Tracks to Gemstone and Stingray bays were damaged in the same February 2023 extreme weather events which resulted in the extended closure of walking access to Mautohe Cathedral Cove.
DOC’s Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says DOC has worked hard to assess the tracks and was pleased to find a good solution for Gemstone.
“A repair project will see a reroute of the existing track and a new 40 metre section constructed in time for the summer visitor season, all going to plan.
“We’ve explored a couple of options to reinstate access to Waimata Gemstone Bay and we’ve chosen what we consider to be the most cost-effective and simplest solution.”
The new route will take visitors away from a slip risk area and will be much safer to construct. It will require some vegetation removal and the construction of box steps in places. The track will be gravel with wooden edging and connect with existing access stairs.
The reinstatement option also means there’s no need for geotechnical stabilisation.
Nick cautioned Waimata Gemstone Bay and the track are still prone to coastal erosion, but the choice of a low complexity option means future repairs are likely to be cheaper and quicker.
“Reinstating the Waimata Gemstone Bay track will restore land access to a popular snorkelling destination within Te Whanganui-O-Hei Marine Reserve,” says Nick.
“The bay’s rocky reef has long supported educational snorkelling trips by local schools and provides both visitors and the community the opportunity to experience marine life in a marine protected area.”
Investigations into reinstating walking access to nearby Te Karaka Stingray Bay, have highlighted significant difficulties, costs and visitor risks, Nick says. Other considerations are the cost to maintain hard infrastructure at the site and the long-term sustainability of having a track to the site.
“Unfortunately, this means walking access to Stingray Bay will not be reinstated.
“The current steps are gradually being twisted by a slow-slip landslide which over time will require significant maintenance if access is reestablished. Nick acknowledges there will be disappointment about the Te Karaka Stingray Bay decision but says it’s a tough, but necessary, call.
“Geotechnical advice confirms the cliffs surrounding the beach are highly unstable, with active rockfall areas and limited practical options for mitigation.
“Visitors would be forced into hazardous zones by rising tides or walk near to unstable cliff – and we don’t think that’s sensible or safe considering the type of visitor who goes there.”
Te Karaka Stingray Bay can still be reached from the sea. Anyone planning to do this is urged to check weather, sea and tide conditions.
DOC is working with mana whenua and the community to identify the best options for the long-term management and protection of Cathedral Cove Recreation Reserve.
With over 2000 tourism businesses operating in protected natural areas, nature tourism is worth $3.4 billion each year and is vital in supporting local communities like Hahei.
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced the formation of a Strike Force to assess the evidence publicized by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and investigate potential next legal steps which might stem from DNI Gabbard’s disclosures.
This Department takes alleged weaponization of the intelligence community with the utmost seriousness.
Upon the formation of the Strike Force, Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated:
“The Department of Justice is proud to work with my friend Director Gabbard and we are grateful for her partnership in delivering accountability for the American people. We will investigate these troubling disclosures fully and leave no stone unturned to deliver justice.”
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–The One Big Beautiful Bill Act drives economic growth by making key business provisions permanent, giving businesses the certainty they need to invest, hire and grow.
“Permanent tax policy provides businesses with the certainty they need to invest, save and plan for the future, which will power economic growth and ignite the U.S. economy,” said Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).
Key wins:
Full expensing for domestic R&D to encourage domestic innovation.
Full expensing for new capital investments, like machinery and equipment, to boost domestic production.
Restores interest deductibility to a globally competitive standard to help finance critical domestic investments.
What they are saying:
“The Chamber thanks Leader Thune, Chairman Crapo, and all who are working to make the pro-growth reforms of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, including the deduction for domestic R&D expenditures, 100% bonus depreciation for certain business investments, and an expanded business interest limitation. The Chamber applauds the Senate for voting to make these provisions permanent features of the tax code.” – U.S. Chamber of Commerce
“[This bill sends] a swift, decisive signal that America will remain a premier destination for businesses to invest, hire and grow.” – Business Roundtable
“I applaud Chairman Mike Crapo, Leader John Thune and their Senate colleagues for advancing international tax policies that keep the U.S. the top destination for global investment. These provisions will help sustain American jobs, drive innovation, and reinforce a stable tax environment that attracts cross-border capital and world-class know-how.” – Global Business Alliance President and CEO Jonathan Samford
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) announced they are filing the Major Richard Star Act as an amendment to the annual must-pass defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) retirement and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments–leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees. If adopted, the Senators’ Major Richard Star Act will fix this unjust policy for medical retirees with a combat-related disability—providing them their full VA disability and DOD retirement payments.
“The Major Richard Star Act corrects a severe injustice for combat-wounded veterans,” said Senator Crapo. “The support for this correction is clear. Though the namesake of our legislation is no longer with us, we must pass this fix on behalf of the more than 50,000 veterans, including hundreds in Idaho, who stand to benefit.”
“The Major Richard Star Act would correct one of the deepest injustices in our present veterans’ disability system. As an amendment to the NDAA, it would enable tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans to collect the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Right now they’re denied fair, complete compensation because they are subject to a dollar-for-dollar offset of their VA disability and military retirement benefits. It’s unacceptable–and I’m joining my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to right this wrong by seeking to attach our legislation to this year’s NDAA. With more than 31 cosponsors, adopting our amendment is a commonsense next step to finally provide these military retirees who already sacrificed so much the benefits they need and earned.”
“Our veterans put their lives on the line for this country, and it’s time our government gives them the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Senator Warren. “Including this bill in the NDAA will ensure the federal government keeps its promise to our veterans.”
This bipartisan legislation is named in honor of Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to medically retire due to his combat-related injuries. Major Star sadly lost his battle with cancer on February 13, 2021.
The Senators’ legislation has 76 bipartisan cosponsors, and is supported by the following military, veterans and survivor organizations: Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), Air & Space Forces Association (AFA), American GI Forum, The American Legion, American Logistics Association, American Military Society, American Veterans (AMVETS), America’s Warrior Partnership, American WWII Orphans Network, Armed Forces Retiree Association, Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Association of the United States Navy (AUSN), Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Blue Star Families, Burn Pits 360, Catholic War Veterans of the USA & Auxiliary, Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard (CWOA), Code of Support Foundation, Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, Inc. (COA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Gold Star Spouses of America, Grunt Style Foundation, Gold Star Wives of America (GSW), Healing Household, Heroes Athletic Association, Hire Heroes USA, HunterSeven Foundation, Japanese American Veterans Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV), K9s for Warriors, Marine Corps League (MCL), Marine Corps Reserve Association (MCRA), Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America (MCA), Military Family Advisory Network, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Military Order of the World Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Mission Roll Call, National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA), National Defense Committee, National Guard Association of the United States, National Military Family Association (NMFA), Naval Enlisted Reserve Association (NERA), Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Operation First Response, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Project Sanctuary, The Ranger Leadership and Policy Center, Quality of Life Foundation, Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Sea Service Family Foundation, Stronghold Freedom Foundation, Student Veterans of America, TBI Warrior Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), The Independence Fund (TIF), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (USAWOA), United States Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association (USCG CPOA), United Through Reading, VetsFirst/United Spinal Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Wounded Paw Project and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
The prolonged suffering will have irreversible consequences that will last generations: Joint statement on conflict and hunger in Gaza
A joint statement by the Permanent Missions to the UN of the Dominican Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Guyana, Ireland, Mexico, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
It is unacceptable that man-made and avoidable conflict-induced hunger continues to afflict civilians in Gaza. The prolonged suffering will have irreversible consequences that will last generations.
From the May IPC Special Snapshot, we know that the Gaza Strip is facing a critical risk of famine. The entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with 500,000 people facing starvation and more than 70,000 children set to require treatment for acute malnutrition.
The latest figures are even more disturbing, and we are witnessing increased deaths due to malnutrition. This follows sustained denial of essential humanitarian assistance to civilians by Israel.
To address this crisis, we call on all parties to fully comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. In particular, we call on Israel as the occupying power to adhere to its obligations under international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2417. Israel must:
Lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid and facilitate immediate, safe, rapid, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access by the UN and humanitarian organisations that ensures relief supplies at scale to civilians in need throughout Gaza.
