Attribute to Detective Inspector Matt Cranshaw – Waikato Field Crime Manager
A homicide investigation has been launched after the death of a 30 year old woman in Hamilton City this morning.
The woman died after a vehicle drove into the power pole she was standing next to on the corner of Ohaupo Road and Kahikatea Drive. It was initially reported that two vehicles were involved, however this is not the case.
Enquiries are being conducted to ascertain the circumstances surrounding these events.
Investigators and specialists remain at this location with diversions in place. The road is expected to be closed for some time.
Police extend their thoughts to whānau and friends of the deceased at this difficult time.
As part of our enquiries into what happened, we are asking anyone with information to get in touch.
Please contact us at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.
Please use the reference number 250515/6763.
Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Today, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) introduced the Educational and Career Opportunities for Public Safety (EdCOPS) Act, bipartisan legislation to address staffing shortages in law enforcement by providing educational benefits to public safety officers and their dependents.
“There is no profession more honorable than one that keeps our streets safe. Our men and women in uniform deserve Congress’ full support. I’m proud to co-sponsor legislation this National Police Week and prove to law enforcement that we have their back every step of the way,” said Senator Hawley.
“As the son of two police officers, I know how important it is to have experienced, trusted officers on the job. But right now, law enforcement agencies across the country are struggling to recruit qualified candidates and losing the people who know their communities best,” said Senator Kelly. “By expanding education and career opportunities, we’re helping officers build a more secure future for themselves and their families. It’s an investment that will help departments keep the experienced, dedicated officers that protect our communities.”
Law enforcement agencies across the country face a historic crisis in hiring and keeping qualified officers. The EdCOPS Act would help agencies attract and retain experienced officers by offering financial assistance for higher education to public safety officers who have served for at least eight years with a single employer and agree to serve an additional four years. An eligible public safety officer can transfer unused education benefits to a dependent.
Read the full bill text here.
Today in a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) secured a commitment from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. that he would review ‘alarming’ new data on the chemical abortion drug mifepristone. RFK Jr. also stated that in light of the new data, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label for mifepristone should change to accurately reflect the adverse effects of the drug.
A new study on the chemical abortion drug shows 11% of women experience adverse effects serious enough to send them to the ER@SecKennedy just pledged to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the drug – and said the FDA label needs to change
That’s a win for life pic.twitter.com/gy65iCZjI5
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) May 14, 2025
“You’ve previously testified to the committee that you would do a top-to-bottom review of mifepristone,” said Senator Hawley. “Do you continue to stand by that, and don’t you think this new data shows that the need to do a full review is indeed pressing?”
“It’s alarming, and it indicates that at the very least, the label should be changed,”RFK said regarding the new mifepristone data. “I’ve asked Marty Makary at the FDA to do a complete review and report back.”
RFK Jr. also promised he would submit his own recommendation to President Trump based on the data. This exchange comes after Senator Hawley has advocated for reinstating safety guardrails surrounding mifepristone since the new study was released, from introducing legislation to urging the Department of Justice to reconsider its defense of the Biden Administration’s policy on mifepristone.
In the same hearing, Senator Hawley also questioned RFK Jr. on his stance towards tax breaks for Big Pharma’s television deals, prompting RFK Jr. to pledge his support for Senator Hawley’s bipartisan, bicameral bill cracking down on Big Pharma’s sweetheart deals.
Now it’s on the record: @SecKennedy just pledged his support to pass my bipartisan, bicameral bill cracking down on Big Pharma’s sweetheart deals
Let’s make it illegal for Big Pharma to make taxpayers foot the bill for Pharma advertisements pic.twitter.com/siN1GHd1r0
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) May 14, 2025
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
May 14, 2025
U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle will co-host senator’s upcoming open-to-all town halls in Coos and Curry counties
Portland – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold town halls on Saturday, May 24 in Coos and Curry counties with U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, and one more on Sunday, May 25 in Jackson County.
Heading into these three open-to-all town halls, Wyden has held 1,117 open-to-all town halls in keeping his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties.
“As we remember our fellow Americans over Memorial Day weekend who made the ultimate sacrifice, I know Oregonians are always grateful for the freedoms of speech and assembly these heroes fought to preserve,” Wyden said. “And as a senator proud to represent all Oregonians, I believe it’s more important than ever to exercise those freedoms statewide with direct open-to-all conversations to hear Oregonians’ opinions and answer their questions. I’m glad Congresswoman Hoyle will be joining me in Coos and Curry counties, and look forward very much to those discussions on May 24, as well as my town hall in Jackson County on May 25.”
“I’m proud to join Senator Wyden for town halls on Memorial Day weekend to remember those who lost their lives in service to our country and to hear directly from south coast residents on issues of importance to them,” said Hoyle. “Their opinions help us to better represent their interests in Washington, D.C., which is essential for a healthy democracy.”
The schedule for the town halls with both Wyden and Hoyle on Saturday, May 24 is as follows:
Coos County, 2:30 pm, North Bend Middle School Gym, 1500 16th St, North Bend
Curry County, 6 pm, Driftwood Elementary School Gym, 1210 Oregon St., Port Orford
The schedule for the town hall just with Wyden on Sunday, May 25 is as follows:
Jackson County, 4 pm, Medford Armory, 1701 S Pacific Hwy, Medford
Although these were the largest venues available for these three town halls on these dates, space may still be limited. Doors will open one hour before the town hall start times for attendees. For everyone’s security, backpacks and large bags will not be allowed in the town hall.
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
Heinrich to Hegseth: “I have deep concerns that the Trump Administration is bypassing due process for individuals who either intentionally or unintentionally enter this newly restricted area, including United States citizens who may be stopped and detained by U.S. Army soldiers for trespassing on an unmarked military base”
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers on a number of significant questions that have arisen from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s transfer of approximately 109,651 acres of public land in Doña Ana, Luna, and Hidalgo Counties, New Mexico, to the U.S. Army.
Local residents along New Mexico’s southern border use these lands for hiking, mountain biking, hunting, camping, and experiencing New Mexico’s natural heritage, while ranchers depend on them for grazing access critical to their livelihoods. These lands also include the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, NM State Highway 9, and significant acreage within New Mexico Game and Fish Hunt Units 25, 26, and 27.
Crossing into a National Defense Area can lead to charges under Title 50 of the U.S. Code, which can carry penalties of up to one year in custody and fines up to $100,000. During a visit to the newly designated National Defense Area along New Mexico’s southern border with Secretary Hegseth, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Ryan Ellison said, “Trespassers into the National Defense Area will be Federally prosecuted — no exceptions.”
The Trump Administration has thus far failed to install appropriate signage at the perimeters of the National Defense Area to clearly mark its boundaries.
“I have deep concerns that the Trump Administration is bypassing due process for individuals who either intentionally or unintentionally enter this newly restricted area, including United States citizens who may be stopped and detained by U.S. Army soldiers for trespassing on an unmarked military base,” Heinrich wrote to Secretary Hegseth.
“While I understand the Department’s stated interest in reducing migrant crossings at the border, this transfer raises a number of urgent questions,” Heinrich continued.
In the letter, Heinrich demanded Secretary Hegseth answer the following questions:
What is the current public access status of the lands under the NDA designation? Are these areas now closed to public entry, or are they still accessible to U.S. citizens or persons legally present in the United States?
If this area is not fully open to the public, will the Department install signage to clearly mark the boundaries of the NDA along the perimeter of every restricted area? For example, will signage be installed adjacent to NM State Highway 9, such that individuals can see the signage before entering the northern boundary of the NDA? Similarly, will signage be installed at the southern perimeter of the NDA such that individuals can see the signage before entering the NDA?
Are you enforcing trespassing on the NDA north of the Roosevelt Reservation? If not, why did the Administration withdraw the entire NDA?
Will you notify the public about any new public access restrictions on the NDA?
The NDA includes significant acreage within New Mexico Game and Fish Hunt Units 25, 26, and 27. Will hunting continue to be allowed within the NDA, and if so, under what additional regulations or conditions?
Are other recreational uses, including hiking, camping, and off-road vehicle use, still allowed within the NDA?
Can hikers on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail access the southern terminus, which is located within the NDA?
Are there any grazing permits previously authorized in the affected area? If so, will ranchers retain access under the new designation?
How many private individuals or entities currently hold rights-of-way (ROW) or easements within the newly withdrawn boundary? Will they still have access to their ROWs?
