DULUTH, Ga., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hanmi Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: HAFC) (“Hanmi”), the holding company for Hanmi Bank, today welcomed local officials and community members to its grand opening celebration for its newest branch in Duluth, Georgia. Honored guests included Georgia State Representative Long Tran (Dist. 80), and Gwinnett County Commissioner Kirkland Carden. They were joined by several Hanmi Bank executives, including Bonnie Lee, President and CEO, Anthony Kim, Chief Banking Officer, and Cindy Yum, who serves as Branch Manager for the new Duluth location.
The Duluth branch is Hanmi’s first full-service branch in Georgia, located at 2330 Pleasant Hill Road, Suite 100 – less than 30 miles from Atlanta. Georgia continues to be a key hub for Korean business investment and expansion. In fiscal year 2023, Korean companies announced over $10 billion in new investments and the creation of more than 12,600 jobs across the state, according to the Office of the Governor. Total trade between Georgia and Korea reached $17.5 billion last year, underscoring the strength of this dynamic economic partnership.
“Our expansion in Georgia is an important step in our growth plans, and we’re excited to be a part of this community,” said Bonnie Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hanmi Financial Corporation. “Duluth is a vibrant and diverse city that values business opportunity and community strength. We look forward to supporting local businesses and individuals, and contributing to the continued economic vitality of this region through our relationship-based banking model.”
Hanmi Bank Duluth Branch offers a comprehensive range of personal and business banking services, including checking and savings accounts, commercial lending, SBA loans, and specialized financial solutions. Bank hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
About Hanmi Financial Corporation Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Hanmi Financial Corporation owns Hanmi Bank, which serves multi-ethnic communities through its network of 32 full-service branches, five loan production offices and three loan centers in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Hanmi Bank specializes in real estate, commercial, SBA and trade finance lending to small and middle market businesses. Additional information is available at www.hanmi.com.
SEATTLE — Attorney General Nick Brown and 23 other attorneys general today won a court order that blocks the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.
On April 29, Brown joined a coalition of 23 other attorneys general—joined by the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania—in challenging the administration’s plans to eliminate nearly 90% of AmeriCorps’ workforce, abruptly cancel its contracts, and close $400 million worth of AmeriCorps-supported programs.
The coalition sought a preliminary injunction to immediately stop the closure of programs in plaintiff states. Today the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland granted the preliminary injunction, restoring all programs that had been terminated in plaintiff states, and ordering the reinstatement of over 750 National Civilian Community Corps members.
“Thanks to the states’ action, AmeriCorps volunteers in Washington can continue to serve food banks in Chelan and Douglas counties; help communities build climate resilience and prepare for disasters in rural areas; tutor children in places like the Tri-Cities and mentor at-risk youth in places like Tacoma and Seatac; and rehabilitate low-income housing, support veterans, and so much more statewide,” Brown said. “We’ll continue this fight until the Trump administration finally respects the rule of law and the value of community service.”
Brown and the coalition successfully argued that the Trump administration’s attacks on AmeriCorps are illegal. By closing $400 million worth of AmeriCorps programs without explanation, the Trump administration harmed States that administer those programs as well as K–12 students, vulnerable seniors, and others who depend upon their services.
A federal judge found that the Trump administration’s actions were unlawful, because Congress explicitly required that the agency provide advance notice and an opportunity to comment on an any major changes to AmeriCorps services.
Today’s order restores $12 million in unspent funds vital to AmeriCorps programs in Washington. The court’s decision preliminarily stops the Trump administration from terminating them while the litigation continues.
Joining Attorney General Brown in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the “Quad,” is an informal strategic forum for the militaries of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia. The partnership between the four countries is built upon common interests: promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and addressing regional geopolitical challenges.
At a time when adversaries like China and Russia are increasingly utilizing space-based capabilities to expand their interests, U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), co-chair of the Senate Space Force Caucus and chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee,and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Quad Space Act of 2025. The bill would direct the Secretary of Defense to initiate discussions with Quad countries to identify mutual areas of interest with respect to the formulation of best practices in space, cooperation on space situational awareness, and space industrial policy.
The Quad Space Act of 2025 would also require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, detailing potential areas of mutual interests. Additionally, the report must outline potential steps the Secretary intends to take to formalize cooperation among Quad members.
“Maintaining space dominance is vital to protecting the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region,” said Cramer. “The Quad’s alignment addresses shared security challenges between our countries, and we recognize the importance of space as a strategic domain. The Quad Space Act protects our interests by deepening space cooperation with trusted partners and reaffirming our commitment to advancing a free and open region.”
“As China and Russia rapidly develop dangerous space capabilities and behave recklessly in space, the United States must bolster cooperation with our Quad partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,”said Bennet.“The Quad Space Act will enhance our collective capacity to address shared challenges by better ensuring safe and secure space missions, tracking objects and activities in space, and fostering shared innovation.”
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353 June 5, 2025
Cotton Introduces Bill to Ban to Protect American Agriculture from Biothreats
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Biothreat Prevention Act, legislation that would ban federal funding for laboratories or research centers that have nationals from China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, or North Korea working on agricultural research.
“Foreign terrorists that seek to poison and destroy America’s food supply should not have access to American labs and universities,” said Senator Cotton.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
June 05, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate ENR Committee expressed serious concern over the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) unlawful approval of mining activities by Dateline Resources inside the Mojave National Preserve and demanded they rescind their approval. In their letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the lawmakers also called on Interior to comply with federal mining law, conduct a full mineral validity exam, reaffirm the National Park Service’s (NPS) authority over mining operations in the Preserve, and explain their legal rationale for permitting Dateline Resources mining activity.
“We write with serious concern regarding the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) recent press release announcing BLM’s ‘approval’ of mining activity by Dateline Resources within Mojave National Preserve,” wrote the lawmakers. “This action appears to violate federal law, disregards National Park Service (NPS) authority, and sets a dangerous precedent for industrial development in lands that Congress has designated as worthy of inclusion in the National Park System.”
Congress created the Mojave National Preserve in 1994 through the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s California Desert Protection Act (CDPA), which transferred the land from BLM to NPS, helping support rare plant species and vital wildlife corridors. The law clearly states that any mining within the Preserve must comply with the Mining in the Parks Act, meaning companies with preexisting claims must conduct a mineral validity exam and obtain an NPS-approved plan of operations before any surface-disturbing activity can occur.
Despite these requirements, BLM recently approved rare earth mineral exploration by Dateline Resources, an Australian company, based on a 1985 BLM plan of operations that predates the Preserve’s creation and only covers the extraction of gold. Dateline recently announced plans to begin exploratory drilling, despite lacking a valid NPS-approved plan or proof of the existence of a valuable mineral deposit, as the Mining in the Parks Act requires.
“Congress set aside these lands and entrusted them to the NPS for permanent protection, not as a zone for future industrial exploitation,” continued the lawmakers.
The lawmakers also criticized Secretary Burgum for backtracking on his commitments to safeguard America’s national parks.
“This is not only illegal, but it directly contradicts a commitment you made during your confirmation hearing to ‘protect every inch of our national parks.’ Approving a foreign-owned company’s speculative mining project inside a national park in this way is clearly inconsistent with that promise and threatens future speculative actions across other national parks,” added the lawmakers.
Local leaders expressed their strong support for Padilla, Schiff, Heinrich, and Huffman’s effort to protect the Mojave National Preserve from this unlawful mining activity.
“We applaud Senator Padilla and congressional leaders for defending our beloved Mojave National Preserve from unchecked destruction by the Trump administration,” said Chance Wilcox, California Desert Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association. “In promoting speculative, damaging mining in our National Park System, the administration is pushing aside not only the legal protections afforded to this biodiverse landscape, but also the American people who love their parks. The administration’s misguided effort gives an Australian company a free pass to mining in one of America’s largest national park sites while saddling taxpayers with the clean-up costs.”
“I spent my entire career in the National Park Service and was Superintendent of Mojave National Preserve for over a decade,” said Mary Martin, Retired National Park Service Official. “Speculative mining should have no place in our country’s most spectacular places – our national parks. It is infuriating that the Trump administration is urging an Australian mining company to drill and bulldoze this national park. This is nothing short of illegal and a betrayal of all Americans who own these national parks.”
“The Clark mountain range is one of California’s most botanically important areas, estimated to harbor the second-highest density of rare plants of any of the state’s mountain ranges,” said Jim Andre, Director of UC Riverside’s Granite Mountains Desert Research Center. “The eastern Mojave Desert is also a global hotspot for new species discovery, where 15% of the vascular plant species have yet to be discovered. Will we know what we’ve lost if we bulldoze this area? They’re not just prized luxury items, they’re actually a functional part of the ecosystem that are supposed to be protected for the benefit of all Americans.”
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging motorists not to get caught out as more snow is forecast across the South Island leading into the weekend.
Heavy snow warnings or watches have been issued by the MetService from tomorrow, with heavy snow down to 300m potentially causing travel disruption, damage to trees and powerlines in Central Otago and Canterbury, from the Rangitata River southwards.
Queenstown Lakes is also facing potentially heavy snow to 400m, and snow is expected to fall about the Dunedin-Waitati Highway (SH1) from about 10am tomorrow
North of the Rangitata River, Canterbury and southern Marlborough may also be affected, with heavy snow possible down to 400m. Mountain passes across the island may be impacted as snow accumulates.
“We got off relatively lightly with the snow so far this week,” says NZTA system manager Mark Pinner.