Facilitate the effective delivery of life-saving nutrition, health, water, sanitation and other essential services by the UN and humanitarian organisations, as well as the fuel needed to sustain them.
Protect objects necessary for food production and distribution and facilitate the restoration of essential commercial supplies and market systems at scale.
Urgently ensure the protection of civilians, including aid workers, UN and associated personnel, and medical personnel, and allow their unrestricted access.
We urge all parties to do everything to support efforts to reach agreement on a new ceasefire and hostage release deal. While humanitarian assistance is essential, the answer to conflict-induced hunger is peace.
We need to ensure accountability for actors who deliberately cause or prolong conflict-induced hunger in violation of international law. Using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare may constitute a war crime.
All Member States should use their influence to address conflict-driven hunger in Gaza and promote compliance by all parties to the conflict with international law.
We call for rapid and full implementation of humanitarian commitments made by Israel including the steps agreed between Israel and the EU to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. This is imperative. We will follow delivery measures by Israel closely.
We must all support the work of the UN-coordinated humanitarian system in Gaza led by OCHA. It is best equipped to ensure aid is delivered to civilians, apply established strong aid diversion prevention systems and adhere with humanitarian principles.
UNRWA remains crucial to the delivery of humanitarian aid and essential services, despite increasing restrictions and attacks.
The new Israel-approved aid delivery model is dangerous and is not operating in accordance with humanitarian principles. We condemn the killing of well over 800 Palestinians, including children, seeking water and food.
The 20 July incident where people came under Israeli fire beside a WFP convoy was terrible. Humanitarian action must be based on humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
We condemn the heinous attack by Hamas on October 7 2023. Hamas must release all hostages unconditionally now.
Immediate action is needed to address this debilitating suffering.
According to the UN mission, the overnight assault from Saturday into Sunday – one of the largest of its kind since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 – resulted in civilian casualties and damage to homes and infrastructure across 10 regions of Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv.
At least three children were among those killed and nine children were reported injured. The mission is currently working to verify the full extent of the casualties and the broader impact of the attack.
“With at least 78 people reported killed or injured across the country, last night’s attack tragically demonstrates the persistent deadly risk to civilians of using powerful weapons in urban areas, including those far away from the frontline,” Danielle Bell, HRMMU Head, said in a news release on Sunday.
“It is yet another addition to the staggering human toll this war continues to inflict on civilians, with more families across the country now grieving their losses.”
No place is safe
Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, also voiced deep concern over the civilian suffering.
“I am horrified that yet again civilians – among them children – were killed in last night’s massive attacks,” he said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.
“Across Ukraine, no place is safe. Homes and civilian infrastructure were hit. Grateful to humanitarian NGOs and state services who are immediately supporting affected people. Civilians must never be a target.”
Use of long-range weapons
Ukrainian authorities reported that the Russian armed forces launched at least 367 missiles and loitering munitions during the night, in a coordinated attack with air, sea and land-based systems.
The strike followed a similar assault the previous night, which had mainly targeted the Kyiv region.
HRMMU noted that the use of long-range weapons in urban areas has been a major driver of civilian casualties in March and April. While the number of casualties in May had been somewhat lower than April before the latest attack, the toll from this weekend’s strikes will add to the monthly figures.
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), more than 30 locations across seven districts of Kyiv were struck in what it described as “the deadliest attack” on the Ukrainian capital in nearly a year.
“Last night’s attack exemplifies the grave threat posed by the tactic of deploying missiles and large numbers of drones simultaneously into populated areas,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU.
Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, also strongly condemned the attacks, which extended to Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and other areas.
“The people of Ukraine should not have to take cover in shelters night after night,” he said. “Each day, the war takes a devastating toll on civilians.”
In the southern port city of Odesa, strikes reportedly injured several civilians and damaged a kindergarten and a centre for children with special needs – places where children should feel safe. In Zaporizhzhia, residential buildings were hit.
First responders and humanitarian agencies are already on the ground, providing emergency care and supplies while assessing further needs.
Human toll rising
The barrage included 440 long-range drones and 32 missiles launched by Russian forces, HRMMU noted in a news release citing information from Ukrainian authorities, of which 175 drones and 14 missiles targeted Kyiv.
It marked the fourth time this month that more than 400 munitions were fired in a single night – far surpassing the 544 total launched during the entire month of June 2024.
Even before this latest attack, the human toll of such tactics had been rising sharply. HRMMU had already verified at least 29 civilian deaths and 126 injuries from long-range weapons in June alone.
The overall civilian casualty count in the first five months of 2025 is nearly 50 per cent higher than in the same period last year.
Mr. Schmale reiterated that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law.
“Civilians, including children, must never be a target,” he said. “We must not normalize the war.”
Refugee crisis deepens
Meanwhile, the broader humanitarian crisis continues to deepen. The intense conflict, now in its third year since Russia’s full-scale invasion, has driven more than 6.3 million Ukrainians to seek refuge across Europe.
Most are women, children, and older persons, many of whom rely on temporary protection directives extended by host countries like the European Union (EU) and Moldova, according to a report released on Tuesday by Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Noting the volatile situation in Ukraine, the agency urged the respective governments to maintain legal status for refugees until conditions allow for safe, dignified, and sustainable returns.
Since January, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), recorded over 4,000 individuals deliberately killed – a 24 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
“The capital city was for all intents and purposes paralysed by gangs and isolated due to the ongoing suspension of international commercial flights into the international airport,” Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for the Americas at the department of political affairs (DPPA), told ambassadors in the Security Council on Wednesday.
Having visited the country recently, he warned that, gangs have only “strengthened their foothold”, which now affects all communes of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and beyond, “pushing the situation closer to the brink.”
He called on the international community to act decisively and urgently or the “total collapse of state presence in the capital could become a very real scenario”.
Gang control expands
Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), echoed that warning.
“As gang control expands, the state’s capacity to govern is rapidly shrinking, with social, economic and security implications,” she told ambassadors, briefing remotely from Vienna.
“This erosion of state legitimacy has cascading effects,” she said, with legal commerce becoming paralysed as gangs control major trade routes, such conditions worsening “already dire levels of food insecurity and humanitarian need,” she added.
Rise of ‘vigilante’ groups
Amidst increasing public frustration with the limited protection capacity of the state, “vigilante” or self-defence groups are now gaining in popular appeal.
Although some are motivated by the urgent need to protect their communities, many operate outside existing legal frameworks, in some cases, engaging in extrajudicial actions and colluding with gangs.
The rise of these actors is pushing demand for guns and military-grade weapons, “fuelling illicit arms markets and raising the risk of licit weapons being diverted to criminal elements,” Ms. Waly said.
Human trafficking
Meanwhile, the broader deterioration of the security and economic situation in the capital and the rest of the country continues to fuel a sharper escalation in human rights violations.
Despite persistent under-reporting of sexual violence due to fear of reprisals, social stigma and lack of trust in institutions, BINUH reported an increase in sexual violence committed by gangs in the past three months.
In May, Haitian police raided a medical facility in Pétion-Ville suspected of being involved in illicit organ trade, as allegations of trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal are now arising.
As the situation in Haiti remains desperate, “there is not a moment to lose,” Mr. Jenča urged.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
SG/SM/22737
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the thirtieth anniversary of the International Seabed Authority, in Kingston today:
I am pleased to join you in celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the International Seabed Authority — a cornerstone in the governance of our ocean commons.
The international seabed area is not the domain of any nation. It is the common heritage of humankind — a principle enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which must continue to guide us. We must bring together our global efforts in climate action, biodiversity preservation, and marine protection.
The deep ocean remains one of our last frontiers. It holds great promise but also requires great caution.
For thirty years, the Authority has helped protect this shared realm through peaceful, sustainable and inclusive governance. Today, it is navigating complex challenges with care and clarity, and I commend its commitment to finding balanced and effective solutions.
As we mark this milestone, let us advance cooperation grounded in science, and keep working together to safeguard the ocean for the benefit of all people, everywhere.
