Headline: DHS Reveals Criminal Histories of Illegal Aliens Detained at Prairieland Detention Center at Time of July 4 Attack
lass=”text-align-center”>Gang members, human traffickers, pedophiles, and suspected terrorists are among those defended by rioters and Democratic politicians WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveals the criminal histories of illegal aliens detained at the U
S
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Prairieland Detention Center on the night of the July 4 coordinated ambush
On July 4, 2025, over 1,000 illegal aliens were in custody at Prairieland
Their offenses include molestation of a minor, sexual assault, murder, kidnapping, arson, aggravated assault and human trafficking
There are also almost 50 detainees who are members of foreign terrorist organization or gangs—including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua— as well as 13 Known Suspected Terrorists (KSTs)
These are the type of savage individuals Democratic politicians and rioters are defending over American victims
The violence against DHS law enforcement must end
Our brave ICE officers, who put their lives on the line every day to defend America, are facing a nearly 700 percent increase in assaults against them
This week, violent protestors attacked ICE officers while conducting targeted enforcement operations in San Francisco
Last month, Portland rioters violently targeted law enforcement and stormed an ICE field office
“On Independence Day, a group of approximately 15 rioters violently attacked and shot at the brave law enforcement operating ICE Prairieland Detention Center that houses monsters including pedophiles, human traffickers, murderers and terrorists,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
“And yet, these violent rioters are attacking our law enforcement who are keeping Americans safe and these deprecated individuals out of American communities
Secretary Noem has made it clear: If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law
Headline: Five New Counties Eligible for FEMA Disaster Assistance
Five New Counties Eligible for FEMA Disaster Assistance
AUSTIN, Texas – Homeowners and renters in Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis and Williamson counties are now eligible for FEMA disaster assistance after the severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding that began July 2
FEMA and the State of Texas may be able to help with serious disaster-related needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs and personal property loss
Previously, Kerr County was designated for FEMA assistance, meaning survivors with losses in Kerr County could apply even if they do not live in the county or in Texas
Survivors with homeowners’, renters and flood insurance are encouraged to file a claim with their insurance carrier as soon as possible
By law, FEMA cannot provide funding for losses covered by your insurance
If your policy does not cover all disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance
There are several ways to apply
The fastest way is to go to DisasterAssistance
gov
You may also use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362
Lines are open daily from 6 a
m
to 10 p
m
CT
If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service
Helpline operators speak many languages
Press 2 for Spanish
You may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center to receive in-person assistance
A recovery center is open from 8 a
m
to 7 p
m
daily at First Baptist Church, 625 Washington St
, Kerrville, TX 78028
As more Disaster Recovery Centers open, you may find one closer to you by using your ZIP code to search FEMA
gov/DRC
To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube
For the latest information about the Texas recovery, visit fema
Headline: Scott County Disaster Recovery Center to Close July 18
Scott County Disaster Recovery Center to Close July 18
SIKESTON, Mo
– The Disaster Recovery Center in Scott County is scheduled to close permanently on Friday, July 18 at 7 p
m
Scott County Disaster Recovery Center LOCATIONHOURS OF OPERATIONTanner Street Church of God619 Tanner St
Sikeston, MO 63801Saturday, July 12: 8 a
m
– 7 p
m
Sunday: Closed Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8 a
m
– 7 p
m
Wednesday: 8 a
m
-5:30 p
m
At this center, FEMA and the U
S
Small Business Administration will help impacted residents with their disaster assistance applications, answer questions, and upload required documents
To save time, please apply for FEMA assistance before coming to the Disaster Recovery Center
Apply online at DisasterAssistance
gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362
If you are unable to apply online or by phone, someone at the Disaster Recovery Center can assist you
You may visit any location, no matter where you are staying now
For locations, visit: FEMA
gov/DRC
The FEMA application deadline for the May 16 disaster is August 11, 2025
If your home or personal property sustained damage not covered by insurance, FEMA may be able to provide money to help you pay for home repairs, a temporary place to live, and replace essential personal property that was destroyed
Headline: Secretary Noem Protects American Taxpayers Against Wasteful Contracts While Revolutionizing Coast Guard for the 21st Century
lass=”text-align-center”>“This Administration is unwavering in its commitment to the American taxpayer” WASHINGTON – Today, United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the partial termination of a wasteful shipbuilding contract to protect American taxpayer dollars while revolutionizing the United States Coast Guard for the 21st century
“This Administration is unwavering in its commitment to the American taxpayer and to a strong, ready Coast Guard,” said a Senior Homeland Security official
“We cannot allow critical shipbuilding projects to languish over budget and behind schedule
Our Coast Guard needs modern, capable vessels to safeguard our national and economic security, and we will ensure every dollar is spent wisely to achieve that mission
This action redirects resources to where they are most needed, ensuring the Coast Guard remains the finest, most-capable maritime service in the world
” As part of that commitment, the Coast Guard is reviewing contracts which are failing to meet delivery agreements
An existing Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) contract with Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has been slow to deliver four OPCs, harming the U
S
’s defense capabilities and wasting American’s hard-earned money
In light of that, Secretary Noem partially canceled ESG’s contract for two out of the four OPCs expected from ESG in Panama City, Florida because it was not an effective use of taxpayer money
ESG’s delivery of OPC 1 was initially due in June 2023 but will now be completed by the end of 2026 at the earliest
ESG missed its April 2024 delivery for OPC 2
The Coast Guard stopped work on OPCs 3 and 4 after ESG notified the service earlier this year they could not fulfill their contractual duty to deliver all four OPCs without unabsorbable loss
The money saved will redirected to ensure it’s actually benefiting the Coast Guard
Due to decades of neglect by previous Administrations and Congress, the Coast Guard has been underfunded, underequipped, and ignored for too long
President Donald Trump is ending that era of neglect with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and Force Design 2028 – Homeland’s plan to transform the Coast Guard into a more agile, capable fighting force
Now, a massive injection of nearly $25 billion is coming to the Coast Guard
The Coast Guard’s goal is to procure 25 OPCs — and that has not changed
The Coast Guard remains intent on acquiring and delivering the full OPC class as fast as possible to address the Nation’s security and safety needs
The OPC fleet will complement the capabilities of the Service’s National Security Cutters, Fast Response Cutters and Polar Security Cutters as an essential element of the Nation’s layered maritime security strategy
They will be especially critical to the counter-drug and migrant interdiction missions along the southeast border
Sixty years ago, NASA’s Mariner 4 captured groundbreaking views of the Red Planet, leading to a steady stream of advances in the cameras used to study other worlds. In 1965, NASA’s Mariner 4 mission brought Mars into American living rooms, where TV sets showed fuzzy black-and-white images of a cratered landscape. The spacecraft took 21 complete pictures — the first ever captured of another planet — as it flew by as close as 6,118 miles (9,846 kilometers) above the surface. The mission team couldn’t wait to see what the camera aboard the spacecraft would return. When the actual images were delayed, they went so far as to create a color-by-numbers image, assigning hues to specific values in the data. Their handiwork wasn’t far off, and the barren landscape Mariner 4 captured ignited the imaginations of future scientists and engineers who would go on to work on a succession of missions, each revealing Mars in a way it had never been seen before. Millions of Mars images have been taken since then, many of which are captivating in their own way. The images that follow highlight some of the “firsts” in the way the agency has used imaging to help unlock the secrets of Mars. Viking 1 Sets Foot on Mars July 20, 1976
Viking 1 became the first spacecraft to touch down on Mars on July 20, 1976. The first high-resolution image it sent to Earth captured a dry, rocky landscape that dashed any hope among scientists of discovering life on the surface. But the crisp images that followed from the lander’s 360-degree cylindrical scan camera underscored the scientific value of seeing Mars from the ground and generated excitement for a more ambitious visit: a robotic spacecraft that could drive across this alien world. Portrait of Mars by Viking 1 Orbiter 1980
When the twin Viking landers arrived at Mars, each descended from an orbiter that used cameras to map Mars in a way Earth-based telescopes couldn’t. They began capturing images before the landers even touched down, continuing until 1980. That year, the Viking 1 orbiter captured images that were later stitched into a defining portrait of Valles Marineris — the “Grand Canyon of Mars.” Sojourner Starts to Explore July 5, 1997
By the time NASA returned to the Martian surface in 1997 with the Pathfinder lander and its microwave-oven-size Sojourner rover, much had changed on Earth since Mariner 4’s images beamed to TV viewers: Now, the internet was bringing around-the-clock news to personal computers, allowing a young generation of space fans to witness the tentative first steps of a new form of planetary exploration. The panoramic images from the ground were the first since Viking and, as part of NASA’s “faster, better, cheaper” initiative, offered more detail and a comparatively lower cost. Opportunity Spots Passing Dust Devil March 31, 2016
In 2004, NASA’s golf-cart-size twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity set down on the Red Planet, beginning a new phase of Martian exploration. Equipped with both mast-mounted panoramic and arm-mounted microscopic imagers, the roving spacecraft let scientists, engineers, and the world discover new terrain each day. They captured colorful views of Martian vistas and revealed details of pebble-size “blueberries.” Mars was beginning to feel less like an unfamiliar world than a place with recognizable landmarks. MRO’s HiRISE Views Victoria Crater July 18, 2009
Since Viking, a series of increasingly advanced orbiters have arrived at Mars with new science tools and cameras. Using increasingly sophisticated imagers, they have mapped the planet’s hills and valleys, identified significant minerals, and found buried glaciers. A camera that has been in operation aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter since 2006, the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) frequently captures individual dunes, boulders, and craters, as with this picture of Victoria Crater, revealing features that had been blurry in previous images. The camera has also identified landing sites and places where future rovers (perhaps even astronauts) could explore. Curiosity, Perseverance Bring More Cameras and Color Aug. 5, 2012 and Feb. 18, 2021
Both Curiosity and Perseverance arrived at Mars (in 2012 and 2021, respectively) loaded with cameras that pack millions of pixels into their images and peer farther into the distance than Spirit or Opportunity ever could. They also feature upgraded arm-mounted cameras for studying fine details like sand particles and rock textures. Perseverance took a step beyond Curiosity in several ways, including with high-speed cameras that showed its parachute deploying and its rocket-powered jetpack flying away during entry, descent, and landing on Mars. Another advance can be seen in each vehicle’s hazard-avoidance cameras, which help rover drivers spot rocks they might bump into. As seen in the first images each rover sent back, Curiosity’s black-and-white cameras were upgraded to color and higher resolution for Perseverance, providing clearer views of the surface. Ingenuity Spots Perseverance at Belva Crater Aug. 22, 2023
