To be attributed to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson:
A 38-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Hamilton woman Jayde Gilbert.
Jayde, aged 30, was struck by a vehicle at the corner of Ohaupo Road and Kahikatea Drive on 15 May.
The man charged with her murder was arrested today and will appear in Hamilton District Court this afternoon.
On behalf of the investigation team, I would like to thank the people who assisted Jayde after she was struck by the vehicle, and the many members of our community who responded to our appeals for information.
As this is now before the court, further comment is not available.
Inland Revenue (IR) has begun issuing income tax assessments to New Zealanders, kicking off the annual cycle of tax refunds and chasing up tax owned.
With cybercriminals known to exploit this period, Norton experts are warning that Kiwis will soon be targeted with a range of tax scams, from phishing emails to phone impersonations and fake refund promises.
“New Zealand is one of the most heavily impacted countries by a new wave of AI-driven, hyper-personalised cyber threats. That makes tax time an especially risky period,” says Mark Gorrie, Managing Director Norton APAC.
“Our latest Q1 2025 Threat Report points out that breached data and AI tools are giving cybercriminals just enough personal information and design sophistication to easily manipulate people.”
Key tips for protecting yourself:
IR never includes refund amounts or login links in emails or texts
Be wary of terms like “fiscal activity”, “excess payment” or “Department of Taxes”
Never give out personal info over the phone unless you’ve verified the caller – hang up and call IR back using their official number
Use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and secure personal documents.
Limit what you share online. Scammers can use social media info to guess security questions or build convincing fake messages.
Consider enrolling in an identity protection service. These services can monitor your financial and personal data, alert you to unusual activity, and help you recover more quickly if your identity is compromised.
Common types of tax scams:
Phishing emails impersonating IR, often claiming issues with your refund or tax return
Fake IR calls demanding immediate payment for tax debts that don’t exist
Identity theft, with scammers using your IR number to lodge fraudulent returns
Social media scams offering fake tax help or posing as IR reps
Emails with fake tax documents that install malware when opened
Bogus refund offers used to harvest personal or banking info
Scam charities asking for “deductible” donations
Tax payment scams involving prepaid gift cards or unusual repayment methods.
Prices will increase across Northland’s public transport network from Friday 01 August with authorities saying they have been left with little choice in the matter.
Northland Regional Council member Joe Carr, who chairs the Northland Regional Transport Committee, says fares on Whangārei’s CityLink service will revert to their 2018 level of $3 for adults and $2 for children, an increase of $1 per journey on the present fares.
Fares on the rural BusLink services will rise by 50 cents per journey from Friday 01 August.
Infants up to four years of age will continue to travel free of charge. Concessions for Community Service Card and Gold Card holders remain in place for CityLink and BusLink routes.
From 01 August these concessions will also apply for the first time to BusLink’s Bream Bay Link and Hikurangi Link, which had not previously been able to offer these discounts.
“Council recognises that cost of living pressures are impacting on Northlanders and has for many years made every effort to keep bus fares as low as possible,” Chair Carr says.
However, he says the council – which administers the services – had been left with very little option, but to review fares.
“Regional councils nationwide are having to find additional forms of funding to cover bus operational, infrastructure and administration costs in keeping with the Government Policy on Land Transport 2024.”.
During Covid and to assist with the cost-of-living crisis, the government had funded several fare reduction schemes across the country, but this funding had ceased in 2023.
Chair Carr says even with the increased fares, Northland’s charges are still largely in line with other parts of New Zealand.
He says over the past two years CityLink has also made several improvements to the service, including the introduction of the SchoolLink service and extension to Route 3, an online bus tracking system, and the Rose Street bus hub redevelopment currently underway with Whangarei District Council.
The council will run an awareness campaign shortly to inform passengers of the intended increases.
PACIFIC OCEAN, Friday, 6 June 2025 – Greenpeace activists have disrupted an industrial longlining fishing operation in the South Pacific Ocean, seizing almost 20 kilometers of fishing gear and freeing nine sharks, including an endangered mako, near Australia and New Zealand.
With an expert team on a small boat releasing more than a dozen animals, crew aboard Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior retrieved the entire longline and more than 210 baited hooks from a EU-flagged industrial fishing vessel, including an endangered longfin mako shark, eight near-threatened blue sharks and four swordfish. The crew also documented the vessel catching endangered sharks during its longlining operation.
The at-sea action followsnew Greenpeace Australia Pacific analysisexposing the extent of shark catch from industrial longlining in parts of the Pacific Ocean. Latest fisheries data showed that almost 70% of EU vessels’ catch was blue shark in 2023 alone. It comes ahead of next week’s UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, where world leaders will discuss ocean protection and the Global Ocean Treaty.
Georgia Whitaker, Senior Campaigner, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said:
“These longliners are industrial killing machines. Greenpeace Australia Pacific took peaceful and direct action to disrupt this attack on marine life. We saved important species that would otherwise have been killed or left to die on hooks.”
“The scale of industrial fishing – still legal on the high seas – is astronomical. These vessels claim to be targeting swordfish or tuna, but we witnessed shark after shark being hauled up by these industrial fleets, including three endangered sharks in just half an hour. Greenpeace is calling on world leaders at the UN Ocean Conference to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 from this wanton destruction.”
GreenpeaceAotearoa is calling on the New Zealand Government to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty and help create global ocean sanctuaries, including in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand signed the agreement in 2023.
More than two-thirds of sharks worldwide are endangered, and a third of those are at risk of extinction from overfishing. Over the last three weeks, the Rainbow Warrior has been documenting longlining vessels and practices off Australia’s east coast, including from Spain and China.
Master Plumbers’ concerns that cheap online plumbing products will not comply with new regulations to make drinking water safer have proven justified.
A recent test undertaken by Consumer NZ showed that one of six kitchen tap mixers purchased from a variety of retailers resulted in lead levels in the water higher than is permitted in the Australian/New Zealand testing standard.
Lead is a cumulative toxin, which makes ongoing exposure through drinking water a particular concern.
“No level of lead is acceptable,” says Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace. “Young children are especially vulnerable to the toxin, with even low levels of exposure linked to learning disabilities and nervous system damage.”
The tap mixer that failed was purchased from global retailer Amazon, which ships a wide range of product to New Zealand. This highlights the dangers of buying tapware online where the market is largely unregulated and unpoliced.
From May 2026, new requirements for plumbing products that deliver drinking water come into force, in line with an update to the building code. These products, which include kitchen and bathroom tapware, as well as valves and fittings connected to domestic drinking water pipes, must not contain more than 0.25% lead.
Master Plumbers welcomes the transition to lead free plumbing products in New Zealand but wants more to be done to give consumers confidence.
“We want to see compulsory ‘lead free’ marking being placed either on the product or the packaging of relevant plumbing products, to allow consumers and tradespeople to easily identify that they are lead-free,” says Wallace. “It is the plumber installing the product who is held responsible, so installers should have a way to easily determine if the product is compliant.”
Compulsory marking would allow for the policing of non-compliant or falsely declared products through Commerce Commission regulations. As it stands, the current building product information requirement (BPIR) regulations rely on self-reporting and do not have a proactive enforcement system in place-which is particularly concerning for the regulation of online retailers that may be importing international products.
Master Plumbers has been raising the alarm about lead in tapware for years. In 2018, the organisation commissioned independent testing of five tapware products sold in this country and found the level of lead leaching from one product to be 70% higher than the allowable limit in drinking water product standard AS/NZS 4020.
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Inc (Master Plumbers) is the national membership organisation for plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses, with 18 regional Associations and Branches across New Zealand. Companies go through a Quality Assurance programme in order to become a member. We provide members with a wide range of resources and training opportunities to support them in staying up with the latest technologies, products and compliance requirements. We advocate on behalf of our members and our industry.
Masterlink, a group training scheme owned by Master Plumbers, provides managed mentored apprenticeships across New Zealand, with Regional Managers supporting the apprentices and the businesses who host them during their training.
Source: Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
Millions of workers worldwide are facing a “silent crisis” of being trapped in unsafe, unfair and exploitative conditions, according to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
Speaking at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Ruth Wilkinson, IOSH’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, highlighted the health and safety risks faced by these workers every day, from exposure to harmful chemicals and dangerous machinery to stress and long working hours.
Despite global commitments, she said nearly 3 million workers die from job-related accidents and diseases every year while 395 million suffer non-fatal injuries.
She urged delegates attending the plenary to come together to ensure decent work is a reality for everyone, adding failure to do will bring about significant consequences.
