Anselm Leahy sits at a table in the white, pristine kitchen of his new Dublin apartment. “When I first came into the apartment, I was astonished. I couldn’t believe it,” he says, gesturing toward a big bay window in the living room that overlooks nearby houses and green fields. “I was over the moon.”
The apartment is part of new social housing built by the Focus Ireland Association, a state-run institution that provides loans to developers building affordable homes across the country. Leahy moved in just under two years ago, ending a spell of homeless that began with the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent move into a retirement home. “My will to live was very, very low,” Leahy says. “To get this apartment has changed me in lots of different ways: mentally, physically, spiritually. I feel human again. I feel like I have a future. I have hope.”
Cities like Dublin suffer from a shortage of affordable housing that has blocked many people – the unemployed, low-income families, migrants and young workers – out of the market. Over the past 15 years, average rents in the European Union have risen by one-quarter and house prices by half, while one in ten Europeans now spend 40% or more of their disposable income on housing.
At the same time, the share of social housing in total supply has shrunk since 2010, even though the number of vulnerable people such as the homeless or new migrants has risen. Half of Europe’s housing stock was built before 1980, and much of it needs to be renovated. Many buildings are energy inefficient (a rating of D or worse). Bringing those homes and apartments up to new EU standards will be expensive and slow.
The lack of affordable housing translates into real hardship: young people put off starting families, students turn down the best universities, essential workers like teachers or nurses don’t accept jobs in in major cities – all because they are priced out of housing.
“These people and their stories provide living proof of the housing crisis and the impact it has on Europe,” said Dan Jørgensen, the EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, at a housing event hosted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in early March. “It threatens social justice and social cohesion … It weakens our economy and reduces our competitiveness.”
The problem is clear: Over the last decade or so, housing demand has outstripped supply and incomes haven’t kept up with prices. The solution, however, is much more complicated. The European Union needs to build almost one million new dwellings. That requires:
innovative, faster and less costly ways of building;
regulatory reform to speed up permitting and to create the investment framework for housing providers to deliver affordable new apartments and homes;
financing solutions that encourage residential development and renovation.
“We need to enhance the housing supply while also making better use of the stock we already have,” says Chiara Fratto, a European Investment Bank economist who researches housing issues.
“Berizka preschool in Ukrainian village of Ulaniv southwest of Kyiv reopens after major renovation supported by EU.
Renovation financed through EIB’s Ukraine Recovery Programme to restore critical social infrastructure in Ukrainian communities.
The “Berizka” preschool in the Ukrainian village of Ulaniv reopened after a major upgrade supported by the European Union lending arm – the European Investment Bank (EIB). The €420,000 renovation highlights the EU’s commitment to restoring social infrastructure in Ukraine.
Berizka, serves more than 110 children aged two to six, including many children from internally displaced families. It is one of 100 educational institutions across Ukraine being renovated with support of the EIB. The building is now equipped with full thermal insulation and energy-efficient windows and doors – upgrades that are especially important amid Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, by reducing electricity consumption and utility costs.
The preschool also has a new metal roof, renovated porches and two ramps that ensure easier entry for people, including children and parents with limited mobility. It offers an environment, where children and their families can feel a sense of normalcy and stability despite the war.
EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska,who oversees the Bank’s operations in Ukraine said: “The renovated preschool shows how the EIB supports Ukraine’s long-term recovery: we invest in resilient, energy-efficient infrastructure that strengthens local communities and ensures continuity of vital services for people.”
The renovation took place between May 2024 and June 2025 under the “Ukraine Early Recovery Programme” – a joint EU-EIB initiative implemented in cooperation with the Ukrainian Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories and Ministry of Finance as well as the Vinnytsia Oblast Military Administration and the Ulaniv Village, with technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
This is one of seven EIB-backed recovery projects in Vinnytsia region, with a combined investment value of €7.6 million. These projects include the reconstruction of four schools, two water and wastewater facilities and one community and administrative services center. In 2024 alone, three projects were completed, including two schools in Stryzhavka and a sewer system in Zhmerynka.
Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to UkraineStefan Schleuning said: “Berizka preschool in Vinnytsia Oblast is a powerful example of how EU support, channelled through the EIB’s recovery programmes, is already making a tangible difference. Together with Ukraine, we are restoring essential services, strengthening communities, and building for the future of the next generation.”
Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba said: “Restoring access to education is a shared priority with our European partners. Together, we’re rebuilding social infrastructure and introducing modern energy-efficient solutions that make communities more resilient.”
First Deputy Head of the Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration Natalia Zabolotna said: “This preschool is the fourth EU- and EIB-supported recovery project completed in our region over the past two years. These results are possible thanks to the strength and dedication of local workers, who continue delivering essential services despite the war.”
Head of Ulaniv Village Council Oleksandr Hotsulyak said: “For our village, this preschool is essential. Thanks to support from the EU and the EIB, over 110 children, including those from displaced families — now have a modern, comfortable space to learn and grow. Investing in early childhood education lays the foundation for children’s resilience, recovery, and long-term development.”
UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Jaco Cilliers said: “By connecting Ukrainian communities with EIB financing mechanisms, UNDP helps ensure that recovery efforts are truly community-led, with local leaders determining how EU support can best serve their reconstruction priorities.”
Background information
The EIB in Ukraine
The EIB Group has supported Ukraine’s economy since day one of the Russian invasion, providing €3 billion in financing to date, with €2.3 billion already disbursed. The EIB continues to focus on securing Ukraine’s energy supply, restoring damaged infrastructure and maintaining essential public services across the country. Under a guarantee agreement signed with the European Commission, the EIB is set to invest at least €2 billion more in urgent recovery and reconstruction. This funding is part of the European Union’s €50 billion Ukraine Facility for 2024-2027 and is fully aligned with the priorities of the Ukrainian government.
EIB recovery programmes in Ukraine
The reconstruction of the preschool in Ulaniv village was carried out under the Ukraine Recovery Programme, one of three recovery programmes supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB). As of June 2025, the EIB has provided €740 million across these programmes to support Ukraine’s recovery. The funding helps the government to restore essential services in communities across the country – including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, housing, heating and water systems. These EIB-backed programmes are further supported by €15 million in EU grants to facilitate implementation. The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, coordinates and oversees programme implementation, while local authorities and self-governments are responsible for managing recovery sub-projects. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine provides technical assistance to local communities, supporting project implementation and ensuring independent monitoring for transparency and accountability. More information about the programmes is available here.
Ukrainian preschool with children from displaced families reopens after EU-backed renovation
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The United States has recovered and cleared title to over $680,000 worth of stolen cryptocurrency using civil asset forfeiture and is in the process of returning those funds to the victim, a cryptocurrency and blockchain company.
According to court documents, on March 28, 2023, an unidentified person sought to exploit a vulnerability in a cryptocurrency product created by SafeMoon, LLC. SafeMoon used a reserve, called a liquidity pool, to allow trading between different types of cryptocurrency by securing a supply of cryptocurrency assets to ensure sufficient liquidity in the market. This allowed SafeMoon to prevent large fluctuations in the price of SafeMoon’s cryptocurrency. The liquidity pool was secured and managed by a digital program called a “smart contract” that automatically executed when specified conditions occurred. The smart contract was mistakenly programmed, however, so that it could be used by anyone to “burn,” or destroy, tokens from the SafeMoon liquidity pool.
The exploiter’s scheme involved manipulating SafeMoon’s cryptocurrency by initiating a transaction that would burn a large number of SafeMoon tokens simultaneously, resulting in an artificial price spike. Then the exploiter could sell tokens back to the liquidity pool at an artificially inflated price at a loss to SafeMoon.
At the same time, however, an automated cryptocurrency trading program called a “bot” was engaged in “front-running,” which exploits normal delays in the processing of transactions by scanning and simulating pending transactions to determine how profitable they are, then executes profitable trades ahead of the original trader. In this case, the front-running bot caused the exploiter’s transaction to fail and directed the profits from its own trade to an account the bot operator controlled. The cryptocurrency stolen from SafeMoon was worth over $8.5 million on the day it was stolen.
Within a few hours of the attack, the front-running bot operator contacted SafeMoon, claiming to have prevented an attack. While purportedly offering to return the stolen cryptocurrency, the bot operator also threatened to withhold the entirety of the cryptocurrency stolen from SafeMoon if SafeMoon did not allow the operator to keep a percentage. SafeMoon relented and let the bot operator keep 20 percent of the stolen cryptocurrency.
On May 15, 2023, the FBI seized $680,467.92 and 480.996 BNB from accounts at OKX, a cryptocurrency exchange platform, representing approximately half of the 20 percent extorted from SafeMoon. SafeMoon has since filed for bankruptcy, but the funds are being returned to the bankruptcy trustee for SafeMoon.
Neither the original exploiter nor the bot operator has been identified to date and they may be located abroad. Without the possibility of a criminal prosecution, the United States used a civil asset forfeiture action against this stolen cryptocurrency to recover these funds for theft victims. The civil asset forfeiture action afforded all potential claimants an opportunity to contest the forfeiture in court and put the government to its burden of proof.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Divisions, made the announcement after the settlement order between the United States and the SafeMoon bankruptcy trustee was issued by U.S. District Judge Patricia T. Giles.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Keim and Former Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor Jay V. Prabhu supported the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cv-1065.
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (www.EnergyChamber.org) is calling on the World Bank to end its ban on financing upstream oil and gas projects, urging the institution to align with Africa’s urgent need to eradicate energy poverty and achieve sustainable development. Lifting this ban is essential to unlocking the continent’s hydrocarbon resources, delivering reliable and affordable electricity to millions, and generating the revenues required to support Africa’s long-term energy transition.
While the AEC welcomes the World Bank’s decision to review its 2017 ban on financing upstream oil and gas development, the time for reassessment is over. Decisive action is needed. Today, around 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity – a number that is not only staggering but growing. The International Energy Agency notes that gains made in expanding electricity access were reversed during the pandemic, with up to 30 million people who previously had access no longer able to afford it. This deepening energy poverty undermines Africa’s industrialization, economic growth and social development.
