Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)
WASHINGTON, DC— Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, PhD (NC-12), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, released a statement following her vote against the continuing resolution.
“At a time when my constituents are struggling to make ends meet, the House Republican budget bill looks to slash everything from healthcare and food assistance to veterans benefits and housing support,” said Congresswoman Adams. “This bill will harm our working families, small businesses, seniors, students, and underserved communities in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. I stand against this reckless bill so I can stand with the people of my district.”
The continuing resolution targets programs and subsidies Charlotteans use every day:
$700 million in cuts to rent subsidies for low-income households and working Americans. Meanwhile, lack of affordable housing and eviction rates continue to risein Mecklenburg County.
$116 million in cuts to the Small Business Administration which will eliminate programs for Charlotte’s more than 40,000 small businesses.
$2 billion in cuts to airport, roadway, and port safety projects. This comes after the tragic DC plane crash in January that departed from Charlotte.
Underfunds homeless services by $168 million. Mecklenburg County’s homeless rate grew by 3%over the last year.
Fails to fully fund The Emergency Food Assistance Program by $20 million. Nearly 12% of Mecklenburg County householdsare food insecure.
Fails to renew $293 million in bipartisan emergency preparedness and disaster mitigation projects as Western North Carolina still works to recover from Hurricane Helene.
Fails to provide valuable community project funding to local organizations and municipalities that offer services like healthcare, housing assistance, food security, and other critical community needs.
The continuing resolution also fails to direct how most of the funds will be used, giving President Trump even greater authority to freeze or reappropriate the federal dollars included in the continuing resolution.
“This bill is House Republicans’ attempt to give President Trump a blank check to enact his unpopular, harmful agenda,” said Congresswoman Adams. “We have already seen this administration wage wars on education, food assistance, housing, healthcare, and this will only seek to embolden them. I urge North Carolinians to call their member of congress and senators and make their voices heard during this critical time for our country.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology
US President Donald Trump has imposed a range of tariffs on all products entering the US market, with Australian exports set to face a 10% tariff, effective April 5.
These import taxes will be charged by US customs on each imported item. The punitive tariffs on 60 countries range as high as 34% on imports from China and 46% on Vietnam, and exceed the rates agreed between the United States and other global trade partners.
“For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said.
The impact on Australian industries will be both direct and indirect. The largest Australian export to the US is meat products, totalling A$4 billion in 2024, and our farmers may divert some product to other nations.
Direct and indirect impacts
The larger economic risk is to our regional trading partners.
While Australia faces only 10% tariffs, our major trading partners China, Japan and South Korea all face much higher US tariffs under the new regime. So the risk of a manufacturing slowdown in those countries could dampen demand for Australia’s much larger exports – iron ore, coal and gas.
Australian investors reacted swiftly, wiping 2.1% off the main stock market index, the S&P/ASX 200, in the first hour of trade.
Another problem will be the disruption to global supply chains. It is not just finished products impacted. For instance, the 25% automobile tariff will be extended to auto parts on May 3. This means even if a car is entirely built in the US, it will still be more expensive because many components are imported.
On April 1, the US released an annual trade report that identifies what it describes as “foreign trade barriers”. There was a long list of grievances with both tariff and non-tariff barriers identified.
The report identified Australia’s biosecurity restrictions on meat, apples and pears. The Australian biosecurity rules do not directly ban any products, although in practice raw beef products are excluded.
Trump singled out Australian beef in his speech. “They won’t take any of our beef,” he claimed.
In a speech riddled with inaccuracies and falsehoods, this was one of them. Australia take shelf-stable US products, but not raw products for which consumer safety can not be assured.
The US cited two other main Australian trade barriers. US drug companies have criticised the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme approvals processes. The Albanese government’s plan to strengthen the News Media Bargaining Code that requires tech companies to pay for news published on their platforms was also targeted.
How can Australia respond?
Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton are in agreement over what we should do in response. They say Australian law and policy is not up for sale. We don’t negotiate on biosecurity, we don’t negotiate on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme process, and our local news media deserves protection from Big Tech.
1. All avenues start with negotiations
The preferred option is for a negotiation with the US to secure an exemption.
However, the US has sidelined the WTO in recent years and Albanese has ruled out this route.
2. Consultation
The second potential action is to initiate consultations under the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement. There is a formal process identified in the agreement to which Albanese referred, with a threat of “dispute resolution mechanisms”.
Albanese has ruled out imposing “reciprocal tariffs” on US imports, noting this would only push up prices for Australian consumers.
3. Find new markets
Third, we can find other markets. Australian agricultural products are some of the most desirable in the world. Australian producers will have other options. Indeed, the latest data for beef exports showed exports to China jumped 43% from January, to Japan up 27%, and to South Korea up 60% from the previous month.
What has the government said?
Albanese announced a response package, including $50 million to help pursue new markets. He said the tariff announcement was “not the act of a friend” and had “no basis in logic”:
It is the American people who will pay the biggest price for these unjustified tariffs. This is why our government will not be seeking to impose reciprocal tariffs.
Albanese’s response contains only one direct trade measure. That is the plan to strengthen anti-dumping provisions on steel, aluminium and other manufacturing. This means countries looking to sell their products too cheaply in Australia will face countervailing duties. It is a measure that aligns with trade rules.
The decision by the US to impose tariffs in this way shows complete disregard for the world trade order established after World War II.
The rules that have existed since this time aimed to limit trade barriers (such as tariffs). They also recognised the importance of supporting developing countries to be part of the world economy.
Some of the biggest US tariffs are to hit some of the lowest-income countries. This will impact their economies badly and disadvantage people already living in poverty.
Felicity Deane 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 House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released the following statement lambasting the Trump administration for eliminating the entire staff at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as part of the massive and devastating cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The Home Energy Assistance Program provides relief for millions of American families that struggle to afford their utility bills. Over my years in Congress, I’ve worked to deliver HEAP funding to our Capital Region time and again to ensure our neighbors don’t have to choose between keeping the lights on or paying for food, medicine, and other daily essentials. This latest action from the Trump administration to eliminate the employees who deliver this aid is beyond callous. These cuts will rip away a lifeline for families across our Capital Region, New York State, and the nation. It is clear that Trump, Musk, RFK, and the GOP do not care about whether or not families can keep the power on — their focus remains bankrolling tax breaks for their billionaire friends.
“In the face of this cruelty, I’ll not stop my efforts to combat these cuts and deliver meaningful relief for American families struggling to pay their utilities, as with my bipartisan Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act. I encourage all my colleagues to join me in this work to preserve these proven energy affordability programs that support our communities.”
Source: United States Small Business Administration
ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the opening of a Business Recovery Assessment Center (BRAC) in Mitchell County to assist businesses, nonprofits and residents affected by Hurricane Helene.
Beginning Wednesday, April 2, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the BRAC to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.
The BRAC’s hours of operation is listed below.
Business Recovery Assessment Center (BRAC)
Mitchell County
Maryland Community College Small Business Center
67 Hotel Place
Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Opening: Wednesday, April 2, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed: Saturday & Sunday
“SBA’s Business Recovery Assessment Centers have consistently proven their value to business owners following a disaster,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “Business owners can visit these centers to meet face-to-face with specialists who will guide them through the disaster loan application process and connect them with resources to support their recovery.”
The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or 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.
Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, regrading landscaping for better drainage, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.250% for nonprofits, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to 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.
To apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to 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.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 27, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.
###
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 or 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.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
Grant Awarded
Recipient
Project Description
$1,515,421.77
Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
This grant will provide federal funding for equipment replacement at Hewitt-Robbins Ship Loader #1 damaged by Hurricane Laura.
$1,725,740.10
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to hospital buildings damaged by Hurricane Laura.
$6,209,552.39
Terrebonne Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for management costs associated with recovery projects following Hurricane Ida.
$1,312,558.39
Orleans Levee District Non-Flood Protection Asset Management Authority
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to South Shore Harbor facilities damaged by Hurricane Ida.
$13,358,873.33
St. John the Baptist Parish
This grant will provide federal funding for debris removal operations following Hurricane Laura.
$1,562,359.50
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
This grant will provide federal funding for debris removal operations following Hurricane Ida.
$5,286,570.30
Terrebonne Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for repair costs resulting from Hurricane Ida.
$1,415,716.20
Jefferson Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for repair costs resulting from Hurricane Ida.
CALGARY, Alberta, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), a leading innovator of transformative technologies targeting the decarbonization of industrial process heat, today announced its financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2024 (all figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted). Acceleware’s results reflect contributions from the Company’s two business units, radio frequency (“RF”) heating for industrial applications using the Company’s proprietary Clean Tech Inverter (“CTI”) including enhanced oil recovery (“RF XL”), and scientific high-performance computing (“HPC”). This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and the accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2024 and management’s discussion and analysis (“MDA”) with respect thereto, all of which are available on Acceleware’s website at www.acceleware.com or on www.sedarplus.ca.
HIGHLIGHTS
Financial highlights for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024:
Three Months Ended
Twelve Months Ended
Dec 31, 2024
Dec 31, 2023
Dec 31, 2024
Dec 31, 2023
Revenue
$
1,918,077
43,590
5,233,033
279,011
Comprehensive income/ (loss)
851,242
617,748
2,001,685
(2,045,373
)
Gross R&D expenditures
581,071
684,437
2,872,982
2,872,982
Government assistance
–
2,064,434
1,227,929
2,618,242
Acceleware is piloting RF XL at its commercial-scale RF XL pilot project at Marwayne, Alberta (the “RF XL Pilot”). During 2024, the RF XL Pilot was shut down awaiting redeployment of upgraded subsurface components designed to address limitations encountered in the first phase of heating. Please refer to the RF XL PILOT UPDATE section below for more information, and to the MDA for a complete RF XL Pilot update.
Based on results to date, Acceleware remains confident that RF XL will become viable as a differentiated technology in the effort to reduce production costs and decarbonize heavy oil and oil sands production. In 2024, the Company’s operations team continued data analysis, “history-matching” simulations and other analyses of operational data from tests in 2022. The analysis provides evidence that the operation of the RF XL Pilot resulted in sustained heating of the formation around the heating well prior to the pause in operations for maintenance and inspection. In particular, the Company successfully injected RF power into the heating well for over 200 days — a significant milestone and something that has never been achieved before. Also of note is that the CTI successfully operated for seven consecutive months at a variety of power levels and operating conditions during this time.
In the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company worked closely with industry partners to refine the next iteration of the RF XL subsurface system to address technical issues that were illuminated during the first phase of heating at the RF XL Pilot. This redesign work is now complete and ready for manufacturing and deployment. During 2024 the Company confirmed that the expected cost to redeploy the upgraded design at Marwayne would be approximately $5 million including contingency. In December 2024, the Company announced that it had secured a total of up to $1.3 million in non-dilutive funding from the Clean Resource Innovation Network (“CRIN”) for the next phase of the RF XL Pilot, contingent on the Company sourcing the remaining $3.7 million. To this end, the Company also secured an RF XL consulting contract from an oil and gas operator (whose identity remains confidential), the net proceeds of which will be applied to RF XL development. The Company has identified several additional industry and government potential funders and is in discussions with them. The purpose of the next phase of the RF XL Pilot is to enable higher power to be distributed in the reservoir for a sustained period, resulting in higher reservoir temperatures and oil production, to advance the potential commercial viability of RF XL technology.
In addition to development work, and with results gained from RF XL deployment in Marwayne to date, Management has also initiated a strategic review of the commercialization plan for RF XL. The process involved analyzing various heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs in western Canada, considering RF XL test results and analyses conducted to date, with the goal of determining the optimal resources for the demonstration of commercial viability of RF XL. These reservoirs included not only the vast McMurray oil sands, but also heavy oil plays including the Clearwater in north-central Alberta, the Bluesky in west-central Alberta, and the Mannville Stack in eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan. The review process has led Management to conclude that heavy oil plays offer the greatest near-term potential for commercializing RF XL, due to lower initial capital cost per well, ability to scale from one-to-many heating wells, lower operating cost to effectively decrease viscosity, and the potential for significant incremental production and ultimate recovery to make uneconomic resources economic. Once proven in heavy oil, Management believes the oil sands will offer significant market expansion potential.
In Q1 2025, Acceleware’s board of directors approved a Management proposal to investigate (in parallel with continued effort to progress a second phase of heating at Marwayne) the opportunity for Acceleware, as an operator, to acquire a suitable heavy oil property, and thereafter apply RF XL as a secondary recovery method to improve the property’s production, cashflow, ultimate recovery and asset valuation. Should this investigation ultimately lead to a decision to “green light” an undertaking of this nature based on its economic merits, Acceleware would benefit from the valuation enhancement brought about by RF XL. Management has commenced its investigation as of the date of this news release.
Beyond enhanced recovery of heavy oil, Acceleware believes EM Powered Heat and the CTI can economically decarbonize many industrial heating verticals through electrification. Immediate application of electrification in industrial heating is critical in the clean energy transition. Acceleware has established initiatives, and is in discussions to pursue other initiatives, to develop CTI powered prototypes for applications in industries such as mining and mineral processing, concrete, carbon capture, agri-food drying, hydrogen and other clean fuels production.
Acceleware continues to work toward securing a contract to complete Phase 3 of a potash ore drying project from the International Minerals Innovation Institute (“IMII”). The findings of Phase 2 were presented to IMII in July 2024, and the Company continues to conduct paid testing with the system. Phase 3 of the project would include the design, construction and testing of a larger shop-scale demonstration dryer. IMII, a non-profit organization jointly funded by industry and government, is committed to developing and implementing innovative education, training, research and development partnerships to support a world-class minerals industry. IMII’s minerals industry members include BHP, Cameco Corporation, Fission Uranium Corp., The Mosaic Company and Nutrien Ltd.
The Company has 28 patents granted or allowed to protect various proprietary technologies and 32 patent applications pending or under development. The Company uses an integrated strategy for IP protection involving a combination of patenting and trade secrets, working closely with the patent offices and intellectual property advisors.
RF XL PILOT UPDATE
Consistent with the last update, Acceleware plans to continue a second phase of heating after completing a proposed significant subsurface design upgrade to address the moisture ingress issue. Prior to the next phase of heating, all RF XL subsurface components will be removed, refurbished, or upgraded, and then redeployed. This plan was developed in consultation with industry partners and service providers and among the alternatives examined, it is expected to have the highest probability of achieving higher power injected into the reservoir for a sustained period. During 2024 the engineering team worked to solidify plans and estimate costs. An estimated additional $5 million of funding is required to complete the redeployment including contingency, and Acceleware is actively working to raise these funds. Acceleware has secured $1.3 million partial funding for the redeployment conditional on securing the balance of the funds from industry partners or other sources. The final timing and cost of the redeployment and subsequent heating is uncertain and remains primarily dependent on financing, partner investment, the time required to source the remaining financing, and the successful deployment of repairs and components. Planned upgrades have been specifically designed to eliminate the moisture ingress issue. In addition, measures will be taken to add resilience to the system to ensure long-term operation if moisture does return. Upgrades will also be made to enhance the performance of the CTI function, including providing more accurate monitoring of broadband voltage, current and power.
Total direct funding received for the first phase of the RF XL Pilot was $24.4 million and included $5.9 million from Alberta Innovates, $5.5 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (“SDTC”), $5.0 million from Emissions Reduction Alberta (“ERA”), $3.0 million from CRIN and $5.0 million in aggregate from three oil sands operators. See discussion below in Financial Summary. In exchange for funding, the oil sands operators received exclusive access to detailed technical data and test results, prioritized rights to host a subsequent test, preferred pricing on pre-commercial products and preferred access to RF XL products. These major oil sands producers represent well over one million barrels of oil sands and heavy oil production per day.
QUARTER IN REVIEW
Revenue of $1.9 million was recorded in the three months ended December 31, 2024 (“Q4 2024”) compared to $44 thousand in the three months ended December 31, 2023 (“Q4 2023”) and $3.3 million in the previous quarter ended September 30, 2024 (“Q3 2024”). Revenue in Q4 2024 included $1.9 million related to the RF XL Pilot. Deferred revenue related to a contract with one oil sands producer was recognized when all deliverables were provided.
Total comprehensive income for Q4 2024 was $0.9 million compared to a comprehensive income of $0.8 million for Q4 2023 and comprehensive income of $1.2 million for Q3 2024. Comprehensive income in Q4 2024 and Q3 2024 was higher due to revenue related to the RF XL Pilot, while positive comprehensive income in Q4 2023 was due to higher government assistance for R&D. Finance expenses in Q4 2024 and Q4 2023 include interest expense on notes payable which are funding the Company’s working capital. Comprehensive income in all periods was impacted by changes in value of the derivative financial instruments embedded within the convertible debenture. The changes in derivative value are driven primarily by the fluctuation in the Company’s share price.