Ruth said: “Every day, millions of workers around the world face a silent crisis — one that unfolds not in headlines, but in hospitals, homes, and workplaces. From exposure to harmful chemicals and dangerous machinery, to the toll of stress, poor ergonomics, and long hours — our workers are navigating a minefield of risks.
“And yet, in far too many places, the systems meant to guarantee them with decent work — our occupational safety and health frameworks — remain largely underdeveloped, underfunded, or unenforced.
“High-level declarations are not enough. We need urgent, coordinated, and well-funded action to make decent work a reality for all. We must take bold, coordinated action to ensure that every worker, in every corner of the world, is treated with dignity, fairness, and safety. The time for fragmented efforts is over. Only through a strong, well-resourced, and accountable global approach can we protect workers’ rights, uphold human dignity, and build a future where no one is left behind.
“Our failure to address these challenges urgently will fail humanity and weaken resilience, jeopardising our collective future and undermining the very foundation of sustainable and inclusive economic growth.”
The conference is being held by the International Labour Organization (ILO) from 2-13 June. It is attended by delegates from ILO member states, including representatives of governments, employers and workers. Discussions this year include the development of new standards to enhance the protection of workers from biological hazards in the workplace, ensure decent work conditions in the platform economy, and promote innovative strategies for transitioning from informal to formal employment.
IOSH is the global chartered membership body for the occupational safety and health profession, with a vision of a safe and healthy world of work and a mission to drive action by all who can influence occupational safety and health. It att
Newly arrived refugee and migrant communities want Australia’s multicultural policies and infrastructure to provide more practical help rather than just ‘food and festivals’, a survey has found.
A focus group of 32 community leaders in 21 key cohort migrant and refugee groups in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide said that while they value the nation’s commitment to multiculturalism, their communities struggled with employment opportunities and access to government services exacerbated by a lack of interpreters and gender issues.
They reported social cohesion is under stress, partly because of international events, including the conflict in Gaza, and a rise in the cost of living, the survey, commissioned by migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia, found.
While 70 per cent of the community leaders surveyed agreed Australia was a ‘successful multicultural community’, there was a need for more access to employment opportunities and careers support for skilled migrants and refugees.
First-language learning capacity in schools was also identified as a need, while libraries, local government programs and community education and training programs were identified as the services that are valued.
Sixty per cent of respondents agreed that global events were having an impact on social cohesion and community harmony, with conflict in Gaza, repression in Afghanistan and the US’ crackdown on migrants cited as some of the factors.
A need for better access to government services was also identified. Only 55 per cent of survey respondents said they had ‘good’ access to government services.
The community leaders identified ‘universal and equitable practices, protocols and standards across the public services; more representation of diverse communities within the public service; and a multicultural ombudsman or complaints process’ as ways of improving access to services.
Asked ‘what could be done to improve community harmony, the most common responses were: support for multi-faith events and festivals, support for multi-faith groups and more employment opportunities from emerging communities.
Only 50 per cent of community leaders said government communicated ‘well’ with their communities, while 30 per cent communication was not effective.
They identified a need range of interventions to tackle poor knowledge and engagement through programs and resources co-designed by communities themselves.
Thirty per cent of respondents said they had experienced racism or discrimination, a similar proportion said they had not faced discrimination while 40 per cent said they faced discrimination ‘sometimes’.
Community leaders cited ‘more transparency on race hate crimes and positive fact-base narratives to counter allegations of criminality in some communities’ as ways of combating racism and discrimination.
Sixty per cent of survey respondents believed there was cultural understanding and respect between communities in Australia. They identified holding festivals and events that attracted multiple communities, more access to affordable gathering places; and funding and capacity building for inter-faith groups and dialogues as ways of improving community connections.
Female community leaders were more likely to raise issues about Australia’s multicultural architecture than male respondents.
The survey found a general consensus that the focus of multicultural programs should be less about ‘food and festivals’ and more about employment, equity, access to services and opportunities as well as Inter-community and inter-faith dialogue.
The surveyed community leaders said social cohesion was underpinned by social equity and access to opportunity.
Among the suggested interventions were:
Improved access to services Intercultural and inter-faith opportunities for communities to build networks outside their own; More opportunities for employment and education; More access to affordable spaces to gather; Grants systems that is more sustainable and easier to navigate; Broader representation of communities on multicultural bodies; Standard multicultural policies and practices across all departments; A multicultural ombudsman or complaints mechanism.
AMES Australia CEO Cath Scarth said the survey showed there was an appetite to reimagine Australia’s multicultural policies and infrastructure.
“There seem to be a consensus that people would like to see more support in terms of accessing services and opportunities for multicultural communities; and there is a desire to see communities better connect with each other and with the broader community,” Ms Scarth said.
Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
Jerusalem, 5 June 2025 – In southern Gaza, displacement orders and movement restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on Nasser hospital are pushing this vital medical facility on the brink of becoming non-functional, warns Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
Ordering hospitals to refuse new patients and making it harder for people to reach places of care has been a pattern aimed at bringing down the hospitals by the Israeli forces through this war. Nasser is the only last remaining vital lifeline for the people in need, and its full functionality must be restored immediately and preserved.
On 3 June, our teams were told that any movement to Nasser hospital would require authorisation and this would have to be requested with at least 24 hours’ notice. This meant that medical staff due on the day shift could not reach the hospital. The staff from the previous night had to continue working. They ended up staying on shift for 48 consecutive hours.
The outpatient department remained closed for the whole day. Ambulances that were able to carry patients to the hospital did so at great risk, as there was a danger they would be shot at because they lacked authorisation. Nasser’s location on the frontline hampers both staff and patient’s ability to access this vital remaining hospital.
This is happening while people are exhausted, their lives shattered by 20 months of extremely violent war and a suffocating siege where even the distribution of minimal amounts of aid results in devastating massacres. In this context, any remaining medical facility is of critical importance and must be protected.
The attacks on healthcare are not only carried out through military action. They happen through limitations imposed on the importation of medical supplies, forcing doctors to ration pain relief medicine. They happen through displacement orders, leading to entire hospitals having to shut down at short notice. They happen through harassment and confusing orders issued by Israeli authorities, making it more and more difficult to provide lifesaving care.
“We have seen this pattern before”, says Jose Mas, head of MSF emergency programmes. “It happened to facilities like Al Awda and the Indonesian hospital, in northern Gaza, where they were first asked to not admit more patients, and a few days later were attacked and practically shut down. Putting Nasser hospital out of service would equate to a death sentence for the most severe patients among wounded adults and children, critically ill patients, and women in need of emergency obstetric care.”
Nasser hospital is a large referral hospital with many specialist wards not found anywhere else in the south of Gaza including operating theatres, an oxygen plant, ventilators, a blood bank, and incubators. Reducing access to this hospital and blocking the referral of patients who need specialist, emergency care, stops people from receiving treatment that may safe their life.
In the past few months, MSF medical teams in Nasser hospital have provided care to over 500 patients in the maternity ward, including women requiring surgical care, as well as to more than 400 newborn babies and paediatric patients. The hospital is full of patients with burns and severe trauma.
Healthcare is under attack everywhere in Gaza. In the morning of 4 June, Israeli forces struck the MSF supported Al Aqsa hospital three times, the main facility in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza. Although no casualties were reported, it is a stark reminder of how patients, medical staff and health facilities are constantly at great risk in Gaza.
Our teams have received patients who have been critically injured while trying to get food, as a result of the shootings which have taken place around the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation food distribution centres. This is in addition to the people who have been wounded in the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Hospitals are overflowing with patients.
It’s essential that Israeli authorities protect Nasser hospital and guarantee full and unimpeded access to patients and medical staff alike, to avoid more deaths.
MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis.
In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au
10:10 a.m. The Prime Minister will deliver remarks and meet with community members at an Eid al-Adha celebration.
EY Centre
Note for media:
Pooled coverage
12:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will hold a media availability. He will be joined by the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson.
Third Floor Foyer West Block Parliament Hill
Notes for media:
Open coverage
Media wishing to cover the event must be accredited with the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery.
June 5, 2025 – Paris, France – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, met Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) held on June 3 and 4, 2025, in Paris, France.
Minister Sidhu and Commissioner Šefčovič discussed the importance of supporting the rules-based trading system, as well as continuing to collaborate, including among G7 members, in support of an open, stable and predictable trade environment. They also discussed ways to expand Canada-EU trade, including through the implementation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
The EU market, comprising 27 member states, is Canada’s second-largest global trading partner for goods and services after the United States. Strengthening trade ties with the EU is key to ensuring Canadian businesses and industries have access to diverse markets and partners and supporting economic growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
June 5, 2025 – Paris, France – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, this week concluded his participation in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) and World Trade Organization (WTO) mini-ministerial meeting, in Paris, France.