Just as Pathfinder brought the tiny Sojourner rover to Mars, NASA’s next-generation Perseverance rover carried the Ingenuity helicopter. Along with proving flight in Mars’ thin air was possible, Ingenuity used a commercial, off-the-shelf color camera to take aerial views over the course of 72 flights. During one of those flights, Ingenuity even spotted Perseverance in the distance — another first on the Red Planet. Future Mars helicopters might be able to scout paths ahead and find scientifically interesting sites for robots and astronauts alike. More About These Missions NASA JPL, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built Mariner 4, the Viking 1 and 2 orbiters, Pathfinder, Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Ingenuity. It continues to operate Curiosity and Perseverance. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built MRO and supports its operations, while JPL manages the mission. The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by BAE Systems, in Boulder, Colorado. The Viking 1 and 2 landers were built by Martin Marietta; the Viking program was managed by NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. JPL led operations for the Viking landers and orbiters. News Media Contacts Andrew GoodJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-393-2433andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Molly WasserNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov 2025-088
NASA astronaut Shannon Walker retired July 10, concluding a career that spanned 38 years, including 30 years of federal service and more than 21 years as an astronaut. During two spaceflights, she spent 330 days in orbit, contributing to hundreds of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations for the benefit of humanity. Walker served as a mission specialist during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station in 2020, the first crewed operational Dragon spacecraft flight. She also was the first woman to fly aboard a Dragon spacecraft. Once aboard the orbiting laboratory, Walker joined the Expedition 64/65 crew and briefly commanded Expedition 65, logging 167 days in space before returning to Earth in May 2021. She spent 163 days in space during her first spaceflight in 2010 as a member of the space station’s Expedition 24/25 crew. She was the pilot of the Soyuz TMA-19, which became the first crew to dock with the station’s Rassvet module. “Shannon’s dedication to human space exploration has left an incredible impact, not just here in Houston, but across the industry,” said Steve Koerner, acting director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Her leadership and guidance will be missed immensely, but she leaves behind a legacy of excellence that will continue to inspire the next generation of explorers for decades to come.” Most recently, Walker served as the deputy chief of the Astronaut Office. She also oversaw the 2021 class of astronaut candidates, supervising their training and graduation in 2024. “Shannon and I were a part of the same astronaut class back when we first started,” said Joe Acaba, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA Johnson. “She has been a great friend to me ever since and a great leader within the Astronaut Office. I could not imagine a better partner by my side when, nearly 20 years later, we’d become chief and deputy chief. She has undoubtedly been a positive influence on this office, and her retirement is well-deserved.” Walker began her career as a flight controller in the Mission Control Center at NASA Johnson, supporting several shuttle missions. She next worked in the International Space Station Program Office, helping to develop, build, and integrate hardware for the space station. In the early days of the space station, she returned to mission control, leading the engineering team responsible for the space station’s technical health. She was selected as an astronaut in 2004. After completing her initial two years of training, she served as a crew support astronaut and worked as a capsule communicator, or capcom. She also held leadership positions within the several branches of the Astronaut Office focused on International Space Station operations, crew Soyuz missions, and supporting astronauts with flight assignments. She also commanded the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations project, or NEEMO 15 underwater mission. “I had always known I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up, but looking back on the past 38 years, I never would have imagined how many adventures my career would take me on,” said Walker. “I feel fortunate to have been able to work with people all over the world in the pursuit of space exploration. I have seen a lot of change in the evolution of human spaceflight, and I know the future is in good hands with all the talented people we have here and the generations yet to come.” The Houston native attended Rice University in her hometown, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, followed by a master’s degree and doctorate in space physics. Learn more about how NASA explores the unknown and innovates for the benefit of humanity at: https://www.nasa.gov/ -end- Chelsey Ballarte Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 Chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov
strong>ST. LOUIS – Disaster Recovery Centers in St. Louis City and St. Louis County will have new operating hours beginning this Sunday, July 13 to assist residents and businesses affected by the May 16 disaster. All locations will be closed on Sundays. St. Louis City Locations
LOCATIONS HOURS OF OPERATION
Urban League Entrepreneurship and Women’s Business Center 4401 Natural Bridge Ave.St. Louis, MO 63115 Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday: Closed
Sumner High School — Parking Lot4248 Cottage Ave.St. Louis, MO 63113 Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday: Closed
Union Tabernacle M.B. Church626 N. Newstead Ave.St. Louis, MO 63108 Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday: Closed
St. Louis County Locations
LOCATIONS HOURS OF OPERATION
St. Louis County LibraryMid-County Branch7821 Maryland Ave.Clayton, MO 63105 Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Sunday: Closed
St. Louis County LibraryPrairie Commons Branch915 Utz Ln.Hazelwood, MO 63042 Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Sunday: Closed
You can visit any Disaster Recovery Center, no matter where you are staying now.At all locations, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will help impacted residents with their disaster assistance applications, answer questions, and upload required documents. To save time, please apply for FEMA assistance before coming to a Disaster Recovery Center. Apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362. If you are unable to apply online or by phone, someone at the Disaster Recovery Center can assist you. The FEMA application deadline for the May 16 disaster is August 11, 2025. If your home or personal property sustained damage not covered by insurance, FEMA may be able to provide money to help you pay for home repairs, a temporary place to live, and replace essential personal property that was destroyed.
What you need to know: Californians are strongly encourage to us state and local resources to protect themselves from heat illness as triple digit temperatures move across our state.
SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom is encouraging Californians to prepare for dangerous heat throughout California, and smoky conditions in the far northern part of the state, today through early next week.
The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories in many portions of the state on Friday and Saturday, extending through Sunday in parts of the Central Valley. In Northern California, areas west of Redding are under Extreme Heat Warnings due to triple digit temperatures that are expected to linger into the first part of next week. Air quality will also be impacted due to smoke from several wildfires burning in remote California and Oregon locations.
“As temperatures soar across our state, I urge Californians to take precautions and utilize state and local resources to protect from dangerous heat illness and unhealthy air.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
CalHeatScore map results from Friday, July 11, 2025
The recently launched CalHeatScore heat-ranking tool indicates much of northern and central California will be impacted by moderate to severe heat conditions through Monday, with some areas feeling the heat through Wednesday. Residents can check their area by zip code for local conditions.
Here are a few tips and considerations for Californians – especially those with access and functional needs, children, and older residents – to stay safe from heat and reduce health risks:
Have a heat plan
Monitor weather forecasts and advisories to know when excessive heat is expected and how long it’s expected to last. Create a heat plan and encourage others to stay safe during a heat event.
Keep cool
Visit a local cooling center or air-conditioned space, such as a library, community center or shopping center. If you’re unable to travel or find an air-conditioned space, consider the following at home:
Close windows, doors, shades and curtains to prevent hot air and sunlight from entering your home during high heat days.
Place a cool, damp towel on the back of your neck and wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothes.
Use cool compresses and take a cool shower or bath to help reduce body temperature and provide relief from the heat.
Use your support networks
Identify individuals in your life, such as family, friends and neighbors, who could help support you during heat events.
Remember, creating an emergency preparedness plan based on your personal needs is critical to ensure you and your loved ones remain safe during an emergency.
Sign up for alerts and notifications
Sign up for emergency alerts with your county or local officials. You can choose how to get alerts sent to you when you sign up, including cell phone, home phone, email, text messages and, in some cases, TTY devices.
Sign up for a medical baseline program, an assistance program for people who depend on power for certain medical needs. Participation is important to ensure you receive additional notification of current or upcoming power shutoff events, which may occur during extreme heat events.
Press releases, Recent news
Recent news
Jul 11, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is announcing that the California Employment Development Department is awarding $11 million to help six California organizations connect underserved adults — including veterans, people with disabilities, and at-risk young…
Jul 11, 2025
News What you need to know: As part of California’s strategy to combat homelessness and expand housing, Governor Gavin Newsom is reorganizing state agencies to institutionalize housing, homelessness, and affordability as long-term priorities. The reorganization…
Jul 10, 2025
News What you need to know: To help mark Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, the First Partner visits an apprenticeship program that is helping opportunity youth—including women of color—break into careers in Hollywood’s below-the-line workforce. LOS ANGELES—First Partner…
DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: Hawai’i Tourism Authority Advisory Board Applications Open
Posted on Jul 11, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom
STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI
JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ANDTOURISM
KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI
JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA
DIRECTOR
KA LUNA HOʻOKELE
HAWAI‘I TOURISM AUTHORITY ADVISORY BOARD APPLICATIONS OPEN
State Boards and Commissions Seeking Applicants
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2025
HONOLULU – The state of Hawai‘i Office of Boards and Commissions is seeking individuals interested in serving on the advisory board for the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), a state agency administratively attached to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).
Per Act 132, the HTA shall be headed by an advisory board of directors that shall consist of 12 members including at least one representative each from the city and county of Honolulu and the counties of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i and Maui. At least six members shall have knowledge, experience and expertise in the area of accommodations, transportation, retail, entertainment, or attractions, and at least one member shall represent a tourism-impacted entity. At least one member appointed by the Governor shall have knowledge, experience and expertise in the area of Hawaiian cultural practices. Members appointed by the Governor are subject to advice and consent of the state Senate.
Interested applicants are invited to apply online through the Governor’s boards and commissions portal (https://boards.hawaii.gov/apply/apply-for-a-board/).
About the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is the state agency responsible for representing the Hawaiian Islands around the world — and for holistically managing tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with community desires, economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources and visitor industry needs. HTA works with the community and industry to mālama Hawaiʻi — care for our beloved home. For more information about HTA, visit hawaiitourismauthority.org or follow @HawaiiHTA on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and X.