“The highway closures we had in the MacKenzie Country were only short-lived and the impact was not widespread. If you are heading away for the weekend, and especially if you are travelling on highways at higher elevations, make sure you are prepared and plan ahead using our Journey Planner.”
A major step in protecting Franz Josef township on the West Coast has been officially completed. Stage 1 of the Franz Josef Flood Protection Scheme, a major regional infrastructure project supported by a $9.2 million government grant will boost the resilience and safety of Franz Josef, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “The vulnerability of Franz Josef to flooding is well known. The completion of stage 1 works – installing stopbanks on the north side of the Waiho River, is the first step toward protecting the community and local economy against flooding events,” Mr Jones says. Stage 1 was funded through a 2021 COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund – Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) grant. Mr Jones was at Franz Josef today to formally mark the end of stage 1 works. “Last year, I announced a $6m grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to co-fund stage 2 of the flood protection scheme, including construction of new stopbanks and strengthening of existing stopbanks along the southern side of Waiho River. “This investment will further strengthen Franz Josef’s ability to withstand extreme weather events and provide the community more time for effective long-term planning,” Mr Jones says. Editors’ note The Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) is a $1.2 billion capital fund with the primary purpose of accelerating infrastructure projects, particularly with a focus on water storage, energy, Māori economic development, growth, and resilience, to make a difference in our regions. In August 2024, the Government committed $200 million of the RIF to flood resilience and announced $101.1 million of investment into 42 flood resilience projects across New Zealand, which included Stage 2 of the Franz Josef Flood Protection Scheme. More information about the RIF can be found on the Grow Regions website
The 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study found neglect and physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children is widespread. Among Australians aged 16–65 years, 32% experienced physical abuse, 28.5% experienced sexual abuse, 39% experienced emotional abuse and 9% had been neglected during their childhoods.
As the place where children spend the bulk of their time outside home, schools could be an important source of help and support. But are they equipped to do this?
Our research, published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues, explores the impact of domestic and family violence on young people’s education. Our findings show just how significant the disruption to a young person’s education can be, including how safe or supported they feel at school.
Our study
Our study draws on data from the Adolescent Family Violence in Australia project. This is a national survey of more than 5,000 young Australians aged 16–20 years old. We focused on a subset of 1,651 respondents who had experienced domestic and family violence, either by experiencing violence between other family members or being directly subjected to it.
The survey asked both structured and open-ended questions to explore the impacts of domestic and family violence.
Family violence disrupts school attendance and participation
Our study showed family violence has a significant impact on school attendance. Young people told us they missed classes or dropped out of school during their experiences of violence.
For some young people, attending school while coping with trauma, fear and instability at home was too overwhelming.
A 19-year-old woman shared how she became so anxious in the presence of teachers and other authority figures she could only manage one day of school per week in a secluded setting.
Another young woman described missing classes regularly to care for her mother after violent episodes, while a 20-year-old man said he stayed home to protect his mother.
Even when young victims did attend school, the emotional toll of family violence often meant they were socially withdrawn. Some spoke about losing friends due to frequent house moves and school shifts, while others withdrew socially because of anxiety and trauma. One 17-year-old explained:
I don’t talk a lot to male teachers and don’t really have close friendships with girls at my school, so I tend to stay home.
Some participants described school as a safe haven away from their abusive home. But even in these cases, learning was often still difficult. One young person commented:
Yes, I wanted to go to school to get away from home, but felt very alone and isolated because no one knew what was happening.
Family violence and homework
The effects of family violence extend beyond the classroom. Many young people told us how the chaos, fear and emotional exhaustion of life at home made it difficult, if not impossible, to complete homework or study for exams. One young woman remarked:
I can’t do any homework at home because it’s not a safe environment for me.
Another young person described being kept up late listening to fighting or because of police visits, leaving them physically and emotionally exhausted in the morning.
In some cases, abusive parents directly prevented their child from attending school or doing homework. Other young people described not having access to the tools they needed, like a working computer or internet connection – sometimes withheld deliberately by a parent.
These accounts show how for some children experiencing family violence, learning at home is not just difficult, it is fundamentally unsafe.
Young people spoke of how domestic violence made it impossible to study at home. C.T.PHAT/Shutterstock, CC BY
A missed opportunity
It can be difficult for schools to fully understand and appreciate what’s happening for students at home.
Few of the young people we surveyed proactively disclosed their experiences to school staff, including teachers and counsellors. Disclosure rates ranged from just 12% to 17%, depending on the type of violence the young person reported experiencing.
For those young people who did disclose, their experiences varied. Some young people described school staff as a lifeline – listening without judgement, offering helpful information and taking action where needed.
Others described being ignored, dismissed or harmed further by insensitive responses. As one young person said, the “school counsellor told me I needed to understand dad’s behaviour and keep my head down”.
The help students received seemed to depend on the individual teacher or school counsellor, their knowledge and training. This inconsistency represents a major barrier to effective and early intervention.
What needs to change
As well as learning, schools can also provide safety, stability and healing. We need schools to be supported to provide more effective and consistent care for students experiencing family violence.
As other research has similarly found, responses need to be trauma-informed (recognising the impact of trauma on students) and student-centred (focusing on individuals’ needs). This involves:
providing trauma and domestic violence-informed training to all school staff
ensuring schools have clear processes to follow if a student disclosures domestic violence, including referrals to appropriate external supports
adopting flexible attendance and academic policies for young people impacted by domestic violence
building collaborative partnerships with community-based domestic violence and mental health services.
The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. The Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491) offers advice and counselling to men looking to change their behaviour.
Steven Roberts receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Government and ANROWS, among others. He is a Board Director at Respect Victoria, but this article is written wholly separate from and does not represent that role.
Kate has received funding for research on violence against women and children from a range of federal and state government and non-government sources. Currently, Kate receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the South Australian government, Safe Steps, Australian Childhood Foundation and 54 Reasons. This piece is written by Kate Fitz-Gibbon in her role at Monash University and Sequre Consulting, and is wholly independent of Kate Fitz-Gibbon’s role as chair of Respect Victoria and membership on the Victorian Children’s Council.
Rebecca Stewart is a project officer at No to Violence. The views expressed in this article are her own.
Big animals of the ocean go about their days mostly hidden from view. Scientists know this marine megafauna – such as whales, sharks, seal, turtles and birds – travel vast distances to feed and breed.
But almost a third are now at risk of extinction due largely to fishing, shipping, pollution and global warming.
Protecting them can be difficult, because we don’t often know where these animals are.
New research I led sought to shed light on the issue. My colleagues and I gathered 30 years of satellite tracking data to map hotspots of megafauna activity around the globe.
We tracked 12,794 animals from 111 species to find out where they go. The results reveal underwater “highways” where megafauna crisscross the global Ocean. They also show where megafauna dwell for feeding and breeding. Now we know where these special places are, we have a better chance of protecting them.
Satellite tracking reveals marine megafauna migration pathways and places of residence. Sequeira et al (2025) Science
Pulling all the data together: a mega task
For more than 30 years, marine biologists have tagged large animals in the sea with electronic devices and tracked their movements via satellite. The trackers capture data on everything from speed of travel, to direction of movement and where the animals spend most of their time.
I put a call out to the global research community to bring together the tracking data. I hoped it would help scientists better understand the animals’ movements and identify their favourite places.
Some 378 scientists from 50 countries responded. We assembled the world’s largest tracking dataset of marine megafauna. It includes species of flying birds, whales, fishes (mostly sharks), penguins, polar bears, seals, dugongs, manatees and turtles. They were tracked between 1985 and 2018, throughout the world’s oceans.
Ana Sequeira swimming with a whale shark in Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, to collect samples. Australian Institute of Marine Science
Mapping reveals a lack of protection
When we started analysing the data, it showed the tagged animals used some parts of the ocean more frequently than others. Most of them travelled to the central Indian Ocean, northeast Pacific Ocean, Atlantic north, and waters around Mozambique and South Africa.
It’s likely this reflects a lack of data from elsewhere. However, these species are known to go to places where they are most likely to find food, so we expect some areas to be used more than others (including the areas we detected).
Currently only about 8% of the global ocean is protected. And only 5% of the important marine megafauna areas we identified occur within these existing marine protected areas.
This leaves all of the other important marine megafauna areas we identified unprotected. In other words, the species using those areas are likely to suffer harm from human activities taking place at sea.
More than 90% of the important marine megafauna areas we identified are exposed to high plastic pollution, shipping traffic or to intensifying global warming. And about 75% are exposed to industrial fishing.
We also found marine megafauna tend to spend most of their time within exclusive economic zones. This area lies beyond the territorial sea or belt of water 12 nautical miles from the coast of each country, extending 200 nautical miles from shore. The presence of megafauna in these exclusive economic zones means individual countries could increase the protection afforded within their jurisdictions.
About 40% of the important marine megafauna areas were located in these zones. But about 60% were on the high seas.
The future of marine megafauna conservation
The High Seas Treaty, recently adopted by the United Nations and signed by 115 countries, governs the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological biodiversity on the open ocean.
Working alongside this treaty, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030. This presents an opportunity to ensure important marine megafauna areas are well represented.
We used an optimisation algorithm to identify the best areas to protect, when it comes to marine megafauna. We gave priority to areas that are potentially used for feeding, breeding, resting and migrating across all the different species.