At the OECD MCM, Minister Sidhu reaffirmed Canada’s support for the rules-based global trading system and its underpinning values. These include reinforcing the open, stable markets that ensure predictability amidst economic uncertainty, responsibly developing artificial intelligence and standing up for Ukraine. Canada served as vice-chair of the OECD MCM alongside Australia and Lithuania, under the chairship of Costa Rica.
At the meeting, Canada and the Philippines formally took on the role of the 2025 to 2028 co-chairs of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP), a program that was created to address economic and development challenges in Southeast Asia. Minister Sidhu announced that Canada will contribute $2 million to support SEARP’s activities, which align with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.
At the WTO mini-ministerial meeting, Minister Sidhu advocated for deep and meaningful reforms of the WTO to ensure its rules are modernized and continue to support a rules-based global trading system. Canada also called for a pragmatic approach to the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference that considers current economic challenges.
While in Paris, the Minister also hosted a business round table with Canadian companies active in the French market. As Canada seeks to strengthen its collaboration with reliable trading partners, the Minister heard the business representatives’ first-hand perspectives on the opportunities for Canadian businesses in France.
The North Dakota Department of Commerce is thrilled to announce two new tools for partners aimed at supporting our mission of empowering the growth of the North Dakota economy.
Commerce has purchased an umbrella subscription to LOIS, a property marketing software that markets our available sites and buildings globally. This subscription is statewide and provides service for all Regional, County, Local, and Downtown/Mainstreet economic development organizations and Tribal governments at no additional charge.
Additionally, Commerce has acquired Lasso, an RFI data collection software used by corporate location decision-makers, site selectors, and economic development organizations. Access to Lasso will enable organizations to prepare for future site selection projects and keep their site and building database up to date on the LOIS property marketing map.
“These new tools will significantly strengthen our ability to position North Dakota’s sites and communities in the competitive marketplace for business attraction,” said Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken. “By providing comprehensive and up-to-date property marketing data, we can better showcase the opportunities available in our state and entice businesses to consider North Dakota as their next location.”
The introduction of LOIS and Lasso represents a significant step forward in our efforts to enhance economic development across North Dakota. These tools not only provide valuable data and insights but also foster collaboration among various community and economic development organizations. By leveraging these resources, we can create a more cohesive and effective strategy for attracting new businesses and supporting existing ones.
“These tools have significantly enhanced our ability to market properties and attract new businesses—but what’s been even more impactful is how they’ve strengthened collaboration between the regional council and our local EDC partners,” said Amber Metz, Executive Director of Lake Agassiz Development Group. “By working together and leveraging shared data and resources, we’re better positioned to showcase the opportunities from Ransom to Traill County and the broader region. It’s exciting to see how this partnership is driving momentum for future growth.”
Benefits For North Dakota Organizations
Extend Marketing Reach: LOIS enables community sites and buildings to be viewed on a custom map, optimized with property brochures, geospatial map layers, demographic and workforce data, web visitor analytics, and sharing tools.
Preparedness for Site Selection Pursuits: Using Lasso allows organizations to proactively prepare for corporate site selection by sending RFIs and storing data in a cloud database for future retrieval.
Property Marketing Data Accuracy: Pre-populating the Lasso RFI ensures that the data fields corresponding to the public-facing property brochure in the LOIS property marketing map are updated.
“We are thrilled to see the rollout of LOIS and Lasso,” said Red River Regional Council Executive Director Dawn Mandt. “Rural communities and regions, which can struggle to afford such tools, now have the same opportunity to promote their spaces as major cities. Our regions have been advocating for this for years, and we are looking forward to utilizing these services to enhance our economic development efforts.”
LOIS and Lasso Training: Training will cover how to integrate the LOIS Map viewer on organization websites, generate reports, and walk through the Lasso RFI process.
LOIS Training
Wednesday, July 9: 2:00-3:00 PM CDT
Thursday, July 10: 1:00-2:00 PM CDT
Lasso Training “How to fill out an RFI”
Tuesday, July 22: 10:30 – 11:30 AM CDT
Tuesday, July 29: 1:00 – 2:00 PM CDT
For more information, please go to https://www.commerce.nd.gov/lois.
Talented young creatives have been recognised at the City of Greater Bendigo’s 2025 RAW Arts Awards at a special presentation held at The Capital last night.
The RAW Arts Awards showcase and foster the talents and artistic pursuits of young people in the region 25 years of age and under, with this year’s awards attracting 103 applicants.
The winner and a highly commended entry are recognised in four categories: Visual Arts, Literature, Performing Arts and Short Film.
Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said the RAW Arts Awards evening and accompanying exhibition provided a wonderful opportunity for young talent in the region to showcase their work.
“The RAW Arts Awards is such a special event in the calendar and a chance for young people to present their work to a wider audience, and gain the recognition they deserve,” Cr Metcalf said.
“I am so pleased that the RAW Arts Awards program is a stepping stone for many flourishing creatives and helps to foster their talents and artistic pursuits.
“We are so lucky to have these young aspiring creatives right here in Greater Bendigo, and I congratulate all of the winners and those who have contributed to RAW this year and shared their talent, imagination and stories.”
Winners in each category received a $1,500 cash prize and a $500 cash prize was awarded to highly commended creatives.
The announcement of winners was interspersed with a showcase of Performing Arts entrants and screening of films submitted in the Short Film category.
The 2025 RAW Arts Awards winners and highly commended applicants are as follows:
Visual arts
Winner: Geordie Williamson
Highly commended: Jorjiah Sjaardema
Literature
Winner: Kayla Barnfield
Highly commended: Matilda Wilby
Performing arts
Winner: Emma Gleeson
Highly commended: Matilda Wilby
Short film
Winner: Tilda Picken
Highly commended: Yasmin Russell
2025 RAW Arts exhibition
The 2025 RAW Arts exhibition features this year’s visual arts entries at Dudley House, 60 View Street. Entry is free and open to the public. The opening times are as follows:
Exciting news! Bendigo and Heathcote have been shortlisted as category finalists in the 2025 Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards for the fifth year in a row.
Bendigo has been shortlisted in the ‘top tourism town’ category, with Heathcote being shortlisted in the ‘small tourism town’ category, and now it’s time for the public to add their vote.
In 2024, Bendigo scooped gold and Heathcote won bronze at the Victorian Awards. Bendigo went on to compete at national level and won silver in the Top Tourism Town category of the Australia Top Tourism Awards.
City of Greater Bendigo Manager Economy and Experience James Myatt said it was fantastic news for the Greater Bendigo region to be recognised again as finalists in these prestigious awards.
“We are very excited that Bendigo and Heathcote are finalists for the fifth year in a row, recognising them as must-see visitor destinations that deliver amazing and memorable experiences,” Mr Myatt said.
“We are hoping to bring home the gold again with the public vote now open until Friday June 27.
“The final result is a combination of public voting, user reviews, a video promotion and suggested itineraries, so it means so much for Bendigo and Heathcote to be recognised in this way.
“We have an incredibly passionate tourism industry, including attractions, accommodation, retail and hospitality providers who offer unique experiences for people of all ages and interests.
“To be named the top tourism town or small tourism town, we need our community to vote.
“It’s easy to do, visit the Victoria Tourism Industry Council website, click ‘vote now’ and select Bendigo and Heathcote. You can also enter your details to go into the draw to win a prize.
“So, vote for Bendigo and Heathcote today!”
To make your vote count, and be entered into the prize draw, you need to vote by 5pm Friday June 27.
SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury today indicted Edy Antonio, Jr., 30, of Salinas, Calif., on one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct.
Antonio was initially charged by criminal complaint on May 13, 2025, with the same offense. According to the indictment and the criminal complaint, Antonio allegedly used or attempted to use his cell phone to persuade, induce, and entice two minors to engage in criminal sexual conduct. On April 21, 2025, Antonio responded to an advertisement on a website dedicated to promoting commercial sex services. The advertisement depicted two minors whom Antonio believed to be a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old. Antonio allegedly responded via text message and agreed to pay $500 to engage in sexual conduct with the minor girls. Thereafter, Antonio traveled to the planned meeting location at a hotel in Salinas, where he was arrested by Salinas Police Department officers. The complaint describes that Antonio worked as a respiratory therapist at two hospitals in Salinas and Monterey.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King made the announcement.