How many mining claims are within the boundary of the NDA?
Can the New Mexico State Land Office access state land within the NDA? Can lease or permit holders on state land within the NDA continue to utilize those state trust lands pursuant to those leases or permits?
Does the NDA limit road access to any private property within the boundaries of the NDA? If so, how is the department providing access to those private property owners?
Are DOD personnel crossing private lands or using private roads to access DOD-managed land within in the NDA? If so, which properties? Are they doing so with the consent of those property owners? If military personnel are entering private land without permission of the landowner, under what authority are they accessing that private land?
It has been reported that at least 300 individuals have been detained within the NDA area since the designation. How many of these individuals were U.S. citizens or were legally present in the United States?
“The residents of southern New Mexico have longstanding relationships with these lands — whether as business owners, stewards, sportsmen, ranchers, or recreational users. As such, decisions that significantly alter their access or legal standing must be made transparently and with meaningful consultation. Further, it is of upmost importance that federal laws and the Constitution are upheld, ” Heinrich concluded the letter.
The full text of the letter is here.
For a list of Heinrich’s actions to keep public lands in public hands, click here.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), along with U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), reintroduced the Ending Administrative Wage Garnishment Act of 2025, legislation that would provide borrower relief and support by suspending garnishment as a tool for student debt collection by the federal government.
On April 22, 2025, the Department of Education announced that, starting May 5th, it will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans, including wage garnishments, tax refund interceptions, and seizure of Social Security benefits. For the nearly 5.5 million people currently in default—and soon for the projected 8 million additional people in delinquency—this means that they will face the government’s harsh collection tactics for the first time in over five years. This shift coincides with mass firings at the Department of Education and limited access to income-driven repayment plans, leaving students without critical support to navigate the repayment process.
“Wage garnishment allows the government to instruct employers to withhold up to 15 percent of an individual’s hard-earned wages, as well as intercept tax refunds, and seize Social Security benefits in order to collect student loan debt,” said Senator Booker. “If resumed, this harmful practice will hurt millions of Americans already struggling to make ends meet while paying off their student loans. This legislation will put an end to the Trump’s administration’s attempt to punish vulnerable student loan borrowers.”
“It’s cruel for the Trump administration to restart collections while it crashes the economy and fires employees that help people navigate the loan repayment system,” said Senator Warren. “Our commonsense bill stops the administration from going after working people and improperly taking a chunk of borrowers’ paychecks.”
“No one should have their hard-earned wages, tax refunds, and Social Security checks seized by Donald Trump—and our bill would ensure they do not,” saidRepresentative Pressley. “The Trump Administration should not be in the business of picking the pockets of our most vulnerable borrowers, gutting the Department of Education or exacerbating the student debt crisis. I am proud to partner with Senators Booker and Warren to push back against this Administration’s shameful garnishment tactics and stand up for our student borrowers.”
“Amidst unprecedented economic uncertainty and as millions of working families are struggling with the rising costs of everyday essentials, the Trump Administration’s calloused decision to unleash abusive and uncontrollable collection tools that have the power to take borrower’s hard earned wages without safeguards. Instead of helping the 5 million borrowers that have fallen into default and the millions more that are behind and now at risk of default later this year, this Administration appears set on inflicting massive economic harm on millions of Americans—a decision that will further drag down an already struggling economy,” said SBPC Policy Director Aissa Canchola Banez. “We applaud Senator Booker and Congresswoman Pressley for introducing the Ending Administrative Garnishment Act which will rein in the Secretary of Education’s authority to subject borrowers to administrative wage garnishment and ensure that critical safeguards are in place.”
The Ending Administrative Wage Garnishment Act of 2025 would:
Suspends the Secretary of Education’s authority to garnish wages, tax refunds, Social Security checks, or other earned benefits.
Mandates the Department of Education to:
Promptly refund improperly garnished wages within one week.
Establish the ability to independently suspend or terminate garnishment operations upon identifying errors.
Ensure employers verify garnishment information quarterly.
Prohibits garnishment on loans that have been outstanding for more than 10 years.
Establishes a private right of action allowing borrowers to sue employers who improperly garnish wages after a garnishment order is suspended.
Requires the Department to pay double damages to borrowers whose wages are improperly garnished.
Conflict continued to drive much displacement. Last year alone, 20.1 million new conflict-related internal displacements were recorded, with 9.1 million coming from just two countries: Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“These figures are a clear warning: without bold and coordinated action, the number of people displaced within their own countries will continue to grow rapidly,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “The IDMC report is also a call for preventive action, to use data and other tools to anticipate displacement before it happens, and for the humanitarian and development sectors to work together with governments to develop longer-term solutions to prevent displacement.”
The total of 83.4 million internally displaced people at the end of 2024 is an increase of 7.5 million from the 2023 figure of 75.9 million people, which was also a record.
Disasters remained a major driver of internal displacement in 2024, and last year saw a record 45.8 million new disaster displacements, nearly double the annual average of the past decade. While most people were able to return home during the year, 9.8 million remained displaced due to disasters at the end of 2024.
A total of 29 countries and territories reported their highest disaster displacement figures on record, with cyclones accounting for 54 per cent of all disaster displacements last year. As the frequency, duration, and intensity of weather-related events continue to worsen, these figures are expected to continue to rise.
IOM provides key data for the GRID report, which is a crucial tool to shape policies, support evidence-based responses and inform durable solutions for the growing millions who are living in internal displacements worldwide.
Note to Editors
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a key partner of the GRID report and contributes significantly through its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) – the world’s largest source of primary data on internal displacement. More than half of the estimates in this year’s report originate from IOM’s data collection and analysis.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), along with U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), led 31 of their Senate and House colleagues in demanding the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate which large companies are using the Trump Administration’s tariff policies – and the confusion surrounding them – as an excuse to raise prices in excess of actual cost increases, and to prosecute individuals and companies that price gouge American consumers.
“President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs build an especially fertile environment for price-gouging. The new tariffs have created a cloud of uncertainty that gives companies cover to raise prices on all goods, regardless of whether they are subject to new tariffs or whether their costs have meaningfully increased, above and beyond what is necessary to cover any cost increases,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers continued, “While small businesses operating on thin profit margins will be forced to pass on many costs to stay afloat, the chaotic and sweeping nature of President Trump’s tariffs is especially conducive to price gouging by large companies with significant market power […] Even if President Trump decides to reduce or eliminate tariffs, companies may nonetheless decide to maintain higher prices—or raise them even further, claiming ‘market uncertainty.’”
The members note that many large corporations have already admitted to raising prices regardless of the actual impacts of tariffs, such as when the CEO of AutoZone said on an earnings call last September, “if we get tariffs…we generally raise prices ahead of [when] we know what the tariffs will be,” or when, during the first Trump Administration, manufacturers raised the price of dryers, even though only washing machines were subject to tariffs.
To combat this type of corporate price gouging at the expense of working families, the members urge FTC Chair Ferguson to fulfill his public commitment and to ensure President Trump’s trade war is not a “green light” for price gouging by:
Using his authority under Section 6(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act to require large companies to report their costs and retail and wholesale prices since November 6, 2024, and the extent to which tariffs have increased their costs.
Using his authority under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act to investigate and prosecute companies engaging in “unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce.”
The members also criticized Chair Ferguson’s decision to abruptly close an FTC investigation into corporations using Americans’ personal information to tailor their pricing and gouge individual consumers. The tactic, known as “surveillance pricing,” is used by corporations to target consumers with increased prices based on their location and browsing history.
“Armed with the knowledge that the FTC has turned a blind eye to this price-gouging tactic, companies now have free rein to use surveillance pricing to price gouge consumers. A former FTC official said, ‘The message that is coming out of this administration…is that the watchdog is gone and companies feel emboldened to rip people off.’ We urge you to fulfill your public commitment and to ensure President Trump’s trade war is not a ‘green light’ for price gouging,” the lawmakers concluded.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
NEWARK, N.J. – This afternoon, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) led members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation in sending a letter to Senate and House Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members. The letter is signed by eight members of the state’s Congressional delegation and urges an immediate surge of at least $2 billion in emergency federal appropriations to address the ongoing situation at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and telecommunications failures at other airports across the country.
The legislators wrote: “We write to request emergency supplemental funding for key programs at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that will address the technology and equipment failures that are causing ongoing disruptions to the National Airspace System (NAS).