But even if important marine megafauna areas are selected when 30% of the ocean is protected, about 60% of these areas would still stay unprotected.
Significant risks from human activities will remain. Management efforts must also focus on reducing harm from fishing and shipping. Fighting climate change and cutting down noise and plastic pollution should also be key priorities.
Like for most megafauna on land, the reign of marine megafauna might come to an end if humanity does not afford these species greater protection.
Ana M. M. Sequeira receives funding from the Australian Research Council and a Pew Marine Fellowship from the Pew Charitable Trusts. She is also affiliated with the University of Western Australia.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joseph Ibrahim, Professor, Aged Care Medical Research Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University
The Coroners Court of Victoria is undertaking an inquest into the deaths of eight aged care residents across six facilities, over a nine-month period in 2021.
Each death occurred after an interaction between residents, known as resident-to-resident aggression.
If your loved one is living in aged care, it’s natural to be distressed and concerned for their safety after hearing about these deaths.
Here’s what we know about when and where it’s more likely to happen, how relatives can safeguard their loved ones, and what’s happening across the system to reduce the risk of it occurring.
What does it look like?
Resident-to-resident aggression refers to aggressive and intrusive interactions between long-term care residents that would likely be unwelcome and potentially cause the recipient physical or psychological distress or harm. It includes physical, sexual and verbal aggression.
However, the term “aggression” is potentially misleading. In most cases, the residents involved are not consciously intending to cause harm.
The prevalence of resident-to-resident aggression in aged care has been estimated at 20%, but is likely under-reported. This means that over a month, 20% of aged care residents are likely to experience an incident of resident-to-resident aggression. This is usually verbal abuse or an invasion of privacy.
The variation in reported prevalence rates makes it hard to know if the rate is increasing.
The consequences of resident-to-resident aggression range in seriousness from functional decline, to psychological or physical injury, to death.
In 2017, we published a national study of deaths from resident-to-resident aggression in nursing home residents in Australia. Over 14 years, we identified 28 deaths.
Almost 90% of residents involved – either as an “exhibitor” (often referred to as the aggressor) or a target – had dementia. Three-quarters of those diagnosed with dementia had a history of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, including wandering and physical aggression.
Exhibitors of aggressive behaviour were mostly male (85.7%), often younger, and more recently admitted to the aged care facility than the target.
Resident-to-resident aggression leading to death was most likely to occur between two male residents.
Half of all incidents leading to death involved a resident pushing and the target falling, leading to injuries such as hip fracture and head injury. This underscores the vulnerabilities posed by physical frailty among aged care residents.
Incidents resulting in death occurred mostly in communal areas, reflecting the ongoing challenges of an aged care system that relies on residents living together.
Learning from past incidents
Resident-to-resident aggression was previously brought to national attention by the death of a resident at the Oakden facility in South Australia. This led to a coronial inquest and the facility closed in 2017.
The case raised issues including the need for residents exhibiting potentially aggressive behaviour to have regular clinical reviews, accurate and detailed documentation, and adequate escalation and reporting of any incidents of aggression.
Since 2021, facilities have been required to report incidents of “unreasonable use of force”. The Australian Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission monitors these events through the Serious Incident Response Scheme.
The last report, from March 2023, provides a series of case studies and highlights the need for better approaches to behaviour support and risk assessment.
However, prevention requires a broader systems-based approach to better understand the problem, and generate and evaluate interventions. This should include reviewing trends at the facility, provider and national level.
Approaching individual situations
Resident-to-resident aggression is expected to become more common as more people are diagnosed with dementia.
Cognitive impairment in both the exhibitor of aggressive behaviour and targets makes this more complex, as a resident could become either one, depending on the precipitating circumstances.
In one-third of the cases we analysed, the exhibitor of aggressive behaviour and the target had been involved in an earlier incident together in the past 12 months. This suggests there are opportunities for intervention.
Are police involved?
When serious injury or death occurs, it is the role of police to investigate the incident and refer to the Office of Public Prosecutions, if appropriate.
Attributing legal responsibility is problematic and criminal charges are rarely filed. This may be because the residents involved are unfit for police interview or unfit to stand trial.
Alternatively, prosecution may not be deemed in the public interest.
Managing symptoms of dementia
Dementia may impair a person’s ability to reason, express their needs and manage their emotions. It can also impair their ability to respond, in a socially acceptable way, to interpersonal conflict.
Behaviour-management strategies to support the person with dementia include having a calm environment with a familiar routine and clear communication.
Over the past decade, more formal services have become available to help manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
Managing dementia symptoms requires multidisciplinary expertise spanning the aged care, disability and mental health sectors. Yet integrating these services remains a challenge.
The federal government has committed to addressing the sub-optimal management of residents living with dementia.
Supporting your loved one
If you’re worried about your loved one, the first step is to express these concerns directly to the facility staff, as you would with any other matter. Open communication helps the facility staff to get to know your loved one and provide more tailored support.
The Older Persons Advocacy Network is available to residents for free, independent and confidential support. They can advocate for you if you feel your concerns aren’t being heard or your loved one’s care is compromised.
What happens next with the inquest?
The Coroners Court will investigate this important and distressing issue and aims to reduce the number of preventable deaths.
The coroner will hear the evidence, and may make formal recommendations about how to improve resident safety. Government agencies are required to consider and respond to these recommendations.
It’s clear we have a long way to go to safeguard the rights of older people living in residential care.
Joseph Ibrahim is a medical specialist in geriatrics and an academic with over 30 years of clinical experience. He is a Professor with the Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University and an Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. He previously received funding from state and national government for research into the safety and quality of aged care homes and resident-on-resident aggression. He has also been an expert witness for criminal and coroners court cases as well as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Amelia Grossi 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.
Mould in houses is unsightly and may cause unpleasant odours. More important though, mould has been linked to a range of health effects – especially triggering asthma.
However, is mould exposure linked to a serious lung disease in children, unrelated to asthma? As we’ll see, this link may not be real, or if it is, it’s so rare to not be a meaningful risk. Yet we still hear mould in damp homes described as “toxic”.
Indeed, mouldy homes can harm people’s health, but not necessarily how you might think.
What is mould?
Mould is the general term for a variety of fungi. The mould that people have focused on in damp homes is “black mould”. This forms unsightly black patches on walls and other parts of damp-affected buildings.
Black mould is not a single fungus. But when people talk about black mould, they generally mean the fungus Stachybotrys chartarum or S. chartarum for short. It’s one of experts’ top ten feared fungi.
The focus on this species comes from a report in the 1990s on cases of haemorrhagic lung disease in a number of infants. This is a rare disease where blood leaks into the lungs, and can be fatal. The report suggested chemicals known as mycotoxins associated with this species of fungus were responsible for the outbreak.
Hundreds of different chemicals are listed as myocytoxins. These include ones in poisonous mushrooms, and ones associated with the soil fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus.
The fungus typically associated with black mould S. chartarum can produce several mycotoxins. These include roridin, which inhibits protein synthesis in humans and animals, and satratoxins, which have numerous toxic effects including bleeding in the lungs.
While the satratoxins, in particular, were mentioned in the report from the 90s in children, there are some problems when we look at the evidence.
The amount of mycotoxins S. chartarum makes can vary considerably. Even if significant amounts of mycotoxin are present, getting them into the body in the required amount to cause damage is another thing.
Inhaling spores in contaminated (mouldy) homes is the most probable way mycotoxins enter the body. For instance, we know mycotoxins can be found in S. chartarumspores. We also know direct injection of high concentrations of mycotoxin-bearing spores directly in the noses of mice can cause some lung bleeding.
Stachybotrys chartarum mycotoxins have been blamed for lung issues after exposure to black mould. Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock
But just because inhaling spores is the probable route of contamination doesn’t mean this is very likely.
Moulds can affect human health in ways unrelated to mycotoxins, typically through allergic reactions. Moulds including black moulds can trigger or worsen asthma attacks in people with mould allergies.
People with impaired immune systems (such as people taking immune-suppressant medications) may also be prone to mould infections.
In a nutshell
There is sufficient evidence that household mould is associated with respiratory issues attributable to their allergic effects.
However, there is no strong evidence mycotoxins from household mould – and in particular black mould – are associated with substantial health issues.
Ian Musgrave has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study adverse reactions to herbal medicines and has previously been funded by the Australian Research Council to study potential natural product treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. He is currently a member of one of the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s statutory councils.
As part of its resource management reforms, the government will soon allow “super-sized granny flats” to be built without consent – potentially adding 13,000 dwellings over the next decade to provide “families with more housing options”.
This represents genuine progress in reducing regulatory barriers. But the scale of the housing crisis means we have to ask whether incremental reforms can deliver meaningful change.
The numbers provide important context. Against current consenting rates of 40,000 to 50,000 new dwellings per year, those projected 70-square-metre granny flats represent a 2.6% increase in housing supply.
In Auckland, where housing pressure is most acute, 300 additional units might be built annually. For some, that’s likely to be useful. But for a country already facing a housing crunch, it’s insignificant.
The costs of a granny flat
The numbers also reveal who can participate in this proposed solution. Building a basic 70-square-metre granny flat will cost between NZ$200,000 and $300,000. Add site works, utility connections and mandatory licensed building practitioner supervision, and total project costs will be closer to the upper end of that range.
At current interest rates, financing $250,000 requires approximately $480 weekly in loan payments. While rents of $500-$600 per week are achievable in urban markets, these thin margins assume optimal conditions.