Members of the Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team
The Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team held its first meeting on July 23, bringing together teachers, school leaders, school board trustees and other front-line professionals with classroom experience to help address the growing challenges in Alberta’s classrooms.
The 25-member action team includes teachers, school administrators and support staff who have direct experience working with students every day and understand the complexities of today’s learning environments.
“The action team’s insights will be key to finding practical solutions that reduce aggression, manage classroom complexity and improve safety and support for students and staff. I look forward to building on their input to make classrooms safer and strengthen Alberta’s education system.”
The action team’s mandate is to provide advice and recommendations to Alberta’s government on how to:
reduce incidents of aggression in schools
address increasing classroom complexity
improve safety and support for students and school staff
Over the coming months, the team will examine policies, teacher training, inclusive education supports, funding considerations and coordination across sectors. To inform this work, they may invite front-line professionals to share insights as subject matter experts. The team’s recommendations will focus on both immediate and long-term strategies to better support classrooms across Alberta.
“CASS welcomes the formation of this action team and appreciates the government’s commitment to listening to the voices of those working directly with students. Superintendents across Alberta are eager to support practical, evidence-informed strategies that enhance safety, reduce classroom complexity, and promote the well-being of both staff and students.”
“Alberta’s locally elected school boards remain deeply committed to safe, supportive and effective learning environments for all students and staff. Alberta School Boards Association looks forward to collaborating, sharing insights and perspectives to support the diverse needs of students and school communities across the province.”
Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring these decisions are informed by the real-world experience of educators and other professionals who work directly with students. Practical supports and interventions stemming from the action team’s work are expected to begin rolling out as early as the 2025-26 school year.
Quick facts
The action team will meet at least four times between July and September.
A final report with recommendations will be submitted to the Minister of Education and Childcare by Sept. 30.
Related information
M.O. 031/2025 – Education and Childcare
Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team
Related news
Addressing classroom aggression and complexity (June 30, 2025)
Le gouvernement de l’Alberta travaille avec des experts de première ligne pour rendre les salles de classe plus sécuritaires pour les élèves et les enseignants.
L’équipe Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team a tenu sa première réunion le 23 juillet, rassemblant des enseignants, des leadeurs scolaires, des conseillers scolaires et d’autres professionnels de première ligne possédant une expérience en salle de classe, afin d’aider à relever les défis croissants rencontrés dans les salles de classe de l’Alberta.
Parmi les 25 membres de cette équipe, on retrouve des enseignants, des administrateurs scolaires et du personnel de soutien qui ont déjà travaillé directement avec les élèves au quotidien et qui comprennent la complexité des environnements d’apprentissage d’aujourd’hui.
« Les réflexions de cette équipe d’experts seront essentielles pour trouver des solutions pratiques permettant de réduire les cas de violence, de faire face à la complexité des besoins en salle de classe, d’améliorer la sécurité des élèves et du personnel et de mieux les soutenir. Je compte mettre à profit leur travail pour rendre les salles de classe plus sécuritaires et pour renforcer le système d’éducation de l’Alberta. »
Le mandat de l’équipe est de fournir des conseils et des recommandations au gouvernement de l’Alberta sur la façon :
de réduire le nombre de cas de violence dans les écoles;
de faire face à la complexité croissante des besoins en salle de classe;
d’améliorer la sécurité des élèves et du personnel scolaire et de mieux les soutenir.
Au cours des prochains mois, l’équipe se penchera sur les politiques, la formation des enseignants, les mesures de soutien à l’éducation inclusive, le financement et la coordination intersectorielle. Pour orienter ce travail, l’équipe pourra inviter des professionnels de première ligne à partager leurs perspectives à titre d’experts en la matière. L’équipe recommandera des stratégies immédiates et à long terme afin de mieux soutenir les salles de classe de l’Alberta.
« CASS salue la création de cette équipe d’action, ainsi que l’engagement du gouvernement d’écouter les personnes qui travaillent directement avec les élèves. Les directions générales de toute l’Alberta sont prêtes à mettre en place des stratégies pratiques et fondées sur des données probantes qui améliorent la sécurité, réduisent la complexité des classes et favorisent le bienêtre du personnel et des élèves. »
« Les conseils scolaires élus localement de l’Alberta restent profondément engagés à fournir des environnements d’apprentissage sécuritaires, bienveillants et efficaces pour tous les élèves et le personnel. L’Alberta School Boards Association se réjouit à l’idée de collaborer en partageant ses réflexions et ses perspectives afin de répondre aux divers besoins des élèves et des communautés scolaires de la province. »
Le gouvernement de l’Alberta est résolu à ce que ces décisions se fondent sur l’expérience pratique des éducateurs et des autres professionnels qui travaillent directement avec les élèves. Certaines mesures de soutien et interventions concrètes découlant du travail de cette équipe devraient être mises en place dès l’année scolaire 2025-2026.
En bref
L’équipe Aggression and Complexity in Classrooms Action Team se réunira au moins à quatre reprises entre juillet et septembre 2025.
Un rapport final contenant des recommandations sera remis au ministre de l’Éducation et de la Garde d’enfants d’ici le 30 septembre 2025.
Renseignements connexes (en anglais seulement)
M.O. 031/2025 – Education and Childcare
Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team
Nouvelles connexes
Faire face aux comportements violents et à la complexité des besoins en salle de classe (30 juin 2025)
H.R. 1442 would ban the sale of products containing 10 percent or more by weight of sodium nitrite that are covered under the Consumer Product Safety Act. The ban would not apply to commercial or industrial products not ordinarily intended for consumer use or consumption.
Using information from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, CBO estimates that implementing and enforcing the ban under H.R. 1442 would cost $2 million over the 2025-2030 period; any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
H.R. 1442 would impose a private-sector mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by banning the sale of consumer products containing 10 percent or more by weight of sodium nitrite. Because only a small consumer market exists for such products and some states already have curtailed their sale, CBO estimates that the cost of the mandate would not exceed the private-sector threshold established in UMRA ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).
The legislation would not impose any intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Cyrus Ekland (for federal costs) and Andrew Laughlin (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by Emily Stern, Senior Adviser for Budget Analysis.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Summary
Company Announcement Date: July 23, 2025 FDA Publish Date: July 23, 2025 Product Type: Food & BeveragesContaminants Reason for Announcement:
Recall Reason Description Potential Metal Contaminant – Lead and Cadmium
Company Name: WW Industrial Group Brand Name:
Brand Name(s) Parashore
Product Description:
Product Description Canned Sliced Pears
Company Announcement W.W. Industrial Group, Inc., NY is recalling Parashore Pear Slices in juice, 15 oz, because they have the potential to be contaminated with elevated levels of lead and cadmium. Lead and cadmium are toxic substances present in our environment in small amounts and everyone is exposed to some of these heavy metals from daily actions such as inhaling dust, eating food, or drinking water. In general, the small exposure to lead within the U.S. population does not pose a significant public health concern. However, exposure to larger amounts of lead and cadmium can cause poisoning. While these heavy metals can affect nearly every bodily system, its effects depend upon the amount and duration of lead exposure and age. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, irritability, weakness, behavior or mood changes, delirium, seizures, and coma. However, infants, young children and the developing fetus can be affected by chronic exposure to amounts of heavy metals that may not result in obvious symptoms of lead poisoning. A child with heavy metal poisoning may not look or act sick. Heavy metal poisoning in children can cause: learning disabilities, developmental delays, and lower IQ scores. Product was distributed through Grocery Outlet stores in California and other Grocery Outlet stores across the US. The recalled product is packaged in a 15oz can and labeled as PARASHORE Pear Slices in Juice, 15oz (425 g), UPC#704817164237. The specific lot found positive for heavy metals was Lot 3700/01172 6122J, Prod: 02/19/2024, Best by 2/19/2027. No illnesses have been reported as of 07/22/2025. The heavy metal contamination was discovered via sampling by the Maryland Department of Health which is part of the FDA Laboratory Flexible Funding Model program. The company has recalled the products and is continuing an investigation to determine cause. Consumers who have purchased Parashore Pear Slices in Juice 15oz (425 g) should not consume the products and are urged to discard in the trash or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 516-676-9188 Monday to Friday 10AM – 4PM EST. This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
overnor Kathy Hochul and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced the launch of the New York School (NYS) x#HalfTheStoryTeen Tech Council, a groundbreaking statewide initiative placing teens at the forefront of educational innovation. This new advisory group will empower students to lead the conversation on digital wellness and support phone-free learning environments across New York State as schools across the state prepare to implement Governor Hochul’s nation-leading distraction-free learning law for the 2025-2026 school year
“Launching the Teen Tech Council will help make sure New York’s Distraction-Free Schools is successfully implemented,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m fired up to be working with #HalfTheStory, the Clinton Foundation, and all of you with you to usher in a generational shift — bringing back meaningful interactions during such formative years and securing a healthier future.”
Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton said, “Here at the Clinton Foundation, we’re guided by our belief that putting people first — putting people’s concerns, needs and hopes first — is essential to creating a better world. That starts with you. As the largest state to adopt a phone-free policy in schools, New York has the opportunity to show the rest of the country what we can accomplish when we combine the capacity of government and nonprofits with the energy of smart young leaders.
#HalfTheStory Founder and Executive Director Larissa May said, “Teens are often left out of the conversation when it comes to the policies that shape their lives, and in this case, teens are the missing piece of the bell-to-bell movement. #HalfTheStory is committed to identifying the next generation of digital activists and powering the movement from the bottom up. We’re training these future leaders at scale to make NYC the model for the world—in and outside the classroom—to support student wellbeing and digital citizenship. Teen work makes the dream work.”
The inaugural Teen Tech Council Board Meeting was held on July 22, 2025, in New York City. Co-hosted by the Governor’s Office and the Clinton Foundation in partnership with #HalfTheStory — a nonprofit committed to strengthening young people’s relationship with technology — the event marks a pivotal step in reimagining how students engage with tech in and out of the classroom.
As an extension of #HalfTheStory’s Civics Academy, an annual summer program for teens that aims to educate and empower today’s youth to learn effective activism, storytelling, and leadership techniques essential for driving global and local change, the Teen Tech Council is launching as a scaled state initiative, with teens from across New York joining from their districts. Students will be nominated by teachers and peers to help schools successfully implement bell-to-bell policies and create a shared culture of digital wellness — one that extends beyond the classroom into play, connection, and creativity.
Teens can apply now to join NYS x #HalfTheStory Teen Tech Council — or teachers can nominate a star student to help shape the future at: halfthestoryproject.com/teen-tech-council.
The launch of the council underscores Governor Hochul’s continued commitment to working with young people to ensure an equitable and successful rollout of a distraction-free environment in schools statewide. The Distraction-Free Schools law signed by Governor Hochul requires bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions in K-12 school districts statewide, starting this fall for the 2025-2026 school year. This law is part of Governor Hochul’s nation-leading commitment to protecting youth mental health and promoting student success in the digital age, following her action last year to win a first-in-the-nation law to restrict addictive social media feeds for minors.
Governor Hochul’s bell-to-bell policy creates a statewide standard for distraction-free schools in New York including:
Prohibits unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds in K-12 schools for the entire school day (from “bell to bell”), including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods
Allows schools to develop their own plans for storing smartphones during the day — giving administrators and teachers the flexibility to do what works best for their buildings and students
Secures $13.5 million in funding to be made available for schools that need assistance in purchasing storage solutions to help them go distraction-free
Requires schools to give parents a way to contact their kids during the day when necessary
Requires teachers, parents and students to be consulted in developing the local policy
Prevents inequitable discipline
Governor Hochul’s policy allows authorized access to simple cellphones without internet capability, as well as internet-enabled devices officially provided by their school for classroom instruction, such as laptops or tablets used as part of lesson plans.
Additionally, the Governor’s policy includes several exemptions to smartphone restrictions, including for students who require access to an internet-enabled device to manage a medical condition, where required by a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), for academic purposes or for other legitimate purposes, such as translation, family caregiving and emergencies.
Headline: Governor Stein Tours Coca-Cola Consolidated Facility, Meets with Apprenticeship Students
Governor Stein Tours Coca-Cola Consolidated Facility, Meets with Apprenticeship Students lsaito
Raleigh, NC
Today, Governor Josh Stein toured the Coca-Cola Consolidated facility in Charlotte and met with Coca-Cola Consolidated leadership and students in its apprenticeship program. Through a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College, the nation’s largest Coca-Cola bottler is preparing students for high-demand positions in manufacturing, equipment repair, and logistics.
“Every North Carolinian deserves a shot at a brighter future and that shouldn’t necessarily require a traditional four-year degree,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Opportunities like Coca-Cola Consolidated’s apprenticeship program allow students to pursue their interests in high-demand fields and set them up for success in the job market.”
This month, CNBC named North Carolina as the top state for business, citing the state’s workforce as one of its biggest strengths. Established in Executive Order No. 11 on March 25, 2025, the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships recently shared its first report, outlining goals to expand access to good jobs, including by investing in statewide apprenticeship and technical education programs, engaging with employers to identify and address industry needs, and ensuring that every student in North Carolina has a post-secondary pathway to employment, education, or enlistment in the military. On July 1, 2025, Stein also signed into law Senate Bill 124, which reduces the number of state government jobs that require a four-year college degree.
Governor Stein believes every North Carolinian should have the opportunity to achieve success – no matter their background. Since taking office, Governor Stein has announced more than more than $18 billion in investments and more than 24,000 new jobs coming to North Carolina.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearing on California’s Proposition 12, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) discussed the negative economic impacts of this egregious mandate on Iowa hog farmers and submitted for the congressional record letters penned by Iowa hog farmers about the adverse effects of Proposition 12 on their farms and operations.
Matt Schuiteman, a hog farmer from Sioux County, Iowa, also testified before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee about the negative ramifications of Proposition 12.
“California’s Prop 12 mandates threaten the safety and health of hogs, increase operating costs for Iowa hog farmers, raise pork prices for families, and jeopardize our food and farm security. It’s why I helped lead legislation and voted for a Farm Bill that overturns Prop 12, restores consumer choice, and supports Iowa farmers and our rural communities,” said Rep. Feenstra. “During today’s hearing, I submitted for the congressional record personal letters from Iowa hog farmers who have faced decreased herd health, substantial financial expense, and market losses because of Prop 12. Allowing a state that represents less than 1/10 of 1% of hog production to mandate activist-driven practices for farmers across the country is blatantly wrong. Representing the largest pork-producing congressional district in the country, I will continue to work to repeal Prop 12 and stand up for our hog farmers.”
In response to Feenstra’s question about the implications of Proposition 12 on the health of hogs,Schuiteman responded, “Part of the root of the problem is just simply the fact that you have an initiative that was crafted by people who have not lived the industry and have not been around the animals. Prop 12 takes away our ability to act on what we know for the best interest of the animal. And we would prefer to have the freedom to manage our animals the best way we can see fit for the best possible outcome.”
Schuiteman further noted that “We [hog farmers] have talked about the $3,500 – $4,500 range per sow or more,” to convert operations to comply with Proposition 12.
Today, Feenstra helped introduce the Save Our Bacon Act, which would ensure that states, like California and Massachusetts, cannot set arbitrary mandates on production practices for farmers across the country.
Last year, Feenstra also voted to pass a Farm Bill out of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee that would have repealed Proposition 12.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearing on California’s Proposition 12, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) discussed the negative economic impacts of this egregious mandate on Iowa hog farmers and submitted for the congressional record letters penned by Iowa hog farmers about the adverse effects of Proposition 12 on their farms and operations.
Matt Schuiteman, a hog farmer from Sioux County, Iowa, also testified before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee about the negative ramifications of Proposition 12.