“Specifically, we ask for emergency supplemental funding for the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) through the Operations and Facilities and Equipment (F&E) accounts. F&E supports upgrades of our air traffic control system infrastructure including the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities. As you know, the Philadelphia TRACON facility’s faltering technology and outdated equipment has been the cause of a major and protracted disruption to the airspace primarily utilized by aircraft departing from and arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).”
The legislators conclude: “Across our country, dozens more TRACON facilities rely on the same outdated technology and equipment and the installation of fiber wires, upgraded facilities, and modern telecommunications equipment will ensure that the chaos and disruptions ongoing in Newark do not soon occur in other regions of the nation as well.
“In order to resume operations at EWR and begin to expeditiously upgrade our nation’s air traffic control infrastructure, we request robust emergency supplemental funding to the FAA’s F&E account. This supplemental funding must include at least $2,000,000,000 dedicated to regions with repeated instances of a complete failure of the telecommunication system between TRACON facilities and approaching aircraft.”
A full copy of the May 14 letter can be found here and below:
Dear Chair Collins, Ranking Member Murray, Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, Chair Hyde-Smith, Ranking Member Gillibrand, Chairman Womack, and Ranking Member Clyburn:
We write to request emergency supplemental funding for key programs at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that will address the technology and equipment failures that are causing ongoing disruptions to the National Airspace System (NAS).
Specifically, we ask for emergency supplemental funding for the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) through the Operations and Facilities and Equipment (F&E) accounts. F&E supports upgrades of our air traffic control system infrastructure including the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities. As you know, the Philadelphia TRACON facility’s faltering technology and outdated equipment has been the cause of a major and protracted disruption to the airspace primarily utilized by aircraft departing from and arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
A complete shutdown of communications between air traffic controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON facility and approaching aircraft on April 28, 2025, and on two subsequent occasions, brought the operations at EWR to a halt. EWR operates within the busiest airspace in the nation and a ground stoppage immediately causes a ripple effect throughout the entire NAS. The ongoing weeks of delays, cancellations, and the significant reductions in flight capacity at EWR is disrupting the lives of our constituents, spreading uncertainty among the traveling public, and negatively impacting the operations of our entire interconnected national aviation system.
It is unacceptable that our air traffic control facilities—which rely on technology and equipment such as floppy disks and copper wire—are vulnerable to a region-wide blackout. In Newark, the initial disruption resulted in 90 seconds of zero communication or radar visibility between the air traffic controllers and approaching aircraft. The subsequent failures on May 9 and May 11 reinforces that the telecommunications system at the Philadelphia TRACON facility needs to be replaced in order to restore regular operations at EWR as soon as possible.
Across our country, dozens more TRACON facilities rely on the same outdated technology and equipment and the installation of fiber wires, upgraded facilities, and modern telecommunications equipment will ensure that the chaos and disruptions ongoing in Newark do not soon occur in other regions of the nation as well.
In order to resume operations at EWR and begin to expeditiously upgrade our nation’s air traffic control infrastructure, we request robust emergency supplemental funding to the FAA’s F&E account. This supplemental funding must include at least $2,000,000,000 dedicated to regions with repeated instances of a complete failure of the telecommunication system between TRACON facilities and approaching aircraft.
We appreciate your careful attention to this request. It is critical that Congress act to restore full flight operations in our region while also beginning the work of restoring the American people’s confidence in a safe, effective, and reliable aviation system.
Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
On February 24, 2022, Russia rolled tanks into Ukraine, expecting to conquer its neighbor in a matter of weeks. The free world rallied to supply military, economic, and humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people, who have fought valiantly against the thugs invading their homeland. Now, three years later, President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky have signed an economic investment agreement. The deal plants a flag regarding America’s intentions toward Ukraine, and it could help pave the way to peace and freedom in that war-torn country.
The new plan was negotiated by the president, his Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, and his Ukraine envoy, respected American General Keith Kellogg. It sets in motion a more formal, binding pact. Ultimately, Ukraine and the United States will create a jointly owned fund to give America a real stake in Ukraine’s post-war commerce. The eastern European country has vast energy resources – including natural gas, oil, and critical minerals. President Trump is working to rebuild our critical minerals supply chains, and I am advancing legislation that would fund those efforts. Ukraine will be a key part of that work.
President Trump Sends a Message to Putin
With these terms, President Trump brings the credibility of the American economy to a nation poised for stability and growth. The president campaigned on a pledge to end the brutal war unleashed by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who has consistently rejected President Trump’s offers to engage in peace talks. Instead, he has tried to wear down Ukraine’s resolve by bombing non-combatant civilian neighborhoods.
After the attacks, President Trump stated that Putin “has to be dealt with differently.” Treasury Secretary Bessent echoed those comments, labeling Putin a war criminal. As the administration pursues peace negotiations, it is taking into account Putin’s character, aware that he will respond only to strength.
The agreement clearly indicates that America is committed to the long-term peace of Ukraine. Additionally, the president has taken more steps to assist Ukraine by approving the transfer of American air-defense systems to the country.
Ukraine Understands the Stakes
The Ukrainians are also sending a message. When he signed this agreement, President Zelensky showed that his people will work with the United States to increase the security and prosperity of both our nations.
From day one of this war, Ukrainians have refused to bend the knee to Putin. They know better than anyone the lengths he will go to accomplish his goals. He has unleashed horrors on thousands of Ukrainians – even women, children, and Christians traveling to and from Palm Sunday celebrations. He has formed increasingly tight bonds with the dictators who control North Korea, Iran, and China.
Russian success in Ukraine would embolden each of those rogue nations. For his part, Putin would gain strategic military positions on the borders of countries we are treaty-bound to defend. Stopping Putin now can weaken his resolve to threaten even more of the free world.
Lasting Peace Comes Through Strength
In the long run, lasting stability will be made possible only by strengthened Ukrainian and European militaries, supported by U.S technological and strategic resources. The Biden administration handcuffed Ukraine by slow-walking the tools it needed to stop Putin. President Trump is correcting course and strengthening the U.S. military at the same time
For the past year, Presidents Trump and Zelensky have been echoing Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” philosophy. They both believe that the best way to avoid conflict is to prepare for it. President Trump has already started working to rebuild U.S. military readiness so that no adversary dares to move against America.
Under his direction, the Pentagon can work with Ukraine to produce more weapons and create new defense relationships. Both steps will improve security for both nations. As Ukraine plans its recovery from Putin’s war, we must work together to deter the next dictator from starting one.
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
05.14.25
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) this week reintroduced the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment (RTCP) Revitalization Act, legislation to secure additional funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) RTCP Program. The RTCP program enables geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Alaska, Hawaii, and other insular areas to receive reimbursements for costs incurred when transporting supplies such as feed, fertilizer, and equipment parts. This legislation also increases the amount of funding these producers can receive.
“Alaska’s farmers and ranchers face greater obstacles getting their goods to market due to our state’s vast size, many remote communities, and general lack of infrastructure,” said Sen. Sullivan. “I’m glad to join my colleagues in Hawaii to support a vital USDA program that makes it possible for these hard-working Alaskans to support our economy and feed their fellow Americans from the bounty of our great state.”
“Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers work tirelessly to provide healthy and fresh produce for their communities, and those located in geographically disadvantaged areas deserve to be fairly compensated for the lengths which they go to transport supplies,” said Senator Hirono. “As we continue working toward increased agricultural sustainability, I am glad to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to support food producers in Hawaii, Alaska, and other insular areas, helping to ensure that local producers can continue their work as valuable food sources in their communities.”
The RTCP program was established in the 2008 Farm Bill in recognition of the increased costs producers face in geographically disadvantaged areas. USDA began administering the program in 2010 and throughout its history, demand for this popular program has substantially exceeded available funds. In addition to Alaska and Hawaii, the program is also available to farmers, ranchers, and producers in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Virgin Islands.
Due to the increase in both demand for the program as well as costs for producers, the RTCP Revitalization Act aims to secure additional funding for the program. Specifically, the bill would:
Provide mandatory funding for RTCP, starting with $10 million in fiscal year (FY) 2026, increasing by $1 million each year to $15 million in FY 2031, and then provides $15 million each fiscal year thereafter;
Remove the $15 million payment cap for any given fiscal year that is currently in statute;
Provide language saying that the Secretary may not impose a cap to individual producer payments for any fiscal year that program funds exceed demand; and
Retain the authority for appropriators to fund the program.