Antonio was arrested in Salinas on May 20, 2025, and made an initial appearance in federal court that same day. He was released on bond. Antonio is next scheduled to appear in district court on June 10, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Chang is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Natachiana Burney and Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI and the Salinas Police Department.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten (MI-03) applauded a federal court ruling that blocks the Department of Labor’s abrupt decision to pause operations at Job Corps centers nationwide. The ruling comes after Rep. Scholten and fellow Michigan lawmakers raised serious concerns about the lack of notice, planning, and support for the more than 25,000 students affected across the country, including over 700 in Michigan alone.
On May 29, the Department of Labor announced a “phased pause” of Job Corps operations that disrupted training centers in Kent, Wayne, and Genesee Counties, leaving students and staff without answers or a clear path forward. On June 4, U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan ordered the federal government to maintain existing Job Corps contracts and continue operations at Job Corps centers until the court issues a further decision in the case.
“The court’s ruling is an important first step in protecting students and restoring stability to our workforce development pipeline,” said Rep. Scholten. “My office has already heard from concerned constituents who are deeply worried about what the Job Corps closure would mean for their futures. Now we need a clear commitment from the Department of Labor that they will honor this decision, withdraw the pause, and stop leaving these students in limbo.”
In alettersent earlier this week to Secretary of Labor Chavez-DeRemer, Rep. Scholten and her colleagues called for the immediate reversal of the pause and demanded answers on how the Department planned to support students, staff, and local workforce partners impacted by the sudden shutdown.
“The Job Corps program is an investment in our nation’s future. We can’t allow our young adults to think who they are today is all they have the potential to be,” said Brian Burnett, Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center Director Brian Burnett. “Job Corps allows young adults to discover their potential, refine social skills, and utilize their ambition in positive ways. It is the jewel across the country that continues to give hope to individuals that are considered to be hopeless. Those who complete the Job Corps rigorous program find they have become hopeful. That is worth the investment and is a priceless return.”
Rep. Scholten will continue working closely with the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center and local officials. She will monitor the Department’s response to ensure full compliance with the court’s decision and lasting support for Job Corps students and staff across Michigan.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) and Senator Joni Ernst (IA) re-introduced legislation to protect gun store owners from onerous Biden-era gun control policies, which instigated the ATF to unfairly target small firearms businesses and the legal products they sell to customers.
TheFighting Irrational Regulatory Enforcement to Avert Retailers’ Misfortune (FIREARM) Act,provides a safe harbor for law-abiding Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders – granting them the ability to correct minor clerical mistakes and insulating them from ATF retribution. The bill also increases due process protections for these businesses and establishes a retroactive reapplication process for those whose FFLs were unduly revoked. Senator Ernst earlier this week introduced the Senate companion of theFIREARM Act.
“The Biden Administration repeatedly undermined Second Amendment rights and weaponized federal agencies against law-abiding citizens and family-owned small businesses because they were part of the lawful firearms industry. This delivered a transparently unfair assault on the fundamental rights of Americans, and that’s why my friend Senator Ernst and I introduced the FIREARM Act. This bill prevents a repeat of that kind of government weaponization and puts in permanent safeguards for the future,” said Rep. Issa.
“The Biden administration’s zero-tolerance policy empowered gun grabbers in Washington to infringe on the Second Amendment and shutter small businesses,” said Senator Ernst. “Iowans spoke loud and clear in November that they were tired of bureaucratic overreach. MyFIREARM Actdisarms the out-of-control ATF and ensures that the rights of law-abiding gun owners are protected.”
“The firearms industry is a core enabler of our constitutional rights under the Second Amendment, as well as acritical component of our National Defense apparatus. As such, ensuring fair and transparent adjudication of licensing matters — to include a mechanism for voluntary disclosures and self-corrections — for federal firearms licensees is of paramount importance. FRAC applauds Representative Issa for his leadership on this issue and for spearheading this bold legislation, which aims to create accountability, transparency, and fairness in such adjudication process.” Travis R. White, President & CEO, Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition
“Congressman Issa’s ‘FIREARM’ Act will ensure that future administrations cannot weaponize the ATF as a political gun control tool for special interests,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel. “Under the Biden administration, the firearm and ammunition industry witnessed the ATF being weaponized to carry out that administration’s extreme antigun policies. That damaged the cooperative relationships between firearm retailers, who are on the frontline preventing illegal straw purchases of firearms, and the ATF, which enforces laws to safeguard our communities. NSSF is thankful for Congressman Issa’s leadership to provide remedies that repair this necessary public trust in our federal agencies.”
Specifically, theFIREARM Act:
Prohibits zero-tolerance ATF FFL policies
Creates a safe harbor for self-reported violations and provides FFLs 30 days to correct violations that are not self-reported
Requires ATF to work collaboratively with FFLs to fix violations
Explicitly defines “willful” to mean a voluntary, intentional violation of a known legal duty achieved through specific intent or deliberate planning
Gives FFLs the option of district court judicial review in cases of revocation
Creates a license restoration process for stores impacted by the previous Biden Administration weaponization
Cosponsors: Reps. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Randy Weber (TX-14), Derrick Van Orden (WI-3), Mike Collins (GA-10), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Lauren Boebert (CO-4), Troy Downing (MT-2), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2), Brett Guthrie (KY-2), Scott DesJarlais (TN-4), Gus M. Bilirakis (FL-12), Tim Burchett (TN-2), Cory Mills (FL-7), Michael Guest (MS-3), Pete Sessions (TX-17), David Kustoff (TN-8), Gabe Evans (CO-8), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Mary Miller (IL-15), Don Bacon (NE-2), Chuck Edwards (NC-11),Andy Biggs (AZ-5), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Diana Harshbarger (TN-1), Ashley Hinson (IA-2), Clay Higgins (LA-3), and Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13).
Industry support includes the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition (FRAC).
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen released the following statement condemning the Trump Administration’s dangerous decision to rescind federal guidance that required hospitals to provide emergency reproductive care and protected doctors and health care providers who perform abortions during life-threatening emergency cases, regardless of state bans on the procedure.
“The outrageous decision by the Trump Administration to get rid of federal requirements for hospitals to provide emergency abortions will have dire consequences for women in need of life-saving care,” said Senator Rosen. “Make no mistake – doctors will be arrested simply for doing their jobs and women will die as a result of this dangerous action by Donald Trump to implement his Project 2025 agenda. I’ll do everything I can to fight back against these dangerous anti-choice policies and push to restore Roe v. Wade.”
Senator Rosen has been fighting against extreme anti-choice efforts to restrict women’s reproductive freedoms. Last year, she voted to protect access to IVF and joined legislation to federally protect access to IVF treatments. Senator Rosen helped introduce the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act to protect doctors and other health care professionals from being prosecuted for providing reproductive care to their patients. She also voted to protect women’s constitutional right to access birth control.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Your chance to try simpler train tickets in Yorkshire and the East Midlands this September
Up to 4,000 rail passengers can take part in each route of the pay-as-you-go ticketing trials.
digital ticketing trials will start from the end of the summer across Yorkshire and the East Midlands
passengers can now sign up for one of the 4,000 places available
demonstrates government action to overhaul ticketing and get more people onto our railways as part of our Plan for Change
From today (6 June 2025), thousands of passengers across the north and East Midlands will have a chance to volunteer to take part in a new digital ticketing trial.
Backed by government funding, the trials will use GPS-based technology to track train journeys, ensuring passengers pay the best fare for the journey they take.
Digital ticketing builds on the government’s plans to overhaul the railways to make them simpler, more flexible and passenger-focused. Ahead of the creation of Great British Railways, the government continues to work to deliver positive changes like this for passengers – attracting more people back onto our trains, boosting the economy and delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
The trials being operated by East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Northern Trains will run along these routes:
Leicester to Derby to Nottingham
Harrogate to Leeds
Sheffield to Doncaster
Sheffield to Barnsley
Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:
Contactless ticketing is making journeys easier to navigate for millions of passengers and now our digital trials are actively recruiting volunteers to help expand this technology across Yorkshire and the East Midlands.
Simplifying ticketing is a major part of our plans to overhaul the railways. I encourage anyone who regularly gets the train along these routes to get involved and help us build a ticketing system that delivers a better experience for passengers and communities across the country.
Unlike the previous rollout of pay-as-you-go, which uses contactless payment at barriers, these trials will use GPS-based technology to track people’s location throughout their train journey.
Up to 1,000 passengers will be able to take part in each route of the trials, meaning 4,000 passengers in total. The first trial to get underway will be on EMR between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham, kicking off at the beginning of September. The other routes, operated by Northern, will begin between September and November, with each running for 9 months from the start date.
Anyone interested in taking part should check EMR and Northern Trains’ websites, where a recruitment campaign has been launched.
Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director, Northern Trains, said:
These trials mark an important step forward in simplifying rail travel and making the experience as frictionless as possible for our customers. By trialling pay-as-you-go technology on some of our routes, we’re helping to shape a future where hopping on a train is as easy as checking in and out.