About the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
DBEDT is Hawai‘i’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, as well as foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawai‘i economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawai‘i’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments and promotes innovation-sector job growth.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Laci Goshi
Communications Officer
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, State of Hawai‘i
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, June 14 — Army special operations troops of China and Serbia will carry out Peace Guardian 2025 joint training in North China’s Hebei Province in the second half of July, said Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, at a press briefing on Monday.
“This will be the first joint training between Chinese and Serbian militaries. It will help strengthen combat capabilities of participating troops and deepen cooperation between the two militaries,” he stated.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, July 14 — “The Young Leaders Conference of China-Africa Peace and Security Forum will be held in China’s Nanjing City from July 15 to 19, with about 90 mid-and-senior-level military officers from over 40 African countries attending,” said Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, at a press briefing on Monday.
According to the spokesperson, the Conference is hosted by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense and organized by the Chinese PLA Army Command College. With the theme of Building Peace Together for the Future, the Conference is aimed at implementing the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and further boosting consensus, solidarity and cooperation between China and African countries on peace and security, so as to facilitate the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
Headline: Verizon donates $10,000 to aid New Mexico flood relief, benefit local nonprofit
RUIDOSO, N.M – As a New Mexico mountain community begins to clean up following a devastating flash flood, Verizon is supporting relief efforts in the community with a $10,000 donation to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County. This New Mexico-based organization provides resources for local residents and this donation will go towards their shelter fund to provide assistance with temporary housing and repairs.
“We are here for the Ruidoso community, our hearts break for the lives that were lost and the families they leave behind,” said Aimee Novak, Mountain Market President at Verizon. “Our teams have been committed to helping New Mexico residents during recent natural disasters, from supporting first responders during recent wildfires to aiding current flooding recovery efforts through this donation.”
New Mexico’s governor issued a State of Emergency but despite the recent destruction, Verizon’s network remains operational.
Verizon supported community and first responders during previous wildfires
According to officials, recent wildfires and burn scars contributed to the flooding. Verizon supported public safety officials during last year’s wildfires in Ruidoso and the surrounding area by deploying several temporary assets to aid first responders with critical communications. Verizon has a fleet of more than 550 mobile assets ready to rapidly deploy and deliver essential services during natural disasters like the wildfires in New Mexico.
Satellite communication provides critical connectivity during disasters
Disasters like this are a good reminder that when services are impacted by severe weather or people find themselves in very remote areas, satellite communication is now a crucial option. Customers with select Android and iOS devices on any Verizon myPlan can access satellite messaging and emergency SOS features, including location detection, for free. To learn more about satellite messaging: https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/.
Headline: Verizon donates $10,000 to aid New Mexico flood relief, benefit local nonprofit
RUIDOSO, N.M – As a New Mexico mountain community begins to clean up following a devastating flash flood, Verizon is supporting relief efforts in the community with a $10,000 donation to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County. This New Mexico-based organization provides resources for local residents and this donation will go towards their shelter fund to provide assistance with temporary housing and repairs.
“We are here for the Ruidoso community, our hearts break for the lives that were lost and the families they leave behind,” said Aimee Novak, Mountain Market President at Verizon. “Our teams have been committed to helping New Mexico residents during recent natural disasters, from supporting first responders during recent wildfires to aiding current flooding recovery efforts through this donation.”
New Mexico’s governor issued a State of Emergency but despite the recent destruction, Verizon’s network remains operational.
Verizon supported community and first responders during previous wildfires
According to officials, recent wildfires and burn scars contributed to the flooding. Verizon supported public safety officials during last year’s wildfires in Ruidoso and the surrounding area by deploying several temporary assets to aid first responders with critical communications. Verizon has a fleet of more than 550 mobile assets ready to rapidly deploy and deliver essential services during natural disasters like the wildfires in New Mexico.
Satellite communication provides critical connectivity during disasters
Disasters like this are a good reminder that when services are impacted by severe weather or people find themselves in very remote areas, satellite communication is now a crucial option. Customers with select Android and iOS devices on any Verizon myPlan can access satellite messaging and emergency SOS features, including location detection, for free. To learn more about satellite messaging: https://www.verizon.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/messages-via-satellite/.
Ahead of the appeal hearing of 13 people – among 45 individuals convicted in a mass trial last year of “conspiring to subvert state power” under Hong Kong’s National Security Law – Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:
“The Hong Kong 47 case stands as one of the most shocking examples of the crackdown on human rights in the city. This appeal hearing is a chance for the courts to start righting the wrongs of this unprecedented mass prosecution.
“Research findings we released earlier this month show that the vast majority of convictions under the National Security Law have targeted legitimate expression. It is appalling that Hong Kong courts could condone a crackdown that leaves more than 80% of defendants wrongfully languishing behind bars.
“This appeal is a pivotal test—not just for these 13 individuals, but for the future of freedom of expression in Hong Kong. Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong’s courts begin to restore the city’s global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest.”
Over the past six months, the headlines have been dominated by stories of fear, division and hatred.However, activists around the world are working away to ensure hope prevails. Here are some of the human rights wins we can be proud of from January to June 2025.
January
Afghanistan
In 2023, Amnesty International released a report on the Taliban’s war on women. Following its findings, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor filed a request for arrest warrants against the Taliban’s Supreme Leader and their Chief Justice, citing crimes against humanity.
The request charges the Taliban’s Supreme Leader and their Chief Justice for gender persecution against women, girls, and LGBTI people since their return to power in August 2021. Although the warrants are still subject to the approval of ICC judges these are the first public arrest warrants sought by the ICC in Afghanistan since the country became a member of the court in 2003.
Cameroon
Dorgelesse Nguessan was released on 16 January after spending more than four years in prison for participating in a protest. The hairdresser and single mother had never been politically active yet joined a protest after growing concerned about the high cost of living. She was charged with insurrection, tried by a military court and sentenced to five years in prison on 7 December 2021.
I thank those who directly or indirectly work for your organization and contributed to my release.
Dorgelesse Nguessan
Dorgelesse was part of Amnesty International’s 2022 Write for Rights campaign, where thousands of supporters called for her release. Amnesty also provided short-term relief support to assist Dorgelesse and her family through the difficult moments of her detention. On 16 January, the Court of Appeal reduced her sentence.
“I thank you for all the efforts you have devoted as I was arbitrarily detained,” said Dorgelesse. “I thank those who directly or indirectly work for your organization and contributed to my release.”
Chile
On 2 January, two police [Carabineros] officers were sentenced to prison for shooting activist Renzo Inostroza and blinding him in one eye. The court concluded that their actions violated both Chile’s national regulations and international obligations. This conviction set a judicial precedent in the struggle to ensure the Chilean justice system pursues criminal responsibility for the unlawful actions of the Carabineros. This conviction follows Amnesty’s landmark Eyes on Chile report, which analyzed patterns and individual cases of police violence during the social unrest that broke out in Chile in October 2019. Renzo’s case was part of the report.
Saudi Arabia
From January to February, Amnesty successfully campaigned for the release of several human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. On 7 January, human rights defender and former prisoner of conscience, Mohammed al-Qahtani, was conditionally released after spending 12 years in prison for his human rights work. On 13 February, 47-year-old teacher Asaad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi was released from prison following an unfair trial before the notorious Specialized Criminal Court (SCC). Asaad was arrested in 2022 and initially sentenced to 20 years in prison for social media posts criticizing the government’s Vision 2030 programme. On 10 February 2025, Leeds University PhD student and mother of two, Salma al-Shehab, was released from prison after completing a four-year prison term following an unfair trial before the SCC. Following a grossly unfair trial, the SCC had convicted Salma al-Shehab of terrorism-related offences for publishing tweets in support of women’s rights.
USA
The United States sanctioned a number of companies involved in the transfer of weapons into Sudan and Darfur. These sanctions follow Amnesty’s innovative briefing, published in July 2024, that combined business trade data and video analysis to show how the constant import of foreign-manufactured arms into Sudan was fuelling relentless civilian suffering.
Amnesty International members long campaigned for the release of Native American activist Leonard Peltier and most recently called on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency on humanitarian grounds and as a matter of justice.
USA
Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist, was imprisoned for nearly 50 years in the USA for a crime he maintains he did not commit. There were serious concerns about the fairness of his trial and conviction. Tribal Nations, Nobel Peace Laureates, former FBI agents, numerous others, and even the former U.S. Attorney, James Reynolds, whose office handled the prosecution, have called for Leonard Peltier’s release. Amnesty International members had long campaigned for his release, and most recently called on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency on humanitarian grounds and as a matter of justice. In the final hour of his presidency, former President Biden commuted Peltier’s life sentence to home confinement. Amnesty recently offered him short-term relief support as he works to rebuild his life after his release.
February
Algeria
Thanks to sustained advocacy work from Amnesty International Algeria and several national women’s rights organizations, Algeria’s president Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a series of concrete measures to combat violence against women – moving from commitment to action.
The Ministry of Solidarity has since launched a national toll-free helpline, available 24/7 across the country, enabling victims to report abuse, be referred to appropriate support services, and receive emergency assistance when in danger. It is already proving effective. A Guide for Women Victims of Violence has been published in Arabic and English and is currently being distributed nationwide. New legal measures, including the possibility of issuing an immediate restraining order against perpetrators of violence, have also been announced.
Benin
Thousands of Beninese families living in coastal areas have been living an endless nightmare, victims of forced evictions orchestrated in the name of tourism development. However, in February the authorities issued a public call for people awaiting proper compensation to come forward so their case can be followed up. The National Agency for Land and Property’s direct also asked Amnesty International for a list of people who have not received appropriate reparations.
The move follows the release of an Amnesty International report on forced evictions in Benin in December 2023 and a subsequent campaign calling for proper compensation for those who have been unfairly evicted, which proved vital in securing this positive outcome.
Thank you all very much. Without your help, we could not have saved my husband.
Zaynura Hasan
Amnesty International had been campaigning for his freedom since he was initially detained in July 2021. Zaynura Hasan, Idris’ wife, thanked the organization for the relentless support.