The AEC maintains that Africa must be empowered to grow its energy mix pragmatically, using both fossil fuels and renewables – not forced into an “all or nothing” approach that risks leaving hundreds of millions in the dark. Natural gas offers a scalable, affordable and lower-carbon solution that can help meet the continent’s immediate power needs while enabling a just, inclusive energy transition. Yet climate panic and fearmongering – often directed disproportionately at Africa, a continent responsible for just 3% of global CO₂ emissions – threaten to block this path.
“The green agenda and the World Bank’s ban on upstream financing ignore the fact that natural gas can bring life-changing prosperity to Africa through jobs, business growth and monetization,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. “We are proposing a logical, sustainable path: using our natural gas to meet current needs, generate revenue and fund our transition to renewables. Given that universal access to affordable, reliable electricity is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the growing number of Africans without power is morally wrong and must not be ignored.”
Upstream oil and gas development is already demonstrating its capacity to advance energy access. In Mozambique, domestic gas fuels the 450 MW Temane gas-to-power project, delivering electricity to communities and industries. Senegal’s gas-to-power efforts, Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan and Egypt’s expanded gas-fired generation highlight how these resources are driving regional electrification and economic growth. Future upstream projects hold transformative potential: Mozambique’s gas reserves could generate over $100 billion in revenue; Namibia’s oil discoveries could deliver $3.5 billion annually at peak production, which can fund infrastructure, education, healthcare and clean energy investments.
Meanwhile, global financial trends are shifting. Major banks, particularly in the U.S., are easing ESG-related restrictions and resuming oil and gas financing, recognizing that natural gas remains a vital bridge fuel. The World Bank must do the same – not as a concession, but as a commitment to its mandate to promote shared prosperity and reduce poverty.
The AEC urges the World Bank to turn its policy review into meaningful action. Supporting upstream oil and gas development is not only an economic necessity – it is a moral imperative if we are serious about ending energy poverty and enabling a sustainable, equitable future for Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Question for written answer E-002278/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Gheorghe Falcă (PPE)
In May 2022, the Commission launched the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, a strategic initiative to ensure the swift export of agricultural goods from Ukraine via EU transport routes. As then Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean noted, the goal was to move 20 million tonnes of agricultural products within three months. By February 2025, the Solidarity Lanes had become essential, facilitating 70 % of Ukrainian imports, 40 % of non-agricultural exports and 20 % of grain-related trade – demonstrating their ongoing role as a secure alternative to Black Sea routes.
The cooperation between Romania, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova within this framework has proven key to Ukraine’s economic resilience and future reconstruction. Given the shared European perspective of Moldova and Ukraine, it is important to explore how this cooperation might be deepened.
1.Is the Commission open to supporting the establishment of a trilateral Chamber of Commerce between Romania, Ukraine and Moldova to strengthen economic ties under the Solidarity Lanes framework?
2.Could the Commission consider targeted support – financial, logistical or technical – for structured exchanges and working visits among businesses and institutions in the EU, Ukraine and Moldova, to foster long-term cooperation and promote regional stability?
[1] This question is supported by Members other than the author: Daniel Buda (PPE), Dan Barna (Renew), Mircea-Gheorghe Hava (PPE), Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (PPE)
Question for written answer E-002276/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Gaetano Pedulla’ (The Left)
On 13 November 2024, the MEF[1] sold approximately 16% of the share capital of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS), a stake acquired in 2017 during the public bailout, through an ABB[2] procedure taking advantage of derogations from the BRRD. The MEF appointed Banca Akros, part of the Banco Bpm Group, to handle the sale, which divided the stake up between four entities: Caltagirone (3.6%), Delfin (3.5%), Banco Bpm (5%) and Anima – Sgr, controlled by Banco Bpm – (3.5%)[3], after rejecting an offer submitted by Unicredit, according to press reports. To the buyers’ benefit, the shares were sold at below market rate, going against standard practice of selling at a premium. The government thus appears to have favoured the industrial conglomerates Caltagirone and Delfin, which were already involved in the 2023 takeover of Generali and attempted a similar coup with the MPS takeover bid for Mediobanca, Generali’s main shareholder. This would appear to be part of a strategy to circumvent EU restrictions prohibiting entities without a banking licence (Caltagirone and Delfin) from gaining a controlling interest in supervised banks.
In view of the above: does the Commission not believe Banca Akros’ ABB and the Italian Government’s overall strategy to be in breach of European rules on the neutrality of public entities with regard to financial institutions, particularly those operating in several EU Member States?
Submitted: 5.6.2025
[1] Italian Ministry for Economic Affairs and Finance
[2] Accelerated book-building, a procedure reserved for institutional investors.
Question for written answer E-002292/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Rasmus Nordqvist (Verts/ALE), Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE), Elena Kountoura (The Left), Stine Bosse (Renew), Anna Cavazzini (Verts/ALE), Bas Eickhout (Verts/ALE), Villy Søvndal (Verts/ALE), Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Verts/ALE), Sara Matthieu (Verts/ALE), Majdouline Sbai (Verts/ALE), Isabella Lövin (Verts/ALE), Pär Holmgren (Verts/ALE), Krzysztof Śmiszek (S&D), David Cormand (Verts/ALE), Lucia Yar (Renew), Lena Schilling (Verts/ALE), Alice Kuhnke (Verts/ALE)
The Competitiveness Compass suggests the upcoming Circular Economy Act will help drive investment in recycling, help EU industry substitute virgin materials and reduce landfill and incineration of used raw materials. Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné echoed this during a structured dialogue with Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on 13 May 2025, underscoring the urgency of scaling up recycling capacity across the EU.
1.How does the Commission intend to establish a new financing framework that supports the scaling up of circular solutions, notably to increase the EU’s own remanufacturing and recycling capacity?
2.What role does the Commission envisage for financial tools under the Clean Industrial Deal (CID), e.g. the proposed CID State Aid Framework, the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act and Bank, the Public Procurement Framework, the Competitiveness Fund, the Innovation Fund, or the green VAT initiative, in supporting investment in circular economy infrastructure and value chains?
3.What specific measures will the Commission take to mobilise private capital to support the circular economy?
Question for written answer E-002274/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Dolors Montserrat (PPE), Pilar del Castillo Vera (PPE)
The technical investigation launched by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-e) expert group into the blackout on 28 April 2025 includes representatives from Spain’s national grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (Redeia), which also happens to be one of the subjects under technical analysis.
In light of the above:
1.Does the Commission believe that the current composition of the ENTSO-e expert group ensures due independence, impartiality and absence of conflicts of interest – as required by the principle of good administration recognised in Article 41 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – given it is both a judge and party in the case?
2.Does the Commission intend to request an additional external report from the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, with the supervision of independent experts who have a proven and extensive track record in the energy market and are not under the influence of companies with an interest in the energy market?
Priority question for written answer P-002356/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Niels Flemming Hansen (PPE)
An increasing number of EU companies are reporting greenhouse gas emissions as part of their climate strategies. Credible and consistent data is vital for assessing environmental performance and advancing decarbonisation.
The proposed green claims directive establishes a framework for communicating environmental claims to consumers. However, it does not provide a standardised methodology for the crucial business-to-business (B2B) exchange of emissions data. This legislative gap risks creating an uneven playing field, undermining the efforts of green frontrunners and potentially enabling greenwashing within complex value chains.
The CountEmissions EU proposal is specifically designed to fill this void by creating a common EU methodology for calculating and reporting emissions from transport services. By harmonising B2B reporting, it provides the missing link for end-to-end transparency, ensuring that data is reliable from the transport operator to the final customer.
In the light of the above:
1.What specific steps will the Commission take to facilitate the swift start of trilogue negotiations between the Council and Parliament on the CountEmissions EU file?
2.If the adoption of the CountEmissions EU regulation were to be significantly delayed, what is the Commission’s assessment of the potential negative impact on the transport and logistics sector, as well as on the EU’s overall climate objectives?
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)
Headline: Carter leads letter calling for state management of red snapper fisheries
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) led members of the Georgia House Republican delegation in a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick calling for state management of red snapper and other reef fish species in the South Atlantic.
The letter expresses “strong support” for governors’ request to grant an Exempted Fishing Permit, allowing for state management of red snapper and other reef fish in the South Atlantic. According to the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation, red snapper populations are the healthiest in history, rendering unnecessary the current burdensome and overreaching policy of the federal government to severely restrict recreational fishing.
In the letter, the members write: “Georgia’s recreational fishing industry has long struggled under federal fisheries data that limit access and impose heavy-handed restrictions, often set by bureaucrats far removed from our coastal communities. State management, as proposed, would empower Georgia to tailor conservation and fishing policies to local needs, mirroring the successful Gulf of America model where state oversight allows for 127 fishing days.”
The members continue, “We urge the Department of Commerce to work with the administration to cut federal red tape and grant Georgia, alongside Florida and South Carolina, authority to manage these fisheries.”
Members signing the letter include: Austin Scott (R-GA), Mike Collins (R-GA), Rick Allen (R-GA), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Brian Jack (R-GA), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
Read the full letter to the Department of Commerce here.
-Spark announces another broadband price hike just as winter power bills hit Kiwi wallets.
-Frank Energy is closing – adding more pressure to household budgets.
-NZ Compare sees record-breaking traffic as over 50,000 Kiwis seek better deals this month.
As winter power bills hit and broadband prices spike, NZ Compare is urging Kiwis to take control of their household bills.
The cost-of-living crisis continues on a relentless march and Kiwi households are being hit with a one-two punch: the first hefty winter power bills have landed, and Spark, New Zealand’s largest broadband provider, has announced yet another round of broadband price hikes. Meanwhile, last week Frank Energy customers have been told the brand is closing, and they’ll be moved to parent company Genesis Energy, which will likely come with an increase in the size of the household power bill. For consumers already feeling the financial squeeze, it’s just more frustrating news-and a reminder that loyalty often comes at a price.
But there is hope for those willing to take action. In response to these developments, NZ Compare, the country’s leading comparison platform for utilities and services, is seeing record traffic. Last week alone, the group’s websites experienced their highest-ever weekly traffic, and more than 50,000 New Zealanders have already used the platforms during June to compare broadband, power, and mobile deals.