We will now be reaching out to regular customers on those routes to see if they would be willing to participate in these trials later this year. We’re excited to see how they respond and look forward to playing our part in modernising how people travel by rail in the north.
These trials are expected to build on the success of the rollout of contactless ticketing at 53 stations across the south east. Since its introduction, more than 2 million entries and exits have been made using contactless cards or mobile devices, averaging around 140,000 a week – showing how popular the system is with customers using those stations already.
The department is also working closely with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands to develop their proposals for rolling out contactless ticketing even further.
Jenna Cowie, Interim Commercial Director at East Midlands Railway, said:
We’re excited to be part of a project that aims to improve the way people travel and it is a great opportunity for our customers in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester to be among the very first in the country to experience a new, smarter way to buy train tickets.
This trial is all about making train travel easier, faster and more intuitive. No more fare confusion – just check in and out with your phone and travel knowing you’ll automatically pay the best-value fare for your journey.
By bringing track and train together, Great British Railways will enable operations to run more seamlessly, bringing accountability and reliability back into the railways and, in turn, helping to reduce delays and cancellations.
Great British Railways will not just be the name of the new nationally owned railway, it symbolises a complete reset that will mark the high standard of service and delivery the public should expect to receive.
This week, the government also announced £15.6 billion – the biggest ever investment – in buses, trams and local train infrastructure for city regions, benefiting working people across the north, the Midlands and the south west. The funding – a more than double real-terms increase in capital spending on local transport in city regions by 2029 to 2030 compared with 2024 to 2025 – will empower local leaders to invest in transport projects that will make a difference to their local area.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
More than £32 million to resurface roads and build new cycle lanes in the north east and Yorkshire as region hosts UK’s largest women’s cycling race
Investing in safer roads will encourage more women to cycle, build healthier, stronger communities and help ease pressure on the NHS.
an extra £20 million boost will improve roads across the north east and Yorkshire – part of an additional £500 million to tackle potholes nationwide
future of Roads Minister visits the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women – the UK’s biggest women’s cycling race – to promote safer roads for female cyclists
this is on top of nearly £12.8 million to build new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east – making active travel easier and easing pressure off the NHS, all part of the government’s Plan for Change
Cyclists in the North East and Yorkshire will get around safely and easily as the government invests an extra £32 million to tackle potholes and build new cycle lanes in the region.
Today (6 June 2025), the Minister for the Future of Roads will be in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, to speak to local schools, cycling clubs and female cycling champions during Stage 2 of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women – the UK’s biggest women’s road cycling race.
The minister will show how the government is taking action to resurface roads and emphasise the need to make them safer and more accessible for all road users, including female cyclists. Her visit follows the £15.6 billion boost announced earlier this week to empower local leaders to invest in local transport projects that will make a real difference across England’s city regions – including South Yorkshire, the north east and Tees Valley.
Pothole-ridden roads put everyone off cycling, with this impact felt the most by women. According to research from Cycling UK, more than half of women (58%) said their cycle journeys were limited by safety concerns and a lack of suitable infrastructure, with 36% of women pointing to poor roads as a main factor.
The government is investing an extra £20 million to resurface roads across the north east and Yorkshire so that cyclists and all road users can get around more safely, more easily and with confidence.
On top of this uplift, local cyclists are also benefiting from an almost £13 million boost to build new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east.
Better roads and new cycle lanes will make it easier and safer for people to cycle. This will lead to 43,000 fewer sick days a year across the country and add £1.4 billion to the UK economy, putting money in the pockets of hardworking families to help deliver the government’s Plan for Change.
Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:
Safer roads mean safer spaces to cycle. The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is a fantastic way to show women and girls the power of cycling and the difference it can make to their lives.
By investing in better roads, we’re delivering our Plan for Change – encouraging more women and girls to hop on a bike, easing pressure on the NHS and building healthier, stronger communities.
Across the country, the government is investing a total of £1.6 billion to resurface roads – enough to fill 7 million extra potholes – which includes an extra £500 million boost to go above and beyond the government’s manifesto commitment.
Lizzie Deignan MBE, Olympic silver medallist and world champion, said:
I am incredibly passionate about getting more women and girls on bikes, whatever their background or ability. The benefits of cycling are vast, from improving your health, meeting new people and developing new skills and confidence.
Having better cycling infrastructure across the UK will definitely break down barriers, which currently prevent women and girls from participating in cycling.
Programmes like British Cycling’s Breeze and Go-Ride clubs are reaching out to local communities and creating opportunities to make it easier for women and girls to access cycling, so we can enable safe and fun environments to make sure that everyone can enjoy the freedom of riding a bike.
With more investment in our roads and cycle lanes, programmes like this can go further as we bring the joy of cycling to more people across the country.
The £13 million for new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east comes from a £291 million package to build new active travel infrastructure across the whole country and encourage more people to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle.
The improvements will help people across the country make 30 million more journeys by bike or foot every year, including more than 20 million new walk-to-school journeys by children and their parents.
Caroline Julian, Director of Brand and Engagement at British Cycling, said:
Significant barriers still exist that prevent many people from accessing the health, economic and social benefits that cycling brings. We know from our research that road safety is the biggest reason that holds people back from getting on a bike. This is, unfortunately, particularly the case for women.
We are encouraged to see the significant government investment in road and cycle lane infrastructure in the north-east and Yorkshire regions. Investing in infrastructure and places to ride, alongside strengthened promotion and enforcement of the Highway Code, is of critical importance to make cycling accessible to all.
RAC Senior Policy Officer, Rod Dennis, said:
Whether on two wheels or four, the quality of the nation’s roads must be improved to make journeys smoother and safer. It’s crucial now that councils use this cash as effectively as possible.
While dangerous potholes must be filled quickly, councils need to do more surface dressing work to ensure decent roads stay in a better state for longer and resurface those that are beyond repair.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards, Nicholas Lyes, said:
Poorly maintained roads are not just a nuisance, they are a road safety hazard, particularly for those on two wheels. We welcome this additional funding that focuses not just on smoother surfaces but safer infrastructure, which will improve journey choice for people.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
New ambulances and faster emergency care for patients next winter
Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times in A&E.
Nearly £450 million investment to expand urgent and emergency care facilities to provide faster care for patients
800,000 fewer patients each year to wait more than four hours at A&E, and more will receive urgent treatment in their community
Part of government’s Plan for Change to modernise NHS services and improve emergencv care.
Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times and tackle persistently failing trusts.
The new package of investment and reforms will improve patients’ experiences this year, including by caring for more patients in the community, rather than in hospital which is often worse for patients and more expensive for taxpayers.
Backed with a total of nearly £450 million, the plan will deliver:
Around 40 new Same Day Emergency Care and Urgent Treatment Centres – which treat and discharge patients in the same day, avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospital.
Up to 15 mental health crisis assessment centres to provide care in the right place for patients and avoid them waiting in A&E for hours for care, which is not the most appropriate setting for people who are experiencing a crisis. These centres will offer people timely access to specialist support and are directed to the right care.
Almost 500 new ambulances will also be rolled out across the country by March 2026.
The plan’s emphasis will be on shifting more patient care into more appropriate care settings as part of the move from hospital to community under the government’s Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS, while tackling ambulance handover delays and corridor care.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:
No patient should ever be left waiting for hours in hospital corridors or for an ambulance which ought to arrive in minutes.
We can’t fix more than a decade of underinvestment and neglect overnight. But through the measures we’re setting out today, we will deliver faster and more convenient care for patients in emergencies
Far too many patients are ending up in A&E who don’t need or want to be there, because there isn’t anywhere else available. Because patients can’t get a GP appointment, which costs the NHS £40, they end up in A&E, which costs around £400- worse for patients and more expensive for the taxpayer.
The package of investment and reforms we are announcing today will help the NHS treat more patients in the community, so they don’t end up stuck on trolleys in A&E. Hundreds of new ambulances will help cut the unacceptably long waiting times we’ve seen in recent years. And new centres for patients going through a mental health crisis will provide better care and keep them out of A&E, which are not well equipped to care for them.
By shifting staff and resources out of hospitals and into communities, and modernising NHS technology and equipment, our Plan for Change will make sure the NHS can be there for you when you need it, once again.
NHS Chief Executive Sir Jim Mackey said:
Urgent and emergency care services provide a life-saving first line of defence for patients – but for too long now, despite the incredible hard work of staff, the speed and quality of NHS care has often not been good enough.
Our patients and staff deserve better, so that is why we need a radical change in approach and to ensure we get the basics right.