“California’s Prop 12 mandates threaten the safety and health of hogs, increase operating costs for Iowa hog farmers, raise pork prices for families, and jeopardize our food and farm security. It’s why I helped lead legislation and voted for a Farm Bill that overturns Prop 12, restores consumer choice, and supports Iowa farmers and our rural communities,” said Rep. Feenstra. “During today’s hearing, I submitted for the congressional record personal letters from Iowa hog farmers who have faced decreased herd health, substantial financial expense, and market losses because of Prop 12. Allowing a state that represents less than 1/10 of 1% of hog production to mandate activist-driven practices for farmers across the country is blatantly wrong. Representing the largest pork-producing congressional district in the country, I will continue to work to repeal Prop 12 and stand up for our hog farmers.”
In response to Feenstra’s question about the implications of Proposition 12 on the health of hogs,Schuiteman responded, “Part of the root of the problem is just simply the fact that you have an initiative that was crafted by people who have not lived the industry and have not been around the animals. Prop 12 takes away our ability to act on what we know for the best interest of the animal. And we would prefer to have the freedom to manage our animals the best way we can see fit for the best possible outcome.”
Schuiteman further noted that “We [hog farmers] have talked about the $3,500 – $4,500 range per sow or more,” to convert operations to comply with Proposition 12.
Today, Feenstra helped introduce the Save Our Bacon Act, which would ensure that states, like California and Massachusetts, cannot set arbitrary mandates on production practices for farmers across the country.
Last year, Feenstra also voted to pass a Farm Bill out of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee that would have repealed Proposition 12.
India’s media and broadcasting sector is undergoing a dynamic transformation, driven by steady growth in traditional platforms and rapid advancement in the digital space.
In a statement presented in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan highlighted key developments across print, television, and public broadcasting.
The number of registered publications has increased from 1.05 lakh in 2014-15 to 1.55 lakh in 2024- 25, reflecting the strong rise of regional and vernacular media. Private satellite television channels have also grown from 821 to 908 over the same period, underscoring the sector’s resilience and adaptability.
Doordarshan’s Free Dish platform now carries 92 private channels along with 50 DD channels, offering content in multiple regional languages. This multilingual outreach has played a crucial role in bridging the information gap in remote and underserved areas.
The platform’s expansion is part of a larger strategy to democratize access to news and entertainment. Under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) Scheme 2021- 26, Prasar Bharati continues to modernize its transmission infrastructure.
As part of this initiative, three new transmitters have been approved for Himachal Pradesh- including a 5kW unit in Mandi and 1kW FM transmitters in Chamba and Dharampur.
With a total outlay of ₹2,539 crore, the BIND scheme aims to modernize All India Radio and Doordarshan facilities, expand FM coverage to over 80 percent of the population, and strengthen signal reach in strategically important border areas.
July 23, 2025 – Osaka, Japan – The passenger vessel HANARIA, equipped with Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.’s GH240FC maritime hydrogen fuel cell system, has received the Marine Engineering of the Year 2024 (Dokou Memorial Award). The honor is awarded by the Japan Institute of Marine Engineering for outstanding technological innovation in the field. This year, the award recognized four companies: MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd., HONGAWARA Ship Yard Co., Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, and Yanmar Power Technology, a subsidiary of Yanmar Holdings.
HANARIA is Japan’s first hybrid passenger ship powered by both hydrogen and biodiesel. Operated by MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd., the vessel features Yanmar’s first maritime hydrogen fuel cell system, a proprietary lithium-ion battery system developed by Yanmar, and an integrated management system that controls all onboard power. It features two operating modes: a zero-emission mode using only hydrogen fuel cell systems and lithium-ion batteries, and a hybrid mode that combines hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and a biodiesel generator running in parallel.
The onboard systems aim to reduce the environmental footprint of vessels—a challenge in the hard-to-electrify maritime sector—while also enhancing passenger comfort by significantly cutting noise, vibration and exhaust odor.
Furthermore, HANARIA has been selected for the “Ship of the Year 2024,” an award presented by the Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers that recognizes vessels demonstrating technical, artistic, and social excellence. This marks the first time in history that a vessel has received both the “Marine Engineering of the Year” and the “Ship of the Year” awards.
The Yanmar Group continues to advance its sustainability goals through its YANMAR GREEN CHALLENGE 2050 initiative and remains committed to providing decarbonization solutions that meet customer needs.
References
Press release (November 9, 2023): Yanmar Makes First Delivery of Maritime Hydrogen Fuel Cell System to Hybrid Passenger Ship
With beginnings in Osaka, Japan, in 1912, Yanmar was the first ever to succeed in making a compact diesel engine of a practical size in 1933. A pioneer in diesel engine technology, Yanmar is a global innovator in a wide range of industrial equipment, from small and large engines, agricultural machinery and facilities, construction equipment, energy systems, marine, to machine tools, and components — Yanmar’s global business operations span seven domains. On land, at sea, and in the city, Yanmar provides advanced solutions to the challenges customers face, towards realizing A Sustainable Future. For more details, please visit the official website of Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.
The United Nations’ Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) recently concluded in Seville, Spain. It gathered global leaders from government, development, academia and civil society to discuss key barriers to sustainable development and shape collaborative efforts to address them.
The global aid environment is also in crisis, just as low- and middle-income countries face mounting pressures due to the interconnected impacts of climate change, environmental damage, poverty and inequality.
Boosting global co-operation
FFD4 was an opportunity to revitalize and transform international development co-operation to help states meet these challenges and pursue sustainable development.
Achieving this requires more than decarbonizing development financing. FFD4 faced its most testing challenge yet: how to reform the global financial systems that direct development resources.
Key factors include aligning funding with the sustainable development needs of low- and middle-income countries, increasing access to long-term concessional financing — loans or other forms of financing provided on terms more favourable than those in the market — and reducing public debt burdens.
Public development banks offer crucial leadership here. They provide affordable financing, direct resources where urgently needed and align funding with long-term development strategies, giving them significant potential to democratize project ownership.
Urgent human development needs
At the FFD4 gathering, many representatives, especially from Global South and climate-vulnerable countries, highlighted the inadequacy of development financing. Seedy Keita, the minister for finance and economic affairs from The Gambia, told the conference that as developing countries are being urged to invest more in climate and human development initiatives, they lack the tools to do so.
Simply increasing financing is not enough. At the launch of the latest SDGs Report, UN Secretary General António Guterres stated:
“There is something fundamentally wrong in the structure of the economic and financial architecture and in the way it operates to the detriment of developing countries.”
In short, it’s too rigid and unresponsive to the Global South’s unique needs, ultimately constraining their ability to act on the SDGs.
The most ambitious and pressing outcome of FFD4, the “Sevilla Commitment,” addresses key issues in efforts to reform international financial systems but lacks commitment to strong, transformative action.
They largely overlooked the Global North’s climate debt — estimated at $192 trillion. The Sevilla Commitment proposes launching a UN-led intergovernmental process, opening a potential path for creditor action.
Public development banks have the potential to lead this action for a more prosperous and equitable future. They can mobilize under-utilized public resources more economically, rapidly and effectively to serve development goals in a climate-forward way.
For indebted developing countries facing high borrowing costs, steadfast concessional financing is crucial. Beyond finance, public development banks have a privileged role in knowledge formation and dissemination, which can be leveraged alongside their financial power to support green and equitable development.
Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
Fox News Opinion
Read the full opinion editorial below.
Last year, I released two plans for reforming the military. The first, 21st Century Peace through Strength, focused on the need for additional defense funding to produce what the U.S. military needs to keep the peace.
The second, Restoring Freedom’s Forge, outlined a plan to change fundamentally the Pentagon’s business processes away from a Soviet-style bureaucratic mess to a modern process that rewards commercial innovation and fosters competition.
Fortunately, President Donald Trump campaigned on both these issues. He promised a defense spending boost, and we are well on our way after the $150 billion military infusion included in the reconciliation bill. And the president promised to pursue wholesale Pentagon reform, getting rid of red tape and instead freeing our innovators to build weapons better, faster and at lower cost.
In Congress, we recognize that we have no time to waste. The Senate Armed Services Committee recently voted overwhelmingly (26-1) to advance Congress’ annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill contains the most significant reforms to the Pentagon’s weapons-buying process in generations.