In addition to Senators Sullivan and Hirono, the legislation was also cosponsored by Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
The full text of the legislation is available here. A one-page summary of the bill is available here.
– Buyer intends to close the pre-funded asset sale –
SAN DIEGO, CA, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RYVYL Inc. (NASDAQ: RVYL) (“RYVYL” or the “Company”), a leading innovator of payment transaction solutions leveraging electronic payment technology for the diverse international markets, has ceased discussions to restructure the terms of the pre-funded asset sale of its RYVYL EU subsidiary. The Company expects the buyer will now take the final steps to close the pre-funded asset sale.
About RYVYL
RYVYL Inc. (NASDAQ: RVYL) was born from a passion for empowering a new way to conduct business-to-business, consumer-to-business, and peer-to-peer payment transactions around the globe. By leveraging electronic payment technology for diverse international markets, RYVYL is a leading innovator of payment transaction solutions reinventing the future of financial transactions. Since its founding as GreenBox POS in 2017 in San Diego, RYVYL has developed applications enabling an end-to-end suite of turnkey financial products with enhanced security and data privacy, world-class identity theft protection, and rapid speed to settlement. As a result, the platform can log immense volumes of immutable transactional records at the speed of the internet for first-tier partners, merchants, and consumers around the globe. www.ryvyl.com
This press release includes information that constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs, assumptions and expectations regarding future events, which in turn are based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements include statements that are characterized by future or conditional words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate” and “continue” or similar words. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss future expectations and plans, which contain projections of future results of operations or financial condition or state other forward-looking information.
By their nature, forward-looking statements address matters that are subject to risks and uncertainties. A variety of factors could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors affecting the Company are discussed in detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable laws.
An artist’s beautiful oil painting capturing her eldest grandchild’s curiosity has won the Living Arts Space Small Portrait Prize.
Lou Tehan won the $2,000 prize for her portrait, Sylvie Confounded by Life, using oil on board.
Darren Crothers was highly recommended for his vibrant artwork, Cheryl, using oil paint on linen and he received the $500 award.
As a City of Greater Bendigo initiative, the Small Portrait Prize was launched to complement the exclusive international exhibition Frida Kahlo: In her own image at Bendigo Art Gallery. The Mexican artist was famous for her extraordinary portraits.
The Small Portrait Prize attracted a wide range of portraits from local artists inspired by people in the Greater Bendigo community.
Arts Officer, First Nations Michellie Charvat shortlisted the submissions and 29 finalists were chosen to have their work displayed in the Living Arts Space, located in the Bendigo Visitor Centre on Pall Mall.
The winner and highly commended artist were selected by Bendigo Art Gallery Curatorial Manager Lauren Ellis.
Ms Ellis said judging the Small Portrait Prize was not easy.
“It revealed a very impressive display of the artistic talent here in Greater Bendigo,” Ms Ellis said.
“The winning painting immediately caught my eye as I began looking through the 29 works.
“The dramatic and moody light, sophisticated use of colour, and the very enigmatic subject. It has timeless and very modern qualities. As I deliberated, this was the work I kept coming back to, and that is a quality of a great painting – one that keeps drawing you back.
“In the highly commended category, this is clearly an accomplished painter who has deftly combined confident, expressive brushwork and delicately rendered lifelike details. The beautiful cool colours in the palette offer a sense of this subject’s calm and insightful nature. A wonderful portrait.”
Lou Tehan created the winning portrait from a photograph of her first grandchild Sylvie.
“Sylvie is a very wise curious and intuitive 12-year-old. The painting was from a photographed portrait. Initially in this painting I hoped to just capture an accurate image but as the painting evolved, I realised I had captured Sylvie’s quirky sense of curiosity,” Lou said.
“Being somewhat reticent initially Sylvie seems to now be enjoying her brush with fame.
“I am very grateful to the Living Art Space for the opportunity to exhibit and no one was more surprised than I to be the winner. The calibre of the exhibition is beautiful in its diversity and skill. I am therefore humbled by the acknowledgement of my work.”
The Small Portrait Prize exhibition is free and open daily from 9am to 4:30pm at the Bendigo Visitor Centre on Pall Mall until Sunday July 20.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 14 — The 2025 China Internet Civilization Conference (CICC) is scheduled to take place on June 10 to 11 in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province. The event will emphasize the cultivation of cyber civilization among young netizens and the nationwide enhancement of digital literacy, its organizers said on Wednesday.
Themed on gathering positive energy online and fostering new trends of the times, the two-day event will consist of an opening ceremony, a main forum, 14 sub-forums, and themed events showcasing sci-tech achievements and innovations, Yang Jianwen, deputy chief of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and the Cyberspace Administration of China, said at a press conference in Beijing.
A series of achievements in cyber civilization development will be released during the event.
China’s young netizens, now numbering 540 million, represent a vital force in the advancement of the cyber civilization, Yang said, adding that a youth internet civilization initiative will be released during the main forum of this year’s CICC.
The conference will be jointly held by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress, along with Anhui provincial authorities.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 14 — Tuesday’s successful ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum demonstrated the solidarity and good momentum of bilateral relations. This key event in Beijing unveiled measures to deepen cooperation and exchanges between China and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries.
A decade into the official launch of the China-CELAC Forum, closer cooperation holds immense promise as China and LAC countries advance hand in hand as a community with a shared future, which is founded upon equality, powered by mutual benefit and win-win, invigorated by openness and inclusiveness, and dedicated to the people’s well-being.
At the fourth ministerial meeting of the forum, China systematically summarized the successful experience of the development of China-LAC relations, and announced the launch of five programs on solidarity, development, civilization, peace, and people-to-people connectivity respectively, advancing shared development and revitalization and contributing to a China-LAC community with a shared future.
Development and modernization are an inherent right for people of all countries. As important members of the Global South, China and LAC countries are advancing their own modernization drives and sustainable development. Against the backdrop of mounting global challenges, solidarity and coordination among nations are indispensable for safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting common development and prosperity.
In this regard, China and LAC countries have set a brilliant example. The two sides champion true multilateralism, uphold international fairness and justice, promote multipolarization in the world, and advocate for greater democracy in international relations.
Practical cooperation in various fields has proven to be fruitful and mutually beneficial. The trade volume between China and LAC countries doubled in the past decade, reaching 518.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. Additionally, more than 200 infrastructure projects and multiple industrial projects built by China have generated over one million jobs. More than 20 countries have synergized development strategies with China under the Belt and Road cooperation framework. Colombia, the latest, on Wednesday signed a cooperation plan with China on jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.
Notably, cooperation between China and LAC countries has no geopolitical calculations. China’s investment in the LAC region has no political strings. China advocates extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit. The cooperation respects the wishes of LAC countries, meets the needs of their people, and provides enormous opportunities for their development.
China and LAC countries account for approximately a quarter of the world’s population and a quarter of the global economic output, and have great growth potential and development vitality. The two sides have reaffirmed their commitments to development, cooperation and solidarity at the latest ministerial meeting. They are set to make new and greater progress in building a China-LAC community with a shared future in the years to come.
The emergence of four-legged animals known as tetrapods was a key step in the evolution of many species today – including humans.
Our new discovery, published today in Nature, details ancient fossil footprints found in Australia that upend the early evolution timeline of all tetrapods. It also suggests major parts of the story could have played out in the southern supercontinent of Gondwana.
This fossil trackway whispers that we have been looking for the origin of modern tetrapods in the wrong time, and perhaps the wrong place.
The first feet on land
Tetrapods originated a long time ago in the Devonian period, when strange lobe-finned fishes began to haul themselves out of the water, probably around 390 million years ago.
This ancestral stock later split into two main evolutionary lines. One led to modern amphibians, such as frogs and salamanders. The other led to amniotes, whose eggs contain amniotic membranes protecting the developing foetus.
Today, amniotes include all reptiles, birds and mammals. They are by far the most successful tetrapod group, numbering more than 27,000 species of reptiles, birds and mammals.
They have occupied every environment on land, have conquered the air, and many returned to the water in spectacularly successful fashion. But the fossil record shows the earliest members of this amniote group were small and looked rather like lizards. How did they emerge?
The oldest known tetrapods have always been thought to be primitive fish-like forms like Acanthostega, barely capable of moving on land.