This major plan sets out how we will work together to resuscitate NHS urgent and emergency care, with a focus on getting patients out of corridors, keeping more ambulances on the road, and enable those ready to leave hospital can do so as soon as possible.
NHS National Director for Urgent and Emergency Care Sarah-Jane Marsh said:
It is vital that patients can access our urgent and emergency care services in the right place at the right time, and that the care provided is to a standard we would want for ourselves and our own families.
While the 10 Year Health Plan will set out a longer-term vision to transform urgent and emergency services for the 21st century, there is so much more we could all be doing now.
This plan sets out not only what we know is working across the country, but how systems must work together to improve access and quality for the benefit of our patients.
In order to support this shift in delivery focus, NHS England will be asking providers and systems to be accountable to their own local Boards and populations, creating robust winter plans which will be tested during winter exercises throughout September”.
Every day, more than 140,000 people access urgent and emergency care services across England. Since 2010/11, demand has almost doubled with ambulance service usage rising by 61%.
A&E waiting time standards have not been met for over a decade, while the 18-minute target for category 2 ambulance calls has never been hit outside the pandemic.
But at least one in five people who attend A&E don’t need urgent or emergency care, while an even larger number could be better cared for in the community.
The plan focuses on making winter 2025/26 significantly better than recent winters by setting ambitious but achievable targets and increasing transparency about progress.
It marks a fundamental shift in our approach to urgent and emergency care – moving from fragmented efforts to genuine collaboration across the whole system and mean better coordination between NHS trusts and primary care to identify patients most vulnerable during winter.
And it aims to make the most difference to patients by focusing on specific improvements across the healthcare system, aligning resources to areas that need them most.
The plan will also see more patients receive care in the community, rather than being unnecessarily admitted into hospital, through measures including:
More paramedic-led care in the community – which means patients will receive more effective treatment at the scene of an accident or in their own homes from ambulance crews
Increasing numbers of patients seen by urgent community response teams – which provide urgent care to people in their homes, helping to avoid hospital admissions and enable people to live independently for longer. Local areas will be told to lay out how they will expand access to these teams, which includes understanding level of needs;
Better use of virtual wards – which use modern technology to provide patients with hospital-level care at home safely and in familiar surroundings, speeding up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for patients that need them most
And publishing league tables on performance to drive improved transparency and public accountability and as well as encouraging less effective systems to work more closely with high performing systems to accelerate improvement.
Thanks to the investment and reforms announced today, 800,000 fewer people should be forced to wait more than 4 hours for care in emergency departments this year.
Chief Executive of NHS Providers Daniel Elkeles said:
There is a lot to like about this plan. It’s helpful that we’re seeing it in early summer, with time to ensure meaningful measures are in place ahead of the added pressures of winter.
It’s also good to see that so many parts of the system, including primary, community and mental health care, in addition to ambulance and hospital services, have been factored in.
The extra capital investment for same day emergency care and mental health crisis assessment centres and ambulance services is particularly welcome, as is the emphasis on vaccination – and on this we’d urge NHS staff and the public to play their part by getting that protection.
This plan should result in meaningful progress compared to last winter. As the plan acknowledges the public and our staff want to know the NHS can respond quickly, safely and effectively in an emergency. NHS Providers would like to work with NHSE and the government to develop long term UEC plans that are bold and ambitious.
Association of Ambulances Chief Executives Managing Director Anna Parry said:
The new urgent and emergency care plan reaffirms AACE’s vision for the future of NHS ambulance services. By extending and formalising a wider ambulance sector remit in urgent and emergency care, we will be better placed to help resolve some of the key system pressures, reduce the risks for patients and transform patient care while offering a more positive working environment for our people.
By underscoring the importance of a system-wide focus to achieve improvements in urgent and emergency care, this new plan acts as a genuine challenge to all health and social care leaders, encouraging them to plan and act with purpose to achieve the transformation that is needed. Ambulance service leaders continue to proactively seek increased opportunities for greater collaboration with system partners while identifying new strategies and initiatives within their own ambulance trusts to achieve the transformation targets outlined in the plan.
We are particularly heartened to see the plan’s emphasis on the reduction and improved management of hospital handover delays. Handover delays have the greatest detrimental impact on ambulance resources and create unnecessary delays and additional harm for thousands of patients each year. The elimination of corridor care and the focus on reducing 12-hour waits at emergency departments is also welcomed.
Finally, we wholeheartedly endorse and support the plan’s underlined recognition of the impact of the delivery of sub-optimal care on NHS staff, alongside the pivotal role both leadership and a strong system-level approach must play in the transformation of urgent and emergency care.
NHS Confederation Chief Executive Matthew Taylor said:
Health leaders across systems, providers and primary care will welcome this plan to provide better, faster and more appropriate emergency care, an area which is facing high demand and rising public concern over performance.
As the plan shows, there is a lot of good practice across the health service to build upon, including expanding the number of same day emergency treatment and mental health crisis assessment centres and rolling out more ambulances.
Making sure the NHS does not continue to fall into crisis each winter will be essential for improving public confidence in the health service. Strong collaboration between health partners and with local government to improve discharges out of hospitals will also be key to progress.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)
Washington D.C. – Today, Congresswomen Carol Miller (R-WV) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), reintroduced the Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) Act. The PEAKS Act would ensure Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas receive fair compensation for ambulatory services and modify distance requirements.
“Everyone, regardless of where they live, should have access to quality and affordable health care. My home state of West Virginia has more Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas than any other state in the country, and I know how hard it can be for those who live in rural, mountainous regions to receive treatment in a timely manner. The Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS Act) is life-saving legislation that will ensure Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas are compensated fairly for the ambulatory services they provide to patients and positively impact rural communities across the nation. It’s imperative that all patients, especially those that live in unforgiving terrain, can access emergency medical care,” said Rep. Carol Miller.
“All Americans deserve quality access to health services, even if they reside in areas that are difficult to access. To protect the wellbeing of our rural residents, we must ensure that these hospitals have enough funding to continue providing their life-saving services. The Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites (PEAKS) Act allows us to do so, by broadening the requirements to become a Critical Access Hospital and by providing fair compensation for their emergency transportation services. The American public should be able to rely on its ambulances,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren.
“As residents of the Mountain State, we are proud of our beautiful peaks, however, we are also aware of the transportation challenges—especially for ambulances—that exist due to our mountainous topography. I’m proud to introduce the PEAKS Act to address this challenge and ensure even our most rural residents can depend on ambulance services, as well as ensure our critical access hospitals are able to provide the best care possible,” saidSenator Capito.
“We commend Congresswoman Miller for her leadership in introducing the PEAKS Act, which addresses the financial and operational challenges rural hospitals in West Virginia and across the country face every day. Her continued commitment to supporting access to care in underserved communities is deeply appreciated by our hospitals, providers, and the patients they serve. The PEAKS Act is a strong step toward ensuring the long-term sustainability of rural healthcare, and we’re proud to support this important effort,” said Jim Kaufman, President and CEO, West Virginia Hospital Association
Click HERE for bill text.
Background:
Critical Access Hospitals are hospitals that serve residents in rural areas.
The PEAKS Act would allow for Critical Access Hospitals located in mountainous areas to be reimbursed for their emergency medical transportation services.
The Act would also make certain that Critical Access Hospitals would not lose their designation despite any new hospital that is built within 15 miles.
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, has today released his decisions on 17 recommendations referred to him by Christchurch City Council on its Intensification Planning Instrument (Plan Change 14).
“In December 2024, the Council accepted the majority of the Independent Hearings Panel’s (IHP) recommendations on those parts of Plan Change 14 subject to Policies 3 and 4 of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (NPS-UD),” Minister Bishop says.
“These recommendations were incorporated into its district plan. The Council rejected 20 of the IHP’s recommendations and referred them, along with its own alternative recommendations, to me for a final decision in early 2025.
“I have carefully considered this matter and taken extensive advice from officials. The law requires that I only consider matters that the IHP could have taken into account when making its recommendations.
“I have made decisions on 17 of the 20 recommendations referred to me by the Council, which relate to a range of issues including qualifying matters, zoning and built form standards.
“Together, these decisions will enable a greater level of development in and around Christchurch City’s urban centres as required by Policies 3 and 4 of the NPS-UD.
“I have not made decisions on three recommendations relating to Daresbury House, Antonio Hall and the Piko Residential Character Area.
“I intend to consider these recommendations once the Council has decided on the zoning of these areas. The Council may refer these decisions to me again ahead of deciding on the balance of Plan Change 14.
“I thank the Councillors, the Independent Hearings Panel and Council staff for the work undertaken on the Intensification Streamlined Planning Process so far.”