Gross R&D expenses incurred in Q4 2024 were $0.6 million compared to $0.7 million in Q4 2023 and $0.5 million in Q3 2024. R&D spending in Q4 2024 was principally related to the IMII dryer for potash ore and included lab engineering, designing and testing, data analysis, and partner consultations. R&D spending in Q4 2023 was related to the RF XL Pilot. There was $nil government assistance received in Q4 2024 and $2.1 million in Q4 2023 and $0.7 million in Q3 2024. The Company received the final CRIN payment of $0.3 million in Q3 2024 and the final ERA holdback payment of $0.2 million. The Government of Alberta’s Innovation Employment Grant (“IEG”) to support research and development was effective January 1, 2021 and provides a grant of up to 20% of eligible R&D expenses incurred in Alberta. This new grant effectively replaced Alberta’s 10% scientific research and experimental development refundable tax credit that was eliminated as at December 31, 2019. The Company met the eligibility criteria, claimed eligible R&D expenditures and received $0.3 million in Q3 2024 related to 2023 eligible expenditures, received $0.1 million in the three months ended September 30, 2023 related to 2022 eligible expenditures, and $0.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2023 related to 2021 eligible expenditures. Government assistance is recorded as a reduction of R&D expenses.
G&A expenses incurred in Q4 2024 were $315 thousand compared to $579 thousand in Q4 2023 and $446 thousand in Q3 2024. There were lower non-cash payroll related costs incurred in Q4 2024 due to the timing of option grants and lower salaries as the Company continues to prioritize cost control given uncertain economic conditions.
YEAR IN REVIEW
Revenue of $5.2 million was recorded for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $279 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2023. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 included $4.75 million services revenue related to the RF XL Pilot and $322 thousand in services revenue related to the potash drying project. Revenue was recognized for the RF XL Pilot as all milestones were completed under Project Funding Agreements for two oil sands producers while a third oil sands producer terminated its Project Funding Agreement triggering revenue recognition of previously received milestone payments.
Total comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $2.0 million compared to comprehensive loss of $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was due to higher revenue as noted above, despite lower government assistance for R&D. There were fluctuations in both periods related to changes in fair value of the derivative financial instruments embedded in convertible debentures.
Gross R&D expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $2.3 million compared to $2.9 million incurred during the year ended December 31, 2023 due to higher R&D activity in the first half of 2023 related to the final on site activities associated with the RF XL Pilot. Federal and provincial government assistance of $1.2 million was recognized in the year ended December 31, 2024. This was lower than the $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 when the RF XL Pilot on-site activities wrapped up. R&D net of government assistance was $1.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $255 thousand in the year ended December 31, 2023.
General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses incurred during the year ended December 31, 2024 were $1.6 million compared to $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, due to lower salaries and professional fees. The Company continues to prioritize cost management, while it works on sourcing financing alternatives.
As at December 31, 2024, Acceleware had negative working capital of $3.4 million (December 31, 2023 – negative working capital of $2.0 million) including cash and cash equivalents of $272 thousand (December 31, 2023 – $1.0 million). The increase in negative working capital is attributable to the decrease in cash as well as an increase in short term notes payable, and an increase in deferred management compensation.
In the interests of matching cash requirements with a combination of cash generated from operations, external funding, and capital raising activities, the Company actively manages its cash flow and investments in new products. Acceleware intends to maximize cash generated from operations through several initiatives which include continuing to focus on higher gross margin software products that are marketed through a combination of direct and reseller models; minimizing operating expenses where possible; and limiting capital expenditures. As the Company continues to develop its RF Heating technology, new R&D investments will be financed through a combination of internal cash flow from the HPC business, project funding agreements, government assistance and external financing, when available.
ABOUT ACCELEWARE:
Acceleware is an innovator of clean-tech decarbonization technologies comprised of two business units: Radio Frequency Heating Technology and Seismic Imaging Software.
Acceleware is piloting RF XL, its patented low-cost, low-carbon production technology for heavy oil and oil sands that is materially different from any heavy oil recovery technique used today. Acceleware’s vision is that electrification of heavy oil and oil sands production can be made possible through RF XL, supporting a transition to much cleaner energy production that can quickly bend the emissions curve downward. With clean electricity, Acceleware’s RF XL technology could eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with heavy oil and oil sands production. RF XL uses no water, requires no solvent, has a small physical footprint, can be redeployed from site to site, and can be applied to a multitude of reservoir types. Acceleware is also actively developing partnerships for RF heating of other industrial applications using the Company’s proprietary CTI.
Acceleware and Saa Dene Group (co-founded by Jim Boucher) have created Acceleware | Kisâstwêw to raise the profile, adoption, and value of Acceleware technologies. The shared vision of the partnership is to improve the environmental and economic performance of the energy sector by supporting ideals that are important to Indigenous peoples, including respect for land, water, and clean air.
The Company’s seismic imaging software solutions are state-of-the-art for high fidelity imaging, providing the most accurate and advanced imaging available for oil exploration in complex geologies. Acceleware is a public company listed on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “AXE”.
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND OTHER ADVISORIES
This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information generally means information about an issuer’s business, capital, or operations that are prospective in nature, and includes disclosure about the issuer’s prospective financial performance or financial position.
The forward-looking information in this press release can be identified by terms such as “believes”, “estimates”, “plans”, “potential”, and “will”, and includes information about, the expected commercialization of RF XL, the expected cost of the RF XL Pilot, the timing of the execution of the RF XL Pilot and the redeployment, expected financing required for the RF XL Pilot redeployment, and the anticipated economic and societal benefits of the RF XL technology. Acceleware assumes that current cost estimates are accurate, current timelines will not be delayed by either internal or external causes, that research and development effort including the commercial-scale test plans will result in commercial-ready products, and that future capital raising efforts will be successful.
Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this press release due to certain material risk factors. These risk factors are described in detail in Acceleware’s continuous disclosure documents, which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Acceleware assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information in this press release, unless it is required to do so under Canadian securities legislation.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this release in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
DISCLAIMER
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For more information: Geoff Clark Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099 geoff.clark@acceleware.com
n response to the ongoing flooding in Harney County, Governor Kotek has declared a State of Emergency and directed the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) to activate the State’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) to coordinate response efforts across state agencies.
Since March 14, 2025, Harney County and surrounding areas have experienced historic levels of rainfall and snowmelt, overwhelming rivers, streams, and wastewater systems. Floodwaters have inundated roadways, damaged critical infrastructure, and introduced environmental and public health risks, including contamination of waterways and disruption to essential services.
Governor’s Emergency Declaration(ORS 401.165) enables rapid mobilization of state resources to support Harney County’s local efforts.
State Agency Actions Include:
Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is working closely with local, tribal, and federal partners to support life safety, protect critical infrastructure, and address emerging needs. Regional coordinators and liaisons have been deployed to assist on the ground, and OEM is actively managing resource requests to ensure communities have the support they need. OEM has also established a Joint Information System and is actively coordinating public information efforts to support the public receives accurate, timely, and consistent updates throughout the emergency.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has deployed emergency preparedness and tribal coordinators to support local and tribal partners with critical resources, information, and guidance. Medical volunteers from SERV-OR are assisting at medical shelters, with one deployed and at least 10 more available this week. OHA is also addressing drinking water concerns, immunization needs—such as tetanus prevention—and identifying individuals with medical conditions who may need extra support. Remote public health communication support is also being provided.
The Oregon Department of Human Services’ Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (ODHS OREM) has delivered essential supplies, including water, hygiene kits, portable toilets, and handwashing stations, to the Burns Paiute Tribe, the American Red Cross shelter in Harney County, and other affected areas. Two shower trailers are in place, with a third on the way. Nine ODHS OREM staff are on-site working with local teams. ODHS OREM recovery coordinators are helping survivors assess their needs and connect with services as they begin to recover.
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) DEQ staff has been in contact with the City Public Works team, providing technical support remotely. The operations staff has kept the sewer ponds intact, which are not in the immediate flood zone at this time. DEQ onsite program staff provided an EPA fact sheet to the county as well as an onsite disaster planning and response handbook.
Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) ODA has been actively supporting our partners at the Oregon Office of Emergency Management in response to the floods in Harney County. We’ve provided resources on federal programs that may assist impacted farmers and ranchers and shared guidance on animal care during flood conditions. Our focus remains on ensuring the agricultural community has the information and support needed to navigate this challenging time.
Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Office has deployed 25 personnel to support local response to sandbagging efforts to reinforce the levee. They are joined by Colton Fire, Merrill Fire, Klamath County Fire District 1, and Chiloquin Fire and Rescue Departments.
It’s been incredibly inspiring to witness the swift coordination of federal, state, local, and Tribal resources coming together to support communities in need,” said Stephen Richardson, Emergency Coordination Center Manager. “A powerful example of that collaboration was the rapid repair of a compromised dike—an urgent fix that helped prevent further impacts and protect lives and property.”
This coordinated effort reflects Oregon’s commitment to whole-of-government response under the CEMP. The State will continue to assess needs and respond dynamically as conditions evolve.
Looking Ahead
While Harney County is currently the most severely affected, state agencies remain vigilant in monitoring flood conditions statewide and are prepared to support other communities if necessary.
For the latest updates visit OEM’s newsroom page at Home – Newsroom or follow @OregonOEM on social media. Visit our flood dashboard here: State of Oregon Flood Dashboard.
The five-week election campaign is now in full swing throughout the nation.
Amid the flurry of photo opportunities and press conferences, candidates campaign in specific areas for a reason: to shore up or win back key seats.
But which seats are key? Here, six experts explain the seats to watch in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
New South Wales
David Clune, honorary associate, government and international relations, University of Sydney
How the 2025 federal election will play out in NSW is difficult to predict for two reasons.
The first is the recent redistribution which, as ABC analyst Antony Green’s pendulum shows, has redefined many electoral boundaries.
The second is the number of crossbench MPs. There are three Teals in formerly safe Liberal seats: Mackellar (Sophie Scamps), Warringah (Zali Steggall) and Wentworth (Allegra Spender). Teal Kylie Tink’s seat of North Sydney has been abolished.
All were lifted into parliament by the rising tide of resentment against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Now that tide has gone out, the survival of these MPs depends on how they have performed as local members. The overall impression is that they have done well in connecting with their constituents and will be hard to shift.
There is a chance the formerly safe upper north shore seat of Bradfield could augment their numbers. Teal Nicolette Boele gave Liberal Paul Fletcher a very uncomfortable election night in 2022 when she slashed his majority. After the redistribution, the Liberals hold the seat by a narrow 2.5%. Fletcher is not recontesting. Boele is running a well-financed campaign with a lot of grass roots support.
The redistribution has pushed many former North Sydney voters into Bradfield. Whether they remain Teal or revert to being true-blue Liberals remains to be seen.
Much of the rest of the former North Sydney has gone into the very marginal Labor seat of Bennelong, which is now notionally marginal Liberal.
The Nationals have a problem in Calare, where former Nationals MP, now independent, Andrew Gee, is recontesting. The Nationals are also facing challenges from the left on the upper north coast due to demographic change. They hold Cowper by 2.4%.
Liberal-aligned independent, Dai Le, narrowly won Fowler in Sydney’s western suburbs in 2023. Labor has endorsed Tu Le, also of Vietnamese descent, in what promises to be a tough fight. Parramatta is another marginal seat in the western suburbs, held by Labor’s Andrew Charlton with a two-party preferred margin of 3.7%.
The government is concerned about seats on the central coast and in the Hunter and Illawarra regions, where concerns about wind farms and job losses due to renewable energy are a major issue. Most of the government’s vulnerable seats are in these areas: Gilmore, Robertson, Paterson and Hunter would all be lost with a two-party-preferred swing of 5%.
Queensland
Paul Williams, associate professor in politics and journalism, Griffith University
For decades we said Queensland was a key “battleground” in federal elections where seats north of the Tweed so often held the keys to The Lodge.
The 1975 election saw the Coalition leave Labor with a single seat, and the 1996 poll bequeath Labor just two. Conversely, Labor’s Kevin Rudd rode to victory on his nine-seat haul in in 2007, with Rudd losing seven of those in 2010.
But, for the past 15 years, federal elections have seen little movement in Queensland except, of course, for 2022 when the Greens won three seats. In short, Queensland is no longer the “make-or-break” state. Even the retirements of Keith Pitt (Hinkler), Karen Andrews (McPherson), Warren Entsch (Leichhardt) and Graham Perrett (Moreton) will hardly affect the mood.
The electoral pendulum confirms this. Labor holds just five of Queensland’s 30 seats, with Blair – a mix of outer-suburban and regional proclivities – Labor’s most marginal, but still held by a healthy 5.2% buffer. Given the two-party-preferred (2PP) swing to the Liberal-National Party (LNP) in Queensland will likely be under five percentage points – far lower than the 7.0% two-party-preferred swing the LNP attained at last October’s state election – the Coalition is unlikely to seize any more Labor property.
Conversely, despite the LNP holding seven Queensland seats on margins under 5%, the electoral tide is well and truly out for a Labor Party, whose Queensland brand is damaged at all levels. Inflation and housing shortages have hit Queensland hard, and especially so in the regions. Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson – the LNP’s most marginal on just 1.7% – is therefore safe.
Climate action and other “community” candidates (some reject the “Teal” moniker) are standing on the Gold Coast (McPherson and Moncrieff), on the Sunshine Coast (Fisher and Fairfax), and in Groom and Dickson. None will win, but some will carve out a respectable primary vote.
All eyes will instead be on the cashed-up inner-urban seats of Ryan (potentially returning to the LNP), Griffith (a possible Labor win) and Brisbane (a genuine three-way race) – all three useful, but not essential, to Labor’s pathway to minority government.
In the Northern Territory, Labor’s Marion Scrymgour holds Lingiari by 1.7%, making that seat one to watch.
South Australia
Rob Manwaring, associate professor of politics and public policy, Flinders University
South Australia is rarely a key battleground in federal elections, and only comprises ten electoral seats.
There are, however, three key seats worth watching as they will tell us a lot about how the election campaign is playing out: Sturt, Boothby and Mayo.
In Sturt, the Liberals hold this key seat in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs with a margin of 0.5%. A fresh challenge for the incumbent James Stevens is that he faces a threat from SA’s first real Teal candidate, Verity Cooper. This potentially pulls this seat into a three-way fight.
Boothby, in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, will be a good litmus test of how well Labor’s campaign is performing. Labor won the seat for the first time ever in 2022, and Louise Miller-Frost has a 3.3% margin. Liberal candidate Nicolle Flint is resurrecting her political ambitions and would be a useful ally for Peter Dutton, if she were to win.
Finally – a question – does Rebekah Sharkie like pizza? Infamously, when state Labor Premier Jay Weatherill needed a critical independent vote to secure office in 2014, he drove to Port Pirie and brokered a deal over pizza with Geoff Brock. Sharkie holds the seat of Mayo in the Adelaide Hills as a member of the Centre Alliance party with a safe 12.3% margin. Sharkie aligns herself with the Teals, and if a Dutton-led victory looks likely, then she may well be ordering her favourite slice to thrash out the terms of any support.
Tasmania
Robert Hortle, deputy director of the Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania
There are two main seats to watch in Tasmania.
The large, rural seat of Lyons is one of the most marginal in the country. Labor’s Brian Mitchell won with a 0.9% margin in 2022, but he’s made way for Rebecca White. Despite an underwhelming record as Tasmanian Labor Leader – three state election defeats – White is very popular in Lyons. However, Liberal candidate Susie Bower was somewhat unlucky to lose in 2022 after winning 37.2% of the primary vote, and has been in campaign mode for the past three years.
On the surface, Franklin – Australia’s only non-contiguous electorate – looks like a safe Labor seat. Julie Collins, the MP since 2007 and a cabinet minister, has a 13.7% margin. But her primary vote fell in 2022, and community backlash against salmon farming in Franklin’s waterways – which Labor and the Coalition both support – could make her vulnerable.
If independent Peter George (former journalist and anti-salmon campaigner) can get ahead of the low-profile Liberal candidate at some point in the count, Liberal preferences may get him across the line.
Two other Tasmanian seats are unlikely to change hands, but feature some interesting dynamics.
Liberal MP Bridget Archer’s 1.4% margin in the northern seat of Bass might look vulnerable. However, she managed a strong primary vote in 2022 despite a big swing against the Liberal Party. She’s very popular in the community for her willingness to stick to her values – even if it means voting against her party 28 times – and should hold her seat despite rumours of internal moves against her.