Acanthostega, an early tetrapod that lived about 365 million years ago, was a member of the ancestral stock that gave rise to amphibians and amniotes. The authors
Most scientists agree amphibians and amniotes separated at the start of the Carboniferous period, about 355 million years ago. Later in the period, the amniote lineage split further into the ancestors of mammals and reptiles-plus-birds.
Now, this tidy picture falls apart.
A curious trackway
Key to our discovery is a 35 centimetre wide sandstone slab from Taungurung country, near Mansfield in eastern Victoria.
The slab is covered with the footprints of clawed feet that can only belong to early amniotes, most probably reptiles. It pushes back the origin of the amniotes by at least 35 million years.
Mansfield slab, dated between 359-350 million years old, showing positions of early reptile tracks. The authors
Despite huge variations in size and shape, all amniotes have certain features in common. For one, if we have limbs with fingers and toes, these are almost always tipped with claws – or nails, in the case of humans.
In other tetrapod groups, real claws don’t occur. Even claw-like, hardened toe tips seen in some amphibians are extremely rare.
Claws usually leave obvious marks in footprints, providing a clue to whether a fossil footprint was made by an amniote.
Close up showing the oldest known tracks with hooked claws from Mansfield, Victoria. Left, photo; right, optical scan. The authors
The oldest clawed tracks
The previous oldest fossil record of reptiles is based on footprints and bones from North America and Europe around 318 million years ago.
The oldest record of reptile-like tracks in Europe is from Silesia in Poland, a new discovery also revealed in our paper. They are around 328 million years old.
However, the Australian slab is much older than that, dated to between 359 and 350 million years old. It comes from the earliest part of the Carboniferous rock outcropping along the Broken River (Berrepit in the Taungurung language of the local First Nations people).
This area has long been known for yielding many kinds of spectacular fossil fishes that lived in lakes and large rivers. Now, for the first time, we catch a glimpse of life on the riverbank.
Fossil hunters search the Carboniferous red sandstone in the Mansfield area of Victoria. Such outcrops recently yielded the trackways of the world’s oldest reptile. John Long
Two trackways of fossil footprints cross the slab’s upper surface, one of them overstepping an isolated footprint facing the opposite direction. The surface is covered with dimples made by raindrops, recording a brief shower just before the footprints were made. This proves the creatures were moving about on dry land.
All the footprints show claw marks, some in the form of long scratches where the foot has been dragged along.
The shape of the feet matches that of known early reptile tracks, so we are confident the footprints belong to an amniote. Our short animation below gives a reconstruction of the ancient environment around Mansfield 355 million years ago, and shows how the tracks were made.
A short animation showing the creature making the tracks and its scientific significance. By Flinders University and Monkeystack Productions.
Rewriting the timeline
This find has a massive impact on the origin timeline of all tetrapods.
If amniotes had already evolved by the earliest Carboniferous, as our fossil shows, the last common ancestor of amniotes and amphibians has to lie much further back in time, in the Devonian period.
We can estimate the timing of the split by comparing the relative lengths of different branches in DNA-based family trees of living tetrapods. It suggests the split took place in the late Devonian, maybe as far back as 380 million years ago.
This implies the late Devonian world was populated not just by primitive fish-like tetrapods, and intermediate “fishapods” like the famous Tiktaalik, but also by advanced forms including close relatives of the living lineages. So why haven’t we found their bones?
The location of our slab provides a clue.
Big evolutionary questions
All other records of Carboniferous amniotes have come from the northern hemisphere ancient landmass called Euramerica that incorporated present-day North America and Europe. Euramerica also produced the great majority of Devonian tetrapod fossils.
The new Australian fossils come from Gondwana, a gigantic southern continent that also contained Africa, South America, Antarctica and India.
In all of this vast landmass, which stretched from the southern tropics down across the South Pole, our little slab is currently the only tetrapod fossil from the earliest part of the Carboniferous.
The Devonian record is scarcely much better. The Gondwana fossil record of early tetrapods is shockingly incomplete, with enormous gaps that could conceal – well, just about anything.
This find now raises a big evolutionary question. Did the first modern tetrapods, our own distant ancestors, emerge in the temperate Devonian landscapes of southern Gondwana, long before they spread to the sun-baked semi-deserts and steaming swamps of equatorial Euramerica?
It’s quite possible. Only more fieldwork, bringing to light new discoveries of Devonian and Carboniferous fossils from the old Gondwana continents, might one day answer that question.
We acknowledge the Taungurung people of Mansfield area where this scientific work has taken place.
John Long receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Grzegorz Niedzwiedzki receives funding from the Swedish Research Council and the European Research Council.
Per Ahlberg receives funding from the European Research Council and the Knut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Contestants pose for a group photo during the final of the 24th edition of the “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Jordan in Amman, Jordan, on May 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The 24th edition of the ‘Chinese Bridge’ Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Jordan selected the country’s champion on Wednesday to represent the country at the global finals, to be held in Beijing later this year.
During the country’s final held at the University of Jordan, 13 contestants from the University of Jordan, Philadelphia University in Jordan, and the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Confucius Institute showcased their Chinese language skills through speeches, knowledge tests, and talent performances.
Younis Abu Alsondos from the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Confucius Institute secured the champion and will represent Jordan for the Beijing finals. Sama Al Shuaibi from the University of Jordan won second place.
The country’s final was organized by the Chinese Embassy in Jordan and hosted by the Amman Chinese Cultural Center and the University of Jordan.
Addressing the final, Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Chen Chuandong stressed the importance of language in understanding the world and connecting people’s hearts.
“Through the Chinese language, we can feel the pulse of the changing times and get up close to the open, inclusive, and ever-changing modern China,” he said.
Chen highlighted the growing popularity of Chinese language learning in Jordan, with over 1,000 students enrolled in the country’s two Confucius Institutes and seven Chinese language programs.
He called on the youth to tell the stories of the China-Jordan and China-Arab friendship, and contribute to mutual learning and closer connection between Chinese and Arab civilizations, as well as deepening practical cooperation between China and Arab countries.
Marwan Al-Jarrah, dean of the School of Foreign Languages at the University of Jordan, highlighted the vital role of language in building bridges between cultures, saying that the Chinese language has become a key to understanding and engaging with the world, and that his university has placed the Chinese language at the heart of its development.
I heard that we see upside down, but our brain flips the image. How does it do that?
–Jasmine, Mount Evelyn, Victoria
Our eyes work thanks to light. Objects we can see are either sources of light themselves – like a candle or a phone screen – or light bounces off them and makes its way to our eyes.
First, light passes through the optical components of the eyes such as the cornea, pupil and lens.
Together, they help focus the light onto the retina that senses light, while also controlling the intensity of light to help us see well while avoiding damage to the eye.
The function of the lens is to correctly focus light that comes from objects at different distances. This process is known as accommodation.
While performing this important task, light passing through the lens becomes inverted. This means that light from the top of the object falls lower on the retina than light from the bottom, which falls higher on the retina.
So, light exiting the lens to land on the retina is indeed flipped upside down. But that doesn’t mean the brain is actually flipping the picture “back”. Here’s why.
The orientation doesn’t actually matter
While the light being interpreted by the brain is “upside down” compared to the real world, the question is: is that actually a problem for us?
From your own experience you can tell the answer is probably no. We seem to navigate and interact with the world just fine.
So, where in the brain is the image flipped or rotated 180 degrees to be the “right way up” again?
You may be surprised to learn that vision scientists reject the idea a flipping or rotation needs to happen at all. This is because of how our brains process visual information.
The object you perceive is “encoded” by the firing of various neurons – brain cells that process information – in various locations in the brain. This pattern of firing is what encodes the information about the object you’re focusing on. That info takes into account the object’s relation to everything else in the scene, your body in the world, and your movements.
As long as the relative encodings of these are all consistent with one another, as well as stable, there’s no need for a flip to happen at all.
We can function with ‘upside down’ goggles!
Several studies have looked at how we adapt to large changes in visual input by asking people to wear goggles that flip the image coming in.
This means the image lands on the retina the “right way up”, so to speak, but upside down from what the brain has learned it should be.
In the 1930s, two scientists in Austria performed the Innsbruck Goggle Experiments. For weeks or even months at a time, participants in these studies wore goggles that altered the way the world around them looked. This included goggles that turn the incoming image upside down.
As you can imagine, people wearing these goggles at first found it really difficult to get by in their day-to-day activities. They would stumble and bump into things.
But this was temporary.
Participants reported seeing the world upside-down for the first few days, with difficulties navigating the environment, including trying to step over ceiling lights that appeared to them as on the floor.