“This is exactly the time when people need to take control,” says Gavin Male, CEO of NZ Compare. “Just as that first big winter power bill hits your wallet, Spark is turning up the heat with fibre broadband price increases. You don’t have to sit back and take it. There are some really competitive deals out there and if you are already on a fibre broadband connection, switching provider is incredibly simple.”
Spark’s latest price increases follow a broader industry trend of rising costs being passed on to customers, often with little warning. Many consumers, like those previously with Frank Energy, are left scrambling for alternatives.
“Whether you’re dealing with Spark bumping up your fibre broadband bill or a power provider charging more for the same, it’s time to stop paying the loyalty tax,” continues Male. “These companies rely on customers staying passive. The bill apathy has got to stop! By comparing and switching, you’re not only saving money-you’re putting pressure on the market and these companies to stay competitive.”
The team at NZ Compare says now is the perfect time to reassess. Using tools like Broadband Compare, Power Compare, and Mobile Compare, Kiwis can easily find a better plan that matches their household’s usage and budget. And the process is free, fast, and transparent.
“New Zealanders are savvy, and they deserve better,” says Male. “Every time someone switches, it s
Dr. P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, conducted site inspections and chaired high-level review meetings in Dholera and Lothal, Gujarat, on Monday to assess the progress of key infrastructure projects. These initiatives align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for industrial growth and economic development in the region.
Dr. Mishra visited the under-construction Ahmedabad-Dholera Greenfield Expressway, a project led by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). He emphasized its potential to reduce travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera to just 45 minutes and stressed the need for timely completion while maintaining global-quality road standards. At the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), he reviewed the Dholera International Airport, where officials reported that cargo operations are slated to begin by October 2025. Dr. Mishra directed authorities to ensure strict adherence to timelines and seamless integration with the expressway.
The Principal Secretary also inspected Tata Electronics’ Semiconductor Fabrication (Fab) project, a cornerstone of India’s domestic chip manufacturing efforts. The facility will produce chips for mobile devices, consumer electronics, and automotive applications. Additionally, Dr. Mishra visited social infrastructure developments, including schools, hospitals, and residential complexes managed by Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (DICDL). He underscored the importance of incorporating stakeholder feedback to enhance user experience.
In a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials from DICDL, Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), NHAI, Airports Authority of India, and Indian Railways, Dr. Mishra evaluated progress on critical projects, including the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, Bhimnath-Dholera Freight Rail Link, Ahmedabad-Dholera Semi-High-Speed Rail Line, and Dholera International Airport. He reaffirmed the Government of Gujarat’s commitment to transforming Dholera into a world-class smart industrial city, emphasizing timely execution, skilled workforce availability, and robust planning.
Dr. Mishra also inspected the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, a flagship project under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. Chairing a review meeting with Shri T. Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry, and officials from the Gujarat Maritime Board, Archaeological Survey of India, NHAI, and Indian Railways, he stressed that the NMHC should serve as a scholarly tribute to India’s rich maritime history. He called for in-depth research, academic collaboration, and a well-curated visitor experience to highlight India’s maritime legacy from the Harappan civilization onward. Dr. Mishra reviewed Phase I-A construction, which includes six galleries, and directed its completion by August 2025.
Additionally, Dr. Mishra assessed environmental sustainability efforts, such as local species plantation and water management systems, to ensure the NMHC’s ecological responsibility. He highlighted the project’s unparalleled scale and significance in preserving and showcasing India’s maritime heritage.
Dr. P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, conducted site inspections and chaired high-level review meetings in Dholera and Lothal, Gujarat, on Monday to assess the progress of key infrastructure projects. These initiatives align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for industrial growth and economic development in the region.
Dr. Mishra visited the under-construction Ahmedabad-Dholera Greenfield Expressway, a project led by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). He emphasized its potential to reduce travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera to just 45 minutes and stressed the need for timely completion while maintaining global-quality road standards. At the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR), he reviewed the Dholera International Airport, where officials reported that cargo operations are slated to begin by October 2025. Dr. Mishra directed authorities to ensure strict adherence to timelines and seamless integration with the expressway.
The Principal Secretary also inspected Tata Electronics’ Semiconductor Fabrication (Fab) project, a cornerstone of India’s domestic chip manufacturing efforts. The facility will produce chips for mobile devices, consumer electronics, and automotive applications. Additionally, Dr. Mishra visited social infrastructure developments, including schools, hospitals, and residential complexes managed by Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (DICDL). He underscored the importance of incorporating stakeholder feedback to enhance user experience.
In a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials from DICDL, Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), NHAI, Airports Authority of India, and Indian Railways, Dr. Mishra evaluated progress on critical projects, including the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway, Bhimnath-Dholera Freight Rail Link, Ahmedabad-Dholera Semi-High-Speed Rail Line, and Dholera International Airport. He reaffirmed the Government of Gujarat’s commitment to transforming Dholera into a world-class smart industrial city, emphasizing timely execution, skilled workforce availability, and robust planning.
Dr. Mishra also inspected the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, a flagship project under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. Chairing a review meeting with Shri T. Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry, and officials from the Gujarat Maritime Board, Archaeological Survey of India, NHAI, and Indian Railways, he stressed that the NMHC should serve as a scholarly tribute to India’s rich maritime history. He called for in-depth research, academic collaboration, and a well-curated visitor experience to highlight India’s maritime legacy from the Harappan civilization onward. Dr. Mishra reviewed Phase I-A construction, which includes six galleries, and directed its completion by August 2025.
Additionally, Dr. Mishra assessed environmental sustainability efforts, such as local species plantation and water management systems, to ensure the NMHC’s ecological responsibility. He highlighted the project’s unparalleled scale and significance in preserving and showcasing India’s maritime heritage.
overnor Kathy Hochul today marked the one-year anniversary of the launch of New York Mobile ID (MiD), a highly secure digital version of a state-issued driver license, learner permit or ID on a smartphone or tablet. To date, more than 245,869 New Yorkers have completed the enrollment process for the MiD.
“We are just at the start of this exciting advancement in digital identity security, and New York is proud to be one of the states leading the way,” Governor Hochul said. “As more and more New Yorkers embrace the MiD and more states across the country launch similar digital options, there will be many more ways to use your MiD.”
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “DMV is pleased to offer New Yorkers a simple and secure way to access their driver license, learner permit or non-driver ID directly on their mobile device. The MiD holder’s personal information and privacy are protected, and businesses also benefit by having a convenient, contactless, and highly secure method for verifying identity and age.”
Designed for New Yorkers’ convenience and security, the MiD is available for free to IOS and Android users, and use is completely voluntary. Anyone with a valid, state-issued driver license, learner permit or non-driver ID can download the secure Mobile ID app through Google Play or the App Store.
MiD is accepted at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints at participating airports across the country, including all terminals at LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse Hancock, and Stewart International airports, allowing New Yorkers to verify their identity easily and securely for airport security screening.
Last fall, the state Liquor Authority issued an advisory to the state’s bars, restaurants and other liquor-license holders that MiD is an acceptable form of ID for age verification. The state’s largest associations representing the bar and restaurant industries now support their members utilizing the technology. Businesses can become MiD verifiers by downloading a free or paid verifier app to any smartphone or tablet. They can visit the DMV webpage on Mobile ID for businesses and organizations to learn more.
MiD is not a picture of the user’s driver license. It can only be authenticated through an encrypted connection with a verifier device and does not require the user to hand over their phone to anyone. When using the app, the user taps “share ID” to generate a QR code containing no personal data that can be scanned by the verifier, establishing the encrypted connection between the devices.
The user is asked to consent to sharing the information being requested by the verifier, and consent is required every time they use their Mobile ID. The verifier receives only the information the user consented to share, along with a message on their device that the MiD is verified.
For added protection, Mobile ID can only be unlocked by the user’s FaceID, TouchID or PIN, even if someone accesses the user’s unlocked phone. If the user’s phone is lost or stolen, their Mobile ID becomes invalid as soon as they add MiD to a new device. Mobile ID cannot be used to track a user’s location.
Currently, nearly 20 states have launched a mobile ID and many more are in the process of developing one. Nationally, more than five million people hold a mobile ID.
For more information about MiD, visit the DMV website or follow NYS DMV online at Facebook, X , and Instagram.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
June 13, 2025
WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health Education, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Friday launched a campaign inviting people in Connecticut to share how Prospect Medical Holdings’ mismanagement of Waterbury Hospital, Rockville General Hospital, and Manchester Memorial Hospital have impacted their access to health care. Constituents are invited to visit tinyurl.com/shareyourprospectstory and submit testimonials.
“When private equity moves in, hospitals, nurses, doctors, and patients regularly suffer. That’s exactly what’s happening in Connecticut due to Prospect Medical’s greed. Their takeover of 3 hospitals in Connecticut has depleted these health care facilities of the resources they need, only to provide company executives and shareholders with massive amounts of profit, all while putting patient care at risk and shorting our local communities of the benefits they were promised. Whether you’re a nurse at Rockville General, or a lifelong patient at Waterbury Hospital or Manchester Memorial, I want to hear your story. It was a mistake to let private equity control so much of our health care system, but it’s not too late for us to change course,” said Murphy.
Murphy launched this share-your-story campaign to inform a forthcoming report on the harmful impact of private equity and profit-seeking in health care. Participants have the option to be kept anonymous.
In March, Murphy hosted a roundtable with stakeholders on the same topic in Waterbury. Last year, Murphy spoke on the U.S. Senate floor on the role private equity has played in the commodification of health care at the expense of patients, doctors, nurses, and local communities. He also highlighted the case of Prospect Medical Holdings at a HELP hearing.
Mukuru (https://www.Mukuru.com), a leading next-generation financial services platform, has once again been recognised among the world’s most influential cross-border payment companies, earning a spot on the 2025 FXC Intelligence Cross-Border Payments 100 list for the sixth consecutive year. Mukuru joins an elite group of global fintechs shaping the future of financial services, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted and resilient force in the industry.