“Thank you all very much. Without your help, we could not have saved my husband.”
Serbia
Recent research by Amnesty International’s Security Lab and European Regional Office documented how Serbian police and intelligence authorities are using advanced phone spyware alongside mobile phone forensic products to unlawfully target journalists, environmental activists and other individuals in a covert surveillance campaign.
In a significant human rights win, Cellebrite (a company specialising in digital intelligence and forensics) announced it will stop the use of its digital forensic equipment for some of its customers in Serbia as a direct result of Amnesty’s research. Simultaneously, Serbia’s Prosecutor for High Technological Crime, the Ombudsman and Data Protection Commissioner started separate investigations based on the research findings.
Senegal
In a positive step forward, the Senegalese government invited Amnesty International to provide support and assistance for people who have been arrested for participating in protests, as well as former detainees.
Since 2021, Amnesty International has denounced the unlawful use of force by security forces during protests, compiled a list of those who have been killed, and condemned the arbitrary detention of hundreds of people for having called for or participated in protests. According to figures gathered by Amnesty International and other civil society organizations, at least 65 people were killed, the majority by firearms, with at least 1,000 wounded. A further 2,000 people were arrested.
Amnesty International continues to call for the repeal of the amnesty law adopted by the former government, for justice and reparation for the victims and their family members.
Taner Kılıç, a refugee rights lawyer and former Chair of Amnesty International’s Türkiye section, was finally acquitted after nearly eight years of judicial proceedings.
Türkiye
Taner Kılıç, a refugee rights lawyer and former Chair of Amnesty International’s Türkiye section, was finally acquitted after nearly eight years of judicial proceedings.
Arrested in June 2017 and imprisoned for over 14 months, he was unjustly convicted in 2020 despite no credible evidence. He faced more than six years in prison for “membership of a terrorist organization”. Amnesty provided relief support to him and his family as they navigated the difficulty of his imprisonment.
Reflecting on the case, Taner said: “This nightmare that has gone on for almost eight years is finally over… The only thing I was sure of throughout this process was that I was right and innocent, and the support from all over the world gave me strength. I thank each and every one who stood up for me.”
In a landmark ruling, Brazilian actor Juan Darthés was found guilty for the rape of Argentinian actress Thelma Fardin. Amnesty provided legal and psychosocial support to Thelma.
Latin America
In a landmark ruling for women’s rights in Latin America, a Brazilian court convicted actor Juan Darthés of sexual violence against Argentine actress Thelma Fardin, who accused him in 2018 of abusing her when she was 16. Amnesty provided support for transport related costs, and psychosocial support for Thelma throughout her case. The sentence sets an important precedent for sexual violence cases in the region.
After a five-year legal battle across three countries, Thelma stated: “Today I can look my 16-year-old self in the eye and say we did it.”
Philippines
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by police on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.
Thousands of people, mostly from poor and marginalized communities, were unlawfully killed by the police – or by armed individuals suspected to have links to the police – during Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs”. Amnesty has been calling for his arrest for a number of years and described it as “a long-awaited and monumental step for justice”. He is now due to stand trial at the ICC.
Sierra Leone
Hawa Hunt, a reality TV star, was freed from detention on 4 March and cleared of all the cybercrime related charges against her. She was arrested on live television in December 2024 and charged with insulting the President and First Lady in a social media video.
Amnesty International called on authorities to release her and to ensure her rights were upheld.
Her daughter Alicia said: “In one of the very few phone calls I was able to have with my mother as she was in jail, I told her how Amnesty International spoke up for her. She and our whole family were very touched by the support. We believe it played a very key role in her being released.”
Since May 1995, the Saturday Mothers have held peaceful weekly protests demanding justice for relatives forcibly disappeared in the eighties and nineties.
Türkiye
Since May 1995, the Saturday Mothers have held regular peaceful protests at Galatasaray Square every Saturday, demanding justice for relatives forcibly disappeared in the eighties and nineties. Their 700th vigil on 25 August 2018 was banned and violently dispersed by police using tear gas and water cannons.
Forty-six people were detained and later released, but in 2020, they were prosecuted for “attending illegal meetings and marches without weapons and not dispersing despite warnings”.
Thanks to the determination of the Saturday Mothers and their supporters – including Amnesty International who provided legal aid – all were acquitted in March 2025.
USA
On March 17, US immigration authorities detained Alberto, the father of a Venezuelan family of four, separating him from his wife and two children. Despite the family having pending asylum applications, he was charged with “illegal” entry to the United States. His case was an example of the Trump administration’s use of a provision of immigration law to target individuals and families that have been in the United States for years, rather than recent arrivals at the US-Mexico border. On April 21, 2025, Alberto was granted bond and released from ICE detention, following calls from Amnesty International and reunited with his wife and two children.
May
Chile
Romario Veloz was shot and killed by an army captain during social unrest in La Serena, Chile, in 2019. The police officer who shot Romario Veloz was imprisoned in May 2025 – setting a precedent in cases of human rights violations committed by state agents. Despite the victory, widespread impunity for police violence continues. Romario was also part of Amnesty’s Eyes on Chile investigation (2020). Amnesty provided support to Romario’s young child, helping her access education as well as covering the legal expenses for the family’s quest to seek justice.
Alongside the report, Amnesty was part of the Advisory Unit for Police Reform, wrote letters to the Chilean president and gave numerous media interviews on police violence. Amnesty Chile’s relentless campaigning paid off and helped to stop the implementation of the use of tasers by Chilean police forces.
Côte d’Ivoire
On 7 May, Ghislain Duggary Assy, Communications Secretary of the Movement of Teachers for the Dignity Dynamic union, was provisionally released pending his trial, due to international pressure from Amnesty International. A month earlier, he had been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment solely for having called for strike action in primary and secondary schools.
Amnesty International condemned the flagrant violation of workers’ rights, in particular the right to strike and freedom of association and will continue to call for his unconditional release.
Greece
Two years ago, the Pylos shipwreck led to the death of more than 600 people. Now, 17 Greek coastguard officers face charges in connection with it, including causing a shipwreck, exposure to danger and failure to provide assistance. These developments may pave the way towards accountability for the worst shipwreck in the Mediterranean in recent years.
Amnesty has been calling for justice through sustained advocacy and campaigning.
Türkiye
Afghan asylum seeker Tabriz Saifi is blind due to chronic diabetes and relies on dialysis three times a week. However, his international protection application was rejected by the Turkish authorities on 28 February, which meant he no longer had access to life-saving healthcare. Amnesty International immediately launched an urgent action, calling for the decision to be reversed.
On 2 May, his family was informed that the decision had been reversed and that his asylum seeker status had been reinstated, along with full access to free healthcare.
Girls and women support the right to abortion in Argentina.
Argentina
An Argentine private health insurer was fined over $4,000 USD for denying a legal abortion to a woman whose pregnancy posed serious health risks — a clear violation of the country’s reproductive rights law.
Amnesty International Argentina provided legal advice and stressed that rulings like this reinforce the need to guarantee access to legal abortion as a right, not an exception subject to individual or institutional discretion.
Council of Europe
Following sustained advocacy by Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation, the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) adopted a report on measures against the trade in goods used for death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Georgia
After months of public pressure, protests and legal action, the Georgian Ministry of Justice announced it would end the humiliating practice of fully stripping detainees during body searches.
The decision followed a lawsuit from the Public Defender in February, a report from Amnesty International condemning the practice as degrading and unlawful, as well as a video featuring Georgian artist and activist Kristina Botkoveli, who was subjected to a forced strip search, harassment, and threats after participating in protests.
Following calls from Amnesty International and other organizations, the revised Sámi Parliament Act has now been approved by the Finnish parliament.
Finland
The Sámi are a group of Indigenous people that come from the region of Sápmi, which stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in Russia.
For a number of years, they have been subjected to human rights violations. However, following calls from Amnesty International and other organizations, the revised Sámi Parliament Act has now been approved by the Finnish parliament.
The amended Act strengthens Indigenous Sámi people’s right to self-determination and improves the way in which the Sámi Parliament operates. It also corrects human rights violations highlighted by international human rights treaty bodies.
Hungary
On 28 June, Budapest Pride proceeded despite restrictive anti-Pride laws and police targeting the march. Around 200,000 people, including over 280 Amnesty International activists and staff from Hungary and 22 other countries, peacefully demanded equality and assembly rights. This was Budapest’s largest Pride in 30 years, symbolizing strong public resistance to discrimination and highlighting the resilience of Hungary’s LGBTI community. Amnesty’s Let Pride March campaign helped raise awareness, mobilize activists, and urged police to respect peaceful protest. With over 120,000 global actions supporting the event – it demonstrated that solidarity can overcome oppression, though challenges for LGBTI rights in Hungary persist.
Activists and speakers – including King Okabi of the Ogale community – call for an end to Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta and compensation outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, on day one of the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial, 13 February 2025.
Nigeria/UK
After a decade-long fight for justice, a UK court ruled that Shell can be held liable for the oil spills and leaks it has failed to clean up in the Niger Delta – regardless of how long ago they happened.
The judgement is an important step towards justice for communities in the Niger Delta and a vital opportunity to make Shell pay for the devastating pollution it has caused to the Ogale and Bille communities’ lands.
In parallel with this decision, the Nigerian government also pardoned the Ogoni Nine. The group of activists, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, Nigerian author and campaigner, were executed 30 years ago by a government that wanted to hide the crimes of Shell and other oil companies that were destroying the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the Niger Delta.
Amnesty has been supporting and campaigning for justice for the Ogoni Nine for years and documenting the destruction Shell has left behind through a series of powerful reports. While these are positive outcomes, much more needs to be done to ensure justice is achieved for communities in the Niger Delta, including holding Shell and other oil companies to account for the damage they have done and continue to do – and Amnesty will be there every step of the way!
Ukraine
On 24 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset signed an agreement establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine in Strasbourg, following calls from Amnesty International and others. It is hoped this will help hold perpetrators of the crime of aggression accountable.
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University, was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University.