For property owners with existing equity, this presents a viable investment. For those seeking affordable housing – young families, essential workers, recent immigrants – the benefits remain largely theoretical.
This dynamic illustrates a persistent challenge in market-based housing solutions: policies intended to improve affordability often primarily benefit those with capital to deploy.
Pressure on the pipes
Each granny flat requires full residential infrastructure – water, wastewater and stormwater connections. The development contributions – fees councils charge on new builds to fund infrastructure – will help fund network upgrades. But New Zealand already faces a $120-185 billion water infrastructure deficit over the next 30 years, just to fix existing systems.
The challenge is particularly acute in established suburbs where these units are most likely to appear. Parts of Christchurch serviced by vacuum sewers already operate at capacity. Auckland’s combined sewer areas face overflow risks during heavy rainfall. Wellington’s ageing pipes struggle with current demand.
Adding thousands of dispersed infill units to stressed networks poses genuine engineering challenges that funding alone cannot solve.
Transport infrastructure faces similar pressures. With minimum parking requirements axed across the nation, these new granny flats will likely increase on-street parking demand and local traffic.
While some granny flat residents may rely on public transport or active modes, New Zealand’s car ownership rates – 837 vehicles per 1,000 people – suggest most will own vehicles.
Auckland’s sewer systems are already under pressure. New granny flats will add strain on the infrastructure. Janice Chen/Getty Images
Approved but not always built
International experience offers instructive parallels. California’s 2017 Accessory Dwelling Unit legislation provides the closest comparison. After removing similar regulatory barriers, California saw permits increase from 1,000 in 2016 to 13,000 in 2019.
However, construction costs and infrastructure constraints limited actual completions to roughly 60% of approved units.
Australian cities report similar patterns. Despite permissive regulations in many areas, only 13-23% of suitable properties actually added secondary dwellings. High construction costs and infrastructure limitations proved more binding than regulatory constraints.
Closer to home, Auckland’s experience with minor dwellings under the Unitary Plan suggests cautious optimism. Since 2016, the city has averaged 300-400 secondary dwelling consents annually where permitted. The number of units actually constructed is unknown.
Allowing one-storey detached 70-square-metre units without building consent may increase this modestly. But they are unlikely to dramatically accelerate production given persistent cost and capacity constraints.
Another form of wealth transfer
The policy’s benefits flow primarily to existing property owners. They will gain new development rights without competitive tender or public process. While perhaps justified by broader housing benefits, it’s worth acknowledging this is a form of wealth transfer.
For renters, benefits depend on how many units actually materialise and at what price point. Secondary units often rent at 20-30% below comparable standalone houses due to their size and backyard location.
This could meaningfully expand options for singles and couples. But families requiring larger accommodation will see limited benefits.
The policy’s design constraints also tell us what kind of urban density is acceptable. Single-storey height limits, two-metre boundary setbacks and standalone requirements essentially mandate the least efficient form of intensification.
Units could share walls and services, and two-storey designs that use less land could be permitted. Instead, the granny flat exemption favours the one configuration that maintains suburban aesthetics while delivering minimal extra housing.
A modest response to the housing crisis
The granny flat exemption exemplifies New Zealand’s approach to housing challenges: acknowledging a crisis while implementing modest responses.
Despite severe shortfalls in housing supply, the medium-density development common in comparable countries remains largely unrealised. An estimated 180,000 households could be accommodated through comprehensive densification.
There are genuine benefits worth acknowledging, of course. The exemption reduces bureaucratic barriers, enables some additional housing and gives property owners new options.
The question isn’t so much whether the new policy should be embraced. But rather whether the government is willing to complement it with larger changes the housing crisis demands.
Timothy Welch 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.
Since coming to power in 2022, the Albanese government has focused strongly on the Indo-Pacific.
The prime minister’s recent trip to Indonesia was the latest high-level bilateral summit as Australia seeks to recalibrate relationships, enhance security and, where possible, win the battle for hearts and minds in the region.
In a world slipping further into “strategic atrophy,” art, music, food, culture, sport and other forms of soft power are no longer peripheral.
In the foreword to the recently launched Australian Sports Diplomacy 2032+ strategy, for example, Labor MP Tim Watts stated:
Sport is an important tool for Australia’s diplomatic engagement at a time when Australia needs to use every dimension of our national power to advance our interests.
The First Nations of Australia are mentioned in this strategy but it fails to reflect the depth, power and influence Indigenous sports diplomats could bring.
Arguably, our sports diplomacy would be more authentic, unique and effective (especially in the Pacific) if First Nations people, perspectives and programs were genuinely integrated from the outset – baked in, not bolted on.
The epic history of First Nations sport
Indigenous Australians were the first people to play sport on this land.
Though sometimes hostile, these communities shared a common language: sport.
Physical pursuits served, and still serve, many purposes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: fostering communication, preserving lore, teaching youth to be effective providers and most importantly, practising survival skills.
Sport was also a civilising force used for social, cultural and diplomatic ends. Games and carnivals increased contact between clans, easing tension, division, xenophobia and misunderstandings that could spark violence.
Battendi (spear-throwing), Marngrook (football), Koolchee (ball games), and Prun (mock war) are examples of diplomatic games that predate the ancient Greek Olympics by tens of thousands of years.
Sport became central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture, identity and diplomacy.
“Deadly” – a term meaning excellent – sports diplomacy is a more fitting way to describe this unique form of diplomacy. Done well, it offers a more accurate, authentic brand of Australia to the region and beyond.
The battle for the Blue Pacific
The “Blue Pacific” – a term describing a shared Pacific culture, identity and collective diplomatic strategy – offers an opportunity to harness the power of deadly sports diplomacy.
If Australia hopes to win Pacific hearts and minds, it should send more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sports diplomats and teams to countries such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and New Zealand, because the nations of the Blue Pacific deeply respect the old, wise First Peoples of Australia.
These relationships are built on shared values: culture, family, spirituality and sport.
The Black Swans – Australia’s First Nations netball team, which debuted at the PacificAus Sports netball series in 2024 – are included as a case study in Sports Diplomacy 2032+. However, it’s the government’s A$600 million NRL project in PNG that has dominated headlines.
The Albanese government’s backing of this initiative has sparked criticism among supporters of other codes in Australia with strong ties to Pacific nations – especially rugby union, which until recently was the code of choice in Fiji and throughout Polynesia.
A rise in Pacific Island interest in rugby league may impact rugby union, some argue.
However, rugby league may be a more effective sports diplomacy tool. It enjoys growing popularity in those locations and has undisputed national sport status in PNG, the most populous Pacific nation by far.
It’s also arguably more “deadly,” with its Indigenous All Stars team and an Indigenous Round.
In the NRL, 48% of players have Pasifika heritage, and 12% identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, compared to 3% across the Australian population.
Should rugby union receive similar support? Perhaps, but first, it must address the absence of Indigenous players.
Since Rugby Australia’s founding in 1949, only 15 Aboriginal men have played Test rugby for Australia.
What about similar funding for soccer, the national obsession of strategically important near neighbours Solomon Islands and Vanuatu?
It too has had a relative absence of Indigenous players at Australia’s highest levels, notwithstanding the pioneering careers of Charlie Perkins, John Moriarty, Archie Thompson and recent Matildas Lydia Williams and Mackenzie Arnold.
Extra time
Integrating the world’s oldest living culture in Australia’s sports diplomacy program can only enhance our relationships, diplomacy and national brand.
Established in 2020, it connects elite First Nations athletes with respected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors.
Throughout the year, athletes and mentors meet online, attend monthly storytelling sessions and attend an annual cultural connection camp at the AIS campus.
Mainstream sport can be challenging but having the unwavering support of mob keeps me grounded and focused on my goals.
The fact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have practised sports diplomacy for more than 60,000 years is a powerful story. It is one that should be celebrated at every international sporting event we attend, bid for, or host.
Including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, programs and perspectives would strengthen and innovate our strategies, add vital cultural iconography, inspire like-minded nations and help win hearts and minds from Honiara to Hawaii.
The authors would like to thank Kombumerri woman Emily Pugin (DFAT) and Butchulla/Goreng Goreng Paul Martin for their contribution, teaching and help in commissioning and drafting the report that informs this article.
Stuart Murray receives funding from The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Narelle Bedford does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charles Kurzman, Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Taliban fighters guard the former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 5, 2025.AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi
The Trump administration on June 4, 2025, announced travel restrictions targeting 19 countries in Africa and Asia, including many of the world’s poorest nations. All travel is banned from 12 of these countries, with partial restrictions on travel from the rest.
The presidential proclamation, entitled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” is aimed at “countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the entry or admission of nationals from those countries.”
The latest travel ban reimposes restrictions on many of the countries that were included on travel bans in Trump’s first term, along with several new countries.
But this travel ban, like the earlier ones, will not significantly improve national security and public safety in the United States. That’s because migrants account for a minuscule portion of violence in the U.S. And migrants from the latest travel ban countries account for an even smaller portion, according to data that I have collected. The suspect in Colorado, for example, is from Egypt, which is not on the travel ban list.
As a scholar of political sociology, I don’t believe Trump’s latest travel ban is about national security. Rather, I’d argue, it’s primarily about using national security as an excuse to deny visas to nonwhite applicants.
The Trump administration says the U.S. cannot appropriately vet visa applicants in countries with uncooperative governments or underdeveloped security systems. That claim is false.