As a global authority in cross-border payments data and analysis, FXC Intelligence has highlighted Mukuru’s impact on digital finance in emerging markets. In an industry undergoing rapid transformation, this recognition reaffirms Mukuru’s vital role in enabling Africans to participate in the global financial economy through provision of secure, accessible, reliable and affordable payments solutions.
Andy Jury, Group CEO of Mukuru, says;“Mukuru’s continued inclusion on the FXC Intelligence list is both an honour and a validation of our mission to drive financial inclusion at scale. Being recognised six years in a row highlights the value we bring to the growing cross border payments market as a proudly African business with expertise in bridging the gap in formal and informal economies across the continent and beyond”.
Since Mukuru’s inclusion in the FX Intelligence list in 2024, the company is expanding its digital financial solutions to over 17 million customers across Africa, Europe, and Asia. As part of this growth, Mukuru now has 5 wallets/cards in 5 markets including South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and, most recently, Zambia. These solutions enable users to send and receive funds locally and globally, store, and spend money seamlessly via mobile or card, promoting financial inclusion for both urban and rural communities.
In addition to individual solutions, Mukuru has strengthened its business offerings through MPAY (Mukuru Pay) and EPP (Enterprise Payment Platform). These platforms provide flexible payment solutions for e-commerce, payroll management, aid disbursements, and bulk transactions, ensuring efficient financial services for organisations across various sectors.
With a regulatory footprint spanning more than 50 financial licenses across multiple countries, Mukuru has also taken a significant step toward expanding its financial services in Zimbabwe, with the recent issuing of its Deposit-Taking Microfinance Institution (DTMFI) license by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). This milestone enables the company to provide banking-like and regulated financial services to underserved segments, including women, youth, people with disabilities, and rural communities, in one of its most established markets.
“This recognition is not just a moment of pride – it’s a signal to keep pushing boundaries, as Mukuru rapidly evolves beyond a remittance-led business to a trusted financial services partner for consumers, businesses and organisations. We remain dedicated to driving financial inclusion and shaping the future of cross-border financial services by delivering simple, innovative and trusted solutions globally”, concludes Jury.
About Mukuru: Mukuru is a leading next generation financial services platform in Southern Africa that offers affordable and reliable financial services to a customer base of over 17 million+ across Africa, Asia and Europe. With over 100 million transactions to date, our core was built providing international money transfers and from this base, we’ve developed a set of services to address the broader financial needs of our customers. We now operate in over 70 countries and across over 570 remittance corridors.
We are a business that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do, and for that reason, we serve clients across physical and digital channels, by various payment methods (cash, card, wallet) as well as a range of engagement platforms including WhatsApp, USSD, contact centre, App, website, agents and a branch and booth network.
Mukuru has been listed among the top 100 Cross Border Payments businesses globally for the sixth consecutive year in the 2025 FXC Intelligence Top 100 Cross-Border Payment Companies. In 2024, Mukuru won the IAMTN Payments Network Customers Experience Excellence Award for exceptional customer satisfaction and was accredited as a Top Employer in South Africa for 2024 and 2025 by the Top Employers Institute. In 2023, Mukuru ranked sixth on the LinkedIn Top Companies List in South Africa. We aso received the Fintech Innovation of the Year Award at the 2023 Africa Tech Festival Awards for its role in driving economic growth and financial inclusion.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Alaska of the July 16, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by flooding occurring Aug. 5‑6, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the City and Borough of Juneau in Alaska.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature who suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. Examples of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25% and terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.
Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than July 16.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
LEEDS, United Kingdom, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Imagine the future where your entire workflow on the Blockchain is powered by AI to get maximum benefits of it. This goes from investing, security, compliance, monitoring and every significant interaction being automated via AI agents. That is the future of work and that is whereNimanodecomes in as the first platform of its kind to deliver a zero-code solution for launching on-chain AI agents that can perform these complex blockchain tasks.
Nimanode has drawn massive investor confidence with its $NMA Presale, having so far surpassed expectations by rapidly filling 20% of its softcap target with support of early adopters seeking exposure to the next phase of Web3 technology.
Built natively on XRPL, Nimanode leverages the blockchain’s speed, low fees, and scalability to enable high-frequency, low-latency AI agent execution. The platform’s agents are capable of:
Executing smart contracts via XRPL Hooks
Scanning wallets and tokens for real-time risk
Monitoring compliance in tokenized real-world assets (RWAs)
Managing liquidity and maximizing APY across XRPL protocols
Operating 24/7 as decentralized customer support interfaces
NMA Token: Powering DeFi Innovation
At the core of Nimanode is the Agent Marketplace, where users can license, share, and monetize AI agents with other users and businesses. Combined with its SDK for developers and drag-and-drop builder for creators, Nimanode is positioning itself as a hub for Web3 automation and on-chain labor.
Market Analysts already predict strong upside upon exchange listing of $NMA as demand for agent-based infrastructure gains traction.
This is a chance to invest in $NMA before its Listing at 25% higher than Presale value, however whales position for more as they eye a 10X surge on Launch.
$NMA Token Sale is Ongoing
With a total of 90 million $NMA representing 45% of $NMA allocated for the presale, this marks a unique and promising chance to claim early access into one of XRP Ledger’s most innovative projects, spearheading the AI ecosystem on the blockchain.
Joining in the NimaNode Presale is quite straightforward
Purchase XRP: Acquire XRP from reputable exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or Bybit
Send to an XRP-Compatible Wallet: Ensure you have a non-custodial wallet capable of receiving XRP native tokens Xaman recommended.
Participate in the Presale: Visit the NimaNode presale page (https://nimanode.com/presale), send your XRP to the provided presale address, and secure your $NMA tokens.
As Nimanode Presale gains momentum, now is a perfect opportunity to position at the next wave of Blockchain innovation poised for massive gains through the integration of Web3 and AI.
Final Word
The future of blockchain is autonomous AI agents working for you and it begins with Nimanode. As the XRP ecosystem continues to attract global attention, Nimanode is entering the scene with purpose — to become the backbone of autonomous Web3 infrastructure.
By merging artificial intelligence with no-code tools on one of the fastest blockchains in existence, Nimanode is redefining how value, automation, and intelligence move through decentralized systems.
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Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
Legislation would strengthen support of NTIA’s ongoing efforts to protect American technology infrastructure
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Shelley Moore Capito, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and John Curtis reintroduced their National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act, a bipartisan bill to modernize and codify the NTIA’s work in cybersecurity.
The NTIA’s Office for Policy Analysis and Development would be renamed the Office for Policy Development and Cybersecurity to better align with the agency’s 21st century mission of helping secure the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.
“America’s data security is national security. We need to modernize our agencies and departments to meet today’s cyber threats head-on,” said Hickenlooper, Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security.
“Cyberattacks and breaches of private data ultimately hurt American consumers, and as technology and the telecommunications industry continues to advance, so do the threats from hackers and bad actors. Provisions must be in place to strengthen NTIA’s Office for Policy Analysis and Development, and protect the private information of the public they serve. I’m proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation that takes necessary, proactive steps to develop cybersecurity guidance, identify potential vulnerabilities, and promote collaboration between the public and private sectors with the ultimate goal of protecting consumers,” Capito said.
In recent years, the NTIA has increasingly adapted to better reflect the rising importance of cybersecurity to our critical infrastructure and daily functions. The senators’ bill would codify, strengthen, and provide Congressional guidance to NTIA’s ongoing cybersecurity activities, as well as outline responsibilities of an Associate Administrator.
The redesignated office would be led by an Associate Administrator and be responsible for:
Developing cybersecurity policy as it relates to telecommunications, the internet, consumer software services, and public media
Creating guidance and support for implementing cybersecurity and privacy measures for internet and telecommunication companies
Promoting collaboration between security research and industry
Preventing and mitigating future software vulnerabilities in communications networks
Removing barriers for implementing, understanding, and investing in cybersecurity for communications and software providers
Providing technical assistance on cybersecurity practices to small and rural communications service providers
In the House, a companion bill passed out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Hickenlooper and Capito originally introduced the legislation in the 117th Congress.
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed today the fourth reviews of Seychelles’ economic performance under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) Arrangements. Completion of the reviews allows for an immediate disbursement of about US$13.7 million intended to strengthen macroeconomic stability, sustain growth, and reinforce fiscal and monetary policy frameworks, while also supporting efforts to strengthen resilience to climate change, exploit synergies with other sources of official financing, and catalyze financing for climate-related investments.
Economic growth for Seychelles in 2024 is estimated at 2.9 percent, reflecting lower dynamism in the tourism sector. Inflation remained subdued and fiscal performance was tighter than budgeted, driven mainly by underspending on capital expenditure. For 2025, economic growth is projected at 3.2 percent, reflecting slower growth projected for Europe—Seychelles’ most important tourism source market.
Performance under the EFF has been strong with all quantitative targets and structural benchmarks for end-December 2024 met. However, two SBs scheduled for 2025 have encountered minor delays due to capacity constraints. Progress has been satisfactory under the RSF implementation, and the authorities remain committed to the programs’ objectives.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed today the fourth reviews of Seychelles’ economic performance under the 36-month EFF and RSF Arrangements approved on May 31, 2023. The completion of the reviews allows for the authorities to draw the equivalent of SDR 6.1 million (about $8.3 million) under the EFF and SDR 3.9 million (about $5.3 million) under the RSF, bringing total disbursements to SDR 30.5 million (about $41.7 million) and SDR 13.3 million (about $18.2 million) under the EFF and RSF, respectively.
Economic growth for Seychelles in 2024 is estimated at 2.9 percent, slightly lower than earlier forecasts due to lower activity in the tourism sector. Year-on-year inflation reached 1.7 percent as of December, driven by an increase in utility prices and pass-through effects of currency depreciation. Fiscal performance was tighter than budgeted driven mainly by underspending on capital expenditure, with a primary surplus equivalent to 3.2 percent of GDP in 2024. The Central Bank of Seychelles has maintained an accommodative monetary stance. The current account deficit widened to 7.9 percent of GDP in 2024, but gross international reserves increased to $774 million, equivalent to 3.8 months of imports or 115 percent of the Assessing Reserve Adequacy (or ARA) metric.