For decades, we have paid defense companies to develop weapons primarily with taxpayer money. While this process will still be necessary for some systems, there are thousands of innovative companies who are developing weapons using private capital. This bill is written to encourage acquisition by those companies, who are often outpacing the Pentagon’s processes by years.
We have also spent many years under a broken weapons buying process. At dozens of stages, officials can say “No” and slow programs down. As it stands, program managers decide what to buy but shortly thereafter lose authority over the process. From there, contracting officers under a separate reporting structure can take 18 months to run a compliance-based process. This NDAA would create portfolio acquisition executives who are empowered to make decisions, take risk and then be held accountable for decisions.
For decades, we have levied a crazy, years-long bureaucratic process to qualify new parts and types of weapons for military use. That process rewards the status quo and severely discourages competition. This bill will create a new streamlined process for qualification, pairing it with a new $1 billion fund from the reconciliation bill. Taken together, we will dramatically improve competition at the Pentagon and protect against price-gouging.
The United States has a legacy of building some of the most advanced munitions in the world. The track records of our GMLRS surface-to-surface missiles and Patriot air defense interceptors are undeniable. But not every one of our weapons needs to be “exquisite,” a term of art for systems that are sophisticated, intricate and difficult to build. Instead, we are providing nearly $5 billion in defense reconciliation for new lower-cost munitions, many of which will be produced through advanced manufacturing.
We are living in the most dangerous moment since World War II. To enable an American-led 21st century, we need a military and a defense industrial base capable of maintaining the peace. The defense reconciliation bill made a big bet on American innovation, and the Senate’s 2026 NDAA introduces fundamental Pentagon reforms. With both, we can achieve a generational rebuilding of the U.S. military.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
July 23, 2025
Bisignano agrees to independent investigation into data and metrics, no Schedule F, and more
Bisignano admits responsibility for inaccurate email about Big Beautiful Bill, says doesn’t know whether White House Office of General Counsel (OGC) reviewed before SSA sent to all beneficiaries
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a leader of the Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room, secured key commitments and admissions from Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano during a private meeting. The commitments relate to data and metrics, staffing, paper checks, and more. She also pressed Bisignano for information on his politicization of the SSA.
“It’s my job as a United States Senator to conduct oversight, ask tough questions, and get real answers for the American people. The commitments I secured in today’s meeting with Commissioner Bisignano will make it easier for people to get their checks and get help with their benefits,” said Senator Warren. “I’ll keep pressing on these issues and fighting to protect Americans’ Social Security.”
Senator Warren secured the following commitments and admissions from Commissioner Bisignano:
Commissioner Bisignano agreed to an independent IG investigation of Social Security service data and metrics. Recent reporting highlighted that under Bisignano’s watch, SSA has removed key service metrics, such as call wait times, from its website. An investigation from Senator Warren’s office revealed that the remaining metrics appear to be inaccurate and misleading. In the meeting with Senator Warren, Commissioner Bisignano agreed to an independent audit of both the collecting and reporting of data. He also committed that specific data will be publicly reported, such as the number of dropped calls, how often calls are transferred to incorrect departments, and what percentage of callers actually resolve their issue over the phone.
Commissioner Bisignano committed that SSA will not shift workers to Schedule F. Previous Acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek publicly called for entire SSA offices to be converted to Schedule F, which would, in effect, make it easier for leadership to fire workers with little cause. In today’s meeting, Senator Warren secured a commitment from Commissioner Bisignano to change course and not shift SSA workers to Schedule F. However, Senator Warren was concerned that Bisignano confirmed SSA has no plans to hire back workers who have been gutted from the agency — even amid reported capacity issues.
Commissioner Bisignano admitted he was responsible for the inaccurate SSA email about Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill that went out to all beneficiaries, that his team had discussed the email with the White House, and that he was not sure whether the SSA’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) had reviewed it. Immediately following Congressional Republicans passing Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” SSA sent an inaccurate email to all beneficiaries with inaccurate information about benefits they could expect as a result of the bill. After receiving backlash, SSA quietly added a few lines at the bottom of the online version of their press release and sent out no correction email to beneficiaries.In the meeting with Senator Warren, Commissioner Bisignano revealed that his team at SSA was responsible for the initial email. He confirmed that it was discussed with the White House, but admitted that he didn’t know whether it had been run by SSA’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) before it was sent out to all beneficiaries. When Senator Warren asked whether he planned to send out a correction to all beneficiaries given the inaccurate and misleading information provided to them about their benefits, Bisignano said he did not know why they had not initially sent out a correction but believed the email had “aged” and did not require a follow-up.
Commissioner Bisignano committed not to entirely remove the option for beneficiaries to receive paper checks, backtracking on the agency’s own recent announcement to “stop issuing” them. SSA recently announced that it would stop issuing paper checks, which would significantly disrupt services for some of the most vulnerable Americans. In the meeting with Senator Warren, Commissioner Bisignano backtracked, confirming that paper checks will remain an option for beneficiaries who need them.
Senate Dems’ Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.
July 23, 2025 – Brandon,Manitoba – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing more than $6 million to help modernize food processing facilities and increase food production capacity across Manitoba under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced today.
Nineteen food processors in Manitoba have been approved for funding for equipment upgrades, facility expansions, and new technologies that will improve efficiency, production capacity, and environmental performance.
Some of the approved projects include:
Jowett Farms in Blumenort, for refrigeration and line speed improvements
River Valley Specialty Farms Inc., in Bagot, for installation of high-accuracy sorter
Prairie Flour Mills Ltd., in Elie, for grain receiving expansion
Buffalo Creek Mills in Altona, for doubling capacity of oat flaking
Prairie Fava Ltd., in Glenboro, for increasing storage capacity
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey joined the Gumboot Friday team today, an initiative that is helping thousands of young people access mental health support faster.
“We are turning the corner with reducing wait times and increasing the workforce. Initiatives such as Gumboot Friday are helping drive that change,” Mr Doocey says.
“In the first twelve months of Government funding, Gumboot Friday has been able to scale up and deliver more than 30,000 free counselling sessions. They have supported more than 10,000 young New Zealanders who might not otherwise have access to timely support.”
Last year, the Government committed $24 million over four years to the Gumboot Friday initiative under the National – New Zealand First coalition agreement to scale up its support for young people across the country.
“This funding has given certainty moving forward for the organisation, for counsellors delivering the service, and most importantly, for young people who rely on it. It means Gumboot Friday can continue to scale up knowing they are backed by the Government.
“There are now more than 700 qualified counsellors registered on the Gumboot Friday platform, a 33 per cent increase over the last year. This is an additional 175 counsellors. This has given young people a greater choice of the counsellor they see and has ensured that if someone is reaching out, they are seen when and where they need it.
“There are not many organisations that can get our young people off waitlists into counselling often within just a few days.
“The Government is backing Gumboot Friday to deliver more. Funding for 2025/26 will deliver 40,000 individual counselling sessions, reaching as many as 15,000 young New Zealanders.
“Over the next 12 months, the organisation will be looking at how it can scale up and encourage even more young people to access free counselling.
“I want to acknowledge the tireless work of the team at I Am Hope. It’s a powerful partnership between Government and a grassroots organisation that’s making a real difference in the lives of many New Zealanders.”
ATLANTA – Governor Brian Kemp today announced that the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and the University System of Georgia (USG) signed an articulation agreement to help nursing students seamlessly advance their education and careers, the first of its kind following the passage ofHB 192, the Top State for Talent Act. The agreement allows graduates of TCSG’s associate degree in nursing programs to transfer directly into participating USG institutions to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), establishing a true 2+2 transfer model between the two systems.
“Georgia’s success as the No. 1 state for business depends on a strong pipeline of talent, especially in critical fields like healthcare,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “This agreement between TCSG and USG is a perfect example of how our state is working together to expand opportunities for students, strengthen our workforce, and ensure that every Georgian has the opportunity to succeed.”