USA
On March 9, US immigration authorities unlawfully arrested and arbitrarily detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist, lawful permanent resident of the USA, and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University. Mahmoud was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University, where he was exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. He was not charged with a crime yet was held in a detention centre, told that his permanent residency status was “revoked”, and placed in deportation proceedings. Amnesty International demanded that authorities release Mahmoud immediately and respect his rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and due process. After 104 days in a Louisiana immigration detention centre, Mahmoud Khalil was released on bail in June 21, however he’s still facing threats of deportation by US authorities. He has since filed a $20 million USD lawsuit against the Trump administration.
“The Hong Kong 47 case stands as one of the most shocking examples of the crackdown on human rights in the city. This appeal hearing is a chance for the courts to start righting the wrongs of this unprecedented mass prosecution.
“Research findings we released earlier this month show that the vast majority of convictions under the National Security Law have targeted legitimate expression. It is appalling that Hong Kong courts could condone a crackdown that leaves more than 80% of defendants wrongfully languishing behind bars.
“This appeal is a pivotal test – not just for these 13 individuals, but for the future of freedom of expression in Hong Kong. Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong’s courts begin to restore the city’s global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest.”
Dramatic deterioration of human rights
In Hong Kong’s largest prosecution under the National Security Law, which came into force in June 2020,47 opposition figures were jointly chargedwith “conspiracy to commit subversion”. Thirty-one of the 47 pleaded guilty to the charge while 16 pleaded not guilty, two of whom were acquitted.
On 14 July, Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal will hear the appeal of 13 of those convicted. In the same hearing, Hong Kong’s Department of Justice will also appeal against the acquittal of one of the defendants, Lawrence Lau.The charges against the ‘Hong Kong 47’ relate to their organisation and participation in self-organised ‘primaries’ for the 2020 Legislative Council elections that were ultimately postponed by authorities on Covid-19 grounds before the Chinese government brought in a new electoral system that strictly vetted who could stand for office.
Research published last month by Amnestyon the fifth anniversary of the National Security Law’s enactment, found that more than 80% of people convicted under the law have been wrongly criminalised and should never have been charged in the first place.Human rights in Hong Kong have deteriorated dramaticallysince 2020, with Amnesty identifying more than 250 people arrested for violating the National Security Law or a colonial-era “sedition” law.Last year, the Hong Kong parliament itself enacted further national security legislation – the so-called ‘Article 23’ law – whichhas further deepened repression and silenced opposition voices in the city.
Global warming has picked up pace since around 2010, leading to the recent string of record warm years. Why this is happening is still unclear, and among the biggest questions in climate science today. Our new study reveals that reductions in air pollution – particularly in China and east Asia – are a key reason for this faster warming.
Cleanup of sulphur emissions from global shipping has been implicated in past research. But that cleanup only began in 2020, so it’s considered too weak to explain the full extent of this acceleration. Nasa researchers have suggested that changes in clouds could play a role, either through reductions in cloud cover in the tropics or over the North Pacific.
One factor that has not been well quantified, however, is the effect of monumental efforts by countries in east Asia, notably China, to combat air pollution and improve public health through strict air quality policies. There has already been a 75% reduction in east Asian sulphur dioxide emissions since around 2013, and that cleanup effort picked up pace just as global warming began accelerating.
Our study addresses the link between east Asian air quality improvements and global temperature, building on the efforts of eight teams of climate modellers across the world.
We have found that polluted air may have been masking the full effects of global warming. Cleaner air could now be revealing more of the human-induced global warming from greenhouse gases.
In addition to causing millions of premature deaths, air pollution shields the Earth from sunlight and therefore cools the surface. There has been so much air pollution that it has held human-induced warming in check by up to 0.5°C over the last century.
With the cleanup of air pollution, something that’s vital for human health, this artificial sunshade is removed. Since greenhouse gas emissions have kept on increasing, the result is that the Earth’s surface is warming faster than ever before.
Modelling the cleanup
Our team used 160 computer simulations from eight global climate models. This enabled us to better quantify the effects that east Asian air pollution has on global temperature and rainfall patterns. We simulated a cleanup of pollution similar to what has happened in the real world since 2010. We found an extra global warming of around 0.07°C.
While this is a small number compared with the full global warming of around 1.3°C since 1850, it is still enough to explain the recent acceleration in global warming when we take away year-to-year swings in temperature from natural cycles such as El Niño, a climate phenomenon in the Pacific that affects weather patterns globally.
Based on long-term trends, we would have expected around 0.23°C of warming since 2010. However, we actually measured around 0.33°C. While the additional 0.1°C can largely be explained by the east Asian air pollution cleanup, other factors include the change in shipping emissions and the recent accelerated increase in methane concentrations in the atmosphere.
Air pollution causes cooling by reflecting sunlight or by changing the properties of clouds so they reflect more sunlight. The cleanup in east Asian air pollution influences global temperatures because it reduces the shading effect of the pollution over east Asia itself. It also means less pollution is blown across the north Pacific, causing clouds in the east Pacific to reflect less sunlight.
The pattern of these changes across the North Pacific simulated in our models matches that seen in satellite observations. Our models and temperature observations also show relatively strong warming over the North Pacific, downwind from east Asia.
The main source of global warming is still greenhouse gas emissions, and a cleanup of air pollution was both necessary and overdue. This did not cause the additional warming but rather, removed an artificial cooling that has for a time helped shield us from some of the extreme weather and other well-established consequences of climate change.
Global warming will continue for decades. Indeed, our past and future emissions of greenhouse gases will affect the climate for centuries. However, air pollution is quickly removed from the atmosphere, and the recent acceleration in global warming from this particular unmasking may therefore be short-lived.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Laura Wilcox receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.
Bjørn H. Samset receives funding from the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.
Last year we know that we fell short of expectations in some areas of The Darley Park Weekender. We want you to know that we’ve listened, that your feedback is valued, and that we’ve committed to making changes to improve the customer experience.
Your safety and enjoyment are our top priorities at The Darley Park Weekender. To ensure a secure and fun experience for everyone, including other park users, we have important safety measures and restrictions in place.
You said: Queues were slow at the event entrance on Sunday, and the increased security checks seemed excessive. We did: We’ll have more security lanes open during peak times to keep delays to a minimum. There’s entertainment on stage as soon as the gates open, so please consider getting here earlier on, when queues should be shorter to minimise your wait.
You said: Security at the event entrance asked for the contents of flasks and kids juice bottles to be poured away. We did: Whilst we can’t allow filled flasks and unsealed soft drinks on site, we are providing access to hot water for you to fill your flasks on site, as well as our usual provision of cold water, all available for free. Empty plastic bottles or sealed soft drinks are still allowed. If you need to bring unsealed baby milk/formula please contact us ahead of the event.
You said: Bar queues were long and slow, some of you missed getting back to see acts on stage. We did: We’ve got bigger bars, more serving points, and cocktails (which can take longer to make) will be available from separate serving points.
You said: The Sunday fireworks display was poor, not as good as previous years. We did: We are investing in improved pyrotechnics for this year’s display.
You said: No trolleys were allowed on site and there was no trolley park outside the entrance. We did: Whilst we can’t admit trolleys to the site, we will have a trolley park outside the event entrance, to allow transportation of items for those who need it. Please note trolleys are left at your own risk. We understand some people may need assistance. If you have specific access needs, including the use of a trolley or other aid, please email us before the event at derbylive@derby.gov.uk. We’ll assess each request individually and do our best to help. We also have an access entrance and wheelchair platform that allows for customers to have an improved view of the stage and hard-standing access to the site.
You said: Water ran out on wash bays near the toilets. We did: We will ensure they are more regularly checked, cleaned and have water available.
You said: Some of you felt sound was poor on Sunday and you couldn’t hear from the zones furthest away from the stage. We did: Sound technicians are aware of the cause of this issue and will adjust levels accordingly. We will also monitor sound levels at regular intervals throughout the concert.
Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said:
The Darley Park Weekender is one of Derby’s most exciting events, and we’re committed to making it the best and most enjoyable experience for everyone.
We’ve listened to your feedback from last year’s event, and our teams have worked hard to implement changes that will make a real difference. Come along and join us for an even better event this year!
The Darley Park Weekender is back for summer 2025, with three days of musical entertainment, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Darley Park.
80s Mix Tape returns on Fri 29 Aug with Bananarama, Haircut 100, The Fizz, Gary Davies and Cassette Roulette. Ultimate 90s follows on Sat 30 Aug, featuring poptastic icons Heather Small, East 17, 911, Damage, Mark Angels and Cassette Roulette. Rounding off the weekend on Sun 31 Aug is The Darley Park Concert, Derby’s annual spectacular evening of classical music, with Sinfonia Viva.
Save on tickets by buying in advance. Tickets bought in advance for 80s Mix Tape or Ultimate 90s are £27 for adults, £15 for children aged 5 -15 and under 5s are free. Tickets bought on the day are £38 for adults. £15 for ages 5-15 with under 5s free. Tickets bought in advance for The Darley Park Concert are £6 for adults and £3 for children aged 1 -15. Tickets bought on the day are £11 for adults and £6 for ages 1-15.
New for 2025, are VIP Darley Garden experience tickets. Enjoy access to our exclusive VIP area which has it’s own bar, toilets and a great view of the main stage. You can also beat the queues with your own fast track entry! VIP tickets for 80s Mix Tape or Ultimate 90s are £65, VIP tickets for The Darley Park Concert are £30.
Historic peatlands at the heart of the Industrial Revolution to become New National Nature Reserve
Network of 11 nature abundant lowland peat sites in between Liverpool and Manchester to become a King’s Series National Nature Reserve.
Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss NNR
Site is home to vast peatland habitats, lizards, adder, and curlew
New reserve falls on the doorstep of urban communities in Warrington and Greater Manchester, giving 2.7 million people the opportunity to access nature within 10 miles of their homes
Ten thousand years in the making and launched today (Monday 14 July), the new Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss National Nature Reserve will provide a destination for the people of Warrington and Greater Manchester to access nature-rich landscapes.
The newest addition under the King’s Series, this network of 11 sites from lowland raised bogs and fen, through to lowland heath, wet woodland and drier woodland habitats will be restored to provide homes for rare species, such as lapwings, curlew, sundew and adders.