EFF-supported program implementation has been strong. All quantitative program targets (QPCs) and structural benchmarks (SBs) for end-December 2024 were met. However, two SBs scheduled for the first half of 2025 have encountered minor delays due to capacity constraints. Progress has been satisfactory on RSF implementation. All reform measures (RMs) for March 2025 have been implemented. However, one component of an RM scheduled for April 2025 (related to energy pricing and the issuance of a new multi-year electricity tariff system) is delayed and expected to be completed in November. The authorities requested minor modifications for two RMs slated for December 2025.
The outlook suggests low but stable growth for 2025 and beyond but is subject to considerable uncertainty. Real GDP growth is projected at 3.2 percent for 2025 compared to 4.3 percent at the previous reviews. The downward revision reflects slower a weaker outlook for tourist activity on the back of slower growth in Europe (Seychelles’ most important tourism source market). Year-on-year inflation is expected to moderate to 1.2 percent by end-2025 due to lower utility, fuel and food prices. Reserve coverage is expected to increase to 3.9 months of import cover in 2025. Near-term downside risks relate mainly to how slower global growth and higher uncertainty translate into tourism arrivals and spending.
Going forward, continuation of prudent macroeconomic policies is paramount for maintaining resilience. The authorities’ near-term priorities are to support economic growth, strengthen fiscal and external positions, and maintain prudent monetary policy and a sound financial sector. In the medium-term, the authorities’ aim to continue a steady fiscal consolidation to reduce the ratio of public debt to GDP, while simultaneously improving the efficiency of public spending. Building capacity with respect to public financial management and financial sector supervision is another key focus. The structural reform agenda emphasizes revenue administration, public financial and investment management, climate change resilience, and governance improvements, including digitalization and transparency.
Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Bo Li, Deputy Managing Director, and acting Chair, issued the following statement:
“Seychelles has continued to demonstrate sound macroeconomic management and commitment to structural reforms. Lower than expected GDP growth for 2024 reflected lower tourism income and weakened performance in such sectors as accommodation, food services, and transportation. Fiscal outturns have been tighter than projected, reflecting delays in execution of capital projects, bottlenecks in public procurement, and civil service recruitment delays. Monetary policy remains accommodative in the face of low inflation. Good progress has been made on essential macrostructural reforms.
“For the fourth reviews, program performance under the EFF was strong, with all quantitative program targets and structural benchmarks through end-December successfully met. Progress has also been satisfactory on RSF implementation, with all RMs through March implemented and only one component of an RM scheduled for April has been delayed. The authorities continue to implement an ambitious reform agenda and prudent fiscal and monetary policies in the face of an increasingly challenging external environment.
“The authorities should remain vigilant with respect to near and medium-term risks as the outlook is subject to rising uncertainty. These include a slowdown in tourism activity due to slower growth projected for Europe—Seychelles’ most important tourism source market. Commodity price volatility could also feed through to inflation, while global trade tensions may reduce FDI and lead to tighter financial conditions. The EFF arrangement will continue to help protect macroeconomic stability and support stronger fiscal and external buffers, while advancing the authorities’ structural reform agenda.
“The authorities are advancing with reforms under the RSF to enhance the climate-resilience of public investments, diversify financing, and strengthen assessment and disclosure of climate-related financial sector risk. Successful implementation of the reform agenda will enhance economic resilience and external financing risks by building institutional capacity for public investment in climate adaptation and diversifying Seychelles’ power generation capacity—reducing its dependence on imported energy. Continued collaboration with the IMF and other partners will be important to help fill capacity gaps and to mobilize climate finance.”
Seychelles: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2022-30
ATHENS, Greece, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Imperial Petroleum Inc. (Nasdaq: IMPP) (the “Company”), a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil, and drybulk seaborne transportation services, today announced a dividend of $0.546875 per share on its 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Shares”), payable on June 30, 2025 to holders of record as of June 25, 2025. The dividend payment relates to the period from the last dividend payment date for the Series A Preferred Shares on March 30, 2025, through June 29, 2025.
There are 795,878 Series A Preferred Shares outstanding as of the date hereof. The Series A Preferred Shares trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “IMPPP.”
ABOUT IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.
IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. is a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The Company owns a total of seventeen vessels on the water – seven M.R. product tankers, two suezmax tankers, three handysize drybulk carriers, three supramax drybulk carriers and two kamsarmax drybulk vessels – with a total capacity of 1,082,800 deadweight tons (dwt), and has contracted to acquire an additional two supramax drybulk carriers of 111,200 dwt aggregate capacity. Following these deliveries, the Company’s fleet will count a total of 19 vessels with an aggregate capacity of 1.2 million dwt. IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.’s shares of common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and trade under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP,” respectively.
Forward-Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, geopolitical conditions, including any trade disruptions resulting from tariffs and other protectionist measures imposed by the United States or other countries, general market conditions, including changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, charter counterparty performance, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydockings, changes in IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in our financing arrangements, actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, the conflicts in the Middle East, potential disruption of shipping routes due to ongoing attacks by Houthis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden or accidents and political events or acts by terrorists. Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
ATHENS, Greece, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Imperial Petroleum Inc. (Nasdaq: IMPP) (the “Company”), a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil, and drybulk seaborne transportation services, today announced a dividend of $0.546875 per share on its 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Shares”), payable on June 30, 2025 to holders of record as of June 25, 2025. The dividend payment relates to the period from the last dividend payment date for the Series A Preferred Shares on March 30, 2025, through June 29, 2025.
There are 795,878 Series A Preferred Shares outstanding as of the date hereof. The Series A Preferred Shares trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “IMPPP.”
ABOUT IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.
IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. is a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The Company owns a total of seventeen vessels on the water – seven M.R. product tankers, two suezmax tankers, three handysize drybulk carriers, three supramax drybulk carriers and two kamsarmax drybulk vessels – with a total capacity of 1,082,800 deadweight tons (dwt), and has contracted to acquire an additional two supramax drybulk carriers of 111,200 dwt aggregate capacity. Following these deliveries, the Company’s fleet will count a total of 19 vessels with an aggregate capacity of 1.2 million dwt. IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.’s shares of common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and trade under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP,” respectively.
Forward-Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, geopolitical conditions, including any trade disruptions resulting from tariffs and other protectionist measures imposed by the United States or other countries, general market conditions, including changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, charter counterparty performance, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydockings, changes in IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in our financing arrangements, actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, the conflicts in the Middle East, potential disruption of shipping routes due to ongoing attacks by Houthis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden or accidents and political events or acts by terrorists. Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Did you know that around one in two women in the UK will experience symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction at some point in their lives? And for women who engage in high-intensity exercise, that figure rises to 63%.
The female pelvic floor is a remarkable yet often overlooked structure: a complex “hammock” of muscles and ligaments that stretches from the front of the pelvis to the tailbone.
These muscles support the bladder, bowel and uterus, wrap around the openings of the urethra, vagina and anus and work in sync with your diaphragm, abdominal and back muscles to maintain posture, continence and core stability. It’s not an exaggeration to say your pelvic floor is the foundation of your body’s core.
Throughout a woman’s life, various events can challenge the pelvic floor. Pregnancy, for example, increases the weight of the uterus, placing added pressure on these muscles. The growing baby can cause the abdominal muscles to stretch and separate, naturally increasing the load on the pelvic floor. Childbirth, particularly vaginal delivery, may result in perineal trauma, directly injuring pelvic floor tissues.
However, contrary to popular belief, pelvic floor problems aren’t only caused by pregnancy and childbirth. In fact, research shows that intense physical activity, even in women who have never been pregnant or given birth, can contribute to dysfunction.
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Exercise is essential for overall health and is often recommended to ease symptoms of menopause and menstruation. But one side effect that’s not talked about enough is the effect that repeated strain, such as heavy lifting or high impact movement, can have on the pelvic floor. The increased intra-abdominal pressure during these activities can gradually weaken the pelvic floor muscles, especially if they’re not trained to cope.
Pelvic floor dysfunction often results when these muscles aren’t strong enough to match the workload demanded of them, whether from daily life, exercise, or other core muscles. And it’s a growing issue, affecting more women than ever before.
Common symptoms include leaking urine or faeces when coughing, sneezing or exercising, a dragging or heavy sensation in the lower abdomen or vaginal area, painful sex, changes in bowel habits, visible bulging in the vaginal area (a sign of prolapse). The emotional toll can also be significant, leading to embarrassment, anxiety, low confidence and a reluctance to stay active – all of which affect quality of life.
Prevention
The good news? Help is available and, better yet, pelvic floor dysfunction is often preventable.
If you’re experiencing symptoms, speak to your GP. You may be referred to a women’s health physiotherapist, available through both the NHS and private services. But whether you’re managing symptoms or hoping to avoid them in the first place, there are practical steps you can take:
Most importantly, build strength with regular pelvic floor exercises. Here’s how to do a basic pelvic floor contraction:
Imagine you’re trying to stop yourself passing wind – squeeze and lift the muscles around your back passage.
Then, imagine stopping the flow of urine mid-stream – engage those muscles too.
Now, lift both sets of muscles upwards inside your body, as if pulling them into the vagina.
Hold the contraction for a few seconds, then fully relax. Repeat.
If you’re just starting, it may be easier to practise while sitting. With time and consistency, you’ll be able to hold contractions for longer and incorporate them into your daily routine, like brushing your teeth or waiting for the kettle to boil.
Like any muscle, the pelvic floor gets stronger with training, making it more resilient to strain from childbirth, ageing, or strenuous activity. Research shows that a well-conditioned pelvic floor recovers faster from injury.
So be proud of your pelvic floor. Support it, strengthen it – and don’t forget to do those squeezes.
Holly Ingram 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 – UK – By Brian Brivati, Visiting Professor of Contemporary History and Human Rights, Kingston University
Israel’s large-scale attack against Iran on June 13, which it conducted without UN security council approval, has prompted retaliation from Tehran. Both sides have traded strikes over the past few days, with over 200 Iranians and 14 Israelis killed so far.