In Braddon, long-serving Labor Senator Anne Urquhart has quit the upper house to run. Incumbent Liberal MP Gavin Pearce is retiring, and his replacement candidate, Mal Hingston, is a bit of an unknown. It’s unlikely Urquhart will be able to overturn the 8% two-party preferred margin, but prominence in the community might give her a glimmer of hope.
Another point of interest is who will pick up the votes won by the Jaquie Lambie Network (JLN) in 2022. The JLN is not running candidates following a spectacular implosion at state level – and where those voters find a home could be crucial, particularly in Lyons.
Victoria
Zareh Ghazarian, senior lecturer in politics, school of social sciences, Monash University
Victoria is shaping up to be a crucial state for the major parties. Several seats are held by the Labor and coalition parties with a margin of less than 5%.
According to Antony Green, Chisholm is the most marginal seat Labor currently holds. The eastern Melbourne seat has been held by both major parties over the past 30 years.
Next up is Aston, further east of Chisholm, which Labor won at arguably the Liberal Party’s lowest ebb in this electoral cycle at a byelection in 2023.
McEwen, on the other hand, is a provincial electorate to the north of Melbourne. Holding onto these three seats will be a significant feat for Anthony Albanese and may set up Labor to hold a majority government.
For the Coalition, the most marginal seat is Deakin, which is a neighbouring electorate to Aston and Chisholm. The seat is held by a margin of just 0.02%, making it the most marginal in the country.
Monash is also a very interesting seat as it was won by Russell Broadbent, who lost Liberal Party preselection and has decided to run as an independent. His local profile may provide a boost to his primary vote, but may not necessarily be enough to win the seat, which will likely be held by the Liberals.
The Coalition will be in trouble if it fails to retain any of its seats in Victoria. It would need to reclaim Chisholm and Aston if it has any chance of forming majority government.
Other seats to watch include Kooyong, held by Monique Ryan with a margin of 2.2% who defeated Josh Frydenberg in 2022, and Goldstein, held by Zoe Daniel with a margin of 3.3% after defeating Liberal Tim Wilson. These will be a test of whether the Liberal Party is able to reconnect with voters who had traditionally supported them in the past.
Western Australia
Narelle Miragliotta, associate professor in politics, Murdoch University
The five WA seats to watch are Curtin, Bullwinkel, Forrest, Pearce and Tangney.
The affluent inner metropolitan seat of Curtin is held by Teal Kate Chaney on a 1.3% margin. The Liberal’s 2022 defeat was existential and the party are investing heavily in reclaiming it, although Chaney is not likely to be outspent entirely, or outmanoeuvred.
Bullwinkel is a new seat on the eastern fringes of Perth. The majority of its voters are in the metropolitan area, but the seat also takes in regional parts of the state. The seat’s geography and lack of incumbent led to the Nationals fielding Mia Davies, who was leader of the Nationals in the state parliament between 2017 and 2023.
As a result, this notional Labor seat is the site of a fierce three-way contest. YouGov projects a “Coalition” gain, although the outcome will be influenced by whether the Liberals and Nationals can contain simmering hostilities.
Pearce, in the state’s far north, is held by Labor on a comfortable 8.8% margin. However, it’s one of the most indebted electorates in the nation, and the state Labor government experienced large swings against it in outer suburban and regional state electorates earlier this year.
Tangney, in the state’s southern suburbs, was a major win for Labor in 2022. A blue-ribbon inner-city seat held uninterrupted by the Liberals since the early 1980s, Tangney is Labor’s most marginal WA seat (2.6% margin). To Labor’s advantage is the fact that several of the once-safe Liberal inner metro electorates within Tangney’s boundaries have recently voted with Labor at a state level. However, it will be a tight contest.
Paul Williams is a research associate with the T.J. Ryan Foundation.
Rob Manwaring receives funding from the Australian Research Council for a Discovery project on political parties and associated entities.
David Clune, Narelle Miragliotta, Robert Hortle, and Zareh Ghazarian do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Disinfectant Wipes/Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
Trials
United States v. Don M. Rynn
No. 2:24-CR-00653 (District of South Carolina)
AUSA Winston Holliday
AUSA Amy Bower
On March 20, 2025, a jury convicted Don M. Rynn of making false statements to federal agents and falsifying fishing records (18 U.S.C. §§ 1001, 1519).
Rynn managed several commercial fishing vessels in the McClellanville area, including the Maximum Retriever and the Crystal C. The vessels docked at Carolina Seafood, a federally licensed dealer.
On March 21, 2023, the Maximum Retriever embarked on a commercial fishing trip captained by the defendant’s son, who Rynn instructed to catch as many fish as he could (ignoring federally imposed quotas). Rynn told his son he would “take care of things” when he returned.
The Maximum Retriever returned to McClellanville shortly after midnight on March 27, 2023, with almost three times the legal limit of snowy grouper on board, and one and a half times the allowable number of grey tilefish. Rynn was waiting for the boat to arrive. Once the Maximum Retriever was in place, the Crystal C was maneuvered so that the two boats were side-by-side.
Rynn then directed deckhands to move fish from the ice hold of the Maximum Retriever to the Crystal C. They removed additional fish from the Maximum Retriever to Rynn’s truck to take to another seafood dealer in Georgetown.
In the mandatory trip report filed shortly thereafter, Rynn reported his catch only up to the limit, hiding the fact that the Maximum Retriever had vastly overfished. He attributed a substantial portion of the catch to the Crystal C, which had remained moored at the dock.
On March 27, 2023, law enforcement officers received an anonymous tip alerting them to the excessive catch. The Georgetown seafood dealer that had received some of the overage initially lied to cover for Rynn. When he realized the agents were closing in, the dealer threw the fish in the river to get rid of them.
In October 2023, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) agents interviewed Rynn about the incidents in March. Rynn lied, saying the snowy grouper and tilefish had been contaminated by a fuel spill while at sea, and that he had disposed of them in a dumpster. Rynn further implied that a U.S. Coast Guard report addressing an unlawful discharge into Jeremy Creek was inaccurate and should have been attributed to the Crystal C, which would have bolstered his fuel spill story.
In total, the Maximum Retriever caught approximately 560 pounds of snowy grouper and 450 pounds of tilefish. The legal limit for grouper is 200 pounds and 300 for tilefish.
NOAA, the U. S. Coast Guard, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Saltwater Team conducted the investigation.
Photo from dock surveillance camera showing Rynn on back of boat directing two individuals to carry a tote of federally protected fish to his truck.
On March 14, 2025, a court unsealed a complaint charging the chief executive officer of a Georgia-based heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) company with illegally importing 500 cylinders of potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Peru.
William Randolph Hires is charged with violating the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) by unlawfully importing 500 cylinders of HFCs (42 U.S.C. §§ 7675, 7413).
In April 2022, on behalf of his company, Hires purchased 500 cylinders of HFCs in Peru. Over the next several months, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials explained to Hires’s employees that, under the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, Hires’s company could not lawfully import the HFCs into the United States because it did not have the required EPA-issued allowances. In a July 22, 2022, email to one of Hires’s employees, an EPA official stated “it is not possible to import bulk HFCs without consumption allowances.”
Hires’s employees conveyed this information from the EPA to Hires on several occasions. On one occasion, an employee forwarded an email to Hires that the employee had received from an EPA official which stated, “[t]he HFC you listed (R-410A) is a regulated substance. So, if you do not have allowances, you cannot import those bulk HFC refrigerants.” In another email exchange between Hires and an employee, the employee informed Hires that, based on a video conference the employee had with EPA officials, shipping without the necessary allowances would violate import laws so “[i]t is out of our hands.”
Hires nevertheless instructed his employees to illegally import the HFCs into the United States. In a July 28, 2022 email, Hires stated to his employees: “[y]eah you have to be careful what agencies you’re reaching out to because the EPA . . . can create a hassle and they can hold our stuff up in customs there[.]” In a subsequent email, Hires instructed his employees to “get [the HFCs] on the ship and get it out to sea . . . don’t care what it takes[.]” Hires later instructed his employees via email: “Do not call the EPA please do not.”
The EPA Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
United States v. Leshon E. Johnson
No. 6:25-CR-00012 (Eastern District of Oklahoma)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy
ECS Trial Attorney Sarah Brown
AUSA Jordan Howantiz
ECS Law Clerk Amanda Backer
On March 20, 2025, Leshon E. Johnson was arraigned on an indictment charging him with violating the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. § 2156(b) & 18 U.S.C. § 49). Specifically, Johnson possessed 190 pit bull-type dogs for the purpose of having the dogs participate in an animal fighting venture, and for selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in an animal fighting venture. Federal authorities seized the 190 dogs from Johnson in October 2024 as authorized under the Animal Welfare Act. This is believed to be the largest number of dogs ever seized from a single person in a federal dog fighting case.
Johnson ran a dog fighting operation known as “Mal Kant Kennels” in both Broken Arrow and Haskell, Oklahoma. He previously ran “Krazyside Kennels,” also out of Oklahoma, which led to his guilty plea on state animal fighting charges in 2004. Johnson selectively bred “champion” and “grand champion” fighting dogs — dogs that have respectively won three or five fights — to produce offspring with fighting traits and abilities desired by him and others for use in dog fights. Johnson marketed and sold stud rights and offspring from winning fighting dogs to other dog fighters looking to incorporate the Mal Kant Kennels “bloodline” into their own dog fighting operations. His trafficking of fighting dogs to other dog fighters across the country contributed to the growth of the dog fighting industry and allowed Johnson to profit financially. Trial is scheduled to begin on May 5, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.
Guilty Pleas
United States v. Terrell Williams
No. 4:23-CR-00692 (Eastern District of Missouri)
AUSA Jillian Anderson
On March 7, 2025, Terrell Williams pleaded guilty to an Animal Fighting Venture violation for hosting dog fights in his home and training dogs to fight (7 U.S.C. § 2156(a)-(c); 18 U.S.C. § 49(a)). Sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2025.
Between September 2020 through May 2022, Williams hosted fights in a wooden “box” setup in the basement of his home in Riverview, Missouri. He also owned and bred bull terriers and terrier mixes that were used for fights. On June 22, 2022, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Williams’s home and seized eight bull terrier mixes and three Yorkshire terriers. The dogs bore scars consistent with fighting. Agents also removed equipment used to train and condition dogs, including weighted vests and a canine treadmill.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.
Dog rescued from defendant’s home during execution of search warrant. Photo included with detention motion filed with the court.
On March 11, 2025, Nicholas Dryden pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos depicting the torture of monkeys (known as animal “crush” videos) (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 48(a)(3)). Co-defendant Giancarlo Morelli entered a similar plea in December 2024.
Dryden commissioned videos from a 17-year-old in Indonesia who was willing to commit specified acts of torture on video in exchange for payment. Dryden utilized Telegram, a cross-platform messaging app that includes encrypted group messaging and private chats, to advertise the animal crush videos and solicit funding for additional videos. Within these private groups, Dryden shared snippets of videos that he commissioned and advertised that the full content was for sale. Co-defendants Morelli and Philip Colt Moss each sent money to Dryden more than a dozen times in exchange for monkey torture videos.
Thereafter, they frequently gave feedback on the videos and Morelli sometimes suggested torturous acts he’d like to see in future videos.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.
United States v. Jose Manuel Valenzuela
No. 3:24-CR-01037 (Southern District of California)
ECS Assistant Chief Stephen DaPonte
AUSA Laura Sambataro
On March 18, 2025, Jose Manuel Valenzuela pleaded guilty to intentionally failing to present refrigerant tanks for inspection (19 U.S.C. §§ 1433, 1436). Sentencing is scheduled for June 10, 2025.
On April 22, 2024, Valenzuela (an HVAC technician) attempted to enter the United States from Mexico without declaring four 24-pound tanks of 404A refrigerant (a hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant) in his vehicle.
Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
United States v. Robert C. Schmid
No. 3:25-mj-00011 (Eastern District of Virginia)
AUSA Carla Jordan-Detamore
On March 25, 2025, Robert C. Schmid pleaded guilty to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(1)(A), 1361(b)(1)(B)). Sentencing is scheduled for July 22, 2025.
Schmid owned the Atlantic Manufacturing Group, LLC (AMG), which manufactured and sold cleaning and janitorial products. AMG marketed and sold its products via various means, including a website, as well as through outside sales representatives. In September 2017, AMG entered into an agreement with “Company 1” to purchase a product called “Maquat 64-PD” for which Company 1 had obtained a registration from the EPA. AMG entered into this Agreement because it wanted to distribute and sell its liquid ProAmenities Lemon Detergent Disinfectant, made with Company 1’s Maquat 64-PD.
In October 2017, the EPA approved the label for AMG’s ProAmenities Lemon Detergent Disinfectant. The label made clear that the product was hazardous to humans and animals and was not for use on clothing or on skin.
Beginning in May 2020, and acting on behalf of AMG, Schmid began manufacturing and selling AMG “Hygienic Facility Wipes” that purportedly protected users from COVID-19. Schmid sold these wipes to janitorial services that supported government entities, gyms and health clubs, universities, and janitorial product retailers. AMG manufactured these wipes by applying the ProAmenities Lemon Detergent Disinfectant to dry wipes and packaging the wipes in plastic buckets or plastic packages. These wipes, however, were not registered with the EPA pursuant to FIFRA and did not have EPA approved labels or safety guidance. Investigators also determined that Schmid, his employees, and outside sales reps made unauthorized claims about the efficacy and safety of these wipes to potential customers.
After Company 1 issued Schmid a cease-and-desist email in August of 2020 about the unauthorized use of its product, Schmid switched to “Company 2” to use its liquid, which was not registered with the EPA, in its wipes. Schmid, however, continued to claim that his wipes were an EPA-registered product. AMG also generated product labels claiming the wipes eradicated corona viruses, in addition to other falsified information (to include the ingredient list).
Between March and November 2020, AMG sold approximately 5,000 cases of the wipes, taking in close to $415,000 in sales and making approximately $33,000 in gross profit.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
United States v. Robert J. Bullock, Sr.
No. 1:24-CR-10056 (District of Massachusetts)
AUSA Benjamin Tolkoff
On March 26, 2025, Robert J. Bullock, Sr., pleaded guilty to violating the Safe Drinking Water Act for tampering with public water systems (42 U.S.C. § 300i-1(a)). Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2025.
On the evening of November 29, 2022, Bullock, a former Stoughton Water Department employee, went into one of the Water Department’s pumping stations and turned off the pump that introduces chlorine into drinking water. As a result, water that had not been properly disinfected was introduced into the drinking water system.
When questioned by investigators, Bullock claimed to not have tampered with the water system. Specifically, Bullock said that he had not knowingly turned off the chlorine pump at Goddard Pumping Station 7 on the night of November 29, 2022, when in fact he had; and that he did not set the alarms for the chlorine level to zero that night, when he did.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, and the Stoughton Massachusetts Police Department conducted the investigation.
Sentencings
United States v. National Water Main Cleaning Company
No. 3:25-CR-00002 (District of Connecticut)
AUSA Hal Chen
RCEC Man Chak Ng
On March 4, 2025, a court sentenced the National Water Main Cleaning Company (NWMCC) to pay a $500,000 fine, complete a three-year term of probation, and implement an environmental compliance program. The company will also employ an independent outside consultant to perform a compliance audit and identify an environmental compliance manager for its Connecticut facilities. NWMCC will also make a payment of $500,000 to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) to fund aquatic ecosystem enhancement projects in the South-Central Coastal Watershed.
The company pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act (CWA) for knowingly discharging a pollutant into Cuff Brook while refurbishing a large culvert pipe in Cheshire, Connecticut, in July 2019 (33 U.S.C. §§ 1319 (c)(2)(A); 1311(a)). The unauthorized discharge of uncured geopolymer mortar killed more than 150 fish and contaminated Cuff Brook.
At the time of the incident, NWMCC was operating under a Code of Conduct as part of a 2014 settlement with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office to resolve civil allegations involving environmental pollution.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
United States v. Fidelity Development Group LLC
No. 3:24-CR-00077(Southern District of Ohio)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman
On March 4, 2024, a court sentenced Fidelity Development Group LLC (Fidelity) to pay a $100,000 fine and complete a two-year term of probation. Fidelity pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act for failing to inspect for the presence of asbestos (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(1)).
In 2015 or 2016, Fidelity purchased a building and planned to renovate it into a mixed-use property. Fidelity failed to perform or acquire an asbestos survey for the building prior to renovations. Around April 2020, a certified asbestos company conducted an asbestos survey in the Fidelity Building and identified more than 12,000 linear feet of 80% chrysolite asbestos pipe wrap insulation in friable condition.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
United States v. Frock Brothers Trucking, Inc.,et al.