After being at the centre of the industrial revolution, this area is becoming a leading example of nature recovery, through the restoration of some of our most important and precious habitats.
The peatlands in this area were created over a period of 10,000 years, since the last Ice Age, and now heavily degraded. Peatlands are a hugely important part of England’s natural environment. They act as the country’s lungs, storing more carbon than any other type of landscape, as well as holding huge amounts of water and preventing flooding around them. However, more than 80% of England’s peatlands are damaged, dried out or degraded with the majority of England’s lowland peat being intensively farmed.
These internationally important lowland peat habitats, which are over an area the size of 750 professional rugby pitches or 25 Trafford Centres, are being restored. This will help mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect the security and prosperity of communities in Warrington and Greater Manchester.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:
“This part of England led the world in industrial innovation and today it shows leadership in Nature recovery. Nature is vital for our health, wealth and security and this new reserve reveals the huge potential for meeting modern challenges through natural solutions. Spending time outdoors in natural settings is great for mental and physical wellbeing, the services provided by nature help prevent flooding, catch carbon and benefits the local economy.
“Supporting nature around urban areas creates better places to live and work, and this new reserve will allow the millions of people who live near it to experience nature at its best.”
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:
“This beautiful landscape will now have the chance to recover and thrive, after centuries of damage, providing wonderful wild spaces for local people to enjoy.
“This Government is committed to turning the tide on nature’s decline after years of neglect as part of our plan for change. New National Nature Reserves deliver on our promise to improve access to nature and protect nature-rich habitats, such as peatlands.”
The deep lowland peat within this National Nature Reserve was degraded through drainage and peat cutting, damage which accelerated during the industrial revolution. The renowned engineer and ‘Father of Railways’ George Stephenson built a ‘floating’ railway line in 1830 through Chat Moss, between Liverpool and Manchester, the first intercity railway line in the world.
This made the region a trailblazer in nineteenth century industrial innovation, with the world-famous Stephenson’s Rocket travelling on the line, but also saw much of the peatland being opened to drainage. Now, the North West is following up its role as a leader in industry by taking the lead on nature recovery in this iconic landscape.
This is the 10th reserve to be launched as part of the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves, which will leave a lasting public legacy for people and nature with 25 new National Nature Reserves by 2027.
The new reserve, within the Great Manchester Wetlands, sits between the National Nature Reserves of Rostherne Mere to the south, the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh to the north, and links to the Bollin to Mersey Nature Recovery Project, creating a recovering network of wetland and woodland across the region.
The new reserve will be managed by Natural England, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Forestry England, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, Warrington Borough Council, Wigan Council and Woodland Trust.
This collaboration will enable the seven partners to join under one common purpose to enhance nature’s recovery, enhance climate resilience and Net Zero efforts providing vital wild greenspace, creating a network of bigger, better, joined-up wildlife-rich places.
The launch of this latest reserve in the King’s Series comes as part of a wider effort to drive forward nature recovery in the region. Based across 11 sites, the reserve is in the heart of the Great Manchester Wetlands, a 480 km2 nature recovery partnership restoring the wetlands of Salford, Warrington and Wigan.
Restoration work has been taking place at some of the sites since the 1980s, but this has accelerated since 2010 with the creation of the Great Manchester Wetlands Partnership. The programme has shown benefits for nature and people in the peatland landscape are possible over a short space in time.
The sites demonstrate a full range of lowland peat restoration from recently acquired arable/horticultural fields (Natural England’s Moss Side Farm) to former industrial and hand-cut peat extraction sites. There are bog and fen habitats in the early stages of recovery through to internationally protected lowland raised bog.
The new reserve will drive ongoing recovery of this landscape through a joined up approach to restoration, access and research. This will further support the net zero ambition of by Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the three Local Authorities of Salford, Warrington and Wigan.
QUOTES PACK
Warrington Borough Council Leader, Cllr Hans Mundry, said:
“It’s a great honour for Risley, Holcroft, and Chat Moss to receive this designation as a National Nature Reserve. It will strengthen our work, as partners, to protect the rich diversity of habitats and wildlife found here, including many rare species. At the same time, it will allow us to create more opportunities for people to discover and rediscover these beautiful, hidden landscapes and connect with nature and heritage.”
////
Paul Mosley, Regional Comms and Engagement Manager for the Woodland Trust said
“It’s a pleasure to be part of this new national nature reserve with our woodland sites at Gorse Covert Mounds, Pestfurlong Moss and New Moss Wood. Recent landscaping and habitat management works at these sites has really helped to improve their biodiversity for wildlife and for the benefit of people who come to enjoy these fantastic spaces. Being part of the NNR will help to protect them now and in the future which is a great collaborative achievement.”
////
Lancashire Wildlife Trust CEO, Tom Burditt, said:
“The peatlands are a hugely important for wildlife and for the environment – they were described as ‘the lungs of the UK’ by Tom Heap on Countryfile. So it’s only right that these mosses and the work that is being done to restore them receives this national recognition.”
////
Charlotte Harris, CEO, Cheshire Wildlife Trust
“The designation of the Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss National Nature Reserve marks a powerful moment for nature recovery in the North West. As a site owner at Holcroft Moss, we at Cheshire Wildlife Trust are proud to be part of this pioneering partnership — one that brings together landowners, communities, and conservation organisations under a shared vision for our landscape’s future.”
“This designation is more than a milestone — it’s a launchpad. It gives us a platform to secure long-term funding, engage more people, and embed nature recovery into local policy and planning. We thank Natural England and our partners for their leadership and look forward to delivering bold, landscape-scale impact in the years ahead.”
Reappointment of a non-lay member of the Legal Services Board
The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Habib Motani as a non-lay member of the Legal Services Board.
The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Habib Motani as a non-lay member of the Legal Services Board for four years from 18 April 2026.
Mr Motani qualified as a solicitor in 1980. He is a Consultant to Clifford Chance LLP having spent over 30 years as a partner in the firm’s banking and finance practice. He is a Visiting Professor at the School of Law at the University of Edinburgh. and a Trustee at: The British Institute of International and Comparative Law, the Institute of Ismaili Studies and The Aga Khan University (International) in the United Kingdom. He is also a member of the Steering Group of the Canary Wharf Multi-faith Chaplaincy.
The Legal Services Board (LSB) is the independent body overseeing the regulation of lawyers in England and Wales. Its goal is to reform and modernise the legal services marketplace by putting the interests of consumers at the heart of the system. It is independent of government and the legal profession and oversees the approved regulators, which themselves regulate lawyers.
The LSB also oversees the Office for Legal Complaints and its administration of the Legal Ombudsman scheme that resolves complaints about lawyers.
Appointments and reappointments are made, by the Lord Chancellor, under the Legal Services Act 2007 and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This reappointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Stakeholders engage in hands-on exercises using the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities to assess resilience levels and identify priority actions.
From 17 to 19 June 2025, Capricorn District Municipality in South Africa hosted a three-day workshop on Urban Risk-Informed Development Planning and Making Cities Resilient 2030. The training was jointly organized by the municipality, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Africa, under the GIZ Resilience Initiative Africa project.
Located in Limpopo Province, Capricorn faces multiple hazards such as floods, drought, wildfires, and heatwaves. This makes resilience planning not just relevant but critical. Through participatory exercises, government officials and local stakeholders worked to build their capacities and identify priority actions for disaster risk reduction (DRR).
Stakeholders were introduced to DRR frameworks to guide their understanding and action planning. This included a comprehensive orientation on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which emphasizes the need for a multi-hazard, multi-sectoral approach to managing disaster risk, and the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative, particularly its Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient. These frameworks served as the conceptual backbone for local resilience planning.
Participants were guided through the practical application of the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, a diagnostic tool designed to measure urban resilience across critical sectors. Stakeholders collectively reviewed Capricorn District’s resilience performance, identifying strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement. The assessment provided a baseline to inform strategic planning, resource prioritization, and future investments in resilience-building across the district.
” Resilience is not optional; it is essential. Through honest reflection and active collaboration, we can build inclusive, adaptive communities aligned with the Sendai Framework and the SDGs,” said Councillor Pemme Jossuf.
Stakeholders of the Urban Risk-Informed Development Planning workshop in Capricorn District Municipality
The assessment revealed that while foundational systems for disaster resilience are in place, several critical gaps still need to be addressed. These include the need for better integration of DRR in spatial planning, stronger financial mechanisms for resilience, safeguarding of natural ecosystem and the need for more inclusive engagement with at risk communities.
“Seeing our real scores motivates us to prioritize actions where they matter most. This is exactly the kind of systemic, practical work that sets a foundation for long-term resilience across the SADC region” shared Mr. Mpheehe Machaba, the executive manager for community services, Capricorn District Municipality.
The workshop emphasized the importance of inclusive risk-informed planning, integration of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in performance management, and the use of local knowledge to protect at risk communities. Special focus was placed on aligning local strategies with national policies and international frameworks like the Sendai Framework, SDG 11- Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 13- Climate Action, and South Africa’s DRM legislation.
“The Scorecard isn’t just a technical tool but a means through which cities understand where they are, where they need to go, and how to get there, ” said Carolyne Mengich, the associate programme management officer at UNDRR.
Breakout sessions encouraged collaborative reflection on risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for integrating resilience into development planning.
The final day of the workshop was dedicated to the co-creation of draft DRR Action Plans specifically tailored to the local context, risks, and institutional capacities of the Capricorn District. Building on the insights from the Scorecard assessment, participants identified priority actions across multiple sectors including coordination, infrastructure, social services, and information management and communication. Emphasis was placed on ensuring that the action plans were realistic, inclusive, and locally owned. There was broad consensus that effective implementation will require a phased approach, beginning with quick wins and capacity-building measures, followed by more resource-intensive structural interventions. Participants also recognized that sustained progress hinges on strong multi-stakeholder coordination, inclusive of government departments, local municipalities, civil society, the private sector, and technical partners. The Capricorn experience underscores how locally driven, globally informed resilience building can guide municipalities in South Africa and beyond.