The State Department and other government agencies do a thorough job of vetting visa applicants, even in countries where there is no U.S. embassy, according to an analysis by the CATO Institute.
The U.S. government has sophisticated methods for identifying potential threats. They include detailed documentation requirements, interviews with consular officers and clearance by national security agencies. And it rejects more than 1 in 6 visa applications, with ever-increasing procedures for detecting fraud.
Members of the Yemeni community and others wave American and Yemeni flags as they gather on the steps of Brooklyn’s Borough Hall to protest President Donald Trump’s first travel ban on Feb. 2, 2017, in New York. AP Photo/Kathy Willens
The thoroughness of the visa review process is evident in the numbers.
Authorized foreign-born residents of the U.S. are far less likely than U.S.-born residents to engage in criminal activity. And unauthorized migrants are even less likely to commit crimes. Communities with more migrants – authorized and unauthorized – have similar or slightly lower crime rates than communities with fewer migrants.
If vetting were as deficient as Trump’s executive order claims, we would expect to see a significant number of terrorist plots from countries on the travel ban list. But we don’t.
Two of them were arrested after plotting with undercover law enforcement agents. One was found to have lied on his asylum application. One was an Afghan man who killed three Pakistani Shiite Muslim immigrants in New Mexico in 2022.
Such a handful of zealots with rifles or homemade explosives can be life-altering for victims and their families, but they do not represent a threat to U.S. national security.
Degrading the concept of national security
Trump has been trying for years to turn immigration into a national security issue.
In his first major speech on national security in 2016, Trump focused on the “dysfunctional immigration system which does not permit us to know who we let into our country.”
His primary example was an act of terrorism by a man who was born in the U.S.
The first Trump administration’s national security strategy, issued in December 2017, prioritized jihadist terrorist organizations that “radicalize isolated individuals” as “the most dangerous threat to the Nation” – not armies, not another 9/11, but isolated individuals.
If the travel ban is not really going to improve national security or public safety, then what is it about?
Protesters wave signs during a demonstration against President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban on May 15, 2017, in Seattle. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
Second, invoking national security allows Trump to pursue this goal without the need for accountability, since Congress and the courts have traditionally deferred to the executive branch on national security issues.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) were joined today, during the first week of Gun Violence Awareness Month, by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) in leading a group of 81 members of Congress in introducing the bicameral Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act, legislation to ensure that victims of gun violence have their day in court and that negligent gun companies and gun sellers are not shielded from liability when they disregard public safety. The bill would repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), passed by Congress in 2005, which gives the gun industry a unique and unjustifiable legal liability shield that protects gun manufacturers from lawsuits.
Murphy, Blumenthal, Swalwell, Schiff, Evans, and Thompson announced the legislation today during a virtual press conference joined by leading gun violence prevention advocates: Kris Brown, president of Brady; Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action; and Adam Skaggs, chief counsel and vice president of GIFFORDS Law Center. Video of the press conference is available here.
“There’s absolutely no reason why the gun industry should get special treatment when it comes to negligence. Their immunity from lawsuits effectively gives them a license to kill. It’s past time for Congress to repeal PLCAA and allow gun violence victims their day in court,” said Murphy.
“PLCAA is the ultimate sweetheart deal – legal immunity afforded to basically no other industry for a product that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year,” said Blumenthal. “Despite the strength and perseverance of the Sandy Hook, Uvalde, and Highland Park families – and the tenacity of their legal teams – this is a problem that cannot be solved only through the courts. PLCAA must be repealed by Congress.”
“No industry in American has a liability shield like gun manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers,” said Swalwell. “The NRA and their GOP stooges made sure that the gun industry has a unique immunity from accountability. This bill ends that ridiculous carve out. The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act will finally repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) once and for all, allowing victims of gun violence to bring civil suits against gun producers and sellers. The time has long since come for Congress to be clear – if you put the most dangerous weapons in the hands of the most dangerous people, you will be held accountable.”
“More than a 100 Americans are killed by a gun every single day in America. And yet, Congress does nothing to hold the gun industry accountable when the negligence of gun makers and dealers is responsible for the tragic consequences their products have on our kids, our families, and our communities. As long as gun violence continues to take the lives of so many in California and across the nation, I will fight to repeal the liability shield that wrongly protects negligent gun industry actors from liability,” said Schiff.
“Victims and survivors should be able to hold the gun industry accountable in court for negligent behavior. But right now, the gun industry is shielded from any liability when they disregard public safety. That’s wrong,” said Crow. “I’m introducing this bill so we can finally hold the gun industry responsible.”
“As someone who’s advocated for this concept in Pennsylvania’s legislature and now in Congress, I’m proud to be a co-lead on this bill to restore this basic right of victims and survivors – a right that a heavy-handed federal government took away 20 years ago. So many American gun deaths could be avoided if we held companies accountable for things like illegal sales, defective guns and irresponsible marketing. State attorneys general were able to hold Big Tobacco accountable in the 1990s, and they should be able to hold gun manufacturing companies accountable in the 21st century since thousands of lives depend on it. This legislation would be an important tool in the toolbox to protect our citizens from gun violence,” said Evans.
“In the 20 years since PLCAA was passed, it’s become clear that negligent gun manufacturers and dealers have taken advantage of the law. Responsible manufacturers and dealers don’t need this legal protection – and irresponsible ones are hiding behind it. As a hunter, combat veteran and responsible gun owner, I’m proud to work with Senator Blumenthal and Representative Swalwell to introduce this sensible legislation,” said Thompson, Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.
When Congress passed PLCAA, its supporters argued that it was necessary to protect the gun industry from frivolous lawsuits, and that victims of gun violence would not be shut out of the courts. In reality, numerous cases around the nation have been dismissed on the basis of PLCAA, even when the gun dealers and manufacturers acted in a fashion that would qualify as negligent if it involved any other product. Victims in these cases were denied the right to even discover or introduce evidence. This legislation allows civil cases to go forward against irresponsible bad actors.
In 2005, the National Rifle Association (NRA) identified PLCAA as their “number one” legislative priority, and the NRA celebrated the passage calling it the “most significant piece of pro-gun legislation in twenty years.” Letting courts hear these cases would provide justice to victims and their families, while creating incentives for responsible business practices that would reduce injuries and deaths. Effectively, the gun industry would once again be subject to the same laws as every other industry, just as it was prior to 2005.
The legislation is endorsed by Brady, GIFFORDS Law Center, Everytown for Gun Safety, March for Our Lives, Guns Down America, Newtown Action Alliance, and Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund.
U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the bill.
U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-01), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.-01), Don Beyer (D-Va.-08), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Sean Casten (D-Ill.-06), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.-05), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.-04), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.-01), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.-17), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.-03), Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas-07), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.-04), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.-25), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.-03), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.-05), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.-10), David Scott (D-Ga.-13), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02) also cosponsored the bill in the House of Representatives.
A new mobile ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist clinic has been launched in Northland, bringing high-quality specialist care directly to local communities, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey say.“This is a significant step toward improving access to care for people in rural and remote parts of Northland,” Health Minister Simeon Brown says.The initiative began in May with the first of several rural outreach clinics held in Kawakawa. Additional clinics are planned for Kaikohe and Rawene this month.“In just two days, the mobile clinic saw 53 patients – more than half of whom had been waiting over 10 months for an appointment, mostly for a first specialist assessment. Others were seen after spotting the clinic parked in their community.“These patients would otherwise have had to travel to Whangārei Hospital. That’s why initiatives like this make a real difference in improving timely access to care and delivering services closer to home.“They also support our focus on reducing wait times for first specialist assessments and elective surgeries by easing pressure on hospital waitlists.”Patients were assessed for a range of conditions, including hearing loss, grommet and tonsil concerns, chronic ear disease, nasal and sinus obstruction, and head and neck lumps.Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says the mobile clinic is a welcome development for the region.“Access to healthcare is one of the biggest concerns for people living in rural and remote communities.“This mobile clinic is fully equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment technology, providing a standard of care on par with what patients receive at Whangārei or Kaitaia hospitals – exactly what rural communities deserve.”The service supports procedures such as endoscopy, vertigo manoeuvres, treatment for otitis media, adult grommet insertions, and removal of foreign bodies from the ear, nose, or throat. It also enables outpatient bookings for ENT surgeries including adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and mastoidectomy.“This initiative is a practical example of how we’re working to bring services closer to home and reduce long waits for specialist care.“Our focus is on ensuring all New Zealanders, regardless of where they live, can get the care they need without having to travel long distances or face lengthy delays,” Mr Doocey says.
Southern Police are asking motorists to drive to the conditions and take extreme care today with black ice forming on Southland roads and snow incoming later throughout Otago.
Police have already attended one black-ice related crash this morning and are aware of another.
Thankfully no one has been injured but we want to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely.
Drivers need to be aware of the potential for slippery road surfaces and to drive the conditions.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Bill Text (PDF)
Washington (June 5, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Representative Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, today announced the introduction of the Protecting Community Television Act, legislation that would undo rulemaking from the first Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that effectively limited the resources available for public, educational, and government (PEG) channels.
Under the Communications Act, cable companies negotiate franchise agreements with local governments to provide cable services in a community. The Act caps franchise fees that a cable company pays to the local government at 5% of revenue. This revenue helps fund PEG stations, as well as other community services such as public libraries and emergency responders. In addition, cable companies historically paid up to 5% cap and provided additional, in-kind support to the community, such as free cable service to schools or access to building studios. In 2019, the FCC issued a new rule that counted those in-kind contributions towards the 5% cap, meaning cable companies could reduce their cash payments by claiming the value of those services. With fewer cash resources, local governments were forced to choose between investing in PEG programming or supporting other public services. The result has been less funding for PEG stations.