The escalation has broader consequences. It further isolates institutions like the UN, International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ), which have found themselves increasingly sidelined as Israel’s assault on Gaza has progressed. These bodies now appear toothless.
The world appears to be facing an unprecedented upending of the post-1945 international legal order. Israel’s government is operating with a level of impunity rarely seen before. At the same time, the Trump administration is actively undermining the global institutions designed to enforce international law.
Other global powers, including Russia and China, are taking this opportunity to move beyond the western rules-based system. The combination of a powerful state acting with impunity and a superpower disabling the mechanisms of accountability marks a global inflection point.
It is a moment so stark that we may have to rethink what we thought we knew about the conduct of international relations and the management of conflict, both for the Palestinian struggle and the international system of justice built after the second world war.
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The Israeli government is, in addition to its preemptive air campaign against Iran’s nuclear programme, advancing with impunity on three other fronts. It is tightening its hold on Gaza, with the prospect of a lasting occupation increasingly possible.
Senior Israeli ministers have also outlined plans for the annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank through settlement expansion. This is now proceeding unchecked. Israel confirmed plans in May to create 22 new settlements there, including the legalisation of those already built without government authorisation.
This is being accompanied by provocative legislation such as a bill that would hike taxes on foreign-funded non-governmental organisations. The Israeli government is also continuing its attempts to reduce the independence of the judiciary.
Hardline elements of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet say they will collapse the government if he changes course.
The ICJ moved with urgency in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. In January 2024, it found evidence that Palestinians in Gaza were at risk of genocide and ordered Israel to implement provisional measures to prevent further harm.
Then, in May 2024, as Israeli forces pressed an offensive, the ICJ issued another ruling ordering Israel to halt its military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah immediately. It also called on Israel to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.
The court went further in July, issuing a landmark advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal. The ICC took bold action by issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defence minister Yoav Gallant, and the leaders of Hamas.
Disregarding international law
These dramatic attempts to enforce international law failed. Israel only agreed to a temporary ceasefire in Gaza in January 2025 when Washington insisted, demonstrating that the only possible brake on Israel remains the US.
But the second Trump administration is even more transactional than the first. It prioritises trade deals and strategic alliances – particularly with the Gulf states – over the enforcement of international legal norms.
In January, Trump issued an executive order authorising sanctions on the ICC over the court’s “illegitimate” actions against the US and its “close ally Israel”. These sanctions came into effect a little over a week before Israel launched its strikes on Iran.
Trump then withdrew the US from the UN human rights council and extended a funding ban on Unrwa, the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees.
A further executive order issued in February directed the state department to withhold portions of the US contribution to the UN’s regular budget. And Trump also launched a 180-day review of all US-funded international organisations, foreshadowing further exits or funding cuts across the multilateral system.
In May 2025, the US and Israel then advanced a new aid mechanism for Gaza run by private security contractors operating in Israeli-approved “safe zones”. Aid is conditional on population displacement, with civilians in northern Gaza denied access unless they relocate.
This approach, which has been condemned by humanitarian organisations, contravenes established humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality.
In effect, one pillar of the post-war order is attacking another. The leading founder of the UN is now undermining the institution from within, wielding its security council veto to block action while simultaneously starving the organisation of resources. The US vetoed a UN security council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on June 4.
The implications of this turning point in the international order are already playing out across the globe. Russia is continuing its war of aggression in Ukraine despite rulings from the ICJ and extensive evidence of war crimes. It knows that enforcement mechanisms are weak and fragmented and the alternative Trumpian deal making can be played out indefinitely.
And China is escalating military pressure on Taiwan. It is employing grey-zone tactics, that do everything possible in provocation and disinformation below the threshold of open warfare, undeterred by legal commitments to peaceful resolution.
These cases are symptoms of a collapse in the credibility of the post-1945 legal order. Israel’s policy in Gaza and its attack on Iran are not exceptions but the acceleration. They are confirmation to other states that law no longer constrains power, institutions can be bypassed, and humanitarian principles can be used for political ends.
Brian Brivati is executive director of the Britain Palestine Project. He is writing this article in a personal capacity.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leonie Fleischmann, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, City St George’s, University of London
The UK’s decision to impose sanctions on two far-right Netanyahu government ministers has put it at loggerheads with the Trump administration over Israel. Announcing on June 10 that Britain would join Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway in sanctioning Israel’s minister for national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and minister of finance, Bezalel Smotrich, the UK foreign secretary David Lammy said the pair had “incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio criticised the decision, releasing a statement the same day saying the sanctions did not “advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war”. He added: “We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is. The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.”
Britain and its allies also called on the Netanyahu government to respond to extremist Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and to “cease the expansion of illegal settlements which undermine a future Palestinian state”. This has brought the spotlight back to the West Bank, where decades of settler violence towards Palestinians and a planning system which favours the Israeli settlers, have led to the gradual displacement of Palestinian communities.
The announcement seemed to signal a possible breach in relations between the UK government and the Netanyahu government. But with conflict escalating between Israel and Iran, the UK’s chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has said the government may be willing to provide military support for Israel.
Smotrich responded to the sanctions, speaking on his “contempt” at Britain’s decision and referring to Britain’s history of administration of what he called “our homeland”. He said: “Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not allow it to do so again. We are determined to continue building.”
In retaliation for the sanctions, Smotrich pledged to collapse the Palestinian Authority, by taking measures to prevent Israeli banks for corresponding with Palestinian banks. This has been vital for sustaining the Palestinian economy.
UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, explains why the government has sanctioned the two Israeli ministers.
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich and their ultra-nationalist followers actually represent a relatively small fraction of Israeli society, but they hold the balance of power in Netanyahu’s coalition, controlling 20 seats in Netanyahu’s 67-seat coalition. This has enabled them to consolidate decades of settler activity outside of parliamentary legitimacy into influencing government policy.
Itamar Ben-Gvir
Ben-Gvir is an admirer of the late racist rabbi Meir Kahane, who founded the far-right Kach party which was labelled a terrorist organisation in 2008 having been banned from running in parliamentary elections. In 2007 he was convicted for incitement to racism and being a supporter of a terrorist organisation.
He subsequently told an event to honour Kahane that, while he admired Kahane, he would not try to pass laws to expel all Arabs from Israel and the West Bank or to create a regime which involved ethnic segregation. But Kahane’s violent anti-Arab ideology and desire to establish a theocratic Jewish state has influenced the next generation of ultra-nationalists.
The national security minister has been convicted eight times for offences that include racism and support for a terrorist organisation. He gained prominence as a successful defence lawyer for Jews accused of violence against Palestinians. The political party he heads, Otzma Yehudit, advocates for the annexation of the entire West Bank without granting Palestinians Israeli citizenship.
Ben-Gvir has become infamous for his provocative statements. In August 2023, he declared in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, that his rights trump those of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
“My right, and my wife’s and my children’s right to get around on the roads in Judea and Samaria, is more important than the right to movement for Arabs,” he said, effectively advocating for a regime of apartheid. He has consistently pushed Netanyahu to maintain the war in Gaza, blocking past attempts to reach a ceasefire.
Bezalel Smotrich
Smotrich also has a history of making inflammatory statements. In February 2023, three days after settler vigilantes rampaged through the West Bank town of Huwara, he called for Israel to wipe the town off the map. He later apologised for this comment after being criticised by both the opposition leader, Yair Lapid, and the US government, saying he hadn’t meant it to be a call for vigilante violence.
Smotrich believes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are part of the biblical land of Israel and rightfully belong to the Jewish people. He has dedicated his career to ensuring the establishment of Jewish settlements.
In 2006, he helped establish a non-governmental organisation called Regavim as a pressure group to increase settlement of the West Bank. The left-leaning Israeli newspaper Haaretz has criticised Regavim as “an organisation waging a total war on Palestinian construction in the West Bank”.
Since Smotrich was given increased control over civil affairs on the West Bank in early 2023, the building of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank has accelerated. He is reported to have recently directed his office to “formulate an operational plan for applying sovereignty” over the West Bank.
He told a group touring new settlements approved by the Israeli government that: “”We will not stop until the entire area receives its full legal status and becomes an inseparable part of the State of Israel. We are changing the face of the settlement enterprise not just as a slogan, but through real action.”
Rightward shift
The prominence of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich reflects a rightward shift in the Israeli electorate that has brought ultra-nationalist settler ideology into the mainstream. However, their meteoric rise is also due to their holding the balance of power, which has enabled Netanyahu to remain in office. That Netanyahu remains prime minister is widely believed to be partly responsible for the slow progress of his trials for bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
Before the November 2022 Knesset election, Netanyahu reportedly brokered a deal whereby Smotrich’s Religious Zionism Party and Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Home party joined forces. This ensured they won enough seats to ensure Netanyahu could form a coalition. And so these two extremists bent on thwarting any hope for Palestinian independence became kingmakers.
While they have such influence over the Netanyahu government, there is no possibility for a Palestinian state. Instead it is more likely that the violence towards Palestinians and the dispossession of their land will continue to increase.
Leonie Fleischmann 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.
The Bible Society recently published a report claiming that church attendance in England and Wales increased by more than half between 2018 and 2024. The revival was especially striking among young men, with reported church attendance jumping from 4% to 21% over this short period.
As a quantitative social scientist who has studied religious change in modern societies for more than 25 years, I’m surprised – and sceptical. I do not doubt that the Bible Society acted in good faith, but they haven’t engaged with the mountain of evidence, some of it very recent, pointing to religious decline.
The annual British Social Attitudes survey – widely regarded as the best and most reliable source of data on such matters – shows that the share of adults in England and Wales who said that they were Christian and went to church at least monthly fell by nearly a quarter (from 12.2% to 9.3%) between 2018 and 2023, the last year available. The Bible Society surveys suggest that churchgoers were 8% of the adult population in 2018 and 12% in 2024.
The main Christian denominations (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist) conduct and publish their own attendance counts every year. Those show that while churchgoing continues to rebound from the lows of the COVID lockdown, attendance at worship services remains substantially lower than it was in 2019, before the pandemic. In the Church of England, average weekly attendance is down about 20% from pre-pandemic levels, and the story is similar in other denominations.