A major stride was taken towards achieving the goals of the global “Early Warnings for All” initiative, when Seychelles hosted a national workshop to validate its framework for strengthening risk knowledge and Early Warning Systems (EWS). Amid rising climate threats, the three-day event emphasized inclusive disaster preparedness that would ensure that gender, disability, and other vulnerable groups are not overlooked.
Supported by UNDRR and the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative, the workshop brought together government agencies, and civil society to review gaps in the production, access, and use of risk information. Participants validated a draft “Framework and Capacity Building Plan” under Pillar 1: Disaster Risk Knowledge of Seychelles’ National EWS Roadmap, focused on improving understanding of hazards, vulnerabilities, and responsive action.
Speakers stressed the importance of accessible, disaggregated data. Marwess Gabriel, Public Relations Officer of the Seychelles Land Transport Agency, highlighted the need for reliable information to support response efforts, while Daniel Cetoupe, Chief Risk Management Officer of the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD) underlined the workshop’s goal; identifying gaps to build national resilience.
Tsitsi Magadza, Programme Management Officer of UNDRR reinforced that inclusive data drives inclusive decisions:
“Collecting gender-based and disability-inclusive risk information allows us to make decisions that support at risk groups.”
A key outcome was the rollout of the Inclusive Early Warning Systems Checklist, a tool to ensure gender and disability inclusion across all EWS pillars. Its application revealed progress in preparedness and response, but gaps in risk knowledge, particularly in involving at-risk groups in data collection remain.
Christine Winslow, founder of Ramp Up Rise Up, reflected on the need for training and inclusion of organizations for persons (OPDs) with disabilities in DRR:
“There’s a lot of training for me and other disability NGOs to do.”
Her reflection pointed to the importance of empowering OPDs with the tools and knowledge needed to contribute meaningfully to early warning and disaster risk reduction systems.
The workshop concluded with a commitment to national capacity building, improved data systems, inclusive communication strategies, and stronger cross-sector collaboration. It marked a crucial step forward in making sure that, in terms of DRR, no one is left behind.
In a pivotal step toward fortifying urban resilience in East Africa, Dar es Salaam City Council, in collaboration with United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the GIZ Resilience Initiative Africa (RIA), convened a workshop to strengthen local capacity for disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaption. Held at the historic Karimjee Hall, this three-day event, held from June 17th to 19th, 2025, brought together 25 stakeholders, including local government officials, development partners, civil society representatives, academia and the private sector.
The workshop successfully elevated the role of local governance in advancing risk-informed development and climate adaptation strategies. The efforts align with key global and regional frameworks, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The initiative also aligns with the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) Initiative, which supports cities to strengthen their resilience to climate and disaster risks.
Addressing urban vulnerability in a rapidly changing climate
With more than half of the global population now residing in urban areas—a figure expected to surpass 60% by 2030—rapid urbanization, climate variability, poverty, and insufficient planning have significantly heightened cities’ vulnerability to disasters. Dar es Salaam, specifically, is projected to grow into a mega city of more than 10 million people by 2030, intensifying challenges related to increased frequencies of floods and droughts, sea level rise and salinity affecting groundwater.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Amani Kavishe, Natural Resource Officer, Dar es Salaam City Council, underscored the urgent need for cities to adopt integrated approaches that not only address immediate hazards but also build long-term adaptive capacities.
“Building a resilient Dar es Salaam starts with how we plan and build today. If we do not integrate resilience into our infrastructure and policies now, we will continue to rebuild after every flood”said Mr. Kavishe. ‘”his workshop is a step forward towards smarter, safer urban development.”
Building local capacity with practical tools and preliminary assessment
A central component of the workshop involved extensive training on the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, a diagnostic tool that helps local authorities assess their resilience using the Ten Essentials of the MCR2030 initiative – which outline the steps that need to be taken to build urban resilience. As a co-organizer and a key facilitator, UNDRR provided essential technical capacity for the workshop.
Participants actively applied the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, with technical guidance provided by experts from UNDRR and GIZ. Through this practical exercise, they conducted a preliminary assessment of Dar es Salaam City Council’s current resilience status. The assessment process enabled participants to identify key strengths, critical gaps, and opportunities for improvement in the city’s disaster risk reduction efforts.
The workshop primarily focused on training participants on the use of the Scorecard and understanding its implications, laying groundwork for future strategy development.
A platform for knowledge exchange and commitment
The event served as more than a training; it was a forum for collaboration and exchange. Participants shared experiences, challenges, and innovations from their respective institutions, contributing to a rich dialogue on context-specific resilience building. The Resilience Initiative Africa (RIA)project, a partnership implemented by GIZ, in collaboration with UNDRR Regional Office for Africa, the African Union Commission (AUC), the SADC Secretariat, Slum Dwellers International and Africa Adaptation Initiative, reiterated its commitment to supporting inclusive and gender-responsive urban development that leaves no one behind.
Feedback from participants underscored the workshop’s impact. ‘”The workshop was highly informative, equipping us with crucial knowledge on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and practical strategies for implementing it in our community to enhance city resilience’”Carlos Mdemu from Mazingira Konekti (CSO).
In closing, the UNDRR representative underscored the importance of sustaining momentum beyond the workshop. Participants were encouraged to leverage the tools, partnerships, and knowledge gained to formulate actionable DRR strategies, and to utilize platforms such as the MCR2030 dashboard,which offers guidance, tools, and monitoring capabilities to help cities assess resilience, track progress, and connect with partners for,continued support and collaboration.
As cities like Dar es Salaam continue to grow, the imperative to integrate resilience thinking into all facets of planning has never been more urgent. Through strengthened institutional capacities and cross-sectoral cooperation, the workshop marks a significant milestone toward a safer, more resilient urban future for Tanzania and Africa.
India’s wholesale inflation slipped into negative territory for the first time in 2025, with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation falling to -0.13% in June, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday. The decline was primarily driven by a drop in food and fuel prices.
Food prices, which account for 24.38% of the WPI basket, fell 0.26% year-on-year, while fuel and power prices, comprising 13.15% of the index, dropped by 2.65% compared to June 2024.
On the other hand, manufactured products, which represent the largest share of the index at 64.23%, rose by 1.97% year-on-year. However, the pace of increase moderated, down from 2.04% in May and 2.62% in April.
This wholesale disinflation aligns with the recent moderation in retail inflation. Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation cooled to 2.82% in May, its lowest level since February 2019.
Responding to the softer inflation outlook, the RBI in its monetary policy review last month cut the repo rate by 50 basis points, from 6.0% to 5.5%, in a bid to stimulate economic growth.
Additionally, the central bank announced a phased reduction in the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), from 4% to 3%, to be implemented in four tranches of 25 basis points each.
With headline CPI well below the RBI’s medium-term target of 4%, the central bank also revised its inflation forecast for 2025–26 down from 4.0% to 3.7%.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)
MIAMI, FL –Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee, issued the following statement following the decision of President Trump and Secretary Rubio to sanction the anti-American Cuban dictatorship:
“Once again, President Trump demonstrates real American leadership by standing with the Cuban people and sanctioning the villainous regime operatives, including Díaz-Canel, who continue to brutally terrorize those who only demand freedom. Unlike the previous administration, which put our national security last and even appeased the regime, President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio used language I included in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations bill to sanction these anti-American thugs who work closely with America’s adversaries. It has been four years since the July 11 demonstrations, and these sanctions are long overdue. Thank you again, President Trump and Secretary Rubio, for using these tools to impose some accountability on the Cuban people’s oppressors.”
###
Background
Díaz-Balart’s State and Foreign Operations bill for Fiscal Year 2024, which is now called National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, was signed into law on March 23, 2024, and continued into the Fiscal Year 2025 Continuing Resolution.
More than 30 people were killed and 100 injured in armed clashes in Syria’s predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the Syrian interior ministry said early on Monday, in the latest bout of sectarian clashes.
The violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida, witnesses said.
This is the first time sectarian fighting has erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, the provincial capital of the mostly Druze province.
Last April saw clashes between Sunni fighters and armed Druze residents of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, which later spread to another district near the provincial capital.
“This cycle of violence has exploded in a terrifyng way and if it doesn’t end we are heading toward to a bloodbath,” said Rayan Marouf, a Druze researcher based in Sweida who runs the Suwayda24 website.
The clashes involving Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias were centered in Maqwas neighborhood east of Sweida, which is inhabited by Bedouin tribes, and was encircled by armed Druze groups and later seized.
The Syrian ministry of interior said that its forces will begin direct intervention in Sweida to resolve the conflict, calling on local parties in the Druze city to cooperate with the security forces.
Armed Bedouin tribesmen also launched attacks on Druze villages on the western and north outskirts of the city, residents said.
A medical source told Reuters that at least 15 bodies had been taken to the morgue at Sweida’s state hospital. Around 50 people were injured, with some transported to Deraa city for medical care.
The violence marked the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since Islamist-led rebels toppled President Bashar al-Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces.
Those concerns intensified following the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, in apparent retaliation for an earlier attack carried out by Assad loyalists.
It was the deadliest sectarian flare-up in years in Syria, where a 14-year civil war ended last December with Assad fleeing to Russia after his government was overthrown by rebel forces.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)
MIAMI, FL –Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations, issued the following statement in solidarity with the Cuban people on the fourth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, pro-democracy protests in Cuba:
“Today marks four years since the historic July 11thprotests, when courageous Cubans from every city and province hit the streets to demand freedom. In the past four years, the Cuban people have continued to raise their voices in the face of escalating repression, with more than a thousand documented political prisoners –including children– unjustly imprisoned in inhumane conditions.
“The Grammy-winning song ‘Patria y Vida’ became a mantra for these brave protests for freedom. Yet many of the musicians who created that song, like Maykel Castillo “El Osorbo” and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, remain behind bars.
“Unfortunately, the regime’s lies, violence, and abuse continue against courageous pro-democracy activists like José Daniel Ferrer, Félix Navarro, Sayli Navarro, and thousands more.
“I stand in unwavering solidarity with the Cuban people and urge the international community to do the same in condemning this murderous regime.