“Millions of Americans rely on community television to keep up with the news that matters most to them, stay plugged into enriching, educational programming, and hold their local governments to account. But the Trump administration has forced communities across the country to pull the plug on public programming,” said Senator Markey. “At a time when news and media have become more consolidated than ever before, I am proud to partner with Senator Baldwin and Representative Carter to reintroduce the Protecting Community Television Act to uphold local access to public, education, and government channels for every household in our country.”
“I’m proud to cosponsor this bill and stand with communities that depend on local media to stay informed, connected, and heard. PEG channels are lifelines for civic engagement and public education, especially in times of crisis, and they shouldn’t be collateral damage in a corporate accounting maneuver. This legislation restores the original promise Congress made: that local governments should have the tools they need to meet community needs without being forced to choose between vital services and local voices,” said Congressman Carter.
The legislation is endorsed by Democratic Leader Schumer (D-N.Y), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Me.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
The Protecting Community Television Act is endorsed by Alliance for Community Media, National Association of Counties, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, National League of Cities, MassAccess, and Maine Community Media Association.
“The Alliance for Community Media welcomes the re-introduction of the Protecting Community Television Act and want to thank Senator Markey and Representative Carter for their support for community access television. Passage of the Act will reduce fees that drain away monetary support for local community media channels across the country. At a time when we have fewer and fewer local journalists and reliable local information sources, cities and towns need community access television more than ever, and this bill will help sustain our operations,” said Mike Wassenaar, President & CEO, Alliance for Community Media.
“Counties rely on public communications channels to disseminate local news and updates to residents in a timely manner,” said Matthew Chase, Executive Director of the National Association of Counties. “By preserving monetary support for public, educational and government channels through franchise fees, counties would ensure that essential local content remains accessible to residents. Counties thank Senators Ed Markey and Tammy Baldwin for introducing the Protecting Community Television Act and urge its swift passage”
“The Protecting Community Television Act (PCTA) is elegant legislation that seeks to protect benefits consistent with the Cable Act and cable franchising principles since 1984. In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission issued an order that undermines this ability by redefining the term “franchise fees” as used in the Cable Act and substituting its definition for that written by Congress in 1984. The Protecting Community Television Act remedies that altered meaning by protecting local public, educational and community access television so folks in communities across the country can continue to access relevant and timely local news that they rely on. Thanks to Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA) for continuing to advocate for the PCTA, which reaffirms Congress’ original intent to protect the long-standing ability of local governments to manage public property and provide for local media through public, educational and governmental access channels (PEG Access) in cable franchise agreements,” said Mike Lynch, Legislative Director for National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, June 5 (Xinhua) — A photo exhibition titled “Shoulder to Shoulder – Towards a Common Victory” dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held at the Chinese Cultural Center in Moscow on Thursday.
The event featured unique photographs from the Xinhua archive, which captured key events of the war years and the heroic feat of the Chinese people in the war, and also reflected the contribution of China and the Soviet Union to the victory over fascism and militarism. In addition, visitors were able to see modern photographs telling about the development of Russian-Chinese military and cultural-humanitarian cooperation in recent years.
Opening the exhibition, First Deputy Chairperson of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society Galina Kulikova recalled that on May 9, Russia solemnly celebrated the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The festive parade on Red Square was attended by leaders of a number of foreign countries, and the main guest was the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, she noted.
“These events are a tribute to the Great Victory of our countries. We, on the Western Front, and China, on the Eastern Front, won a decisive victory. This Victory was achieved by our countries at the cost of more than 64 million lives. In the name of those who gave their lives so that we can gather today, celebrate these dates, and solve the problems that the heads of our states set for us, we are obliged to and will always remember them,” said G. Kulikova.
The Plenipotentiary Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the Russian Federation Zhang Wei noted the dedication of the peoples of China and Russia in the fight against militarism and fascism, as well as the fact that during the war a deep friendship arose between the countries, which became a powerful incentive for the comprehensive development of bilateral relations.
“At the new historical starting point of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, under the strategic leadership of the leaders of the two countries, China and Russia will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, interact side by side, and hand in hand advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Together, we will write a brilliant chapter of just and peaceful development,” he stressed.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs of the Russian Federation, former Russian Ambassador to China Andrei Denisov, for his part, pointed out that the joint statement of the Russian Federation and China, adopted following the state visit of Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping to Moscow, said a lot about the war, about preserving and passing on historical memory to younger generations, and preventing the distortion of historical truth.
“The Soviet Union and China are named at the very beginning of the first chapter of the joint statement as ‘the main theatres of military operations in Europe and Asia’. It is emphasized that they have become ‘two key forces’ in the fight against fascism and militarism,” he added, noting that he is looking forward to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, which will be held in China in September. According to him, this will be a significant political event.
Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Dmitry Novikov expressed the opinion that the photo exhibition will become part of the commemorative events dedicated to the two 80th anniversaries. He noted that in China, as in Russia, great attention is paid to preserving the memory of the war and the fight against the falsification of history.
“This is extremely important from the point of view of ensuring that such tragedies do not happen again. It depends on each of us that the horrors of wars, the horrors of fascist terror do not happen again. Our peoples, who made the greatest sacrifices on the altar of Victory, can, must and are obliged to do more for this than others,” he emphasized.
The exhibition was prepared by the Xinxia Asia-Europe Bureau, China lmage Group, the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society and the Chinese Cultural Center. The co-organizers were the Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Russia and the Passion company. The event was held with the support of the Chinese Embassy in the Russian Federation. –0–
“The changes being made by central government will impact the way local and regional governments operate, and how natural resources are managed under the RMA (Resource Management Act 1991). As Councillors, we want to ensure Waitaha can enjoy the opportunities – and avoid the pitfalls – that these changes may present.”
Chair Pauling said while clear national standards support greater regulatory certainty, consistency and improved compliance, there are unique issues in Waitaha that justify a more sophisticated, locally informed and evidenced approach.
“We want to make sure that any decisions made by central government value existing land uses, such as food production, and enable new opportunities and resource uses, while safeguarding the region’s environmental and cultural health for future generations.”
Council positions on government reform
Chair Pauling also referenced Council’s recent strategic work (PDF file, 105KB). “We have a set of shared positions that we agree on as a Council, that cover a range of issues impacting the region. The Council’s positions relate to managing environmental effects, managing natural resource use, economic prosperity, structure of local, regional and central government, and Treaty partnership.
“Our Council is clear about what outcomes we want to achieve for the region. Alongside Te Uru Kahika and our partners, with a view across Te Waipounamu, we welcome the opportunity to inform central government decisions and, together, make these outcomes a reality,” he said.
Watch the Council discussion on position statements from our
Canterbury Regional Council Deputy Chair Dr Deon Swiggs outlined how the national direction package is one example of Government’s work programme that puts increased pressure on regional government and ratepayers.
“Resource management system reforms, Local Government Act amendment, changes to legislation around Te Tiriti partnership and transport funding decisions—these are all changes coming our way from central government. Whether you think they’re good or bad, these reforms all impact on elected members’ ability to make decisions for our community.
“The current structure and funding of local government across Aotearoa is unsustainable and we all agree that change is needed. We look forward to having some crunchy conversations over the coming months, within the Council and with others in the region, to develop a collective vision of what might work best for Waitaha,” he said.
Deputy Swiggs reaffirmed that the council was united in its position and agreed that change was needed.
“We need greater regulatory clarity and certainty, as well as better alignment between central, regional and local government. We are taking a strategic approach so that we can be clear, to government and our communities, about what we need and want for Waitaha.
“We need to strike an approach that values our community and environment’s needs, that allows us to adapt and explore exciting opportunities for the region such as tourism, aerospace, renewable energy and other emerging innovations,” he said.
Chair Pauling and Deputy Swiggs reinforced Canterbury Regional Council’s commitment to proactively work with its partners to improve economic and environmental outcomes for the region.
If you’d like to talk to your local Councillor about issues impacting Waitaha/Canterbury or your local area, you can
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to combat the obesity crisis in the United States by providing regular screenings. The bill would also prevent diseases associated with obesity through expanded coverage of new health care specialists and chronic weight management medications for Medicare recipients.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act would work to directly prevent these comorbidities.
The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.).
The following organizations have endorsed the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pas, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Group Association, American Psychological Association, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Boehringer-Ingelheim, ConscienHealth, Currax, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Eli Lilly and Company, Endocrine Society, Gerontological Society of America, Global Liver Institute, Healthcare Leadership Council, HealthyWomen, Intuitive Surgical, MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Consumers League, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Medicine Association, Ro, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, The Obesity Society, Trust for America’s Health, WW Weight Watchers International, and YMCA of the USA.
Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia were elected on Tuesday to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, with two-year terms beginning in January 2026.
They will serve through the end of 2027 on the UN body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
They will join the five non-permanent members elected last year – Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia – who will serve through 2026. The incoming members will succeed Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms end in December 2025.
The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States – who hold veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for staggered two-year terms.
Elections are held annually by secret ballot, with seats allocated by regional group. Candidates must secure a two-thirds majority in the 193-member General Assembly to be elected.
Vote tally
A total of 188 Member States participated in the election, which required only one round of balloting.