Around the fifth day, however, performance seemed to improve. Things that were at first seen upside down now appeared the right way up, and this tended to improve with more time.
In other words, with continued exposure to the upside-down world, the brain adapted to the changed input.
More recent studies are beginning to identify which areas of the brain are involved in being able to adapt to changes in visual input, and what the limits of our ability to adapt might be.
Daniel Joyce 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: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s Zheng Qinwen claimed a straight-sets victory over top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals of the WTA Italian Open on Wednesday, reaching the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the third time in her career.
The two players had met six times previously, with Sabalenka winning on each occasion. This match marked their first encounter on clay.
In the opening set, both players held serve through the first three games, with Sabalenka leading 2-1. In the fourth game, Zheng saved two break points to hold, and then won four consecutive points in the fifth game to score a crucial break. Over the next four games, both players held serve, leaving Zheng ahead 5-4. In the 10th game, Zheng fired down two aces and took the set 6-4.
In the second set, Zheng carried her momentum forward, breaking serve in the first game and then reeling off four straight points to take the second game. The following four games saw both players hold, with Zheng maintaining a 4-2 lead. Sabalenka saved four break points in the seventh game to narrow the gap, but Zheng stayed strong, holding serve and then breaking again to close out the match 6-3, reaching the semifinals in Rome for the first time.
“Finally, I broke through! I’ve always known I have the ability to beat anyone, and I’m really happy that I truly did it today,” said Zheng after the match.
Zheng gave herself a score of 7.5 for her performance. “I think I did well at the start, and I told myself I couldn’t lose those opening games so easily like before. When the match enters a tighter phase, I feel it’s more to my advantage, because actually, I’m better than her at playing long rallies. When the match goes into a three or four-shot exchange, statistically, I have the edge,” Zheng reflected.
In this match, Zheng’s first-serve points won percentage reached a remarkable 82 percent, which became a decisive factor in her victory. “Today, one thing I did really well was that my first serve was there in the crucial moments, and I also controlled my unforced errors very well,” she said.
“When I played against her before, maybe because she had the title of world number one and a Grand Slam champion, and also because when I was a teenager, I used to watch her play, so I couldn’t properly read the situation,” Zheng said. “In the first three matches against her, I felt really frustrated, because I only showed about 30 or 40 percent of my ability. When I stripped away the aura around her, I was able to see the match situation clearly and focus on attacking her weaknesses instead of trying to go head-to-head with her strengths.”
In the semifinals, Zheng will face fourth seed Coco Gauff.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Zhejiang Lions overpowered the Beijing Ducks 106-73 away to lead 3-1 in the 2024-25 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) best-of-seven finals on Wednesday.
After a thrilling away victory in Beijing on Monday, Zhejiang felt more at ease to compete in the Capital Indoor Stadium.
Fan Ziming (L) of Beijing Ducks vies with Hu Jinqiu of Zhejiang Lions during the playoff final 4th round match between Zhejiang Lions and Beijing Ducks at the 2024-2025 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)
Zhejiang carried on the high morale and started Games 4 with a 19-8 lead. The tough defense and smooth fast breaks helped Zhejiang once extend the advantage to 20 points.
Following a 53-35 first half, Zhejiang continued to enlarge the gap to 30 points with an all-around performance ahead of the final quarter. On the contrary, the home team Beijing didn’t find any chance to bounce back and swallowed the 33-point loss.
“We emphasized high-intensity defense all the time. Our team did an excellent job today. All players are eager for the victory,” Zhejiang head coach Wang Bo said after the game.
Lin Bing Sheng of Zhejiang came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points with four three-pointers and five steals, while his teammate Barry Brown also pocketed 22 points in less than 27 minutes.
“We moved the ball in a clear and rational way with great team work. We trust each other, as winning the champion is our shared goal,” Lin noted. “We will keep making improvement and fighting for the final win.”
Beijing’s Chen Ying-chun registered a team-high 13 points. The home side had 17 turnovers and only hit four three-pointers.
Beijing head coach Xu Limin said after the disappointed match, “Our mentality was not on the same level as the Lions. Zhejiang is more experienced to handle difficulties, which is what we lack. We are honored to show ourselves in the CBA Finals, and we will compete to the end.”
With just one win away from the club’s first-ever CBA champion, Zhejiang will confront Beijing at home in Game 5 on Saturday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
FC Barcelona can either seal the La Liga title on Thursday night with a win away to local rival Espanyol, or use the match as a celebration, depending on Real Madrid’s result at home to Mallorca on Wednesday.
If Madrid fails to beat Mallorca, Barca will be champions without kicking a ball, but otherwise, there will still be work to do against a side that is not totally safe from relegation.
Barca’s 4-3 win at home to Madrid on Sunday leaves the title in its grasp, although Jules Kounde is still injured and Inigo Martinez will miss the game through suspension.
Robert Lewandowski(R) of FC Barcelona vies with Marcos Alonso of Celta Vigo during the Laliga football match between FC Barcelona and Celta Vigo, in Barcelona, Spain, on April 19, 2025. (Photo by Joan Gosa/Xinhua)
On a positive note, Marc Casado and Robert Lewandowski could both play as Barca looks to complete a league and cup double.
Thursday could also confirm Athletic Bilbao’s place in the Champions League if the Basque side wins away to a Getafe that is on a run of five straight losses.
The Williams brothers are still out for Athletic, but Alex Berenguer and Andoni Gorosabel both return after suspension, and Benat Prados could be available after suffering a shin injury a week ago.
Athletic could have its Champions League place confirmed before kick-off if Real Betis fails to win away to Getafe in an early kick-off. The Seville-based outfit is six points behind Athletic with nine to play for, but with a worse goal difference.
Rayo, meanwhile, still has a good chance of a top-eight finish and a place in Europe next season.
Osasuna is also aiming to play in Europe, although the Pamplona side has to play Atletico Madrid which has been inconsistent lately, with more problems on the road than in front of its own fans.
Julian Alvarez will be back for Atletico after suspension, but Alexander Sorloth will surely start again after scoring four against Real Sociedad at the weekend.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Nottingham Forest’s Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed in an induced coma after an operation for a stomach injury.
He collided with the post in the closing moments of his side’s 2-2 draw at home to Leicester City on Sunday after coming on as a substitute and suffered a ruptured intestine.
The club has issued a statement saying he is “recovering well” but adding that the incident is “a powerful remainder of the physical risks in the game and why a player’s health and wellbeing must always come first.”
Awoniyi will need a second operation to help complete his recovery, with that scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
World No. 2 golfer Rory McIlroy will headline Australia’s most prestigious tournament in 2025 and 2026, organizers announced on Wednesday.
The government of Australia’s state of Victoria said in a statement that Melbourne will be the home of the Australian Open for the next two years, with Northern Ireland’s McIlroy committing to play in both tournaments.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2025 Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, the United States, on April 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
The Victorian government and Golf Australia announced that the 2025 tournament would be held at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club from December 4 to 7 and that Kingston Heath Golf Club would host the 2026 event.
Both courses are on the Melbourne Sandbelt, a renowned golfing region some 20 kilometers southeast of the city center.
“I’m proud to be committing to the Australian Open for the next two years, especially with it being played on the world-class Melbourne Sandbelt, somewhere I’ve always wanted to play professionally,” McIlroy said in a statement.
The announcement comes after McIlroy in April won The Masters Tournament for the first time, completing a career grand slam of golf’s major championships.
The 36-year-old McIlroy won the Australian Open in 2013 when it was played in Sydney. He has not played a professional tournament in Australia since 2014.
Australia’s 9News network reported that McIlroy will be joined in the 2025 field by top-ranked Australians Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott.
Steve Dimopoulos, Victoria’s Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, described McIlroy’s commitment to play at the Australian Open as a “major coup” that will be “fantastic” for the state’s visitor economy.
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
The ACCC will not oppose Cleanaway Waste Management Limited’s (ASX:CWY) proposed acquisition of the waste and recycling business of Citywide Service Solutions Pty Ltd (Citywide Waste).
Cleanaway is one of the largest waste management companies in Australia. It is vertically integrated through the waste supply chain, from disposals to collections, with operations in all states and territories in Australia.
In Melbourne, Cleanaway provides collection and disposal services for commercial and industrial customers, and municipal councils. Cleanaway operates one of the largest landfills in Melbourne, the Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall, and a network of transfer stations.