“The Cuban people will be free, and it will be due to the courage of those heroes who, despite the immense personal sacrifices, dare to denounce the regime’s repression and human rights abuses.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed over 51,000 appointment letters to newly appointed youth during the 16th Rozgar Mela held on Saturday. The event was conducted at 47 locations across the country, marking yet another milestone in the government’s commitment to generate employment opportunities for the nation’s youth.
Addressing the new recruits, Prime Minister Modi congratulated them and highlighted the importance of their role in shaping a stronger, more self-reliant India. The newly inducted employees have joined various Central Government Ministries and Departments, including the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Posts, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Financial Services, and Ministry of Labour and Employment, among others. The Rozgar Mela continues to reflect the government’s vision of equitable and inclusive development by bringing employment closer to the youth across the nation.
Organised under the aegis of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), an initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the Rozgar Mela aims to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers, particularly in the private sector. NSDC works in close coordination with Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs) to source reputable private companies for participation in the Melas, ensuring a wide array of employment opportunities for youth.
A Rozgar Mela typically functions as a half-day employment fair, where employers and job seekers interact directly. Targeting youth aged between 18 and 35 years, the initiative accommodates a wide spectrum of educational qualifications—ranging from candidates with 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade certifications to those holding ITI, diploma, and graduate degrees. It also includes trained and certified individuals who meet the standards of the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF).
To ensure the broadest possible outreach, job seekers are informed about the events through print advertisements, SMS campaigns, social media, and workshops at educational institutions. Besides job interviews and recruitments, the Rozgar Melas also offer career counseling sessions for youth and their families, Kaushal Melas to register for new skill development programs under PMKVY and PMKK, Mudra Loan Facilitation Counters, and skill exhibitions showcasing training modules and job roles.
Rozgar Melas are not limited to NSDC-led events alone. Affiliated organisations like SSCs, PMKKs, and training partners under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) also organise these events on various scales throughout the year, extending the benefits of job matchmaking and skill awareness across multiple districts.
The Rozgar Mela initiative, launched nationally on 22nd October 2022, has seen consistent expansion. The inaugural edition saw over 75,000 appointment letters distributed. Subsequent editions have continued to strengthen the momentum, with appointment letters ranging from 51,000 to over 1 lakh being distributed in each event. Notably, the 12th edition in February 2024 marked a record, with the Prime Minister distributing over one lakh appointment letters and laying the foundation stone for Phase I of the Integrated Complex “Karmayogi Bhavan” in New Delhi.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Appropriations Vice Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the historic H.R. 1, President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”:
“I am proud to have voted with my House Republican colleagues to send President Trump’s America First bill, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” to his desk to be signed into law. This signature domestic policy legislation will deliver on President Trump’s Peace Through Strength agenda and restore American deterrence, secure historic savings, lead to higher economic growth, unleash domestic energy, secure the border, and avoid the largest tax hikes to American families and small businesses in U.S. history.”
This legislation directly benefits taxpayers in Florida’s 26thCongressional District by making President Trump’s successful 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent. Without the TCJA, the average taxpayer in Florida’s 26thDistrict would have seen a24% tax hikeby the end of 2025. It protects 21,000 manufacturing jobs and 75,220 small businesses from these tax hikes, while supporting job creation, higher wages, and innovation. This bill will continue further investments into Opportunity Zones created under the TCJA that bolster our communities, bringing new and increased economic investment into traditionally underserved areas through the OBBB. In Miami-Dade County alone, 67 Opportunity Zones have flourished under this direct investment and across FL-26 in Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, and Miami Springs.
Additionally, this legislation will stop the flow of deadly fentanyl and other illegal narcotics from entering our communities by making direct investments to secure our border. It will also reverse the Biden Administration’s burdensome energy policies, unleashing American energy dominance and independence. This bill supports pro-family initiatives by increasing the Child Tax Credit by $500 up to $2200. It provides greater support for paid leave and childcare by quadrupling the maximum Employer-Provided Childcare Credit and adds additional relief for small businesses providing childcare, all while simultaneously strengthening the Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit from the 2017 TCJA. The bill enhances the adoption tax credit, taking into consideration the toll Bidenflation placed on families wishing to adopt and making it more usable for American families. Our seniors will receive historic relief, with a $6,000 deduction, a deduction that will exceed the taxable Social Security income of any senior who receives the current average retirement benefit.
This historic tax relief not only guarantees deductions but ensures that taxpayers, especially working families, can keep more of their hard-earned money. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
###
For additional information on how the One Big Beautiful Bill will benefit American families, see below:
Delivers on President Trump’s promises for No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, Additional Tax Relief for Seniors, and No Tax on Car Loan Interest.
Carries out President Trump’s visionary Peace Through Strength mission.
$150B investment in our national security will restore American deterrence and build the ready, capable, and lethal fighting force President Trump promised.
Jump-starts the Golden Dome initiative by investing $25 billion
Grows the U.S. Navy for the first time in years, investing $29 billion to revitalize shipbuilding in our nation.
Improves quality of life for our troops with $9 billion in funding to increase allowances and special pays, and to upgrade aging, moldy barracks.
Makes President Trump’s 2017 pro-family tax cuts PERMANENT.
The lower tax rates stop a $1,700 tax increase on American families.
Prevents a scheduled $15,000 cut in the Standard Deduction for families.
The doubled Child Tax Credit (CTC) stops a $1,000 per child reduction in the CTC.
In fact, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act supports American families recovering from Bidenflation by increasing the CTC by $500 and indexes the CTC amount for inflation moving forward.
Increases access to the Adoption Tax Credit.
Makes the credit more usable for all families, opening up more homes to the joys of adoption and championing the sanctity of life.
Builds on the Trump Tax Cuts’ incentives for Paid Leave and Childcare.
Strengthens the Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit from the Trump Tax Cuts.
Quadruples the maximum Employer-Provided Childcare Credit and adds additional relief for small businesses providing childcare.
Lowers the cost of health care.
Expands Health Savings Accounts for Americans to take control of their health care.
Codifies Trump Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements, increasing coverage options for 350,000 individuals.
Tax relief for seniors.
Middle- and low-income seniors will be able to deduct an additional $6,000.
Secures Our Border with $175 billion to:
Hire and train 3,000 new Border Patrol agents
Hire and train 5,000 new Customs Officers
Allow for the completion of 701 miles of primary wall and the construction of 900 miles of river barriers.
$6B to help CBP interdict more fentanyl, deploy more border surveillance technology, and more.
Securing Our Skies with $12.5 billion for Air Traffic Control modernization.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Today, the Yandex Education student camp on NLP (Natural Language Processing) started at the Novosibirsk State University. It is attended by 100 students from IT departments of universities from all over the country. In two weeks, the participants will master key approaches to text processing, as well as work with large language models BERT, GPT and YandexGPT (used for content analysis and generation) in practice. At the end of the student camp, students will defend team projects that they can add to their own portfolios. Participants will teach artificial intelligence to structure information, find contradictions in texts, search for data in complex documents where text, tables and graphs are mixed, and also improve the reasoning skills of language models.
Minister of Digital Development and Communications of the Novosibirsk Region Sergey Tsukar emphasized: The Novosibirsk Region, as the capital of IT personnel, always supports the holding of various educational events on digital topics and is happy to host IT students from all over the country.
— In the Novosibirsk Region, 10 universities and 14 colleges train IT specialists. NSU is our reliable partner. The guys had a chance to study at one of the best universities — world-class and at one of the leading scientific centers of Russia — Akademgorodok. This is a unique opportunity — to get concentrated, fundamental knowledge in the field of artificial intelligence in two weeks, which usually takes months to study. Artificial intelligence is no longer just a trend, it is our reality today. I thank Yandex for such relevant, interesting, free educational projects, — noted Sergey Tsukar.
NSU has been cooperating with Yandex for many years. Based on Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU A master’s program was opened with the support of the School of Data Analysis – “Applied Machine Learning and Big Data”. Many graduates of the program work in large IT companies.
— It is an honor for us that such an event is held at Novosibirsk University. The student camp is an intensive course in IT areas, which is held by Yandex Education together with the leading universities of our country. Of course, our university, which is located in the very center of Akademgorodok, is one of such universities. I hope that these two weeks will be truly intensive for you, there will be intense work. There was a very big competition for the student camp, the best were selected. You will leave here not only with new acquaintances, friends, new impressions, but also with new knowledge. You will be taught by experts from Yandex and our university. I think this will help you in your professional career, and in some time, I am sure, we will be proud of many of you, — said the rector of NSU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk.
The first week of the student camp is devoted to getting acquainted with key approaches to NLP. Participants will understand the architecture of transformers (models that use the attention mechanism for fast learning), study methods of adaptation and interpretation of models, and master the tasks of classification, generation and error tolerance. They will also study advanced technologies: attention mechanisms, autoregressive models, multimodality and RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation). In the second week, students will focus on practice: they will work with data analysis and the final defense of a project that solves real problems at the intersection of science and industry.
Kirill Barannikov, Head of Strategic Development of Higher Education at Yandex Education, notes:
— We focus on new formats of education, and student camps are one of them. Full-time intensive programs are open to students from all over Russia. They provide not only relevant knowledge, access to big tech technologies, but also the opportunity to meet practicing industry experts and teachers from the country’s strongest universities. In addition, in two weeks, participants have time to put together a full-fledged project for their portfolio and immerse themselves in a new socio-cultural environment – the city and university where the student camp is taking place. Almost 1,200 students from 200 universities applied for the NLP program at NSU – the competition was about 12 people per place. The selected participants will study natural language processing technologies, which are used today in various fields: from developing voice assistants to analyzing big data.
Yandex Education student camps are two-week intensive courses in mathematics, IT and artificial intelligence, which are held at leading Russian universities in a face-to-face format. Participating students come to the university for two weeks to immerse themselves in an educational program on a specific topic and create a team project for their own portfolio.
Experts from Yandex, SHAD and the host university participate in creating content for student camps. The creators of the program include both practicing specialists and theorists with experience in teaching.
The project is designed for 3rd-4th year undergraduate students who are already studying computer science at the university and have a base in programming and mathematics. Junior students can also participate in the selection if their knowledge allows them to master the program.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