Minister Bishop’s decisions, made under Schedule 1 of the Resource Management Act 1991, are final and cannot be appealed to the Environment Court.
Editor’s note:
A table outlining the decisions is attached as a separate document.
Washington, DC:On June 3, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) discussedthe staff paper on the contribution of the IMF to the international financing for development agenda, prepared in view of the 4th Financing for Development Conference (FfD4) to be held in Sevilla, Spain from June 30 to July 3, 2025. The paper outlines the challenging context for development, updates staff’s assessment on the achievability of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and proposes actions to accelerate development progress.
The series of shocks since 2020 has added to longstanding structural challenges, with low-income and fragile countries affected the most. Debt vulnerabilities deserve attention, particularly for low-income countries. While debt appears sustainable for most countries, many are facing high interest costs and elevated refinancing needs that constrain their ability to finance critical spending necessary to progress on their development path. Against this background, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 appears increasingly unlikely.
Accelerating development progress will require a major collective effort, including advancing a strong domestic reform agenda, providing adequate international support to complement and facilitate domestic reforms, and proactively addressing debt vulnerabilities. Importantly, while developing countries share many characteristics, increasing heterogeneity across countries calls for appropriate differentiation in countries’ policy and reform agenda, as well as in the support from the international community.
The IMF has a strong role to play in supporting countries maintain or restore macroeconomic and financial stability, which is a key condition to enable sustainable growth and development. Through its surveillance, capacity development, and financial support to countries faced with balance of payment needs, the IMF helps countries advance this agenda, including through continuous adjustments in its policies to ensure they remain fit for purpose and aligned with evolving needs of the membership. It also plays a leading role on debt and the global debt architecture, through its monitoring of debt vulnerabilities and debt sustainability assessments and further enhancing its work to tackle debt challenges and improve debt restructuring processes, including through the Common Framework and progress at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. In all these activities, the IMF collaborates closely with partners, particularly the World Bank.
Executive Directors welcomed the opportunity to discuss the contribution of the IMF to the international financing for development agenda, as well as the review of recent experiences in the IMF’s collaboration with the World Bank, ahead of the 4th Financing for Development Conference. Directors concurred with staff’s analysis of the challenging context for development, as the series of shocks since 2020 has added to longstanding structural challenges weighing on economic and social progress in developing countries, with low‑income and fragile countries affected the most.
Directors agreed that debt vulnerabilities deserve specific attention, in particular for low‑income countries. They noted that, while debt appears sustainable for most countries under baseline assumptions, uncertainties and risks to the baseline have increased significantly. In addition, many countries face high interest costs and elevated refinancing needs that constrain their ability to finance critical spending necessary to progress on their development path.
Directors noted with regret that achieving the sustainable developments goals (SDGs) by 2030 appears increasingly unlikely, as it would require financing that exceeds credible assumptions and surpasses what countries could absorb without creating additional macroeconomic imbalances.
Directors agreed that accelerating development progress requires a major collective effort comprising strong domestic reforms, significant international support, and proactively addressing debt vulnerabilities. They noted that, while developing countries share many characteristics, increasing heterogeneity across countries calls for appropriate differentiation in countries’ policy and reform agenda, as well as in the support from the international community.
Directors emphasized the importance of advancing a strong domestic reform agenda to maintain or promote a stable and sound macroeconomic and financial environment and boost private‑sector led growth and job creation. This includes increasing the efficiency of public spending and optimizing the use of available resources, mobilizing domestic resources, strengthening debt management, and improving governance. These reforms are also key to increase resilience against external shocks.
Directors also agreed that international support, through well‑coordinated and sequenced capacity development (CD), and additional public and private financing, will be critical to complement and facilitate domestic reforms. They underlined the importance of proactively addressing debt challenges and supported the proposed approach to: (i) improve further debt restructuring processes to ensure countries with unsustainable debt have access to timely and sufficiently deep debt relief, building on progress already made in particular under the Common Framework and through the work at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR); and (ii) accelerate the implementation of the “3‑pillar approach” to help countries with sustainable debt and a robust reform agenda, where productive spending is crowded out by high debt service. They welcomed the recent publication of the GSDR “Restructuring Playbook” and supported further strengthening the IMF’s contribution to help address debt vulnerabilities, consistent with its role and policies and respecting its duty of neutrality. They also underlined the importance of further enhancing debt transparency and the accuracy of debt data.
Directors agreed that, while the IMF is not a development institution, it has a strong role to play to help member countries maintain or restore macroeconomic and financial stability, which is a key condition to enable sustainable growth and development. They underlined the importance of IMF surveillance, CD, and financial support to members faced with balance of payment needs, to achieve this objective, and looked forward to the upcoming comprehensive surveillance review and review of program design and conditionality. Directors highlighted the recent reforms to ensure that the lending framework remains fit for purpose, including the finalization in October 2024 of the review of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) facilities and financing and the review of the Charges and the Surcharge Policy, and the significant expansion of CD delivery over time, with a strong emphasis on supporting low‑income countries and fragile and conflict‑affected states. In this context, some Directors saw room to further scale up the IMF’s concessional facilities and CD support. Some others cautioned against placing greater emphasis in IMF‑supported programs on development spending needs and higher financing volumes. Directors supported the continued active role of the IMF on debt issues and its sustained engagement in international efforts to address debt vulnerabilities. Some Directors noted that a greater emphasis in the paper on the IMF’s existing work on climate would have better illustrated that the Fund is already actively contributing to help address these challenges, in line with its mandate. A few Directors also highlighted the macro‑critical nature of inequality and its impact on long‑term stability and development, and supported a deeper analytical and operational engagement on these fronts within the Fund’s existing mandate.
Directors underlined the importance of IMF collaboration with partners, in particular the World Bank and relevant UN agencies, building on comparative advantages and consistent with each institution’s mandate. They welcomed the review of recent experiences in the IMF’s collaboration with the World Bank and underscored the critical importance of maintaining or further deepening this efficient collaboration, leveraging the respective expertise of both institutions for an optimal division of work and avoiding duplication.
Directors underscored the importance of clear communication to promote a better public understanding of the institution’s unique role, mandate, and activities in fostering macroeconomic and financial stability, which is a prerequisite for sustainable growth and development.
Drivers are advised that Highway 4 will be temporarily closed near Cameron Lake on Wednesday, June 11, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., for catchment cleanup and maintenance.
Debris that was recently intercepted by the rockfall fencing next to the lake will be cleared to restore the catchment’s capacity. Geotechnical engineers have recommended this work to ensure the system continues to function as intended.
The highway will reopen to traffic once the work is complete. No further closures are planned.
For up-to-date information about road conditions, please visit www.DriveBC.ca
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
WASHINGTON – Today, House Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement on Donald Trump’s executive order that bans citizens of 12 countries, including Haiti, from traveling to the United States, and places partial restrictions on citizens of seven more nations:
“We condemn Donald Trump’s bigoted travel ban in the strongest possible terms. Let’s be clear: the President of the United States has committed an unambiguously xenophobic attack on the most vulnerable people in the world, many of whom will die as a direct consequence of his cruelty. These are children, women, and men who are fleeing political turmoil and war, who are trying to survive famine and natural catastrophes. Haitians and so many others are drowning, and Donald Trump just ripped a life preserver from their desperate arms and tied weights around their ankles,” said the Co-Chairs.
“But the continuation of their suffering is the point. This is a targeted abuse of hundreds of millions of Black and Brown people at a scale of cruelty even beyond the historically despicable Muslim and African Bans, and it’s undergirded by nothing but baseless accusations and one man’s insatiable hate. The American people know that. No matter what sick justifications he gives or sadistic lies he spins, we see this vile, unlawful act for what is. Just as we see him for who he is.
“We call on all people of conscience to recognize this cruelty for what it is, and join us in standing with the innocent people who Donald Trump sought to hurt through this executive order. In the face of such brutal inhumanity, they need more than our support, and they need more than our love. Only our unwavering and absolute commitment to fight against this depraved act in the courts, in our communities, and in the halls of Congress is sufficient at this moment.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Foreign Arms Sales Task Force held the third in a series of roundtables featuring defense industry perspectives on reforming and improving America’s foreign arms sales process.
As part of the bipartisan engagement, members heard from industry representatives from RTX, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and Boeing on the need for regulatory reforms to the foreign arms sales process to meet the growing demand for cutting edge, American-made defense systems and hardware.
During the roundtable, Task Force Chairman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) highlighted the importance foreign arms sales play in deterring adversaries, strengthening U.S. alliances and bolstering America’s defense industrial base. He underscored that improving the foreign arms sales process is critical for ensuring the U.S. remains as the partner of choice for allies around the globe.