Citywide Waste, currently owned by the City of Melbourne Council, offers collections services for municipal councils and commercial and industrial customers. Citywide Waste also operates the Dynon Road transfer station which accepts large volumes of putrescible waste and is close to the Melbourne CBD, making it a key disposal facility.
The ACCC’s investigation focused on the acquisition’s impact on competition in the supply of putrescible waste disposal services in Melbourne for commercial and industrial waste.
“Our investigation looked at the central and west regions of Melbourne in particular because we were concerned about the loss of competition between Melbourne Regional Landfill and the nearby Dynon Road transfer station located in these regions,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.
“We reached two key conclusions from our investigation. First, those customers with larger waste collection trucks are able to optimise their waste collection routes to divert volumes to landfills and transfer stations other than the Melbourne Regional Landfill and Dynon Road transfer station.”
“This means that should Cleanaway own both facilities, larger collections customers would still be able to take waste volumes to other competitors if needed,” Dr Williams said. “Second, we found that while some customers preferred the Dynon Road transfer station due to its closeness to the Melbourne CBD and ease of access for smaller waste collection trucks, these customers don’t see Melbourne Regional Landfill as a viable alternative now.”
“We therefore found that the acquisition is unlikely to have an impact on those customers,” Dr Williams said.
Ultimately, the ACCC found the proposed acquisition would be unlikely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of putrescible waste collection and disposal services for both commercial and industrial waste, and municipal waste in Melbourne.
The ACCC expects rival landfills and transfer stations in Melbourne to continue to compete for waste volumes with Cleanaway after the acquisition.
Putrescible waste is solid waste that contains organic material capable of being decomposed by microorganisms.
Transfer stations act as consolidation points where waste is dropped off by collection companies and bundled for bulk transport by trucks to final disposal sites. These sites can be landfills where waste may ultimately be buried.
Background
Cleanaway is a public company listed on the ASX. It is one of the largest waste management companies in Australia. Cleanaway provides recycling, waste management and industrial services in Australia.
Cleanaway is vertically integrated across waste collections, processing and disposal services. In Melbourne, Cleanaway owns and/or operates a network of putrescible transfer stations at Brooklyn, Lysterfield and the South East Melbourne Transfer Station, in addition to the Melbourne Regional Landfill.
Citywide Waste is 100 per cent owned by Melbourne City Council and provides waste management services to municipal councils and commercial and industrial customers in Melbourne. It has operated the Dynon Road transfer station since 1995.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WATCH: Padilla Leads Push Against Trump and Republican Attacks on Voting and Elections During Spotlight Hearing
WATCH: Padilla convenes first Rules Committee Democrats spotlight hearing to expose dangers of SAVE Act and Trump’s executive orderWASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, convened a Rules Committee Democrats spotlight hearing titled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: An Examination of Trump and Partisan Attacks on Voting and Elections.” Padilla’s opening remarks at the forum focused on Congressional Republicans’ Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act that recently passed the House of Representatives and Trump’s illegal anti-voter executive order, both of which threaten to disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens.
Padilla underscored Republican efforts to make it harder for eligible American citizens to vote through the SAVE Act, emphasizing that it is already a crime for noncitizens to vote, and pointed out that despite Republicans’ false claims, voter fraud is extremely rare.
“As we convene here today, across the country, in state legislatures, as well as in the Oval Office, and sadly, even here in the United States Congress, there are extreme Republicans who are actively working to make it harder for eligible Americans to register to vote and to cast their ballot in elections.”
“We cannot sit back and watch as our democracy is attacked — we owe it to the American people who have elected us to serve on their behalf: so we have to speak up. And that starts with recognizing the dangers at our doorstep.”
“Currently pending before the Senate is the SAVE Act — a conspiracy theory bill that scapegoats immigrants to justify new barriers to voter registration. Not only is it wrong, it’s un-American. And it’s based on a shameless lie — the same ‘Big Lie’ that Donald Trump uses to claim that he won the 2020 election, which of course, he did not. He lost.”
Padilla emphasized that the SAVE Act will cause the most harm to American citizens and highlighted the risks the bill poses to election workers who are already facing growing threats.
“As you’ll hear today, it’s American citizens who will be most impacted by the SAVE Act, from first time voters and married women to servicemembers and rural voters.”
“To make matters worse, at a time of rising threats and harassment to poll workers and election officials across the country, the SAVE Act actually threatens election workers with up to five years of prison time for registering someone without the correct documents, regardless of if they’re an American citizen.”
Padilla concluded his opening remarks by criticizing President Trump’s support for these harmful restrictions through his executive order and welcoming election administrators and other Americans dealing with the direct impacts of these anti-voter policies.
“Now despite the extreme policy proposals — or rather, because of them — Donald Trump is all in. He’s not even waiting for Congress to act. In fact, earlier this year, he signed an executive order to try to do all this and more unilaterally. That includes trying to upend the voting system standards and changing the deadline states can accept vote-by-mail ballots.”
“60 years since the Voting Rights Act, it’s outrageous that these battles rage on. Yet, in the year 2025, here we are, and that’s what Americans are up against.”
“So today, we want America to hear from the election administrators who are on the frontlines, along with Americans who are impacted by — and standing up to — these radical policies.”
Video of Senator Padilla’s remarks is available to watch here and be downloaded here.
Members heard from election officials and voter advocates regarding ongoing attacks on voter registration and election integrity during the forum. The panel included Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) CEO Juan Proaño, League of Women Voters CEO Celina Stewart, and Nicole Meek, an impacted voter as a member of a military family.
This spotlight hearing kicks off a series of Rules Committee Democrats’ forums focused on protecting the future of America’s elections. The series will underscore the dangers of the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attacks on election security, integrity, and funding required to smoothly administer elections and protect American democracy.
Senator Padilla has led the charge opposing President Trump and Republicans’ reckless attempts to restrict the right to vote. As President Trump marked 100 disastrous days in office, he recently led his Democratic colleagues on the Senate floor to speak out against the SAVE Act and attacks on election integrity. Last month, Padilla warned Secretaries of State, Lieutenant Governors, and Chief Election Officials across the country of the devastating potential impacts of Republicans’ SAVE Act, concerns that have been echoed by top election officials across the country. He also led a letter yesterday sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of Trump’s anti-voter “election integrity” executive order and the SAVE Act on Native American voting rights.
Additionally, Padilla led 11 Senators in introducing the Defending America’s Future Elections Act to repeal Trump’s illegal anti-voter executive order and prevent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive voter registration data and state records. Padilla previously led 14 Democratic Senators in calling on Trump to revoke his illegal anti-voter executive order and issued a statement slamming the order when it was announced.
A full transcript of Senator Padilla’s opening remarks, as delivered, is available below:
Good afternoon, everybody, and thank you for joining us here today for this spotlight hearing that we’ve entitled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: An Examination of Trump and Partisan Attacks on Voting and Elections.”
I wanted to begin by thanking the witnesses who are participating today for joining us. I know that many of you have traveled from quite a distance, from different parts of the country to be here today and to share your experiences and reflect on the spectrum of challenges that both voters and election administrators are having to navigate in the year 2025.
I hope today we’re able to discuss not only the challenges that we’re facing, but also offer some solutions that can help us better protect the right to vote.
I also want to begin by saying to my colleagues as they join us later today that as the new Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee — and as former California Secretary of State — that this is a role that I don’t take lightly.
Just as each successive generation of Americans has a role to play in preserving and protecting our democracy, each Senate Rules Committee has a duty to carry the baton as well, so that democracy truly does endure for the next generation.
As Ranking Member of the Committee, I plan to do my part.
So it’s important that we recognize the moment that we find ourselves in.
As we convene here today, across the country, in state legislatures, as well as in the Oval Office, and sadly, even here in the United States Congress, there are extreme Republicans who are actively working to make it harder for eligible Americans to register to vote and to cast their ballot in elections.
And we cannot sit back and watch as our democracy is attacked — we owe it to the American people who have elected us to serve on their behalf:
So we have to speak up.
And that starts with recognizing the dangers at our doorstep.
Currently pending before the Senate is the SAVE Act — a conspiracy theory bill that scapegoats immigrants to justify new barriers to voter registration.
Not only is it wrong, it’s un-American.
And it’s based on a shameless lie — the same “Big Lie” that Donald Trump uses to claim that he won the 2020 election, which of course, he did not. He lost.
As California’s former chief elections officer, I have firsthand experience administering elections in the most populous and most diverse state in the nation.