Nos. 1:24-CR-00235, 00250 (Middle District of Pennsylvania)
AUSA William Behe
On March 6, 2025, a court sentenced Frock Brothers Trucking, Inc., to pay an $80,000 fine and complete a two-year term of probation. Mechanic Leon Martin will complete a two-year term of probation, to include three months’ home detention, and pay a $500,000 fine.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) for tampering with the emission control systems for several heavy-duty diesel trucks (18 U.S.C. § 371; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Between 2018 and October 2023, Martin provided “tuning” or “reprogramming” services by modifying the engine control modules (ECMs) on diesel trucks. The ECM is a computerized system that manages and controls the engine’s performance. During that time, Martin tampered with the emissions diagnostic systems on the vehicles for many companies to prevent the diagnostic system software from monitoring the emission control system hardware.
Frock, a long-distance trucking company based in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, transports a variety of goods, including snack foods, refrigerated items, and produce. Ed Frock owned the company until his death in August 2022.
Between November 13, 2018, and December 28, 2018, Frock contracted with co-defendant Martin to disable and/or remove emission control components from eight of their diesel trucks. Frock removed the vehicles’ ECMs from their engines and shipped them to Martin for reprogramming. Once the devices were “tuned,” Martin shipped them back to Frock, where they were reinstalled on the trucks. Martin also tampered with the onboard diagnostic equipment (OBD) to delete factory-installed emission controls from Frock’s heavy duty diesel trucks. Martin’s tunes enabled those deleted trucks to operate without emission control devices, which are required by federal law.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
On March 6, 2025, a court sentencedBenjamin Gathercole to complete a one-year term of probation, after he pleaded guilty to violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) for illegally transporting hazardous waste without a manifest (42 U.S.C. § 6928(d)(5)).
Gathercole lived in Tappahannock, Virginia, and worked at a local brake manufacturing facility. In 2019, a Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) inspector determined that the brake manufacturing facility failed to make an accurate waste determination for 32 55-gallon drums stored on site. Some of the drums displayed labels noting they contained hazardous waste, but not in accordance with RCRA requirements. The DEQ issued a notice of violation to the facility in May 2019.
In September and October 2019, Gathercole removed 31 of the 55-gallon drums from the facility and transported them to his residence. He dug a hole near his property and buried the drums in the ground. He crushed some of them in the process, causing their contents to spill onto the ground.
In December 2020, a citizen tipped off the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the illegal burial. In November 2021, agents executed a search warrant on the defendant’s property. Gathercole admitted to burying the drums at the request of his employer and directed authorities to where he had buried them. Further testing confirmed the waste was ignitable hazardous waste. The EPA finished excavating the site in November 2022.
The EPA Criminal Investigation Division and the EPA National Enforcement Investigation Center conducted the investigation.
United States v. Keidrick D. Usifo, et al.
No. 24-CR-00040 (Eastern District of Arkansas)
AUSA Edward Walker
On March 6, 2025, a court sentenced Keidrick Usifo to pay a $5,000 fine and complete a five-year term of probation. Co-defendant Deon Johnson will pay a $1,000 fine and complete an 18-month term of probation. Usifo and Johnson previously pleaded guilty to violating the Big Cat Public Safety Act (BCPSA)(16 U.S.C. §§ 3372 (e)(1)(A), 3373 (d)).
Lawmakers enacted the BCPSA in December 2022 to protect the public by prohibiting the private ownership of big cats (such as tigers and lions) as pets and by prohibiting exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including tiger cubs. This law places new restrictions on the commerce, breeding, possession, and use of certain big cat species.
In April 2023, a citizen tipped off local game authorities after seeing a tiger cub in a residential neighborhood in Conway, Arkansas. Further investigation confirmed that Usifo purchased a tiger in March 2023 from a broker in Dallas, Texas, and brought it back to his residence in Arkansas.
After receiving a second complaint about the tiger cub, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on April 21, 2023, arresting Usifo on a felony state warrant. The Conway Police Department then executed a search warrant at Usifo’s residence. The animal was not there, but they found evidence of its presence, including the fact that rooms in the house matched those in photos of the tiger that Usifo posted on Instagram.
While in the Pulaski County Detention Facility (PCDF), Usifo made several calls to Johnson, asking him to take care of the tiger while Usifo was held in detention. Johnson concealed his knowledge of the tiger when questioned by agents.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Conway Police Department, and the Little Rock Police Department.
Tiger cub, now named Fred, rescued by the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. Photo taken by case agent June 2024.
United States v. Frankluis Carela De Jesús, et al.
No. 3:24-CR-00174 (District of Puerto Rico)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Patrick Duggan
AUSA Seth Erbe
On March 6, 2025, a court sentenced the final two Dominican nationals who attempted to smuggle tropical birds from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to the Dominican Republic. Frankluis Carela De Jesús will serve 12 months and one day of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Domingo Heureau Altagracia will complete eight months of incarceration and three years of supervised release. Waner Balbuena and Juan Graviel Ramírez Cedano were each previously sentenced to serve 12 months and one day of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. All the defendants pleaded guilty to Lacey Act trafficking and to smuggling wildlife from the United States (18 U.S.C. § 554; 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(1), (a)(4), 3373(d)(1)(B)).
On May 3, 2024, the four Dominican nationals traveled in a flagless vessel departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to the Dominican Republic. They intended to smuggle various species of tropical birds to the Dominican Republic for financial gain. When the vessel was approximately 30 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) approached the vessel and witnessed the crew tossing objects overboard. Following the boarding of the vessel, USCG authorities recovered several of the jettisoned objects, which were wooden cages containing tropical birds. Approximately 113 birds drowned as a result.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
On March 10, 2025, a court sentenced Travis Larson to pay a $40,000 fine and complete a five-year term of probation. Larson will also pay $2,400 in restitution, to be divided between the State of Alaska and the Port Graham Authority. Larson will forfeit $150,000 and is prohibited from hunting anywhere in the world or providing any big game commercial services while under supervision. Larsen pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for illegally transporting four black bears and making false records (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(1)(B); (d)(3)(A)).
Larson worked as a licensed big game transporter since 2010, and provided transport services through his company, Alaska Premier Sportfishing LLC (APS). Larson and APS offered paying clients transportation for multi-day hunting and fishing trips aboard a 65-foot liveaboard vessel, Venturess.
In May 2018, Larson transported eight hunters on a black bear hunt in the Nuka Bay area of the Kenai Peninsula. Each hunter paid $3,500 to participate in the hunt. The group included four Norwegian nationals. Larson knew all four people were not U.S. residents, nor were they accompanied by a licensed hunting guide or assistant guide, as required under state law.
On May 9, 2018, one foreign hunter was transported to a beach adjacent to Surprise Bay to hunt a black bear. The hunter shot and killed a black bear on land belonging to the State of Alaska. On May 10, 2018, Larson transported three foreign hunters to a beach adjacent to Beauty Bay to hunt black bears. Two of the hunters each shot and killed a black bear on land belonging to the Port Graham Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation, and the other hunter shot and killed a black bear on land belonging to the State of Alaska. On both days, Larson transported the hunters and the illegally harvested black bears back to his vesselvia the smaller motorboat.
On May 11, 2018, Larson transported the four foreign hunters and the four illegally harvested black bears to Homer, Alaska, where he knew the black bears would be transported in interstate and foreign commerce following the hunt. The government dismissed the charges against Larson’s business.
The National Park Service Investigative Services Branch and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
On March 10, 2025, a court sentenced Dugan Paul Daniels to six months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release, for falsifying fishing records in violation of the Lacey Act and illegally taking a sperm whale in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(d)(2), 3373(d)(3)(A), 1583(a)(1)(C), 1540(b)(1)). Daniels will also pay a $25,000 fine and perform 80 hours of community service, and is banned from commercial fishing for one year.
Daniels is a commercial fisherman with 20 years of experience. Between October and November 2020, he submitted falsified fishing records to make it appear that he lawfully caught sablefish, aka “black cod,” in federal waters on two separate occasions. In fact, Daniels illegally harvested the fish in State of Alaska waters, specifically, in Chatham Strait and Clarence Strait. The total market value of the illegally harvested fish was $127,528.
In March 2020, Daniels and three crew members were fishing for sablefish southwest of Yakobi Island in the Gulf of Alaska when they came upon a sperm whale. During the encounter, Daniels directed a crewman to shoot the whale multiple times and also tried to ram the whale with his fishing vessel. Daniels documented the encounter in writing and through text messages sent from a GPS communication device. Some of the messages stated he wished he “had a cannon to blow” the whale out of the water and that he hoped “to be reeling in a dead sperm whale.” It is a violation of the ESA to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct involving an endangered species.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
No. 2:23-CR-00177 (Eastern District of Pennsylvania)
AUSA Christopher Parisi
On March 11, 2025, a court sentenced Bien King and Khalil King to each complete three-year terms of probation, to include six months’ home confinement. Bien King was also sentenced to pay a $1,000 fine. The defendants pleaded guilty to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act for selling a misbranded pesticide and for violating the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for selling misbranded animal drugs (7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(1)(E); 21 U.S.C. § 331(a)).
Bien King started “Little City Dogs” (LCD) a New York corporation with office space in New York City. Bien King also created a website that sold various products intended to treat diseases or pests in animals. Bien King’s son, Khalil, worked in the New York office. Khalil King was responsible for mixing ingredients and packaging various products for shipment. The defendants obtained the ingredients for these products from various suppliers in China. They knew that these suppliers routinely mislabeled shipments of these products to avoid detection by customs officials.
When LCD received orders from online sales, Khalil King and others shipped the products from the New York office to customers throughout the United States. An undercover agent placed several orders for various products through the LCD website. These purchases included a January 17, 2020, order for fipronil drops and ivermectin. Fipronil is designed to treat external parasites such as fleas and ticks. Ivermectin is designed to control heartworms in dogs and cats.
The defendants shipped the fipronil drops and ivermectin from New York to an address in Springfield, Pennsylvania. The labeling and packaging material accompanying the fipronil drops did not include information required by law. The labeling and packaging material accompanying the ivermectin likewise did not include required information. Furthermore, LCD’s facility in New York City was not registered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation.
United States v. Jose V. Fernandez
No. 1:24-CR-00071 (District of Rhode Island)
AUSA John McAdams
On March 11, 2025, a court sentenced Jose V. Fernandez to complete a two-year term of probation. Fernandez pleaded guilty to making false statements for distributing false asbestos abatement training certifications (18 U.S.C. § 1001 (a)(3)).
Fernandez owned the Rhode Island Safety Environment Training Center. The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDH) accredited the facility to provide asbestos abatement training. On multiple occasions between 2021 and 2023, Fernandez submitted false documentation to the RIDH attesting that nearly two dozen individuals paid for, attended, and successfully completed an Environmental Protection Agency-approved abatement training program when, in fact, no one attended any classes.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the Rhode Island Department of Health conducted the investigation.
On March 11, 2025, a court sentenced Pedro Luis Bones-Torres to 12 months’ incarceration, followed by one year of supervised release. Bones-Torres pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbors Act for illegally constructing and depositing material into the wetlands and waters of the United States in the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (the “Jobos Estuarine Reserve”) and Las Mareas community of Salinas, Puerto Rico (33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a), 403).
Starting in January 2020, Bones-Torres engaged in construction and land clearing activities on a property to the South of Camino de Galileo in the Las Mareas area of Salinas, Puerto Rico (the “Property”). Much of the Property supported mangrove trees with an open area that was occasionally partially submerged by the sea tides. This wetland area was within the Jobos Estuarine Reserve.
Between January 2020 and October 2022, Bones-Torres removed mangroves from the Property, depositing fill material onto the wetland area using excavation and earth moving equipment. After he filled the wetlands, he built a concrete pad, a concrete gazebo with an outdoor kitchen, a wooden gazebo, and a dock extending into Mar Negro. Bones-Torres did not seek or receive approval to fill the wetlands and was at no point permitted to fill wetlands on or near the Property.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
United States v. Royce Gillham
No. 2:24-CR-14046 (Southern District of Florida)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman
AUSA Daniel Funk
On March 13, 2025, a court sentenced Royce Gillham to 37 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Gillham, the former General Manager of a biofuel producer based in Fort Pierce, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and conspiring to make false claims (18 U.S.C.§ 371).
This biofuel company produced and sold renewable fuel and fuel credits and claimed to turn various feedstocks into biodiesel. When reporting the number of gallons produced to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Gillham and his employer vastly overstated their production volume in an effort to generate more credits. When auditors sought more information from the company, Gillham and his co-conspirators gave them false information about their fuel production and customers.
The scheme generated more than $7 million in fraudulent EPA renewable fuels credits and sought over $6 million in fraudulent tax credits connected to the purported production of biodiesel.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation.
No. 2:24-CR-00161 (Central District of California)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors
ECS Trial Attorney Lauren Steele
AUSA Dennis Mitchell
ECS Law Clerk Maria Wallace
ECS Law Clerk Tonia Sibblies
On March 14, 2025, a court sentenced Sai Keung Tin, also known as Ricky Tin, to 30 months’ incarceration, followed by one year of supervised release. Tin will also pay a $5,000 fine for his role in smuggling protected turtles from the United States to Hong Kong. Tin pleaded guilty to four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law (18 U.S.C. § 554).
Between February 2018 and June 2023, Tin, a Chinese citizen, assisted turtle smugglers in the United States. During that time, Tin aided and abetted the trafficking of approximately 2,100 turtles to Hong Kong. The turtles were intended to be sold as part of the illegal Asian pet trade. Based on a conservative, contemporary market valuation of $2,000 per turtle, the smuggled reptiles were valued at $4.2 million.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) agents arrested Tin in February 2024 as he arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
USFWS agents obtained a search warrant to seize Tin’s cell phones, and found evidence that Tin came to the United States to smuggle turtles. He planned to travel to New Jersey, Texas, and Washington — familiarizing himself with tourist locations to present a false story if apprehended. His ultimate plan was to pay for turtles in cash, ship them around the country, and eventually illegally export them to Hong Kong.
Tin was associated with international turtle smuggler Kang Juntao, of Hangzhou City, China, who was extradited from Malaysia in 2019 and later sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to money laundering. Kang caused the shipment of approximately 1,500 turtles (with a market value exceeding $2.25 million) from the United States to Hong Kong, which included shipments to Tin.
The eastern box turtle is a subspecies of the common box turtle and native to the United States. Turtles with colorful markings are highly prized pets, particularly in China and Hong Kong, and are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
On March 19, 2025, Hino Motors, Ltd. (HML) was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation, during which it will be prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States, and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. Additionally, the court entered a $1.087 billion forfeiture money judgment against the company.
Prosecutors charged HML in a single conspiracy count with five objects: to defraud the Environmental Protection Agency, to defraud the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, to violate the Clean Air Act, to commit wire fraud, and to smuggle goods into the United States, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.
Between 2010 and 2019, HML submitted and caused to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals. Company engineers regularly altered emission test data, conducted tests improperly, and fabricated data without conducting any underlying tests. HML submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data, which resulted in the calculation of false fuel consumption values for its engines. Company engineers also failed to disclose software functions that could adversely affect engines’ emission control systems. As a result of the fraud, HML imported and sold more than 105,000 non-conforming engines between 2010 and 2022.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation.
Nos. 1:24-CR-00124, 1:21-CR-00016 (Northern District of New York)
AUSA Benjamin Clark
On March 20, 2025, a court sentenced Kyle Offringa to pay a $100,000 fine for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA). His company, Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (HHP), was sentenced on December 3, 2024, to pay a $25,000 fine. As part of the sentencing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will monitor the company for ongoing compliance for a two-year period. HHP and Offringa pleaded guilty to conspiring to tamper with a required monitoring device in violation of the CAA (18 U.S.C. § 371).
Between June 2017 and March 2019, HHP and Offringa conspired with a diesel truck operator, and others, including co-conspirators Daim Logistics, Inc., and Patrick Oare, to remove, delete, and tamper with monitoring devices that were required under the CAA to be installed on heavy-duty diesel trucks. Truck operators delete the emissions control hardware on heavy-duty diesel trucks to allow them to run at higher horsepower, with greater fuel efficiency, and with reduced maintenance costs. HHP charged its customers a fee for Offringa to reprogram the vehicles’ on-board detection equipment so regulators would not discover the tampering. Customers paid HHP between $1,000 and $1,500 for each truck Offringa altered.
Oare and Daim Logistics were sentenced in November 2024 for tampering with a monitoring device or method in violation of the CAA (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)). Oare was sentenced to time served and to pay a $15,000 fine; the company will pay a $13,000 fine. In addition, prior to sentencing, the EPA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation monitored Daim for approximately 18 months to ensure the company complied with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding the emission control devices installed on diesel vehicles owned or operated by the company.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police.