In the African and Asia-Pacific group, Bahrain received 186 votes, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) garnered 183 votes, and Liberia received 181 votes, with one country abstaining.
In the Eastern European group, Latvia received 178 votes while 10 countries abstained.
In the Latin America and the Caribbean group, Colombia received 180 votes, with eight countries abstaining.
Debut for Latvia
Latvia will take a seat on the Council for the first time in its history.
With the exception of Latvia, all the elected countries have previously served: Colombia seven times, the DRC twice, and Bahrain and Liberia once each.
Regional groups
The non-permanent seats on the Security Council are distributed according to four regional groupings: Africa and Asia; Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and the Western European and other States group.
This year’s election filled five seats: two allocated to Africa, one to Asia-Pacific, one to Eastern Europe, and one to Latin America and the Caribbean.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps retired May 30, after nearly 16 years of service with the agency. Epps most recently served as a mission specialist during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission, spending 235 days in space, including 232 days aboard the International Space Station, working on hundreds of scientific experiments during Expedition 71/72. “I have had the distinct pleasure of following Jeanette’s journey here at NASA from the very beginning,” said Steve Koerner, acting director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Jeanette’s tenacity and dedication to mission excellence is admirable. Her contributions to the advancement of human space exploration will continue to benefit humanity and inspire the next generation of explorers for several years to come.” Epps was selected in 2009 as a member of NASA’s 20th astronaut class. In addition to her spaceflight, she served as a lead capsule communicator, or capcom, in NASA’s Mission Control Center and as a crew support astronaut for two space station expeditions. “Ever since Jeanette joined the astronaut corps, she has met every challenge with resilience and determination,” said Joe Acaba, NASA’s chief astronaut. “We will miss her greatly, but I know she’s going to continue to do great things.” Epps also participated in NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operation) off the coast of Florida, conducted geologic studies in Hawaii, and served as a representative to the Generic Joint Operations Panel, which addressed crew efficiency aboard the space station. The Syracuse, New York, native holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Le Moyne College in Syracuse. She also earned master’s and doctorate degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland in College Park. During her graduate studies, she became a NASA Fellow, authoring several journal and conference articles about her research. Epps also received a provisional patent and a U.S. patent prior to her role at NASA. Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- Chelsey Ballarte Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov
Jack Kaye [NASA HQ—Associate Director for Research, Earth Science Division (ESD)] has decided to retire on April 30, 2025, following 42 years of service to NASA – see Photo 1. Most recently, Kaye served as associate director for research of the Earth Science Division (ESD) within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD). In this position, he was responsible for the research and data analysis programs for Earth System Science that addressed the broad spectrum of scientific disciplines from the stratopause to the poles to the oceans.
A New York native, Kaye’s interest in space was piqued as a child watching early NASA manned space launches on television. He would often write to NASA to get pictures of the astronauts. In high school, he started an after school astronomy club. Despite a youthful interest in Earth science, as he explained in a 2014 “Maniac Talk” at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Kaye pursued a slightly different academic path. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in chemistry from Adelphi University in 1976 and a Ph.D. in theoretical physical chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1982. For his graduate studies, he focused on the quantum mechanics of chemical reactions with an aim toward being able to understand and calculate the activity. Following graduate school, Kaye secured a post-doctoral position at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where he studied the chemistry of Earth’s atmosphere with a focus on stratospheric ozone. It was while working in a group of meteorologists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center that Kaye returned to his roots and refocused his scientific energy on studying Earth. “NASA had a mandate to study stratospheric ozone,” Kaye said in an interview in 2009. “I got involved in looking at satellite observations and especially trying to interpret satellite observations of stratospheric composition and building models to simulate things, to look both ways, to use the models and use the data.” Kaye has held numerous science and leadership positions at NASA. He began his career at GSFC as a researcher for the Stratospheric General Circulation and Chemistry Modeling Project (SGCCP) from 1983–1990 working on stratospheric modeling. In this role, he also worked on an Earth Observing System Interdisciplinary proposal. His first role at NASA HQ was managing as program scientist for the Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP), as well as numerous other missions. In this role, he was a project scientist for the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) series of Shuttle missions. While managing ATLAS, Kaye oversaw the science carried out by a dozen instruments from several different countries. He also managed several other Earth Science missions during this time. See the link to Kaye’s “Maniac Talk.” Kaye entered the Senior Executive Service in 1999, where he continued to contribute to the agency by managing NASA’s Earth Science Research Program. In addition, Kaye has held temporary acting positions as deputy director of ESD and deputy chief scientist for Earth Science within SMD. Throughout his career he has focused on helping early-career investigators secure their first awards to establish their career path—see Photo 2.
On numerous occasions, Kaye spoke to different groups emphasizing the agency’s unique role in both developing and utilizing cutting-edge technology, especially remote observations of Earth with different satellite platforms – see Photo 3. With the launch of five new NASA Earth science campaigns in 2020, Kaye stated, “These innovative investigations tackle difficult scientific questions that require detailed, targeted field observations combined with data collected by our fleet of Earth-observing satellites.”
Kaye has also represented NASA in interagency and international activities and has been an active participant in the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), where he has served for many years as NASA principal of the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. He served as NASA’s representative to the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and chaired the World Meteorological Organization Expert Team on Satellite Systems. Kaye was named an honorary member of the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society in 2015. He previously completed a six-year term as a member of the Steering Committee for the Global Climate Observing System and currently serves an ex officio member of the National Research Council’s Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability and the Chemical Sciences Roundtable, as well as a member of the Roundtable on Global Science Diplomacy. NASA has honored Kaye with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal in 2022 and the Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service in 2004, 2010, and 2021. In 2024 he was awarded the NASA-USGS Pecora Individual Award honoring excellence in Earth Observation. He was named a Fellow by the American Meteorological Society in 2010 and by the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2014. Kaye was elected to serve as an office of the Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Science section of the AAAS (2015–2018). AGU has recognized him on two occasions with a Citation for Excellence in Refereeing. Over the course of his career Kaye has published more than 50 papers, contributed to numerous reports, books, and encyclopedias, and edited the book Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase Chemistry for the American Chemical Society. In addition, he has attended the Leadership for Democratic Society program at the Federal Executive Institute and the Harvard Senior Managers in Government Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. “The vantage point of space provides a way to look at the Earth globally, with the ability to observe Earth’s interacting components of air, water, land and ice, and both naturally occurring and human-induced processes,” Kaye said in a November 2024 article published by Penn State University. “It lets us look at variability on a broad range of spatial and temporal scales and given the decades of accomplishments, has allowed us to characterize and document Earth system variability on time scales from minutes to decades.”
In response to President Trump imposing a new discriminatory travel ban on visitors from Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, and a partial ban on people from another seven countries, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:
“President Trump’s new travel ban is discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel. By targeting people based on their race, religion, or nationality, from countries with predominantly Black, Brown and Muslim-majority populations, this blanket ban constitutes racial discrimination under international human rights law. It also spreads hate and disinformation, reinforcing the notion that these populations are more likely to pose security risks or engage in acts of violence.
“This arbitrary travel ban also violates the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution and the US obligation to protect them under international and national refugee law. With the right to seek asylum already non-existent at US borders, it will further inflict terrible suffering on people who are fleeing war-torn regions, massive human rights violations and other dangerous situations and seeking safety in the United States.
This travel ban is yet another iteration of the Trump administration’s persistent trampling on the rights of immigrants and those seeking safety.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General
“Through targeting and detaining immigrants for exercising practicing their right to free speech, separating families, mass deportations and more, President Trump’s actions have already put tens of millions of people in the United States at risk. And now, this travel ban is yet another iteration of the Trump administration’s persistent trampling on the rights of immigrants and those seeking safety.
“Communities thrive when governments prioritize the safety of all people, regardless of nationality, religion, or race. Amnesty International will never stop fighting for a world in which everybody is treated with dignity, immigrants and people seeking safety are welcomed and recognized for their contributions to society, and communities are united.”
Collectible figurines on display at Pop Mart in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, on April 29, 2025.(Shutterstock)
If you’ve seen videos of people tearing into tiny toy packages online, or noticed teens obsessing over pastel-coloured figurines at the mall, you’ve probably encountered the global craze for blind box toys.
These small collectibles — usually figures of cartoonish characters — are sold in sealed packaging that hides which specific item is inside. You might get the one you want, or you might not. That uncertainty is part of the thrill.
Unlike traditional toys, these figures are marketed as collectibles. Many are part of themed series, with some designs labelled as “rare” or “secret,” appearing in as few as one in every 144 boxes. This sense of exclusivity fuels repeat purchases and has spawned a resale market where rare figures can command hundreds of dollars.
Popular among children and adults alike, blind box toys have grown into a billion-dollar industry. One of the more popular brands is Pop Mart, a Chinese toy company founded in 2010 known for its collectible designer toys sold in mystery packs.
Gen Z consumers, in particular, have embraced blind box toys both as a nostalgic pastime and as a form of legitimate collecting. The proliferation of unboxing videos on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where creators open dozens of blind boxes on camera, has added to their appeal.
For many fans, these toys offer more than just cuteness: they also provide suspense, surprise and a rush of dopamine with every box opened. But how did this niche product become a global obsession?
From Tokyo streets to western malls
The origins of blind box toys trace back to East Asia. Capsule toy vending machines called gashaponoriginated in Japan in the 1960s. By the 1980s, they had become a cultural fixture. These machines dispense small toys in opaque plastic balls, with customers never quite sure which item they’ll receive.