And I can tell you personally: for all the disinformation and misinformation and fearmongering coming from Republicans — the truth of the matter is it is already a crime for noncitizens to vote.
And it’s also extremely, extremely rare.
As you’ll hear today, it’s American citizens who will be most impacted by the SAVE Act, from first-time voters and married women to servicemembers and rural voters.
And to make matters worse, at a time of rising threats and harassment to poll workers and election officials across the country, the SAVE Act actually threatens election workers with up to five years of prison time for registering someone without the correct documents, regardless of if they’re an American citizen.
Now despite the extreme policy proposals — or rather, because of them — Donald Trump is all in. He’s not even waiting for Congress to act.
In fact, earlier this year, he signed an executive order to try to do all this and more unilaterally.
That includes trying to upend the voting system standards and changing the deadline states can accept vote-by-mail ballots.
60 years since the Voting Rights Act, it’s outrageous that these battles rage on.
Yet, in the year 2025, here we are, and that’s what Americans are up against.
So today, we want America to hear from the election administrators who are on the frontlines, along with Americans who are impacted by — and standing up to — these radical policies.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla Joins Immigration Advocates to Reject Republicans’ Extreme Anti-Immigrant Budget Reconciliation Bill
AUDIO: Padilla slams cuts to crucial services to support Republicans’ mass deportation agendaWASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined immigration advocates and his House colleagues to speak out against the extreme anti-immigrant provisions in Republicans’ reconciliation bill and to call on Congressional Republicans to reject harmful policies targeting immigrant communities. During the press conference hosted by the National Immigration Law Center, Padilla slammed Republicans’ plans to cut critical services Americans rely on in order to spend hundreds of billions on President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
Padilla criticized the Republican reconciliation bill’s proposed surges in funding for wasteful immigration initiatives, including increased funding for the border wall and immigrant detention centers, and policy changes to eliminate protections for children, reinstate family detention, and allow the continued terrorization of families through mass deportation.
“They’re bending over backwards to make cuts to health care, to education, even SNAP benefits, the critical nutrition assistance program that so many families rely on. And why? That’s a good question! Why? Because they’re trying to fund more tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy in America. That just wrong, but it gets worse. They’re also trying to fund this massive and cruel deportation campaign that Donald Trump has insisted on.”
“The huge increases in funding and staffing levels for ICE and CBP are indeed not just an increase in funding — it is a significant policy change. And we’re asking why? What’s the plan? What’s the strategy? Because it’s been so chaotic and disorganized. What’s their response? They say, ‘trust us.’ Trust you? Really?”
Padilla slammed the Trump Administration for undermining due process, ignoring court orders, instilling fear in immigrant communities, wasting taxpayer dollars for staged photo ops, and sending both undocumented and documented immigrants to prisons in foreign countries. He emphasized the economic consequences of the Administration’s reckless and inhumane anti-immigrant actions.
“They’re terrorizing our communities with their raids and violent arrests, and they’re wasting millions and millions of taxpayer dollars for expensive photo ops like the ones they took at Guantánamo Bay.”
“Because of it, there’s hardworking immigrants, long-term residents of the United States, who are now afraid to go to work, kids afraid to go to school, parents afraid to go to the store.”
Padilla concluded his remarks by calling on Republicans to work with Democrats to modernize the United States’ immigration system, and vowed to keep fighting to create a pathway to citizenship for long-term undocumented residents.
“You would think that maybe just for a moment, Republicans would take this reconciliation process as an opportunity to do what they said before they wanted to do and modernize our nation’s immigration system. But they’re not.”
“I know we still believe that real reform is still possible. Because, yes, we all know we need a secure and orderly and humane border, but we also need to create the pathways to citizenship for the millions that have earned it and deserve it.”
“And we will get there. We will get there together. But the next steps in this effort begin with fighting back on the cruelty of the proposed reconciliation plan put forth by Republicans. We have to kill that bill.”
Representatives Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.-04), and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07) also joined the press conference.
Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s mass deportation agenda and anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Last month, Padilla, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), and Representative Jayapal issued a joint statement condemning the Supreme Court’s decision to lift a hold on removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, and he joined 14 lawmakers in condemning President Trump’s unlawful invocation of the antiquated law. Padilla previously issued a joint statement with Senators Durbin, Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) slamming President Trump for his attempted invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport noncitizens without due process. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Senator Padilla, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also recently urged the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate several reports that the Trump Administration is potentially violating strict taxpayer privacy laws by providing highly sensitive and legally protected taxpayer data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and personnel affiliated with Elon Musk across various federal agencies. Padilla, Cortez Masto, and Wyden previously condemned the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) plan to provide sensitive taxpayer information to DHS to locate suspected undocumented immigrants and led a letter to IRS and DHS leadership raising the alarm on reports that DHS and the Department of Government Efficiency had illegally requested this information.
Audio of Senator Padilla’s remarks is available here.
Police are at the scene of a shark attack at Port Noarlunga.
About 9.45am today (Thursday 15 May), emergency services were called to the Port Noarlunga jetty after reports that a man swimming in the water had been bitten by a shark.
He was helped from the water and treated at the scene by paramedics before he was taken to hospital in a serious condition.
The Crown has settled a 17-year negotiation process with iwi of Tauranga as the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill passes its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
“This has been a long time coming and I thank the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Settlement Trust and the negotiating team for their enduring efforts.
“While no settlement can fully compensate for the Crown’s injustices towards Ngāti Ranginui, I sincerely hope this redress package will support Ngāti Ranginui to realise their economic and cultural aspirations for generations to come.”
The redress includes an agreed historical account, crown acknowledgements of its historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi and a Crown apology.
Key elements of the redress include:
Financial and commercial redress of $38 million
The return of 15 sites of cultural significance
Two properties of cultural significance vested jointly with other iwi
Relationship redress with key Crown agencies
“In this settlement, the Crown has acknowledged its breaches of te Tiriti o Waitangi, including its responsibility for war and raupatu in Tauranga in the 1860s, the purchase of Te Puna-Katikati blocks soon after, the operation and impact of the native land laws, and the compulsory acquisition of land under later Māori land legislation that left Ngāti Ranginui without sufficient land for their present and future needs,” Mr Goldsmith says.
“I want to acknowledge the people of Ngāti Ranginui who have travelled to Parliament today to witness this auspicious occasion and those who watched the passing of this Bill online from Tauranga.”
Ngāti Ranginui is an iwi based in the Tauranga region with a population of approximately 15,000 people. Their area of interest extends from Ngakuriawharei, north of Tauranga, inland to the summit of Mount Te Aroha, extending south-east along the Kaimai Range to Puwhenua and reaching south to the Mangorewa River.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Note: The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports. SEL9
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 249 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 800 PM CDT Wed May 14 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of East-Central and Northeast Nebraska Southeast South Dakota
* Effective this Wednesday night and Thursday morning from 800 PM until 300 AM CDT.
* Primary threats include… Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter likely Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts to 75 mph possible A tornado or two possible
SUMMARY…Thunderstorms over central Nebraska will becoming increasingly organized and track northeastward through the evening and overnight period. Damaging wind gusts and large hail will be through across the watch area. A tornado or two is also possible.
The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 50 statute miles east and west of a line from 5 miles west northwest of Mitchell SD to 25 miles west southwest of Grand Island NE. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 247…WW 248…
AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector 25035.
…Hart
Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas. SAW9 WW 249 SEVERE TSTM NE SD 150100Z – 150800Z AXIS..50 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE.. 5WNW MHE/MITCHELL SD/ – 25WSW GRI/GRAND ISLAND NE/ ..AVIATION COORDS.. 45NM E/W /59W FSD – 38SSW OBH/ HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..65 KNOTS. MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 25035.
LAT…LON 43799712 40839781 40839972 43799913
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS FOR WOU9.
Watch 249 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.
Note: Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes
Probability of 2 or more tornadoes
Low (20%)
Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes
Low (5%)
Wind
Probability of 10 or more severe wind events
High (70%)
Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots
Mod (30%)
Hail
Probability of 10 or more severe hail events
Mod (60%)
Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches
Mod (60%)
Combined Severe Hail/Wind
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events
High (>95%)
For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — U.S. Air Force commanders and command chiefs from around the theater gathered for the bi-annual U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commanders Conference, which focused on advancing warfighting concepts, held here, Apr. 28 through May 2, 2025.
