressing the complex issues cities face at this time, especially the challenges related to those who experience homelessness and/or have mental health issues.”
Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero said, “Albany is a capital city that should make every New Yorker proud. We need serious investments to make that a reality. The Governor’s commitment to fund public safety and downtown revitalization is a huge step to make our city the capital we all deserve.”
Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, “Public safety is a top priority for our residents, and this funding will help ensure that local law enforcement has the resources they need to tackle the violence in our community and address the root causes of crime. The City of Albany is the heart of Albany County, and by working together at the state and local level, we can create an environment where residents and visitors can confidently explore what our city has to offer. I appreciate Governor Hochul’s commitment to this issue and look forward to the positive impact this investment will have.”
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Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “As always I have to applaud Governor Hochul’s leadership and commitment to the residents of the City of Albany. Throughout her administration she has focused on quality of life issues people face in our city and across the state of New York. Her continued investments in public safety through GIVE, funding to train law enforcement professionals, equipment, personnel, and the state’s first crime analysis center have led to proven results. We’ve seen a reduction in crime throughout the city, we’ve seen faster response times from our law enforcement personnel and closure rates higher than the national average. Through the Governor’s $1 million investment for the City of Albany, we will continue to keep Albany safe for residents and visitors.”
Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox said, “This funding and support marks a step forward in joint efforts to enhance the safety and security of our community. With this funding, we can strengthen our focus on community policing, fostering trust and collaboration between our officers and the neighborhoods they serve. We thank Governor Hochul for prioritizing public safety, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with our community as well as business owners to create a secure vibrant environment for everyone.”
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, Sr. said, “l would like to thank the Governor for $500,000 in grant funding from New York State to continue its efforts to strengthen public safety in the City of Albany. These monies will help to provide proactive enforcements throughout the City. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working with our State and local partners as well as the community to improve public safety, end the cycles of violence, and eliminate the root causes of criminal recidivism.
Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve
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February 25, 2025
Minutes of the Board’s discount rate meetings on January 21 and 29, 2025
For release at 2:00 p.m. EST
The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday released the minutes from its recent meetings to review and determine the discount rates provided to depository institutions through the discount window. Today’s minutes cover the Board meetings that occurred on January 21 and 29, 2025.
The Board’s process for setting the discount rate is distinct from the process the Federal Open Market Committee follows in setting the target range for the federal funds rate.
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Last Update: February 25, 2025