Headline: Kentuckians: Prepare for Severe Weather Now
Kentuckians: Prepare for Severe Weather Now
FRANKFORT, Ky
– With another round of severe weather on the way here in Kentucky, you need to stay prepared
It’s critical to have multiple ways to receive emergency alerts—whether you’re at home, school, work, or out in the community
Stay alert, follow guidance from your local officials, and keep up with the latest forecasts by following your local National Weather Service office
Read more about emergency alerts here
Before a TornadoHave a pre-determined place to meet after a disaster
Increase your situational awareness by monitoring the weather on weather
gov, watching local TV, or listening to NOAA Weather Radio
Know the signs of a tornado: dark, greenish sky; large hail; dark, low clouds; and loud roaring sounds
When a tornado watch is issued, practice your drill and check your safety supplies
Flying debris is the greatest danger in tornadoes, so store protective coverings (e
g
, mattress, sleeping bags, thick blankets, etc
) in or next to your shelter space, ready to use on a few seconds’ notice
Tornado rule of thumb: Put as many walls and floors between you and the tornado as possible
In a mobile home: Get out! Go to a neighbors, underground shelter, or a nearby permanent structure
Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile homes
Read the Commonwealth of Kentucky Division of Emergency Management’s Tornado Safety List herePrepare for FloodingIf you are under a flood warning, find safe shelter right away
Remember, just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away
Follow instructions from local officials
If told, evacuate immediately
Never drive around barricades
Local responders use them to safely direct traffic out of flooded areas
Stay off bridges over fast-moving water
Fast-moving water can wash bridges away without warning
Avoid driving except in emergencies
Read the Commonwealth of Kentucky Division of Emergency Management’s Flood Safety List here
pdfBe Ready for a Power OutageLocate flashlights, radio and extra batteries now
Charge electronic devices now
Generators are helpful during power outages but can present serious health and safety risks
Only use a generator outdoors and far from open doors and windows to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
Read the Commonwealth of Kentucky Division of Emergency Management’s Preparedness Checklist here
The Copernicus Climate Change Service report states that the global average surface air temperature during January 2025 was the hottest on record (0.79°C warmer than the 1991-2020) despite the development of La Niña conditions. However, the average temperature in the Indian region was the second highest since 1901 (0.98°C warmer than 1991-2020). The main reason for higher temperatures is global warming, which is closely linked to climate change. Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. This process releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat and cause the planet to warm up.
In general, during the La Niña years, the Indian summer monsoon experiences above-average rainfall, which is beneficial for better crop production. However, currently, neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is prevailing over the equatorial Pacific Ocean with above-average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the eastern and far western Pacific Ocean and below-average SSTs in the central Pacific Ocean. The latest Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS) and other global model forecasts indicate that neutral ENSO conditions are likely to continue during the southwest monsoon season of 2025. Thus, no La Niña impact is expected on the Indian monsoon during 2025. IMD will issue the first stage of the seasonal forecast for the 2025 Southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall by mid-April.
Various organisations under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) have been conducting regular studies on monsoons and associated rainfall and temperature patterns in the country, including those during the El Niño and La Niña periods. The India Meteorological Department continuously monitors the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) changes globally, especially in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which have a significant impact on the Indian climate. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also prepares forecasts based on the Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS) and issues the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)/ Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) bulletin every month (https://www.imdpune.gov.in/cmpg/Product/Enso.php). IMD also issues monthly and seasonal outlooks for rainfall and temperature with monthly updates, which helps to prepare for the impact of El Niño/La Niña-related weather variations. These forecasts are complimented by the extended range forecasts updated every week for the next four weeks. Additionally, the IMD issues agriculture-specific advisories to help farmers prepare for extreme weather events associated with El Niño and La Niña, such as heavy rains or droughts. These advisories are helpful for decision-making in various agriculture operations, such as crop selection, irrigation practices, pest and disease warnings, disaster management, preparedness, etc.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has planned new radars across the country. Tentative sites where the radars are planned to be installed are given below:
12 no. of C-Band Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) tentatively at Raipur, Mangalore, Ranchi, Lakshadweep, Malda, Aurangabad, Balasore, Sambalpur, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Rupsi, & Port Blair.
10 no. of X-Band DWRs for North East tentatively at Jorhat, Tezpur, Aizawl, Namsai, Silchar, Imphal, Dimapur, Mandala Top, Central Arunachal Pradesh, & Guwahati.
In addition, 53 radars (8 S-Band, 20 C-Band, and 25 X-Band) are also planned to be installed across the country under the Mission Mausam so that the entire country is brought under radar coverage.
The locations of the DWRs have been arrived upon considering the gap areas in the coverage of the existing DWR network.
In addition to the proposed improvement in the radar coverage mentioned above, other observation systems like wind profilers, radio sonde/radio wind, microwave radiometers, etc., are also planned under the Mission Mausam. Along with the improvement in the observational network, deployment of high-performance computing infrastructure, advanced Earth system models, integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, etc, under the Mission Masuam will help improve in forecasts on various timescales, especially in location-specific nowcast (forecast up to a few hours) to short-range forecast up to 3 days. The implementation of the Mausam Mission is likely to help (i) in capturing and monitoring all the weather events happening in the country so that no weather system will go undetected (ii) improve the frequency of nowcasting extreme weather such as thunderstorms, lightening, strong winds, etc. from 3 hrs. to 1 hr. (iii) improve the short and medium range weather forecast accuracy by about 5-10% and (iv) improve air quality forecasts by about 5-10% in the major metro cities.
The entire country will be under radar coverage within the next 2-3 years.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Several parts of the country, including States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, are likely to be severely impacted by heat, and as per the recent report by the World Bank, the rising temperatures are expected to cause India to lose up to 5% of its Gross Domestic Product by 2030. Heat is recognized as a severe threat, and the State Disaster Management Agencies of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have prepared State heat action plans in 2016 and 2019, respectively, to manage the heat stress. Also, the State Planning Commission has set up the heat action network to advance efforts for inter-departmental and intersectoral engagement toward heat mitigation.
As per the State-wise statement of Climate Report-2023 published by, (https://imdpune.gov.in/Reports/Statewise%20annual%20climate/statewise_annualclimate.html) the India Meteorological Department (IMD) a significant increasing trend of +0.68°C/100 years is observed in the Tamil Nadu State averaged annual mean temperature series for the period 1901-2023. The increasing trend is relatively higher in the case of maximum temperature (+0.84°C/100 years) compared to that in the case of minimum temperature (+0.51°C/100 years). The five warmest years on record for the state of Tamil Nadu are 2019 (temperature anomaly of +0.848°C), 2016(+0.837°C), 2017(+0.624°C), 2020(+0.493°C) and 2023(+0.432°C). Under the changing climate, various parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, are projected to experience increased heatwaves.
Due to climate change, annual temperatures are increasing globally and the impact of the same is reflected in the rising frequency and intensity of heatwaves in various parts of the globe, including India. The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also reflects the same observations (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf). Addressing the root causes of global climate change is essential to mitigate the impact of heat waves. This involves international cooperation to reduce green house gas emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, and implement sustainable practices across all sectors. Various initiatives have been undertaken by the Government of India with the help of States to reduce the impact of heatwaves in the coming years. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) are one of the major initiatives in this direction. Additionally, India has taken a proactive role in fostering international collaborations through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure. India is committed to pursuing low-carbon strategies for development and is actively pursuing them, as per national circumstances.
The India Meteorological Department, in coordination with various research centers across the country, has taken multiple steps to improve monitoring and early warning systems, which has helped minimize loss of life and property during extreme weather events, including heat waves. These include:
Issuing seasonal and monthly outlooks, followed by extended-range forecasts of temperature and heatwave conditions. The early warning and forecast information are disseminated through the website, various social media,etc., for timely public outreach.
District-wise heatwave vulnerability Atlas over India to help State Government authorities and disaster management agencies for timely planning.
The hot weather hazard analysis map over India includes daily temperature, winds, and humidity conditions.
Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in 23 States that are prone to heatwave conditions were jointly implemented by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with the State Governments.
A series of National and State-level heatwave preparedness meetings are conducted much before the start of the summer season, with regular review meetings from time to time during the season.
IMD has launched seven of its services (Current Weather, Nowcast, City Forecast, Rainfall Information, Tourism Forecast, Warnings, and Cyclone) with the ‘UMANG’ Mobile App for use by the Public. Moreover, IMD has developed a mobile App, ‘MAUSAM’ for weather forecasting, ‘Meghdoot’ for Agromet advisory dissemination, and ‘Damini’ for lightning alerts. The common Alert Protocol (CAP) developed by the NDMA is also being implemented to disseminate extreme weather warnings by the IMD.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
On 8 April 2025 from 17:00 to 18:00, ECON and ENVI Members will exchange views with Maria Luís Albuquerque, Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, on the draft Delegated Regulation amending three key Delegated Acts adopted under the EU Taxonomy Regulation, namely the Disclosures (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178), Climate (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139) and Environment (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486) Delegated Acts.
The draft delegated act was published for consultation on 26 February 2025 as part of the Omnibus I simplification package on sustainability reporting and due diligence. With the aim of reducing and simplifying reporting of companies, the draft act proposes, amongst others, to i) introduce a financial materiality threshold; ii) modify the disclosures templates; iii) adjust the Green Asset Ratio for banks, by excluding exposures related to companies which are outside the future proposed scope of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive; and iv) simplify the “Do no Significant harm” criteria for pollution prevention and control related to the use and presence of chemicals. The Commission is planning to adopt the delegated act in the course of April 2025, triggering then the official 4-month scrutiny period by the Parliament and the Council.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Securing a greener future with cleaner maritime technology
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been supporting the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC).
Image from FastRig
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been at the forefront of The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), a government-funded initiative to support the delivery of net zero emissions across the maritime industry.
Delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department for Transport’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme, each iteration of the scheme awards funds in areas of green technology, decarbonisation and skills development.
CMDC round 6 is currently open for bidders until Wednesday 16 April, and invites UK-registered organisations to apply for their share of a £30 million fund to pitch and develop innovative clean maritime technologies and skills.
HQ Consultant Surveyor Gwen Lancaster has been involved with the competition since its early stages. Gwen has helped provide the programme with technical and specialist maritime insight.
Essentially, the CMDC provides funding to projects that progress innovative ideas and concepts,” she says.
The MCA provides technical maritime advice and insight to the programme, guiding both the technology focus and advising on aspects and areas that require certification, surveying or regulatory compliance.
We’re able to consider the regulatory pathway and how entirely new products or inventions can be certified according to our processes and standards.
Previous rounds of the CMDC have funded a diverse range of projects, covering future fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia, electrification of vessels and energy efficiency alongside feasibility studies exploring concepts like UK green shipping corridors in support of the Clydebank Declaration.
MCA’s role in delivery of this programme is particularly key when a project involves the integration of an innovative technology with an existing ship, as a recent example the MCA supported the integration and subsequent sea-trials of a 20m wing sail developed by a consortium led by Smart Green Shipping, with the sail being retrofit to the UK-flagged Pacific Grebe.
The sail, which operates autonomously, has the potential to reduce energy demand and fuel consumption significantly, cutting operating costs and CO2 emissions while aiding UK decarbonisation efforts.
Gwen, who was part of the vessel’s survey and inspection team, said:
As the FastRig wing sail was retrofitted for use on a commercial vessel, it required technical input from MCA Surveyors as well as the vessels Classification Society Lloyd’s Register.
It’s a complex and thorough process but it is essential that all the necessary steps are followed to ensure that the invention is correctly certified, all safety considerations are made, and relevant legislation is followed.
Our Marine Office audited and inspected the vessel, which was then able to head to Southampton for demonstration and sea trials.
Decarbonisation of the shipping industry is a key priority for both UK and International shipping, and the MCA is committed to supporting safe, sustainable innovation across the sector.
Press enquiries (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) 0203 817 2222
Outside these hours or on bank holidays and weekends, for media enquiries ONLY, please send an email outlining your query and putting #Urgent in the subject title.
NUUK, Greenland, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new crypto project is grabbing attention by mixing humor, politics, and polar bears. NORDO, a meme coin inspired by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s infamous 2019 proposal to “buy Greenland,” has transformed a real-world political controversy into a thriving meme-based movement on the blockchain.
The Origin: A Political Gaffe Becomes a Meme
In 2019, Trump publicly floated the idea of purchasing Greenland from Denmark. The suggestion sparked global ridicule and was firmly rejected by Danish and Greenlandic officials. Soon after, “Greenland is not for sale” became a viral meme.
Now, in 2025, that meme has evolved into NORDO, a satirical crypto project built around a fictional conflict between Trump and a defiant polar bear protecting Greenland’s sovereignty and climate.
What is NORDO?
NORDO is more than a meme coin—it’s a platform for political commentary, digital creativity, and community-driven humor. The project uses storytelling and satire to highlight issues such as:
Climate change awareness
Political absurdity and internet culture
Decentralized community engagement
Memes as tools of activism and resistance
Trump’s exaggerated persona and the image of a stoic polar bear defending the Arctic form the core of NORDO’s visual identity and meme ecosystem.
Viral Growth and Online Movement
NORDO has exploded across Twitter, TikTok, and Telegram, driven by a dedicated meme community. The project’s slogan, “Democracy has claws”, has become a viral catchphrase, often shared alongside satirical videos of Trump being outwitted or stopped by the arctic bear.
NORDO’s official Twitter account @GreenlandBear, posts daily political memes, cold climate jokes, and social commentary wrapped in meme format, gaining attention from both crypto enthusiasts and casual meme lovers.
Disclaimer:This press release is provided by the NORDO. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented.We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article.This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.
Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital.It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose.Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.
Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.
RAF to protect European skies on NATO’S eastern flank
UK jets will protect the skies of NATO’s eastern flank once again, working for the first time with Sweden to protect Polish airspace.
Defence Minister Lord Coaker at a ceremony in Poland to kick off the enhanced air policing mission.
UK jets will protect the skies of NATO’s eastern flank once again, working for the first time with Sweden to protect Polish airspace.
British built Typhoon jets arrived in Eastern Poland today, to take part in a NATO enhanced air policing mission.
RAF pilots will join up with Swedish Airforce Gripen fighter jets, as Europe steps up together to defend NATO airspace. The deployment is the first time that Swedish fighter jets will take part in air policing on the territory of another NATO Ally since they joined the alliance in 2024.
Touching down in Poland on Tuesday (1 April), Defence Minister Lord Coaker met with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Marcin Kosiniak-Kamysz and Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson, to outline the UK’s commitment to European security and to mark the start of the operation.
Defence Minister Lord Coaker said:
The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to NATO. With threats increasing and growing Russian aggression, it is vital that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies.
This latest air policing mission in Poland displays the UK’s ability to operate effectively with NATO’s newest member in Sweden and deter our common adversaries across the alliance’s airspace, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.
The mission comes as European NATO allies are stepping up on European security and defence spending. NATO remains the cornerstone of UK Defence and this government will continue to pursue a “NATO first” defence policy and take on a leadership role in the alliance.
Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority, and an integral part of its Plan for Change. The work of defence is critical to the security and stability of the UK, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad, whilst supporting all of the Government’s five missions as a foundation of its plan.
Poland is also a key UK defence and security partner, NATO Ally and partner in the European Group of Five (E5). Our nations have both been large supporters of Ukraine and have the led the way in increasing defence spending in Europe.
In last week’s Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced an additional £2.2 billion for defence in 2025/26. This comes on top of the announcement of the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, as the government will hit 2.5% of GDP spend by April 2027, and has a commitment to hit 3% in the next Parliament.
This mission follows on from 2024’s successful air policing missions across the continent. In April 2024, six Typhoon fighter jets with over two hundred personnel were stationed in Romania defending NATO’s eastern border. Followed on by an August 2024 deployment of four cutting edge F-35B jets to Iceland, defending NATO airspace in the high north.
This time, six British built typhoons from II (AC) Squadron will be patrolling Polish airspace, having travelled from RAF Lossiemouth.
RAF Typhoons and Voyagers also conduct NATO air policing in the UK through the Quick Reaction Alert Force, based at RAF Coningsby, Lossiemouth and Brize Norton, protecting UK airspace 24/7, 365 days a year.
In the Arctic, permafrost plays a crucial role in building infrastructure. However, as the region warms and permafrost thaws, infrastructure is threatened as the ground shifts beneath the built environment. Unfortunately, the full extent of the risks associated with this process is not yet understood, but researchers are working to address this knowledge gap.
UConn Department of Natural Resources and the Environment researchers, including Ph.D. student Elias Manos and Assistant Professor Chandi Witharana, along with Anna Liljedahl from the Woodwell Climate Research Center, developed a method that uses high-resolution satellite imagery and deep machine learning to double the mapped infrastructure of Alaska and more accurately project economic risks associated with permafrost thaw. Their findings are published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment.