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The Bible Society report claims that “Catholicism has risen sharply.” According to their figures, Catholics were 23% of churchgoers in 2018 and 31% in 2024. As total churchgoing supposedly increased by 56% over that period, from 3.7 million to 5.8 million, the implication is that Catholic mass attendance has more than doubled.
We know from the Catholic church itself, however, that the reality is far different. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales counted 701,902 people attending Sunday mass in 2019. In 2023, there were 554,913 – a drop of 21%.
The findings are also inconsistent with other data from YouGov, the polling firm that collected the data for the Bible Society. A decade ago, the British Election Study (BES) commissioned YouGov to create an online panel. This panel, which includes more people than the Bible Society surveys, was asked about religious affiliation and church attendance in 2015, 2022 and 2024.
According to YouGov’s data for the BES internet panel, the share of Christian churchgoers in England and Wales declined from 8.0% to 6.6% between 2015 and 2024, whereas YouGov’s surveys for the Bible Society apparently show an increase from 8% to 12% between 2018 and 2024.
The fact that the findings were completely different in the two cases suggests that this kind of polling is not a reliable way of measuring trends in church attendance.
What could be the problem with the data?
Gold standard social surveys are based on random (probability) samples of the population: everyone has a chance to be included. The British Social Attitudes survey is one such example – and found that churchgoing fell by nearly a quarter from 2018-23.
By contrast, people opt in to YouGov’s survey panel and are rewarded after completing a certain number of surveys. The risk of low-quality or even bogus responses is considerable.
YouGov creates a quota sample from its large self-selected panel. The sample will match the population on a number of key characteristics, such as age and sex, but that does not make it representative in all respects. As quota samples do not give each person in the population a known chance of being selected, statistical inference is not possible and findings cannot be reliably generalised.
To write (as in the Bible Society report) that because thousands of people participated in the two surveys, they “give a 1% margin of error at a 99% confidence level” is misleading.
This study is not the first time such non-probability sampling has led to dubious findings. In late 2023, the Economist ran the story that one in five young Americans believed that the Holocaust was a myth, based on another YouGov poll. A study by the Pew Research Center showed that that finding was almost certainly fallacious, and the Economist added a disclaimer acknowledging the problem.
The trouble with young adults
The Bible Society claims that the alleged religious revival is being driven by young people flocking to church (and reading their Bibles). There are numerous reasons to be sceptical of survey findings about young adults. They are what survey researchers call a hard-to-reach population. They tend to be in transition between the parental home and education or employment; they are often out of the house and difficult for interviewers to find or for online survey companies to recruit.
Those who do respond to surveys may not be representative of their age group. They are more likely to be living with their parents, less likely to be out with friends, more likely to be compliant, less likely to be suspicious of authority, and so on. Such characteristics are associated with religious participation.
The Bible Society report claims 21% of men aged 18-24 are regular churchgoers. Yuri A/Shutterstock
Other findings from the report are also surprising. The Bible Society asserts: “Men are now more likely to attend church than women.” Most churchgoers would probably be surprised by this news, which would make England and Wales an exception to the religious gender gap present in most western countries. For example, recent research by Pew in the US has found that, although the gender gap is less pronounced among the youngest adults, “women remain more religious than men … by a variety of measures”.
It would be fascinating to probe all of these issues further, but regrettably the Bible Society has not published the dataset. (When contacted about this, the Bible Society pointed to aggregate statistics published by YouGov and said it plans to publish more summary tables in the coming months.) Open access to all data is now a basic expectation in scientific work.
That the Bible Society report has generated some enthusiastic coverage is not surprising – it appears to challenge conventional wisdom, and there are plenty of anecdotes to be provided as supporting “evidence”.
But this doesn’t mean the data should be taken at face value. We need to place more trust in surveys based on probability sampling and less in data collected from opt-in online panels. That’s particularly the case when people are pushing a story that runs counter to everyday experience – and years of data.
In response to the arguments made in this article, the Bible Society said it was committed to producing rigorous and high-quality research that equips the church and provokes conversation in culture. “We are well aware of the limits of non-probability panels, but also the demonstrated strength of this method in producing valid and actionable insights when paired with quota controls and post-stratification, as widely acknowledged in existing survey methodology literature according to academic standards. [Our data] points to both increased engagement with Christianity and a changing spiritual atmosphere, and we are happy to acknowledge it may be on the upper end of a range that future data sets will nuance.”
A spokesperson for YouGov said: “YouGov’s methodology is robust. We have a proprietary panel of millions of people to take part in our surveys. YouGov draws a sub-sample of the panel that is representative of British adults by range of demographic factors, and invites this sub-sample to complete a survey.”
David Voas 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 his academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Colin Alexander, Senior Lecturer in Political Communications, Nottingham Trent University
Jaws turns 50 on June 20. Last year, Quentin Tarantino called Stephen Spielberg’s film “possibly the greatest movie ever made”. Though he was quick to add that it isn’t the best film in terms of script, cinematography or acting, he was convinced that its overall quality as a movie remains unmatched.
I’m not so sure if Jaws is the best movie ever made – but it’s certainly the movie that I like to watch the most. It is as fascinating and multilayered as it is entertaining and depressing. As a researcher of political propaganda, I believe that Jaws had political purpose.
I have watched Jaws well over 50 times and still, with every viewing, I spot a new detail. Just last week I noticed that when police chief Brody (Roy Scheider) leaves his office after the first shark attack, he opens a gate in a white picket fence.
The white picket fence is often used to symbolise the American dream and Brody’s actions are likely intended to symbolise the disruption to the dream’s pursuit of capitalism as he seeks to close the beaches and potentially ruin the town’s tourism season.
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The film was released in June 1975. Just in time for summer holidays spent splashing in the waves (or not!). However, despite its continued acclaim, it didn’t win any of the big Academy Awards in 1976. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest dominated that year. Composer John Williams did, however, win the Oscar for best original score, which I assume you are now humming in your head.
The film is based on the book by Peter Benchley, published a year earlier in 1974. The book’s plot is somewhat different to the film. For example, Matt Hooper – the shark specialist played by Richard Dreyfuss in the film – is eaten by the shark, possibly as an act of retribution for his sins on land. He survives in the film.
Benchley was US president Lyndon Johnson’s (1963-1969) communications advisor before he became an author and so knew Washington’s priorities well. The film was then commissioned before the book had time to become a commercial success, which is somewhat unusual.
The trailer for Jaws.
The shark – powerful, mysterious, dark eyed, stalking the American people and killing without emotion – represents the threat posed by communism. The defeat of this “menace” will require the reunification of American society following its disastrous and fractious involvement in the Vietnam war and political scandals like Watergate.
Hence, the white public sector worker (Brody), the scientist (Hooper) and the military veteran (Quint), put their differences aside to band together on a rickety and ill-equipped boat – the Orca – which was possibly meant to symbolise the wobbling US of its time.
So while Jaws is a parable of societal repair, it is also a story of exclusively white unification amid external threats. The civil rights movement and Vietnam are inextricably linked through the service of young black men to the cause, and yet black characters are conspicuous by their absence from the book and the film. The only black presence in the book is an anonymous gardener who rapes wealthy white women.
Human will to dominate the natural world
In the book, the horror focuses upon human, rather than animal, behaviour. This comes in the form of political corruption, mafia influence, adultery, snobbery, racial prejudice, community disconnect and dishonest journalism. And it occurs as much on land as it does at sea. There is a large section midway through the book where the shark plays no part in the, at times, highly sexual plot.
Spielberg removed many of the undercurrents and insinuations of the book for his adaptation. The film gives less attention to life in the town of Amity and focuses largely on the shark and the horror of its actions.
The irony is that so many characters feel personally offended by an animal capable of instinct alone, when they as humans – capable of reason and choice – behave so badly towards each other. Indeed, the lack of an eco-centric character to defend the shark in both the book or the film is telling.
Brody yells for people to ‘get out of the water’.
The overwhelming horror is instead found in the treatment of the shark and the assertion that it must be killed rather than respected and left alone. Indeed, Jaws represents a parable of the modern human perception of battle against nature. Wherein Brody, Hooper and Quint, despite their differences, are united in their assumption of human superiority and their perspective that the problem ought to be dealt with using violence.
The story of Jaws also speaks to George Orwell’s essay Shooting an Elephant from 1936. It captured the author’s dilemma while working as a police officer in colonial Burma when an elephant disrupted the regular process of capitalism by trampling through a local market.
The philosophers Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno referred to the enlightenment as having created a “new barbarity” wherein humans are engaged in a project of destruction. Here then, a shark has had the audacity to behave in an inconvenient way to man’s profiteering from tourism and must be killed.
Indeed, one of the biggest criticisms of the film, which Spielberg has subsequently acknowledged, is its inaccurate representation of shark behaviour and the extent to which the film’s success contributed to the decline of the species.
Ultimately then, Jaws – the book, the film and the reaction of audiences to it – serves as a testimony to the role played by fear within human decision-making. The fear of “others”. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the natural world. Fear of loss of status or reputation.
It’s a testament to the susceptibility of humans to become insular and violent when they are scared, but also to the distorting influence of propagandists in determining what they ought to be afraid of.
This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.
Colin Alexander 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.
When you think of dinosaurs, you might imagine towering predators or gentle giants roaming prehistoric landscapes. But what if these ancient creatures could teach us about one of humanity’s most persistent challenges: cancer?
In a new study, my team and I explored how fossilised soft tissues, preserved for tens of millions of years, could reveal new insights into ancient proteins that might one day help the study of cancer.
For decades, dinosaur research has focused on bones, which are much more likely to be preserved. But bones alone can’t tell the full story of how these animals lived, or how they died. Advances in technology, like paleoproteomics (the study of ancient proteins) are now allowing scientists to analyse delicate fragments of soft tissues preserved in fossils.
In 2016, I read an article about the discovery of a new fossil in Romania with a tumour in its jaw. Those remains were from a dinosaur called Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed, plant-eating “marsh bird”. The specimen had lived between 66-70 million years ago in the Hateg Basin in present-day Romania.