Governor Kemp has made aligning the state’s workforce pipeline with the needs of employers a top priority. The Top State for Talent Initiative, including the state’s first unified high-demand career list, seeks to bring private and public sector leaders together to help Georgians pursue the opportunities available to them statewide.
This partnership between TCSG and USC supports the initiative by developing and retaining a highly skilled healthcare workforce. Under the agreement, students who graduate from a TCSG college with an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) will be eligible for admission into BSN programs at participating USG institutions. This streamlined transition offers students a cost-effective and accessible option to continue their education without interruption or loss of credit.
“With this agreement, we’re eliminating barriers and opening doors for more Georgians to pursue rewarding careers in nursing,” said TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier. “It’s a strategic move that helps our students, our healthcare partners, and our communities—especially as we work together to fill critical nursing shortages across the state.”
“Georgia’s growing population means a greater demand for healthcare, and this partnership helps meet it by preparing more nurses, especially in rural and underserved areas,” said USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue.“As we align programs, we’re making it easier for students to grow their skills. It’s a smart investment that drives student success, expands access to care, and builds a more prosperous Georgia.”
In addition to easing the transition between systems, the agreement expands career pathways for students by creating a clear route from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree in one of the state’s most in-demand fields. It is part of a broader strategy by TCSG and USG to increase educational attainment and create upward mobility for students pursuing careers in high-demand industries, including nursing, healthcare, and allied health professions.
For more information, visitwww.tcsg.eduorwww.usg.edu.
strong>SALEM, Ore. – As wildfires continue to impact parts of Oregon, Governor Tina Kotek has declared a State of Emergency, effective July 16, 2025, through December 31, 2025. Travelers are urged to use extra caution on the roads and know the conditions in the areas they are traveling to. Smoke can severely reduce visibility and create dangerous driving conditions. In some areas, wildfire activity has led to road closures or detours. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) are working together to keep Oregonians safe—and they’re asking the public to do their part before hitting the road.
“If you’re planning a road trip this summer, make sure your car is ready,” OEM spokesperson, Erin Zysett said. “Start your trip with a full tank of gas or electric charge, check your tires and air conditioner, and know your route. Conditions can change quickly during wildfire season.”
OEM urges travelers to carry a well-stocked emergency car kit in case they become stranded or delayed. Your kit should include:
Jumper cables
Flares or a reflective triangle
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Blanket
Map or printed directions
Cell phone and car charger
Backup power supply
Hand-crank Weather Radio
N95 mask (to help filter smoky air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place if needed)
Wet wipes, garbage bags, and toilet paper for sanitation
Whistle to signal for help
Water and non-perishable snacks
Cash or traveler’s checks
Portable shovel
“Smoke affects visibility as well as air quality and can lead to sudden changes in driving conditions,” said Chris Varley, DEQ Spokesperson. “If visibility is poor or the air is hazardous, consider delaying your trip. Your safety comes first. If you must drive in smokey conditions, close all the windows and direct the car’s air system to recirculate to help reduce the amount of smoke entering the car.”
A Miami man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing millions of dollars in assets and income in undisclosed Swiss bank accounts and claiming to the IRS that those assets were not his and instead belonged to foreign nationals.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: between 1985 and 2020, Dan Rotta, a dual Brazilian and U.S. citizen, hid more than $20 million in assets in dozens of secret Swiss accounts at five different Swiss banks, including UBS, Credit Suisse, Bank Bonhôte, and Bank Julius Baer. The accounts were held in his own name, in the names of sham structures, and, in one instance, a pseudonym. Over the years, Rotta earned tens of millions of dollars of income from these assets that he did not report on his tax returns and used to fund his lavish lifestyle. He caused a substantial tax loss to the IRS.
Rotta employed increasingly elaborate schemes to keep his accounts hidden. Over the years, he kept his accounts open, in part, by falsely representing that he was not a U.S. citizen, leveraging his Brazilian citizenship to claim he was a Brazilian citizen residing in Brazil.
Starting in 2008, after it was reported publicly that UBS and its bankers were under criminal investigation for helping U.S. taxpayers evade their taxes, Rotta closed his UBS account and moved his funds to Credit Suisse and Bank Bonhôte.
In 2011, after the IRS obtained records related to one of Rotta’s Swiss accounts, he nominally changed the documentation of his accounts at Credit Suisse and Bank Bonhôte to make it appear that his co-conspirator, a Brazilian national and resident, owned the assets in the accounts. Despite the change, Rotta continued to control the assets and transferred millions of dollars out of those accounts for his use.
Shortly after Rotta changed the account documentation, the IRS audited him. During the audit, Rotta falsely denied that he owned the assets in the foreign financial accounts and, instead, claimed that the millions of dollars he withdrew from the accounts were non-taxable loans from foreign nationals. Rotta provided the IRS with fake promissory notes and false affidavits from the foreign nationals to corroborate his claims. During the audit, Rotta continued to use the funds in his foreign accounts to fund his lifestyle in the United States, but to conceal his use of the funds from the IRS, he often routed transfers from his foreign accounts through nominee accounts and attorney trust fund accounts in the United States.
The IRS did not believe Rotta’s story and assessed millions of dollars of additional taxes as well as penalties and interest against him. Rotta sought to reverse the assessments by filing a false petition in U.S. Tax Court. In that petition, Rotta, through his attorney, falsely denied having any foreign accounts and attached fictitious loan documents. Furthermore, the nominee account owners traveled to the United States to retell the false loan story to IRS attorneys.
In 2017, after Rotta presented the false evidence that the purported loans had been repaid, the IRS reversed the deficiencies and agreed that he owed no additional tax. Unbeknownst to the IRS, however, the “loan repayments” were fake: the funds that Rotta purportedly repaid went back into accounts that he controlled shortly after the IRS dismissed the suit. Also, as part of the conspiracy, Rotta had his U.S.-based attorneys create sham trust structures that he used to transfer his assets to the United States without alerting the IRS. On paper, it appeared that Rotta’s co-conspirator funded the trusts for Rotta’s benefit. In reality, Rotta funded the trusts with transfers from his Swiss accounts.
In 2019, Rotta became aware that the IRS would receive additional account records from Switzerland that contradicted the false claims that he had previously made. In an attempt to avoid criminal liability, Rotta applied to participate in the IRS’s voluntary disclosure practice. Under that practice, taxpayers who failed to comply with their tax and reporting obligations could make timely, accurate, and complete disclosures of their conduct, which might offer a path to resolve their non-compliance and limit their criminal exposure. Rotta made false statements in his submission, including falsely claiming that the assets in the Swiss accounts mostly belonged to others, and that any funds provided to him were non-taxable gifts. Rotta also falsely claimed that the nominee account owner gifted Rotta money because that nominee had no children to benefit from the funds. In fact, that nominee had two children.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith for the Southern District of Florida ordered Rotta to serve three years of supervised release. The court will determine restitution at a later date.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
Special Agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., and dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsels Sean Beaty and Mark Daly, Trial Attorney William Montague, and former Trial Attorney Patrick Elwell of the Tax Division, as well as Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Clark for the Southern District of Florida, prosecuted the case.
DCLA recipient Reverend Dr. Donovan E. Price Sr. and FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta
The Chicago Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today that Reverend Dr. Donovan E. Price Sr., Th.D., has been named the recipient of the division’s Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA).
Established in 1990, the DCLA honors individuals and organizations for their efforts in preventing federal crimes and enhancing law enforcement efforts in their communities. This award is given annually to recipients in each of the FBI’s 55 field offices.
“The FBI is proud to recognize Rev. Dr. Price, who has selflessly stepped in to help others in their greatest hour of need since 2016,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta. “DCLA recipients exemplify the FBI’s commitment of working toward justice in its many forms and protecting society’s most vulnerable members. Rev. Dr. Price’s work across Chicago illustrates the critical nature of local partnerships and the importance of working shoulder-to-shoulder to serve and protect our great communities.”