Witharana says this is the latest in his research group’s long-term study of how satellites can help monitor changes in the Arctic landscape over time, in this case, the largely unaccounted for risks of thawing permafrost for communities and their vital infrastructure like buildings and roads.
“The main focus here is, there was a visual gap for infrastructure, and we need to have more detail to create critical information layers for downstream analysis like economic risk. We didn’t have that for Alaska,” says Witharana.
A home in Point Lay, Alaska that is affected by thawing permafrost. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Jones)
The motivation behind this research stems from the need to understand hazards in a changing world, says Manos. However, those assessments cannot happen without a clear understanding of what is in harm’s way.
“We know that local temperatures are rising and there is change in the frequency, intensity, and timing of extreme weather and hazardous events. Whether they are rapid onset events like hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, or slow onset hazards like droughts, permafrost thaw in this case, we need to understand the potential harm these events pose,” says Manos.
Manos says that permafrost serves as a structural foundation where piles are secured through it and buildings are designed to help maintain its thermal integrity. It is, therefore, essential that the pile foundation remains stably anchored into the permafrost, but the structural integrity is compromised as this layer thaws.
“When the temperature of permafrost starts to increase, piles start to shift out of place, and that’s what we call bearing capacity loss, or decrease in bearing capacity. That was the main hazard that we looked at which impacts buildings,” says Manos. “Then there’s also transportation infrastructure that’s primarily impacted by ground subsidence. When ice-rich permafrost thaws, the ground will cave in and that was the hazard we used to assess the disaster risk for roads.”
Previous studies made risk estimates based on data from OpenStreetMap (OSM), which is one of the most widely used geospatial data sets available, says Manos. OSM is available for every nation across the globe, and information is updated by volunteers who manually input local data, like buildings, trails, roads, or other kinds of infrastructure, from high-resolution imagery on a global scale.
For some regions, like Europe and parts of the United States, the data is accurate, says Manos, but that is not true for all locations. Unfortunately for the Arctic, OSM data is lacking.
Top four panels (and two zoom-ins) show delineations of buildings, roads, and storage tanks predicted by the infrastructure detection model from Maxar satellite imagery of four different Alaskan communities (Utqiagvik, Kotzebue, Hooper Bay, and Bethel). The bottom panel compares the map produced by the UConn team’s methodology (titled High-resolution Arctic Built Infrastructure and Terrain Analysis Tool (HABITAT)) to other existing Arctic infrastructure data products. OpenStreetMap is a widely used open-source geographic database supported by volunteer mapping efforts. As displayed, OpenStreetMap is often incomplete in many areas of the Arctic. The Sentinel-1/2 derived Arctic Coastal Human Impact dataset (SACHI) is a circumpolar-scale map of Arctic buildings, roads, and other human-modified land produced with machine- and deep-learning algorithms and Sentinel-1/2 satellite imagery. As displayed, this dataset has a comparatively coarse resolution that struggles with identifying individual objects. (Courtesy of Maxar, Inc. and Annett Bartsch)
“There are several previous risk studies that relied on this incomplete infrastructure data. It all goes back to the fact that infrastructure across the Arctic is not completely mapped, and that’s problematic if you want to understand disasters because you must have the full picture to understand the scale of what is or could potentially be exposed,” says Manos.
One of the objectives of Witharana’s research group is to improve methods to analyze large sets of satellite images quickly and accurately. Here, they developed a method to accurately map infrastructure and permafrost thaw risk called High-resolution Arctic Built Infrastructure and Terrain Analysis Tool (HABITAT). The model uses machine learning and AI to extract road and building information from high-resolution satellite images from the years 2018-2023. They compared the HABITAT data with OSM data to evaluate the new model’s quality and to look for potential misclassifications. Then they added the new information to OSM, nearly doubling the previous amount of information available for Alaska.
“The sheer amount of infrastructure and buildings that were missing from Open Street Map was, really shocking to me, 47% missing,” says Manos. “Though OpenStreetMap is a powerful volunteer-based resource, it has limitations and that is not a surprise.”
Owing to the large amount of data previously not considered, the researchers estimate that the costs of permafrost damage to infrastructure will double under low and medium emissions scenarios by 2050.
“Damages to infrastructure caused by permafrost thaw is on par with the average yearly cost of all natural disasters in the country, yet permafrost thaw is not recognized by the federal government as a natural hazard, making it harder for people in Alaska to obtain disaster relief funding. In addition, Alaska is decades behind the rest of the country in terms of geospatial data readiness. Maps are key for assessments and planning, and I think the research community can help with some of that,” says Liljedahl.
Witharana’s research group and collaborators are working to fill these knowledge gaps to create data that can be used to help prepare communities for the future. Manos plans to expand this analysis to account for the entire Arctic region to assess economic losses using a comprehensive infrastructure map.
Witharana adds that by combining OSM data with the thousands of sub-meter resolution satellite images provided by the National Science Foundation, along with access to NSF supercomputing infrastructure, it was possible for the researchers to enhance the completeness of these datasets.
“We can see that impact and do better assessments of economic disturbances and risk so we can prepare for whatever policy actions or downstream efforts that are needed,” says Witharana. “That’s a major outcome. Overall, the integration of AI and big data sets within our application has helped make useful, actionable products that researchers and communities can use right now.”
The combined HABTAT and OSM dataset is available for anyone to explore on the Permafrost Discovery Gateway. This work is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs (NSF-OPP) (grant No. 1927723 and 2052107) and Google.org’s Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation. The image in Fig. 1b was acquired and provided through NSF RISE-1928237. Furthermore, this work used the Delta supercomputer at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign through allocation #EES220055 from the Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services & Support (ACCESS) program, which is supported by National Science Foundation grants #2138259, #2138286, #2138307, #2137603, and #2138296. Geospatial support for this work was provided by the Polar Geospatial Center under NSF-OPP awards 1043681, 1559691, and 2129685.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Kwok Wai-keung and a reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (April 2):
Question: (i) Tenderers who have been convicted of a relevant offence under the OSHO and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, etc will be debarred from bidding government service contracts for a maximum period of up to five years. In evaluating tenders for a service contract involving the employment of non-skilled workers, the department concerned will check whether any of the tenderers are subject to debarment; and
(ii) Tenderers for service contracts that involve non-skilled workers performing duties outdoors, in an indoor environment without air-conditioning and/or in the vicinity of high temperature installations are required to submit a Heat Stroke Prevention Work Plan (Work Plan) certified by a Safety Officer who has a valid registration with the Labour Department (LD). Any tender submitted without a Work Plan will not be considered further in the tender assessment. Contractors who fail to comply with the measures committed in the Work Plan may also be issued with demerit points under the Demerit Point System.
In addition to the above contractual and tendering requirements, the LD has been committed to ensuring, through inspection and enforcement, publicity and promotion, as well as education and training, that employers (including GSCs) comply with the relevant statutory requirements, with a view to minimising safety and health risks at workplaces and safeguarding the OSH of employees.
(2) As regards the Member’s enquiry about the cases of OSH-related injuries and deaths in the past three years, we have collected relevant information on outsourced non-skilled workers from the four major procuring departments. Such information is set out at Annex.
(3) The LD has all along adopted a multi-pronged strategy in promoting employers (including GSCs) to enhance the safety management standard and protect the OSH of their employees. Relevant measures include:
(i) adopting a risk-based approach in conducting OSH inspections at different workplaces. If OSH issues are identified during inspections, the LD will exercise its professional judgement in assessing the seriousness and consequences of the issues and, based on the evidence available, take enforcement actions. Such actions may include issuing written warnings, improvement notices and suspension notices, or even initiating prosecutions. The said inspections also cover the workplaces of GSCs. In respect of GSCs employing non-skilled workers, the LD conducted 185, 199 and 224 OSH inspections respectively from 2022 to 2024, and took 41, 52 and 27 enforcement actions.
(ii) issuing OSH guidelines to help contractors and other employers enhance their safety management standard. Such guidelines include “Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work”, “Cleansing Workers – Safe Use of Chemicals”, “Lightening the Load” and “Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather”; and
(iii) co-organising activities (e.g. OSH talks, seminars and training programmes) with organisations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC), trade associations and workers’ unions to enhance the OSH awareness of both employers and employees. The LD and the OSHC have also set up hotlines to answer OSH-related enquiries.
In addition to the inspections conducted by the LD, procuring departments are also, in general, required to formulate suitable arrangements for inspection of contractors’ workplaces (including the number of inspections) having regard to factors such as nature of the outsourced services and their manpower, and to develop assessment indicators as necessary.
The Government will remain committed to safeguarding the OSH of outsourced workers employed by service contractors through the implementation of various measures.
The Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages (CRCFV) initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) primarily aims to develop existing 100 coastal fishermen villages situated close to coastline in all coastal States and Union Territories(UTs) including in Karnataka as Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages (CRCFV). The objectives of Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen villages(CRCFV) initiative are to (i) create sustainable economic and livelihood opportunities to fishers living in coastal fishermen villages situated along the seashore, (ii) development of need based fisheries infrastructure in the coastal villages, (iii) develop the coastal fishermen villages as climate resilient and gorgeous fishing villages to attract tourist and coastal trade, (iv) promote to harness local fisheries potentials in a sustainable, responsible, inclusive, equitable and eco-friendly manner for economic prosperity of fishers, (v) provide safety and security of fishermen in coastal villages, (vi) improving the quality of lives of local fishers through accelerating fisheries and allied economic activities, (vii) make availability, fishing implements, techniques, infrastructure for post harvest& processing activities, safe landing &berthing, marketing, access to credit and extension services, (viii) involving local fishermen organizations, fisheries cooperatives, FFPOs, Non-Governmental Organizations in development and management of fisheries, (ix) exploring coastal tourism based on the traditional knowledge, local culture and heritage, (x) development of fisheries entrepreneurship, empowering of local youths and women through skill and entrepreneurship development and (xi) provide social security cover to fishers in the coastal villages.
The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying in consultation with the Government of Karnataka has identified five coastal fishermen villages in Karnataka to develop as Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages under PMMSY and the villages identified in the State are; (i) Uppunda Madikal, (ii) Koteshwara, (iii) Kadekar, (iv) Bailuru and (v) Mattadahitlu. Under the Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages (CRCFV), 70% of unit cost/estimated cost is envisaged towards creation of infrastructure facilities in the village and 30% of unit cost/estimated cost is towards creation of fisheries economic activities in the village. Based on the gap analysis study in consultation with Government of Karnataka need based activities like establishment of multipurpose fisheries centres, high mast lighting pole & lighting, fish vending kiosks, net mending yards, ice plants/cold storages, fish drying yards, shore protection works etc have been envisaged for development in the identified villages in Karnataka to make the villages climate resilient and economically vibrant fishermen villages. The State-wise number of coastal fishermen villages for development as Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Villages are envisaged in proportion to the total number of coastal fishermen villages in the State and at present, there is no proposal for expanding the coverage of Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Village programme beyond the identified 100 coastal fishermen villages.
This information was given by Union Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri George Kurian, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on 2nd April, 2025.
Question for written answer E-001228/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Maria Ohisalo (Verts/ALE)
A limited liability housing company[1] is a home ownership model in Finland. It is the most common way to own an apartment in Finland and does not exist elsewhere in the EU. More than one third of homes owned in Finland are apartments in these housing companies.
The Emissions Trading System (ETS2) will cover and address the CO2 emissions from fuel combustion in buildings. In the spirit of the just transition, it is important that the most vulnerable households, including the homeowners in housing companies, receive support for changing from fossil fuel-based heating systems to more climate-friendly alternatives.
The ETS2 specifies that Member States should determine the use of revenues from the auctioning of allowances to decarbonise the heating of buildings and to provide financial support for low-income households in the worst-performing buildings. The economic support is distributed via the SCF.
As renovations are carried out by the limited liability housing company – not an individual – a question arises as to whether these companies qualify to receive economic support from the ETS2. This is a question of equal treatment of homeowners in Finland.
Will the Commission ensure that Finnish limited liability housing companies are able to receive support from the SCF, thereby ensuring the equal treatment of homeowners, and what measures does it intend to take to do so?
The EIB Group has invested more than €90 million in a BBVA asset-backed securitisation operation.
This EIB investment will allow BBVA to mobilise some €185 millionin financing for sustainable housing projects in Spain.
The operation is backed by InvestEU, an EU programme that aims to unlock over €372 billion in investment by 2027.
The EIB Group – made up of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) – has signed a new €93 million synthetic securitisation operation with BBVA for 100% green projects. This investment will allow BBVA to mobilise around €185 million to finance the construction of residential buildings with near-zero emissions by small and medium firms (SMEs) and mid-caps in Spain’s real estate sector.
The operation is guaranteed by InvestEU, the EU programme to mobilise public and private investment. It will give SMEs and mid-caps that promote sustainable housing easier access to financing on favourable terms that would not otherwise be available for such projects.
The projects financed by this operation will improve energy efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions and help mitigate climate change. A significant number of these projects are expected to be implemented in cohesion regions where the income per capita is below the EU average.
This operation is one more demonstration of the EIB Group’s role of promoting new financial instruments like securitisation that help unlock capital for green projects, reduce the risk borne by sponsoring financial institutions and strengthen the EU capital markets union.
The agreement with BBVA supports the strategic priorities of the EIB Group, which include climate action, access to affordable and sustainable housing, cohesion and the capital markets union.
The securitisation is on a portfolio of over €1.4 billion in loans to SMEs in which BBVA will retain the senior and junior tranches, and the EIB Group will guarantee the mezzanine tranche of €93 million. It has been structured to meet the STS criteria (simple, transparent and standardised), and includes a synthetic excess spread mechanism and uses pro rata amortisation (which may be changed to sequential).
Background information
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.
About InvestEU
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that invest in projects, leveraging on the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increasing their risk-bearing capacity and mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.
About BBVA
BBVA is a global financial services group founded in 1857. The bank is present in more than 25 countries, has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico and it has leading franchises in South America and Turkey.
BBVA contributes with its activity to the progress and welfare of all its stakeholders: shareholders, clients, employees, providers and society in general. In this regard, BBVA supports families, entrepreneurs and companies in their plans, and helps them to take advantage of the opportunities provided by innovation and technology. Likewise, BBVA offers its customers a unique value proposition, leveraged on technology and data, helping them improve their financial health with personalized information on financial decision-making.
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) have informed that they have no comments to provide in the matter as the issues pertaining to employees of forest establishment of State Governments are not dealt with by the MoEFCC.
Further, as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 do not contain any provision for regularization of contract labourers or for granting them permanent status.
To address the burden of mental disorders, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country under which767 districts were sanctioned for District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) to provide facilities at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels, inter-alia, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services etc. One of the objectives of DMHP is to provide suicide prevention services, work place stress management, life skills training and counseling in schools and colleges. In addition to the above, the Government is also taking steps to strengthen mental
healthcare services at primary healthcare level. Mental health services have been added in the package of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Headline: Two Weeks Left to Submit Your Right of Entry (ROE) Form to LA County
Two Weeks Left to Submit Your Right of Entry (ROE) Form to LA County
LOS ANGELES – In order to have debris removed by the U
S
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), property owners affected by the Los Angeles Wildfires must submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form to LA County
The deadline to submit a ROE form has been extended to April 15, 2025
Typically, FEMA’s authority is limited to debris removal in public areas, but in response to the LA wildfires, FEMA’s authority has been extended to include single family residences and owner-occupied multi-family units
There is no out-of-pocket cost to have debris removed by USACE, however FEMA is unable to duplicate other forms of funding specific to debris removal
If a property has insurance for debris removal, any residual amount not used by the property owner must be provided through the county to offset the cost of debris removal
If a property owner opts out of the USACE debris removal program, they become responsible for all permits, inspections and other associated debris removal requirements and costs
All property owners should submit an ROE form by April 15, 2025, either opting into the program or opting out
Submit a ROE form to LA County:Complete the opt-in form online at: Los Angeles County Right of Entry Permit for Debris Removal on Private Property
Download and complete a form: Debris Removal Right of Entry Permit (00011201
DOCX;1)
Submit at a Disaster Recovery Center
Pick up a form at a Disaster Recovery Center
Visit the DRC Locator to find a location
Contact Los Angeles County if you need more information about debris removal: Visit the LA County Debris Removal Website: recovery
lacounty
gov/debris-removal/Call LA County’s Public Works Fire Debris Hotline: 844-347-3332Follow FEMA online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account
For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready
gov, on Instagram @Ready
gov or on the Ready Facebook page
California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process
Visit CA
gov/LAFires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance
2. Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 20 March 2025 (debate)
European Council and Commission statements: Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 20 March 2025 (2024/2980(RSP))
António Costa (President of the European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (President of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Manfred Weber, on behalf of the PPE Group, Iratxe García Pérez, on behalf of the S&D Group, Kinga Gál, on behalf of the PfE Group, Nicola Procaccini, on behalf of the ECR Group, Valérie Hayer, on behalf of the Renew Group, Terry Reintke, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Manon Aubry, on behalf of The Left Group, Alexander Sell, on behalf of the ESN Group, Dolors Montserrat, Raphaël Glucksmann, Jean-Paul Garraud, Patryk Jaki, Billy Kelleher, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Pasquale Tridico, Zsuzsanna Borvendég, Ruth Firmenich, Siegfried Mureşan, Paolo Borchia, Nicolas Bay, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Hannah Neumann, Li Andersson, Katarína Roth Neveďalová, Željana Zovko, Alex Agius Saliba, Anna Bryłka, Charlie Weimers, Hilde Vautmans, Reinier Van Lanschot, Paulo Cunha, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Christel Schaldemose, Gilles Pennelle, Carlo Fidanza, Svenja Hahn, Tom Berendsen (the President spoke about Siegbert Frank Droese’s behaviour following Hannah Neumann’s speech), Javier Moreno Sánchez, Harald Vilimsky, Johan Van Overtveldt, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Reinhold Lopatka, Dan Nica, Emmanouil Fragkos, Ľubica Karvašová, Danuše Nerudová, Marta Temido, Anna Zalewska, Karlo Ressler, Elio Di Rupo, François-Xavier Bellamy, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Brando Benifei.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Dariusz Joński, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Anna Maria Cisint, Sebastian Tynkkynen, João Oliveira, Siegbert Frank Droese, Lukas Sieper, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Bruno Gonçalves and Seán Kelly.