I was fascinated by what we might learn from this. Although there were a handful of previous reports of cancers in other dinosaur bones, and previous findings of soft tissues like blood vessels in fossils, no one had ever described soft tissues in an ancient tumour.
The Telmatosaurus specimen. Pramodh Chandrasinghe, CC BY-NC-SA
To understand more, my team went to Romania and collected the specimen. We brought it back, and made a tiny hole into it with a drill the width of a human hair, taking a miniscule sample.
Then we mounted it onto a powerful microscope, called a scanning electron microscope. Inside it, we saw images of blood cells, which contain proteins.
In the original Jurassic Park film, the scientists create or clone dinosaurs from ancient genetic material. But in reality over millions of years the DNA is completely broken down.
Proteins however, unlike DNA, can be remarkably stable over time. Research has shown that they can persist in fossils for millions of years under the right conditions, acting as molecular time capsules. Studying these proteins can help us reconstruct biological processes, including diseases like cancer, that affected dinosaurs.
Cancer’s deep evolutionary roots
Cancer is often seen as a modern plague, but it has ancient origins. Large, long-lived animals, from elephants to whales, are a paradox. Their size and longevity should make them cancer-prone, yet many have evolved remarkable defences.
Elephants, for example, carry extra copies of the TP53 gene, a tumour suppressor. Bowhead whales which can live for over 200 years, have ultra-efficient DNA repair mechanisms and damage to DNA is the root cause of cancer. Dinosaurs, as some of the largest animals to ever exist, probably faced similar problems.
My team’s research builds on growing evidence that dinosaurs weren’t immune to cancer. Fossilised tumours have been found in species like Tyrannosaurus rex and Telmatosaurus, ranging from benign growths to aggressive cancers. My team is aiming to uncover the molecular tools dinosaurs used to suppress tumours in the future.
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Bones tell us about anatomy, but soft tissues hold the keys to biology. In my team’s study, the red blood cell-like structures we found in Telmatosaurus fossils represent gateways to understanding the dinosaur’s physiology.
Proteins preserved in these tissues could reveal how dinosaurs managed oxidative stress which is linked to cancer, inflammation, or even immune responses to cancer. For instance, certain proteins might indicate mechanisms for detecting and destroying faulty cells before tumours can form.
This work also highlights a a need for a critical shift in paleontology: to preserve soft tissues, not just skeletons. Museums and researchers often prioritise intact bones, but fragments of fossilised skin, blood vessels, or cells can harbour molecular secrets. As technology advances, these overlooked specimens could become invaluable for studying disease evolution.
Bridging past and present
The link between dinosaurs and humans might seem distant, but evolution often repurposes ancient biological tools. Modern oncology already draws inspiration from nature and many chemotherapies come from plants or trees. The drug trabectedin, for example, used to treat soft-tissue sarcoma, comes from a marine organism called the sea squirt.
Expanding our search to extinct species could open a library of evolutionary solutions. If we can identify cancer-suppressing or cancer-promoting proteins in dinosaurs, these molecules might inspire new lessons about human cancers.
It’s taken nearly a decade to get this far. Like so much work, this research underscores the importance of patience and we’re not there yet. A real breakthrough might come when advances in research allows us to study ancient proteins in detail, tracking how cancer mechanisms evolved over millions of years.
Bridging paleontology and oncology is not only uncovering ancient history. We’re potentially writing a new chapter in the fight against cancer.
Justin Stebbing 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: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 10, 2025
Millions of student-loan borrowers could be facing a financial strain that will hinder their abilities to buy a house or get a new job, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.
Ahead of a Tuesday meeting with Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s education secretary, Warren published a blog post — first viewed by Business Insider — detailing her concerns with the Trump administration’s move to restart collections on defaulted borrowers’ student loans.
After Trump announced on May 5 that consequences for student-loan defaults would resume after a five-year pause — including garishment of wages and federal benefits — the New York Federal Reserve released a report that said 8.04% of borrowers moved into serious delinquency in the first quarter of 2025, putting them at greater risk of defaulting this summer.
Following years of grassroots efforts, a driver-led coalition secures commitment from Uber to support statewide legislation that will pave a pathway to unionization
CHICAGO – In a historic breakthrough to transform the rideshare industry and to improve the lives of drivers across the state, the Illinois Drivers Alliance – a coalition powered by drivers and anchored by SEIU Local 1 and IAM Local 701 – announced on Monday that it will file legislation that will at last secure bargaining rights for the more than 100,000 estimated rideshare drivers who reside in Illinois. At the same time, the coalition also announced that after years of grassroots pressure and mobilization, including many protests and rallies aimed at the largest companies in the rideshare industry, Uber has now agreed not to oppose bargaining rights for rideshare drivers in Illinois.
For years, rideshare drivers in Illinois have been united in their demand to have the right to form a union and to bargain with rideshare industry giants. Thousands of drivers have attended rallies, protests, and regular events and meetings organized by SEIU Local 1, IAM Local 701, the Chicago Gig Alliance, among others. Many of these demonstrations and protests, some outside Uber headquarters and others at key rideshare locations like the airport, have been focused on demanding that the companies agree to respect the rights of workers to unionize and bargain for better wages and stronger working conditions.
The victory for drivers in winning such a condition from the company follows another major victory for drivers in Massachusetts, where rideshare drivers secured bargaining rights by passing a ballot referendum in November 2024. That referendum was backed by thousands of rideshare drivers who had been organizing with SEIU and the IAM. It drew support not only from a majority of voters but also countless community and religious allies who understood that workers could not wait any longer to gain the right to unionize in the rideshare industry.
The announcement from the largest rideshare company in the industry, Uber, to support statewide legislation that allows drivers to form a union marks a significant step toward achieving economic justice for rideshare drivers.
The agreement is also the result of years of organizing by the members of the Illinois Drivers Alliance and the Chicago Gig Alliance to advance the Chicago Rideshare Living Wage and Safety Ordinance, which, until now, had been set to face a vote in the City Council this week.
The aggressive organizing action around the ordinance played a key role in driving the company to commit to working cooperatively to pass state legislation that would grant workers the right to join a union. Due to loopholes and restrictions in current federal labor regulations, state-level legislation needs to be passed in order to allow rideshare drivers to bargain to improve pay and working conditions.
“This breakthrough would not have been possible without the courage and efforts of drivers shining the light on their safety and working conditions. The Illinois Drivers Alliance, the Chicago Gig Alliance, and their many allies, along with Workforce Committee Chair Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22) laid the groundwork by pushing the envelope at the city level. That forced the largest rideshare company in Illinois to begin reckoning with the fact that opposing bargaining was an untenable position in our city and our state,” said Illinois Drivers Alliance leader and IAM Midwest Territory Special Representative Ronnie Gonzalez. “Ald. Rodriguez’s dedication to improving the lives of workers was essential in paving the way for this unprecedented agreement and the path to union rights for rideshare drivers.”
“This is a historic day for Illinois rideshare drivers, not just in Chicago but all across Illinois who are leading the fight to unionize, which would improve their working conditions, pay standards, and give them a voice on the job,” said Illinois Drivers Alliance leader and SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup. “With state legislation, we will be able to reach beyond city limits to lift up hundreds of thousands of drivers across Illinois. Real change can only happen when workers have a union and a voice at the table. We’re ready to take this fight to Springfield and win the future of rideshare.”
“Illinois rideshare drivers have been leading the way toward a union and a voice on the job for years,” said IAM Union Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Today’s announcement brings us closer than ever to statewide legislation that delivers the right to union representation for Illinois rideshare drivers. Together, the Illinois Drivers Alliance and thousands of rideshare drivers in Illinois are ready to pass landmark legislation in Springfield that raises wages, increases safety standards, and makes the rideshare industry work for the drivers who make it all possible.”
“The Chicago Gig Alliance has been organizing workers to win better wages, more safety, and stronger worker protections for drivers since 2019,” said Chicago Gig Alliance Lead Organizer and driver Lori Simmons. The Fairshare Ordinance was the result of years of hard work and dedication by Chicago Gig Alliance members. Although we are extremely disappointed that we will not see the ordinance come to fruition at the city level in the way that we had hoped, we are also incredibly excited about the opportunity to create real and lasting driver power on a much larger scale as a member of the Illinois Drivers Alliance.”
“This is a huge victory for rideshare drivers and the broader fight for economic justice in our city and state,” said Ald. Rodriguez. “Our job as public servants is to improve the lives of working people. This agreement between Uber and the Illinois Drivers Alliance does just that. I am grateful for our work with the Chicago Gig Alliance on the Fairshare Ordinance as we laid the groundwork for a future where drivers are treated with dignity, have a real voice on the job, and can shape the conditions they work under. This is what progress looks like.”
“As an Uber driver who has organized for a union for years, today is a testament to the driver power we continue to build upon,” said Chicagoland Uber driver Mark Ballentine. “We know that the only way to a better life for rideshare drivers is a union and a strong voice on the job. We’re energized and ready to pass statewide legislation that gives us the freedom to negotiate better pay, benefits and work rules through the power of a union.”
Rideshare drivers with the Illinois Drivers Alliance, the Chicago Gig Alliance and their allies will now work to advance legislation in Springfield that secures union rights for drivers and establishes a statewide framework for bargaining in the rideshare industry.
While the details of the bargaining bill are being finalized, the bill is expected to draw some inspiration from reforms recently passed by ballot referendum in Massachusetts, where drivers won the right to a union in November 2024.
The Illinois Drivers Alliance is a coalition of thousands of rideshare drivers across the state, powered by SEIU Local 1 and IAM Local 701. Together, we’re fighting for a legal pathway to unionization because drivers deserve the same rights and protections as every other worker. For years, drivers have been organizing with SEIU and IAM to demand fair pay, stronger protections, and a real voice on the job. Now, we’re calling on lawmakers at every level to stand with drivers and pass legislation that ensures our right to organize and build power that lasts.
The post Illinois Drivers Alliance Announces Historic Breakthrough that Paves the Way for 100,000+ Drivers to Form a Union and Bargain to Improve Pay and Working Conditions appeared first on IAM Union.