The roundtable provided a forum for candid, detailed discussions between industry insiders and Task Force members on the red-tape American companies face day-in and day-out because of outdated regulations and cumbersome approval processes across the interagency.
The Task Force, which is being led by Chairman Zinke and Ranking Member Madeleine Dean (D-PA), will propose overdue reforms aimed at eliminating bureaucratic hurdles that encumber the current foreign arms sales process.
The legislation put forward by the Task Force will build upon executive actions announced by President Trump last month to reform and improve the foreign defense sales process.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee Chairman Michael Lawler delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled, “After Assad: The Future of Syria.”
Watch Here
-Remarks-
Syria is at a turning point. The fall of Bashar al-Assad this past December following four decades of authoritarian rule has created conditions for unprecedented change for Syria and for the Middle East. This change comes with significant risk. The Syrian war dating back to 2011 has left most of the country in ruins, destroyed by years of indiscriminate bombing by Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers. The cost of reconstructing this broken country will be in the tens of billions, even by the most modest assessment, and investors face significant hurdles as they work to navigate the complex sanctions regime that has emerged after four decades of Assad family rule. While there are rightfully many who seek to break down barriers, advocating for sanctions relief to ensure reconstruction can take place and put Syria on a path of success, we must not lose sight of core US interests in this rush to embrace Syria’s new regime. There remain significant questions about Syria’s new interim authorities led by US-designated foreign terrorist organization Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a former al Qaeda affiliate. Ahmed al Shara, despite his hardened past, continues to verbally signal a commitment to reform through his ability, though his ability to deliver remains to be seen, which is why we must be explicit with our goals for Syria. This includes the counter ISIS mission, which has been a central part of US foreign policy since 2014.
We must set clear expectations for the interim authorities on what we expect from them with respect to counterterrorism cooperation to prevent a resurgence and assume responsibility for detention centers holding thousands of ISIS members and affiliated individuals in the Northeast. Concerns about extremism are not by any means limited to ISIS. Iran and its proxies have long used the country as a sanctuary space to plan and carry out attacks, including against Israel, while Russia sees Syria as a strategic launch pad to undermine our interest not just in the Middle East but much further afield from Africa to Europe. There must be clear red lines when it comes to Iran and its proxies as well as Russia’s ability to operate in Syria. Preventing Syria from being used as a sanctuary space is vital not just for the US but also for Syria.
This will no doubt be one of the metrics used as the international community measures the success of Syria’s transition and by extension for the prospects for further economic relief. For Syria to succeed and reestablish itself on the international world stage, it must take action to prevent extremism from thriving once again, including by signaling a commitment to inclusive governance by establishing a positive working relationship with our Kurdish partners, the Syrian Democratic Forces. They have been at the forefront of the campaign to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. On that basis, the Trump administration has rightfully taken steps to waive US sanctions on a limited and temporary basis, giving Alhara sufficient time to demonstrate he is able to turn his words into actions, but this is not, I have to stress, a full embrace of Al Shara or those he continues to surround himself with. We must use this opportunity to press him on key US priorities, notably as to counterterrorism while also retaining limitations on US sanctions relief to ensure Iran and Russia cannot benefit financially. Al Shara has expressed a concerning willingness to embrace Moscow despite Putin’s complicity in war crimes against the Syrian people. For Russia, their presence in Syria is not just about the Middle East. It’s a vital staging ground essential to everything they do in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. We underestimate the strategic importance Syria holds for the Russians at our own peril.
Make no mistake, what happens in Syria does not stay in Syria. The country has consistently demonstrated its ability to impact and shape affairs far outside its borders, from Europe’s migrant crisis to ISIS to the war in Ukraine. When Secretary Rubio testified before Congress last month, he said, “There is no guarantee that by outreach and working with the transitional authority in Syria, things are going to work out. It may work out. It may not work out. But if we don’t reach out and try, it’s a guarantee not to work out.” I echo the secretary’s sentiments and just came back along with the ranking member from a trip to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Jordan. That was the sentiment shared there as well. We want to give this an opportunity to work but are fully cognizant of the consequences of failure. Here during this hearing, we will further examine Syrian stability and the vital role Syria and the Syrian people play in the Middle East.
Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological SurveyHawaiian Volcano Observatoryscientists and affiliates. This week’s article is by Mike Cappos, a gas field engineer with HVO.
Image of burning hydrogen above the north vent inside Halemaʻumaʻu taken during the evening of May 21, 2025. USGS photo.
During pauses between the high fountaining episodes of the ongoing Kīlauea volcano summit eruption, which began on December 23, 2024, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists—and astute watchers of the HVO livestream cameras—have periodically observed yellow to orange-colored flames emanating from the two vents inside of Halemaʻumaʻu. These flames, which look most impressive at night, are the result of burning hydrogen gas.
Flames of this nature have been observed in and near eruptive vents during past eruptions of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, and at other volcanoes around the world—often basaltic ones like ours in Hawaii. Flames were observed at Kīlauea in the early 1900s by Thomas Jaggar, the original founder of HVO, while he was observing eruptions inside Halemaʻumaʻu.
Other occurrences of flames have been observed during the 1969–1974 Maunaulu eruption, the 1986–2018 Puʻuʻōʻō eruptive era on Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone, the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, the 2021–2022 Kīlauea summit eruption, and others.
Image of burning methane (blue flames in foreground) from ground cracks taken during the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea in Leilani Estates subdivision. USGS photo.
Hydrogen gas is a minor constituent of volcanic gases. Water—which is made of hydrogen and oxygen—is a major component of volcanic gases, but in oxygen-poor magmas, some hydrogen that might otherwise be part of water remains as hydrogen itself in very small amounts.
How do we get flames from that hydrogen though? The temperature at which hydrogen ignites in air depends on its concentration. Generally, the higher the concentration of hydrogen present, the lower the temperature required for ignition.
One example of this was the Hindenburg airship disaster of 1937. The gas envelope of the Hindenburg was filled with pure hydrogen gas, which caught fire and exploded from only a stray spark when the airship was beginning to land, all at normal ambient temperatures in the atmosphere near the ground surface.
The low concentrations (less than 2%) of hydrogen gas present in and near volcanic vents requires significantly higher temperatures for ignition to be achieved. Hydrogen gas such low concentrations needs temperatures above about 1380°F (around 750°C). Eruptive vents at Kīlauea have temperatures in excess of 1,830°F (1,000°C), which is more than sufficient to ignite the hydrogen.
However, we believe another key player for hydrogen to be efficiently ignited at the vent is the vent geometry. In most cases, flames are observed emanating from a hornito or small spatter cone within the vent. In this sort of geometry, water-rich magmatic gas can accumulate inside the orifice and stay in an oxygen-poor state because it has not yet mixed with the oxygen-rich ambient atmosphere. The hornito or small spatter cone effectively acts as a super-hot nozzle to help induce the combustion of hydrogen, which creates the flames we have seen recently, and during earlier eruptions.
But what about blue flames? The yellow/orange hydrogen flames in volcanic vents are somewhat elusive compared to the blue flames that are commonly observed around active lava flows.
Lava flows themselves typically don’t emit flames. Their broad surfaces disperse any remaining volcanic gases quickly and temperatures are too low to ignite any further diluted levels of hydrogen gas at the surface of the flow.
Blue flames that are sometimes seen around lava flows are more likely to be caused by the burning of methane gas, which is produced by the “cooking” of vegetation beneath the lava flow. This was a common observation during Kīlauea’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption in the Leilani Estates subdivision. Although those dancing blue methane flames may seem beautiful… they are dangerous themselves and can even create a secondary danger. As methane gets trapped beneath the lava flow, the methane may not just burn, it may explode in and around lava flows in vegetated areas. This is a constant danger to those in close proximity to a lava flow and extreme caution must be maintained.
Volcanic flames are an interesting offshoot of volcanic degassing; their intriguing presence is an informative clue about vent or lava flow conditions. Still, they are dangerous. So, we’re happy to have our current flames mesmerizing us from a safe distance away but easy to see in HVO livestreams.
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea has been erupting episodically within the summit caldera since December 23, 2024. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
One earthquake was reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M2.8 earthquake 20 km (12 mi) S of Pa‘auilo at 25 km (15 mi) depth on June 1 at 8:22 a.m. HST.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nomination of David Waterman to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by a voice vote. Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) endorsed his nomination. Waterman has been nominated for this position two Congresses in a row and was voted out of Committee last Congress with an overwhelming, bipartisan vote.
A recording of the executive business meeting can be found HERE.
Read Grassley’s full statement at the executive business meeting HERE.