The following spoke: Maroš Šefčovič (Member of the Commission) and António Costa.
The debate closed.
3. Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine: standing with Ukraine and upholding justice (debate)
Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine: standing with Ukraine and upholding justice(2025/2635(RSP))
The President said that there would be only one round of political group speakers and no catch-the-eye procedure or blue-card questions.
Kaja Kallas (Vice President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) made the statement.
The following spoke: Sandra Kalniete, on behalf of the PPE Group, Thijs Reuten, on behalf of the S&D Group, Anders Vistisen, on behalf of the PfE Group, Michał Dworczyk, on behalf of the ECR Group, Petras Auštrevičius, on behalf of the Renew Group, Villy Søvndal, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Martin Schirdewan, on behalf of The Left Group, and René Aust, on behalf of the ESN Group.
The following spoke: Kaja Kallas.
The debate closed.
4. Amendment of the agenda
In accordance with Rule 164(2), the President proposed the following amendment of the agenda, with the agreement of the political groups:
Wednesday/Thursday
The vote on ‘Energy-intensive industries’ (item 24 on the agenda) would be held over until voting time on Thursday.
Parliament agreed to the proposal.
The agenda was amended accordingly.
(The sitting was suspended at 11:54.)
IN THE CHAIR: Esteban GONZÁLEZ PONS Vice-President
5. Resumption of the sitting
The sitting resumed at 12:01.
6. Voting time
For detailed results of the votes, see also ‘Results of votes’ and ‘Results of roll-call votes’.
6.1. Amending Directives (EU) 2022/2464 and (EU) 2024/1760 as regards the dates from which Member States are to apply certain corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements ***I (vote)
Amending Directives (EU) 2022/2464 and (EU) 2024/1760 as regards the dates from which Member States are to apply certain corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements (COM(2025)0080 – C10-0038/2025 – 2025/0044(COD)) – JURI Committee
REQUEST FOR AN URGENT DECISION by the PPE Group (Rule 170(6))
Approved
The following tabling deadlines had been set:
– amendments: Wednesday 2 April 2025 at 13:00 – requests for separate votes and split votes: Wednesday 2 April 2025 at 19:00.
Vote: 3 April 2025.
The following had spoken:
Tomas Tobé, on behalf of the PPE Group (the author of the request), and Manon Aubry against.
Detailed voting results
6.2. Request for waiver of the immunity of Jana Nagyová (vote)
Report on the request for the waiver of the immunity of Jana Nagyová [2024/2035(IMM)] – Committee on Legal Affairs. Rapporteur: Krzysztof Śmiszek (A10-0029/2025)
6.3. Request for waiver of the immunity of Petr Bystron (vote)
Report on the request for waiver of the immunity of Petr Bystron [2024/2048(IMM)] – Committee on Legal Affairs. Rapporteur: Dominik Tarczyński (A10-0030/2025)
6.4. Request for waiver of the immunity of Maciej Wąsik (vote)
Report on the request for the waiver of the immunity of Maciej Wąsik [2024/2043(IMM)] – Committee on Legal Affairs. Rapporteur: Mario Furore (A10-0031/2025)
6.5. Request for waiver of the immunity of Mariusz Kamiński (vote)
Report on the request for the waiver of the immunity of Mariusz Kamiński [2024/2046(IMM)] – Committee on Legal Affairs. Rapporteur: Mario Furore (A10-0032/2025)
6.6. Partial renewal of a member of the Court of Auditors – Lucian Romașcanu (vote)
Report on the nomination of Lucian Romașcanu as a Member of the Court of Auditors [05958/2025 – C10-0010/2025 – 2025/0801(NLE)] – Committee on Budgetary Control. Rapporteur: Tomáš Zdechovský (A10-0039/2025)
(Majority of the votes cast) (Secret ballot (Rule 133(3)))
The list of Members voting is annexed to these minutes (minutes of 1.4.2025 Annex 1)
Detailed voting results
6.7. Common data platform on chemicals, establishing a monitoring and outlook framework for chemicals ***I (vote)
Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common data platform on chemicals, laying down rules to ensure that the data contained in it are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable and establishing a monitoring and outlook framework for chemicals [COM(2023)0779 – C9-0449/2023 – 2023/0453(COD)] – Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety. Rapporteur: Dimitris Tsiodras (A10-0018/2025)
Dimitris Tsiodras (rapporteur), after the vote on the Commission’s proposal, to request that the matter be referred back to the committee responsible, for interinstitutional negotiations, in accordance with Rule 60(4).
Detailed voting results
6.8. Re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks to the European Chemicals Agency ***I (vote)
Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks to the European Chemicals Agency [COM(2023)0781 – C9-0448/2023 – 2023/0454(COD)] – Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety. Rapporteur: Dimitris Tsiodras (A10-0019/2025)
Dimitris Tsiodras (rapporteur), after the vote on the Commission’s proposal, to request that the matter be referred back to the committee responsible, for interinstitutional negotiations, in accordance with Rule 60(4).
Detailed voting results
6.9. Re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks and improving cooperation among Union agencies in the area of chemicals ***I (vote)
Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 401/2009, (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the re-attribution of scientific and technical tasks and improving cooperation among Union agencies in the area of chemicals [COM(2023)0783 – C9-0447/2023 – 2023/0455(COD)] – Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety. Rapporteur: Dimitris Tsiodras (A10-0020/2025)
Dimitris Tsiodras (rapporteur), after the vote on the Commission’s proposal, to request that the matter be referred back to the committee responsible, for interinstitutional negotiations, in accordance with Rule 60(4).
Detailed voting results
6.10. Macro-financial assistance to Jordan ***I (vote)
Report on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on providing macro-financial assistance to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan [COM(2024)0159 – C9-0146/2024 – 2024/0086(COD)] – Committee on International Trade. Rapporteur: Céline Imart (A10-0038/2025)
Michael McGrath (Member of the Commission), before the vote, to make a statement.
6.11. Macro-financial assistance to Egypt ***I (vote)
Report on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on providing macro-financial assistance to the Arab Republic of Egypt [COM(2024)0461 – C10-0009/2024 – 2024/0071(COD)] – Committee on International Trade. Rapporteur: Céline Imart (A10-0037/2025)
– Michael McGrath (Member of the Commission), before the vote, to make a statement.
– Céline Imart (rapporteur), after the vote on the Commission’s proposal, to request that the matter be referred back to the committee responsible, for interinstitutional negotiations, in accordance with Rule 60(4).
6.12. Customs duties on imports of certain products originating in the USA ***I (vote)
Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2018/196 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2018 on additional customs duties on imports of certain products originating in the United States of America [COM(2025)0027 – C10-0007/2025 – 2025/0012(COD)] – Committee on International Trade. Rapporteur: Bernd Lange (A10-0034/2025)
8. Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting
The minutes of the previous sitting were approved.
9. CFSP and CSDP (Article 36 TUE)(joint debate)
Report on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – 2024 annual report [2024/2080(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: David McAllister (A10-0010/2025) Report on the implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2024 [2024/2082(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Nicolás Pascual de la Parte (A10-0011/2025)
David McAllister and Nicolás Pascual de la Parte introduced the reports.
The following spoke: Kaja Kallas (Vice President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy).
The following spoke:Michael Gahler, on behalf of the PPE Group, Sven Mikser, on behalf of the S&D Group, Kinga Gál, on behalf of the PfE Group, Adam Bielan, on behalf of the ECR Group, Urmas Paet, on behalf of the Renew Group, Marc Botenga,on behalf of The Left Group,Stanislav Stoyanov, on behalf of the ESN Group,Rasa Juknevičienė, Tobias Cremer, António Tânger Corrêa, Alberico Gambino, Bart Groothuis, Hannah Neumann,Özlem Demirel, Marcin Sypniewski, Monika Beňová, Łukasz Kohut, Yannis Maniatis, Pierre-Romain Thionnet,Rihards Kols, Hilde Vautmans, Jaume Asens Llodrà, Lynn Boylan, Hans Neuhoff, Francisco José Millán Mon,Nacho Sánchez Amor, Afroditi Latinopoulou, Nathalie Loiseau, Hanna Gedin, Salvatore De Meo, Hana Jalloul Muro,Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Petras Auštrevičius,Davor Ivo Stier, who also answered a blue-card question from Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Tonino Picula, Lucia Yar, Vangelis Meimarakis, who also answered a blue-card question from Petras Gražulis, Thijs Reuten, Marta Wcisło, Riho Terras, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Mārtiņš Staķis, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, and Sebastian Tynkkynen.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Tomislav Sokol, João Oliveira, Željana Zovko, Lukas Sieper and Michał Szczerba.
The following spoke: Kaja Kallas, David McAllister and Nicolás Pascual de la Parte.
The debate closed.
Vote: 2 April 2025.
10. Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024 (debate)
Report on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024 [2024/2081(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Isabel Wiseler-Lima (A10-0012/2025)
Isabel Wiseler-Lima introduced the report.
The following spoke: Kaja Kallas (Vice President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy).
The following spoke: Abir Al-Sahlani (rapporteur for the opinion of the FEMM Committee), Antonio López-Istúriz White, on behalf of the PPE Group, Francisco Assis, on behalf of the S&D Group, Christophe Bay, on behalf of the PfE Group, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, on behalf of the ECR Group, Barry Andrews, on behalf of the Renew Group, Catarina Vieira, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Kathleen Funchion, on behalf of The Left Group, Petr Bystron, on behalf of the ESN Group, Reinhold Lopatka, Elisabeth Grossmann, Silvia Sardone, Sophie Wilmès, Mounir Satouri, Alvise Pérez, Liudas Mažylis, Marco Tarquinio, András László, who also answered a blue-card question from Catarina Vieira, Loucas Fourlas, Chloé Ridel, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Hermann Tertsch, Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, Evin Incir and Alice Teodorescu Måwe.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Sunčana Glavak, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Lukas Sieper and Michał Wawrykiewicz.
The following spoke: Kaja Kallas.
IN THE CHAIR: Roberts ZĪLE Vice-President
The following spoke: Isabel Wiseler-Lima.
The debate closed.
Vote: 2 April 2025.
11. Presentation of the new European Internal Security Strategy(debate)
Commission statement: Presentation of the new European Internal Security Strategy (2025/2608(RSP))
Magnus Brunner (Member of the Commission) made the statement.
The following spoke: Tomas Tobé, on behalf of the PPE Group, Birgit Sippel, on behalf of the S&D Group, Fabrice Leggeri, on behalf of the PfE Group, Assita Kanko, on behalf of the ECR Group, Malik Azmani, on behalf of the Renew Group, Saskia Bricmont, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Giuseppe Antoci, on behalf of The Left Group, Mary Khan, on behalf of the ESN Group, Jeroen Lenaers, Thijs Reuten, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Alessandro Ciriani, Moritz Körner, who also answered a blue-card question from Lukas Sieper, Lena Düpont, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Petra Steger, Mariusz Kamiński, François-Xavier Bellamy, Marieke Ehlers, Charlie Weimers, Javier Zarzalejos, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, who also declined to take a blue-card question from Dariusz Joński, Paulo Cunha, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Elena Donazzan, Maciej Wąsik and Gheorghe Piperea.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Dariusz Joński, José Cepeda, João Oliveira, Sunčana Glavak, Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Ana Miguel Pedro and Lukas Sieper.
The following spoke: Henna Virkkunen (Executive Vice-President of the Commission).
The debate closed.
12. EU Preparedness Union Strategy (debate)
Commission statement: EU Preparedness Union Strategy (2025/2641(RSP))
Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission) made the statement.
The following spoke: Lena Düpont, on behalf of the PPE Group.
IN THE CHAIR: Pina PICIERNO Vice-President
The following spoke: Yannis Maniatis, on behalf of the S&D Group, Roberto Vannacci, on behalf of the PfE Group, Beata Szydło, on behalf of the ECR Group, Grégory Allione, on behalf of the Renew Group, Diana Riba i Giner, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Ana Miranda Paz, on the language used by a Member during this debate (the President agreed), Merja Kyllönen, on behalf of The Left Group, Christine Anderson, on behalf of the ESN Group (the President reminded the House of the rules on conduct), Lukas Mandl, Christophe Clergeau, Christophe Bay, Elena Donazzan, Anna-Maja Henriksson, Ville Niinistö, Catarina Martins, Cecilia Strada, who referred to the speech of Roberto Vannacci (the President reiterated the need to respect the rules on conduct), Kostas Papadakis, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Tomislav Sokol, Heléne Fritzon, Barbara Bonte, Adrian-George Axinia, who also declined to take a blue-card question from Alvise Pérez, Nathalie Loiseau, Lena Schilling, Luke Ming Flanagan, Massimiliano Salini, Annalisa Corrado, Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal, who also declined to take a blue-card question from Grégory Allione, Michał Dworczyk, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Leire Pajín, Matej Tonin, Tobias Cremer, Victor Negrescu and Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Hélder Sousa Silva, Laura Ballarín Cereza, Ana Miranda Paz, Cecilia Strada, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, João Oliveira and Maria Zacharia.
The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib.
The debate closed.
13. Improving the implementation of cohesion policy through the mid-term review to achieve a robust cohesion policy post 2027 (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Improving the implementation of cohesion policy through the mid-term review to achieve a robust cohesion policy post 2027 (2025/2648(RSP))
Adam Szłapka (President-in-Office of the Council) and Raffaele Fitto (Executive Vice-President of the Commission) made the statements.
The following spoke: Andrey Novakov, on behalf of the PPE Group, Mohammed Chahim, on behalf of the S&D Group, Rody Tolassy, on behalf of the PfE Group, Denis Nesci, on behalf of the ECR Group, Ľubica Karvašová, on behalf of the Renew Group, Cristina Guarda, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Elena Kountoura, on behalf of the The Left Group, Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Marcos Ros Sempere, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Ciaran Mullooly, Gordan Bosanac, who also answered a blue-card question from Lukas Sieper.
IN THE CHAIR: Esteban GONZÁLEZ PONS Vice-President
The following spoke: Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Victor Negrescu, Antonella Sberna, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Christian Doleschal, Carla Tavares, who also answered a blue-card question from Ana Miranda Paz, Elsi Katainen, Elena Nevado del Campo, who also answered a blue-card question from Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Estelle Ceulemans, Joachim Streit, Jacek Protas and Hannes Heide.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Nikolina Brnjac, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Ana Miranda Paz, Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Francisco José Millán Mon, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral and Maria Grapini.
The following spoke: Raffaele Fitto and Adam Szłapka.
The debate closed.