A tourist uses a gashapon machine in Osaka, Japan, in 2024. Gashapon machines are similar to the coin-operated toy vending machines seen outside grocery stores and other retailers in North America. (Shutterstock)
Pop Mart’s success helped transform the blind box into a mainstream commercial phenomenon. Characters like Molly, Skullpanda and Dimoo became instant hits, combining Japanesekawaii esthetics with western pop art sensibilities.
Pop Mart figures have since developed a cult-like following. Many consumers treat the toys as affordable art objects, displayed in cabinets, on purses or traded online.
You never know exactly when you’ll score the item you’re after, but the possibility that the next box might contain it keeps people coming back. This unpredictability keeps people engaged, especially when the potential reward is framed as rare or valuable.
Cconsumer psychology research also suggests that anticipation plays a major role. Studies show that dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, spikes not just when we get what we want, but when we anticipate it. The sealed packaging, the suspense of unwrapping and the hope for a rare figure all heighten this effect.
Sonny Angels on display in a store in Shenzhen, China, in March 2019. (Shutterstock)
For younger collectors, the excitement of “the chase” can foster compulsive buying habits. This effect is amplified by the social influence of watching unboxings online or seeing friends complete their sets, and it becomes a powerful loop.
Even when buyers don’t get the figure they want, the sunk cost fallacy — the feeling that they’ve already invested too much time or money to walk away — keeps them buying more.
The hidden costs of blind boxes
As blind box toys surge in popularity, they have drawn criticism from consumer advocates, psychologists and environmentalists alike.
Several countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, have regulated loot boxes under gambling laws. Blind boxes, though currently unregulated, may be next in line for scrutiny.
There are also environmental concerns. Many blind box toys come in excessive packaging — plastic wraps, foil bags, cardboard boxes — most of which is discarded immediately. The collectibles themselves are often made of non-recyclable plastics, raising questions about sustainability in an era of rising consumer awareness over waste.
Even among adult fans, some critics question whether blind boxes are designed less to bring joy and more to trigger compulsive consumption. The joy of collecting, they argue, is increasingly overshadowed by the mechanics of engineered desire.
What should we make of the blind box boom?
Blind box toys are not inherently harmful, and for many, they’re a source of fun, nostalgia and self-expression. They also offer an accessible way for consumers to engage with designer art in a collectible, miniature form, as many of them are created by individual artists.
But blind box toys also raise deeper questions about how modern marketing leverages psychological triggers associated with gambling, especially when it comes to children.
As these toys continue to gain traction in the West, it’s worth asking more critical questions, like: are we buying into mystery or are we being sold obsession and compulsion?
The blind box trend reflects broader shifts in how products are marketed, how value is perceived and how consumer behaviour is shaped in a digital, attention-driven economy. Understanding the forces at play may be the first step toward more informed — and perhaps more mindful — collecting.
Eugene Y. Chan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Government continues to proactively follow up on water quality incidents at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court So far, all water samples have complied with the Hong Kong Drinking Water Standards, including the Rapid Toxicity Test (light emitting bacteria) and Carcinogenic Benzo(a) pyrene for testing carcinogens. These two parameters were negative in all the results of the water samples tested. While ensuring that the water quality met standards, the WSD also conducted traceability work and passed 126 samples of materials collected from each block in the estates for the Government Laboratory’s testing on June 3. Preliminary test results indicated that most of the samples consist of bitumen mixed with resin.
Bitumen was commonly used as a protective coating to prevent rust inside steel water pipes around the world in earlier years. It is an inert material and is insoluble in water. According to experts’ views, bitumen will not release materials harmful to human body after mixing with water. In other words, even if drinking water has come into contact with water pipes coated with bitumen, relevant water quality will still comply with the drinking water standards. However, after prolonged use of water pipes, bitumen coating is prone to spalling, which is not durable and affects the clarity of drinking water and the public’s perception. Therefore, bitumen coated steel pipes have been replaced with durable epoxy resin-coated steel pipes for water supply pipes laid after 2005.
As to whether drinking water containing bitumen will affect health, the WSD commissioned an expert consultant in 2020 to conduct an experiment by boiling 10 grams of bitumen in three litres of hot water. The result confirmed that no toxic substances were released. Currently, the sediments (bitumen) in the water samples taken from Queen’s Hill Estate are three-thousandth of the amount used in that experiment (per litre), so members of the public need not worry even if they have consumed drinking water with bitumen.
According to records, the relevant pipes in the Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court do not contain bitumen materials. Furthermore, following a similar water quality incident at Queen’s Hill Estate in 2022, the WSD installed screen filters outside the Queen’s Hill Estate in December 2022, which can block substances larger than 0.1 millimeters in diameter. Since then, the WSD has regularly inspected the condition of the filters on a weekly basis. After receiving a report on the water quality incident on May 30, the WSD checked the filters again and confirmed it remained intact, without any damage. Given that the sediments found within the estate exceed 0.1mm, they should not have entered the estate’s water supply system after the filters were installed (i.e. after December 2022). Upon reviewing the information, it was found that there is a section of steel water pipe upstream coated with bitumen on the inner wall. As such, the WSD reckoned that the sediments are likely residual bitumen materials that flowed into the pipes of the Queen’s Hill Estate from the aforementioned steel pipe before December 2022. As for the resin material, based on its color, appearance, and chemical composition, it is likely due to the flaking off of the protective layer of water valves.
The WSD will continue the investigation based on the above assumptions, and as always, will submit the investigation report of this incident to the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee for review.
Currently, the WSD will enhance the flushing of pipes to remove any residual bitumen materials, and strengthen water sampling. Sampling and testing will be conducted daily until no related sediments are found. The valves in the water supply system will also be checked. Any materials that have flaked off will be replaced if necessary. Understanding the public’s concerns regarding this incident, the WSD will continue to arrange temporary water supply through water tanks.
To address the issue, maintenance teams of the HD have responded swiftly by installing additional nine screen filters with a density that can block impurities with a diameter of 0.1 millimetres or larger on the existing facilities in Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court. The HD also continued to install additional filtering facilities with the same density that can block impurities with a diameter of 0.1 millimetres or larger in Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court (seven and six respectively) today (June 5). The works will be completed today. Within a short period of time, the HD has tried its best to have 22 new filtering facilities installed, hoping that by quickly providing an effective, multi-layered protective filtration system, residents can feel more at ease when consuming the water.
To further alleviate public concerns, the WSD will release the test results of water samples on its website every morning. Issued at HKT 23:36
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Home and Youth Affairs Bureau held training seminar for members of District Councils Based on the needs of DC members, the HYAB has been arranging different training sessions and visits to assist DC members in discharging their duties, so as to improve the efficacy of district work and serve the people better. The training seminar today focused on how to enhance communications with the media, and to promote the good practices of building management.
The Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr Clarence Leung, attended the training seminar and delivered a speech. He said that under the improved district governance system, the DCs, the District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) and other district organisations and groups worked hand-in-hand in serving the people. District work had to be done with the people at heart for it to be effective and efficient. The HYAB and the Home Affairs Department (HAD) had therefore continued to provide various training for DC members. For example, the HAD had arranged for DC members to attend mediation training in batches starting from May. Mr Leung hoped the relevant training could help DC members better discharge their duties, further improve the efficacy of district governance and thereby building a harmonious community together.
Today’s training seminar had two parts. In the first part, a guest speaker shared with DC members the latest media landscape and skills in engaging with the media. Through strengthening communications with the media, members of the public could better understand DC members’ work under the improved district governance system more effectively through the media, so that DC members could better serve as the bridge between the Government and the people, while telling good stories of the DCs.
Before the second part of the training seminar, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, addressed DC members, saying that the Government had always placed emphasis on district work. She quoted the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zhou Ji, that the DCs, “the three district committees” (the Area Committees, the District Fight Crime Committees and the District Fire Safety Committees) and Care Teams are the troika after improvements to district governance, and reminded DC members to strengthen collaboration with “the three district committees” and Care Teams, and address and resolve people’s conflicts at early stages. Miss Mak emphasised that building management was one of the key aspects of district work, and encouraged DC members to be familiar with relevant legislation, so as to provide support and assistance to owners and residents in need and facilitate the smooth operation of building management.
Afterwards, in the second part, the guest speaker shared with DC members the relevant information on the Building Management (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 (the Amendment Ordinance), which would come into effect on July 13. As early as December last year, HAD organised two briefing sessions for DC members. In view of the imminent commencement of the Amendment Ordinance, HAD provided training to DC members again on the content and requirements of the Amendment Ordinance, with a view to enabling DC members to provide effective assistance to owners and residents in dealing with building management issues when necessary. The key objectives of the Amendment Ordinance are to enhance the transparency and accountability of the operation of owners’ corporations (OCs), for example, in respect of large-scale maintenance works or high-value procurement, and to provide better protection for members of the management committees (MCs) of OCs. The Amendment Ordinance also includes new provisions relating to the keeping of documents relating to building management and the responsibilities of the MCs in keeping such documents. Issued at HKT 23:19
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Missing man in Sheung Shui located Wong Sum-wah, aged 77, went missing after he was last seen in a shopping mall on Choi Yuen Road in the afternoon on June 2. His family then made a report to Police.
The man was located at the junction of Morrison Street and Des Voeux Road Central in Central tonight (June 5). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected. Issued at HKT 23:18