14. Safeguarding the access to democratic media, such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (debate)
Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:Safeguarding the access to democratic media, such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty(2025/2630(RSP))
Marta Kos (Member of the Commission) made the statement on behalf of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The following spoke: Sebastião Bugalho, on behalf of the PPE Group, Nils Ušakovs, on behalf of the S&D Group, António Tânger Corrêa, on behalf of the PfE Group, Małgorzata Gosiewska, on behalf of the ECR Group, Irena Joveva, on behalf of the Renew Group, Virginijus Sinkevičius, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Milan Uhrík, on behalf of the ESN Group, Andrey Kovatchev, Francisco Assis, Hermann Tertsch, Alexandr Vondra, Dan Barna, Mary Khan, who also answered a blue-card question from Tomáš Zdechovský, Erik Kaliňák, who also answered a blue-card question from Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Ondřej Kolář, Robert Biedroń, Virginie Joron, Rihards Kols, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Petar Volgin, Fidias Panayiotou, Rasa Juknevičienė, Hannes Heide, Csaba Dömötör, who also answered a blue-card question from Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Laurence Farreng, Elena Yoncheva, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Evin Incir, who also answered a blue-card question from Fidias Panayiotou, and Julien Sanchez.
IN THE CHAIR: Antonella SBERNA Vice-President
The following spoke: Helmut Brandstätter, Mika Aaltola, Michał Kobosko, Alice Teodorescu Måwe and Tomáš Zdechovský.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Radan Kanev, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă and Gabriella Gerzsenyi.
The following spoke: Marta Kos.
The debate closed.
15. Crackdown on democracy in Türkiye and the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu (debate)
Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:Crackdown on democracy in Türkiye and the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu(2025/2642(RSP))
Marta Kos (Member of the Commission) made the statement on behalf of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The following spoke: Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, on behalf of the PPE Group, Nacho Sánchez Amor, on behalf of the S&D Group, Susanna Ceccardi, on behalf of the PfE Group, Assita Kanko, on behalf of the ECR Group, Malik Azmani, on behalf of the Renew Group, Vladimir Prebilič, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Giorgos Georgiou, on behalf of The Left Group, Michalis Hadjipantela, Kathleen Van Brempt, Mathilde Androuët, Bernard Guetta, Mélissa Camara, Özlem Demirel, Reinhold Lopatka, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Željana Zovko, Nikos Papandreou, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi and Dario Nardella.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Sebastian Tynkkynen, Ana Miranda Paz, Hanna Gedin, Maria Zacharia, Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos, Lukas Sieper and Fidias Panayiotou.
The following spoke: Marta Kos.
The debate closed.
16. Dramatic situation in Gaza and the need for an immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement (debate)
Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:Dramatic situation in Gaza and the need for an immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement(2025/2644(RSP))
Kaja Kallas (Vice President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) made the statement.
The following spoke: Hildegard Bentele, on behalf of the PPE Group, Evin Incir, on behalf of the S&D Group, Fabrice Leggeri, on behalf of the PfE Group, Bert-Jan Ruissen, on behalf of the ECR Group, Hilde Vautmans, on behalf of the Renew Group, Villy Søvndal, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Irene Montero, on behalf of The Left Group, Alice Teodorescu Måwe, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Hana Jalloul Muro, Barry Andrews, Ana Miranda Paz, Giorgos Georgiou, Ondřej Kolář, who also answered a blue-card question from Rima Hassan, and Matjaž Nemec.
IN THE CHAIR: Ewa KOPACZ Vice-President
The following spoke: Tomáš Kubín, Leoluca Orlando, Danilo Della Valle, Céline Imart, who also answered a blue-card question from Benedetta Scuderi, Marta Temido, Saskia Bricmont, Estrella Galán, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Mimmo Lucano, and Marit Maij and Benedetta Scuderi, on the language sometimes used during this debate (the President took note).
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Davor Ivo Stier, Daniel Attard, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Vladimir Prebilič and Marc Botenga.
The following spoke: Kaja Kallas.
The debate closed.
17. Targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – defending religious freedom and security (debate)
Council and Commission statements: Targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – defending religious freedom and security (2025/2612(RSP))
Kaja Kallas (Vice President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) made the statement.
The following spoke: Lukas Mandl, on behalf of the PPE Group, Marit Maij, on behalf of the S&D Group, Thierry Mariani, on behalf of the PfE Group, Patryk Jaki, on behalf of the ECR Group, Hilde Vautmans, on behalf of the Renew Group, Mounir Satouri, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Marc Botenga, on behalf of The Left Group, Tomasz Froelich, on behalf of the ESN Group, Wouter Beke, Francisco Assis, György Hölvényi, Alexander Sell, Nikolaos Anadiotis, Reinhold Lopatka, Anja Arndt, Ingeborg Ter Laak and Davor Ivo Stier.
The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Saskia Bricmont, Bert-Jan Ruissen and Sebastian Tynkkynen.
The following spoke: Kaja Kallas.
Motions for resolutions tabled under Rule 136(2) to wind up the debate: minutes of 3.4.2025, item I.
The debate closed.
Vote: 3 April 2025.
18. Explanations of vote
18.1. Written explanations of vote
Explanations of vote submitted in writing under Rule 201 appear on the Members’ pages on Parliament’s website.
19. Agenda of the next sitting
The next sitting would be held the following day, 2 April 2025, starting at 09:00. The agenda was available on Parliament’s website.
20. Approval of the minutes of the sitting
In accordance with Rule 208(3), the minutes of the sitting would be put to the House for approval at the beginning of the afternoon of the next sitting.
21. Closure of the sitting
The sitting closed at 22:07.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS SERVING AS A BASIS FOR THE DEBATES AND DECISIONS OF PARLIAMENT
I. Documents received
The following documents had been received from committees:
– Report on Parliament’s estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 2026 (2024/2111(BUI)) – BUDG Committee – Rapporteur: Matjaž Nemec (A10-0048/2025)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Annexus, the leading independent designer and distributor of retirement products in the nation, is pleased to announce the hiring of Mike Morrone as its new Chief Operating Officer.
Mike brings 25 years of leadership experience from Nationwide, where he made a significant impact across multiple roles, including Annuity and Life Operations and, most recently, leading the Annuity Business Development team for Individual Products and Solutions. Mike played a pivotal role in the formation of the Annexus-Nationwide partnership in March 2014 with the launch of the Nationwide New Heights® Select fixed indexed annuity, resulting in more than $36 billion in premium to date. His ability to drive strategic collaboration and deliver innovative solutions has made him a respected leader within the industry.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the executive team here at Annexus,” says Ron Shurts, CEO and co-founder of Annexus. “Mike’s proven leadership, deep industry experience, focus on innovation, and commitment to results make him a natural fit as we move Annexus forward as part of the Integrity family.”
“I’m honored to join Annexus, a company that has consistently set the standard for innovation in retirement solutions,” says Mike. “I look forward to working alongside this talented team as we drive the company into its next chapter of growth and innovation.”
Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Mike grew up playing hockey and played professionally in the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes organization. He’s been married to Kate for 27 years, and they are the proud parents of Jake, 23, and Beck, 14.
About Annexus
For nearly two decades, Annexus has developed market-leading fixed indexed annuities, registered indexed-linked annuities, and indexed universal life insurance products that help Americans grow and protect their retirement savings. The company has built strategic relationships with the industry’s top insurance carriers and some of the world’s largest investment banks. For more information, visit Annexus.
Derby City Council has put forward proposals for a significant investment programme aimed at upgrading school facilities and reducing their carbon footprint.
The Schools Capital Programme will prioritise essential improvements, including roofing, heating, building fabric, and window replacements, across nursery, primary, and secondary schools in Derby.
As well as improving the school environment, this investment will enhance buildings’ energy efficiency, reducing their carbon footprint and energy bills.
The plans will be discussed by Derby City Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 9 April. One of the programme’s key schemes is a £2.2 million replacement classroom project at Wren Park Primary School in Littleover. This will replace two outdated classrooms with a modern, four-classroom building and a new multi-use games area.
This upgrade will significantly enhance the learning environment and enable the school to expand by 42 places, creating lasting benefits for the school and local community.
Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills said:
We’re committed to providing the best possible educational settings for our children and young people. This significant investment programme will ensure our schools provide the best environment to allow students and staff to focus on learning and growth, while further supporting our climate ambitions.
The proposed improvements at Wren Park Primary School will significantly enhance the learning environment and enable better classroom organisation.
Alex Buckley, headteacher at Wren Park Primary, said:
We’re incredibly grateful for the support and commitment shown by Derby City Council in taking this project forward. This has been an ambition of ours for quite some time and we’re delighted with the prospect of it becoming a reality.
It will be a huge boost to our school and we look forward to the exciting time ahead, working with the council and contractors in ensuring the project delivers the very best resource for our children and future generations attending Wren Park.
If approved by Cabinet, eleven schools in the city will benefit from improvement works in this year’s capital programme. This supports the longevity of the school buildings but also brings benefits to pupils and teachers.
Carbon reduction and adaptation makes schools warmer, more comfortable spaces to learn and should help to improve educational outcomes. The majority of the schemes are expected to start over the school summer holiday period.
Other projects included in the capital programme include replacing Dale Community Primary School and Redwood Primary School’s gas-fired boilers with hybrid heat-source heating systems. Murray Park School will benefit from improved energy efficiency with replacement rooflights, enhanced insulation, and roofing work.
Further detail of the Council’s climate change work can be found in the Climate Change Action Plan, including details on co-benefits.
The second global meeting on skin-related neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs) convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded last week with a strong call for integrated approaches and enhanced partnerships to achieve the 2030 NTD road map targets. The meeting took place amid ongoing challenges in global health financing.
“The fight against skin NTDs requires a unified effort in the face of growing challenges,” said Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director of the WHO Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme. “For three days, participants emphasized the importance of robust partnerships across diseases to effectively implement recommended interventions against skin NTDs.”
The meeting, held from 24 to 26 March under the theme “Integration to Achieve 2030 Targets,” brought together participants from 97 countries (over 300 participants in person and over 800 online participants) including representatives of ministries of health, health-care workers, individuals with lived experience, researchers and partners. Discussions focused on embedding skin NTD interventions into national health systems to ensure sustainability and broader impact.
“Achieving the 2030 targets will require a stronger collective commitment to integration,” said the keynote speaker, Professor Roderick Hay, King’s College London. “We must support ministries of heath in implementing innovative strategies that guarantee equitable access to care for affected populations.”
Key highlights
Integrated approaches: country presentations demonstrated the feasibility of jointly delivering interventions against multiple diseases, as well as mainstreaming such interventions within existing programmes; notably, findings revealed that over 90% of patients screened for skin NTDs also presented with other common skin conditions emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach within the primary health-care system.
Development of new tools: presentations highlighted the potential of digital and artificial intelligence-based tools for capacity strengthening.
Advances in research: discussions on telacebec – a promising new medicine to treat mycobacterial infections (Buruli ulcer, leprosy and tuberculosis) – highlighted the potential to significantly shorten durations of treatment.
Psychosocial challenges: experts called for the integration of mental health services into NTD programmes, recognizing the profound psychosocial impact of skin NTDs.
Climate change and One Health: discussions focused on mitigation measures against the impact of climate change on spread of skin diseases and stressed incorporating a One Health approach in disease transmission studies.
Wound care and rehabilitation: discussions on mycetoma, noma and podoconiosis emphasized the need for early detection, integration of surgical and rehabilitation services into comprehensive health care.
MELBOURNE, 2 APRIL 2025–Greenpeace Australia Pacific has slammed the Coalition’s promise to neuter the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) by removing fines from the scheme as policy that bends the knee to the petrol car lobby while costing Australians and increasing carbon pollution
“The NVES finally brought Australia onto the same playing field as other major countries, which have strong standards for the efficiency of cars. Sabotaging this policy by removing penalties shunts us to the back of the pack once again,” said Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy, Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
“Removing the thing that makes the NVES an effective policy—penalties for car importers insistent on dumping their most polluting cars in Australia—is a capitulation to the petrol car lobby and overseas companies like Mitsubishi Motors, at the expense of Australian drivers and businesses.
“The NVES will prevent 80 million tonnes of car-related carbon pollution from entering our atmosphere by 2035—as much as the entire state of Victoria emits in a year.
“Emissions from petrol and diesel cars constitute a third of all greenhouse gases in Australia, and the sector is on track to be the top polluter in our economy. There are already low-emissions vehicles for sale around the world that address this challenge.
“Giving foreign car companies a free pass to continue selling polluting cars in Australia, which they cannot sell anywhere else, pushes the burden of reducing emissions onto other Australian industries and businesses.
“This ill-considered policy U-turn, which flies in the face of a mountain of evidence from around the world on the benefits of strong efficiency standards, will also make it harder for Australians to access more affordable, cheaper-to-run electric cars.
“It will keep more polluting cars on our roads for longer, prolonging Australians’ exposure to toxic tailpipe emissions while other countries move quickly towards cleaner, safer cars on their streets.
“Removing fines from the NVES and making it essentially unenforceable is like selling a car without brakes, and simply hoping it will stop when needed. Instead of removing this important enforcement mechanism, it is important to ensure that Australia’s car industry stays the course towards lower emissions, and cleaner, more affordable cars.
“Greenpeace Australia Pacific fought hard to secure this essential legislation, which brought Australia in line with other major economies. We will resist the Coalition’s plans to neuter this legislation every step of the way.”
—ENDS— For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Vai Shah on 0452 290 082 /[email protected].
WEST COVINA, CA — (April 1, 2025) As part of the ongoing “Dirty Dems” campaign, Greenpeace USA, in collaboration with the California Working Families Party and Courage California, continues to hold California State legislators accountable for their damaging connections to the oil and gas industry and their failure to support critical climate, economic justice, and progressive priorities.
This week, the spotlight is on Senator Susan Rubio and Assembly Member Blanca Rubio, who represent Southern California districts, including West Covina, Ontario, Pomona, Baldwin Park, and Glendora. Both have failed to take meaningful action to protect their communities from the harmful impacts of the oil and gas industry after receiving substantial campaign contributions from fossil fuel interests.
Amy Moas, Ph.D.,Greenpeace USA Senior Climate Campaigner, said: “Senator Susan Rubio and Assembly Member Blanca Rubio are textbook examples of ‘Dirty Dems’ who have chosen corporate donors over the people they are supposed to represent. Their failure to take decisive action on critical climate, health, and economic justice issues is a betrayal of their constituents and the values we need in our leaders.”
Senator Susan Rubio
Senator Susan Rubio, representing the 22nd Senate District in Southern California, has been serving in the California State Legislature since 2018. During her time in office, Rubio has accepted over $116,000 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, with $74,500 coming in the most recent legislative session alone. She was initially elected with the help of an independent campaign fueled by more than $2.8 million in oil money, illustrating the extent of her ties to the fossil fuel industry.
Senator Rubio has a troubling pattern of abstaining from votes on key environmental justice and progressive priority bills. Her failure to take a stand on critical climate and public health issues, such as SB 1137 (a bill to reduce pollution from oil drilling in neighborhoods) and AB 1167 (a bill to ensure oil companies pay to clean up idle wells), shows her disregard for the health and safety of her constituents.
Despite fluctuating scores across some progressive scorecards, Rubio has earned failing grades from groups like Courage California, Sierra Club, and California Environmental Justice Alliance during her time in office. In fact, she consistently scored among the very lowest of Democrats in the State Legislature on California Environmental Voters scorecard every year since first being elected.
Assembly Member Blanca Rubio “Big Oil Blanca”
Assembly Member Blanca Rubio, representing the 48th District of Los Angeles’ eastern San Gabriel Valley, has taken over $240,000 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, including $45,000 in the most recent session. In addition, she has accepted gifts, including sponsored travel from the California Independent Petroleum Association, an industry trade group. These financial ties have earned her the nickname “Big Oil Blanca” from critics.
Assembly Member Rubio has earned failing grades from environmental and progressive organizations year after year. Since 2019, she has consistently received F grades from Courage California, California Environmental Voters, and the Sierra Club. She has also never scored higher than a D on the California Environmental Justice Alliance scorecard.
Blanca Rubio has purposefully skipped votes on critical bills aimed at reducing harmful pollutants, such as AB 674, which would address air quality issues related to asthma and cancer-causing chemicals, and SB 1137, which would regulate the harmful impacts of oil drilling in residential areas. Her absences extend to key economic justice measures as well, including bills like AB 2584, which would limit big corporate control of housing, and AB 2666, which would protect Californians from inflated utility rates.
Holding the Rubio Sisters Accountable
Both Senator Susan Rubio and Assembly Member Blanca Rubio are the third and fourth Dirty Dems to be named, joining Stephanie Nguyen and Mike Gipson on the growing list. These Dirty Dems have repeatedly chosen to prioritize corporate donations over the well-being of their constituents, but this campaign will continue to expose these harmful practices and demand that these legislators be held accountable for their repeated failure to act to protect the communities they represent.
Contact: Gigi Singh, Communications Manager at Greenpeace USA (+1) 631-404-9977, [email protected]
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.