Rev. Dr. Price is the founder and executive director of Solutions & Resources, Inc./Street Pastors Chicago, a Chicago-based non-profit focused on providing comprehensive support to individuals affected by violence, particularly through victim advocacy and crisis intervention work. He leads a ministry that assists families and victims of violence with a holistic approach to healing. He assists families in finding resources for the funeral and, in most cases, conducts the funeral. In further assistance to the family and community, his organization helps in providing social services, resources, and, most importantly, an example of love and respect to the family that they can hold on to for the rest of their lives. Rev. Dr. Price is a member of FBI Chicago’s Community Engagement Council and a 2021 Citizens Academy graduate.
A Miami man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing millions of dollars in assets and income in undisclosed Swiss bank accounts and claiming to the IRS that those assets were not his and instead belonged to foreign nationals.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: between 1985 and 2020, Dan Rotta, a dual Brazilian and U.S. citizen, hid more than $20 million in assets in dozens of secret Swiss accounts at five different Swiss banks, including UBS, Credit Suisse, Bank Bonhôte, and Bank Julius Baer. The accounts were held in his own name, in the names of sham structures, and, in one instance, a pseudonym. Over the years, Rotta earned tens of millions of dollars of income from these assets that he did not report on his tax returns and used to fund his lavish lifestyle. He caused a substantial tax loss to the IRS.
Rotta employed increasingly elaborate schemes to keep his accounts hidden. Over the years, he kept his accounts open, in part, by falsely representing that he was not a U.S. citizen, leveraging his Brazilian citizenship to claim he was a Brazilian citizen residing in Brazil.
Starting in 2008, after it was reported publicly that UBS and its bankers were under criminal investigation for helping U.S. taxpayers evade their taxes, Rotta closed his UBS account and moved his funds to Credit Suisse and Bank Bonhôte.
In 2011, after the IRS obtained records related to one of Rotta’s Swiss accounts, he nominally changed the documentation of his accounts at Credit Suisse and Bank Bonhôte to make it appear that his co-conspirator, a Brazilian national and resident, owned the assets in the accounts. Despite the change, Rotta continued to control the assets and transferred millions of dollars out of those accounts for his use.
Shortly after Rotta changed the account documentation, the IRS audited him. During the audit, Rotta falsely denied that he owned the assets in the foreign financial accounts and, instead, claimed that the millions of dollars he withdrew from the accounts were non-taxable loans from foreign nationals. Rotta provided the IRS with fake promissory notes and false affidavits from the foreign nationals to corroborate his claims. During the audit, Rotta continued to use the funds in his foreign accounts to fund his lifestyle in the United States, but to conceal his use of the funds from the IRS, he often routed transfers from his foreign accounts through nominee accounts and attorney trust fund accounts in the United States.
The IRS did not believe Rotta’s story and assessed millions of dollars of additional taxes as well as penalties and interest against him. Rotta sought to reverse the assessments by filing a false petition in U.S. Tax Court. In that petition, Rotta, through his attorney, falsely denied having any foreign accounts and attached fictitious loan documents. Furthermore, the nominee account owners traveled to the United States to retell the false loan story to IRS attorneys.
In 2017, after Rotta presented the false evidence that the purported loans had been repaid, the IRS reversed the deficiencies and agreed that he owed no additional tax. Unbeknownst to the IRS, however, the “loan repayments” were fake: the funds that Rotta purportedly repaid went back into accounts that he controlled shortly after the IRS dismissed the suit. Also, as part of the conspiracy, Rotta had his U.S.-based attorneys create sham trust structures that he used to transfer his assets to the United States without alerting the IRS. On paper, it appeared that Rotta’s co-conspirator funded the trusts for Rotta’s benefit. In reality, Rotta funded the trusts with transfers from his Swiss accounts.
In 2019, Rotta became aware that the IRS would receive additional account records from Switzerland that contradicted the false claims that he had previously made. In an attempt to avoid criminal liability, Rotta applied to participate in the IRS’s voluntary disclosure practice. Under that practice, taxpayers who failed to comply with their tax and reporting obligations could make timely, accurate, and complete disclosures of their conduct, which might offer a path to resolve their non-compliance and limit their criminal exposure. Rotta made false statements in his submission, including falsely claiming that the assets in the Swiss accounts mostly belonged to others, and that any funds provided to him were non-taxable gifts. Rotta also falsely claimed that the nominee account owner gifted Rotta money because that nominee had no children to benefit from the funds. In fact, that nominee had two children.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith for the Southern District of Florida ordered Rotta to serve three years of supervised release. The court will determine restitution at a later date.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
Special Agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., and dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsels Sean Beaty and Mark Daly, Trial Attorney William Montague, and former Trial Attorney Patrick Elwell of the Tax Division, as well as Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Clark for the Southern District of Florida, prosecuted the case.
In 1955, director Charles Laughton crafted one of the darkest, strangest fairytales ever to come out of Hollywood. The Night of the Hunter remains visually exquisite and profoundly unsettling.
Shortly before Ben Harper is hanged for robbing a bank and killing two men, he hides the $10,000 loot in the toy doll of his young daughter Pearl. Only Pearl and her brother John know the secret – until the deranged serial killer-priest Harry Powell hears about the money and sets out to recover it.
Harry marries Willa, Harper’s widow, and then, after killing her, pursues John and Pearl relentlessly across West Virginia.
Set in the Depression-hit 1930s, The Night of the Hunter is, to quote film critic Pauline Kael, “one of the most frightening movies ever made”. Mitchum’s depiction of pure evil is one of cinema’s most vivid creations, with LOVE and HATE tattooed on the fingers of each hand.
But this is no simple chase film. It’s about the fight for the souls of two children between the forces of evil and good.
Gothic nightmares
Laughton was an odd choice to adapt Davis Grubb’s original 1952 novel – the Oscar-winning British actor had never directed before. Yet Laughton’s “outsider” status meant he wasn’t bound by Hollywood convention and could follow his surreal instincts.
The film draws heavily from German Expressionist cinema, especially in the use of stark black-and-white contrast and exaggerated shadows. Cinematographer Stanley Cortez described it as his best work, and rightly so: the film often feels more like a dream (or a nightmare).
Laughton and Cortez craft a series of remarkable images: Pearl and John fleeing down the river, watched over by owls, frogs and rabbits; Powell’s looming shadow cast across a bedroom wall; the slain Willa’s blonde hair floating under the river after her death.
The film is deeply allegorical. It plays with Christian imagery, ideas of sin and salvation and the vulnerability of the innocent.
Laughton’s masterstroke was to pit the predatory adult world against the instinctual wisdom and resilience of children.
Powell (played by Robert Mitchum in his greatest role) is no monster or madman, but a religious fanatic who murders under the guise of righteousness. He embodies the Gothic trope of the corrupt or false preacher. His looming menace turns small-town America into a place of paranoia, dread and moral confusion.
Rachel Cooper (the silent film star Lillian Gish, never better), who protects the children in the second half of the film, stands as the maternal, angelic counterpoint to Powell’s demonic figure. Her role emphasises another key point of the film: the redemptive, almost sacred, power of kindness.
A perfect performance
As Powell, Mitchum drew on his uncanny knack at exuding charm and menace. Many actors would have clashed with Laughton’s expressionistic style, but Mitchum hit the perfect tone: heightened and theatrical, but never camp.
His delivery is hypnotic, musical and terrifying.
At a time when many stars were protective of their public image, Mitchum had no problem playing a child-killing religious maniac.
Known for his rebellious streak and brushes with scandal (including a marijuana arrest in 1948), Mitchum wasn’t bound by Hollywood’s moral expectations. That gave him the freedom to push into darker territory with no vanity.
That moral delusion, delivered with conviction, is what makes Powell so frightening. Mitchum’s Powell anticipates later predators like Norman Bates (Psycho) or Max Cady (the role he would play in the 1962 version of Cape Fear), but he also echoes much older archetypes: the Big Bad Wolf, the false prophet and the devil in a black coat.
A flop turned masterpiece
The film was a critical and commercial failure. Laughton’s bold and unconventional choices were risky. His blend of German Expressionism, Southern Gothic Americana and psychological horror was unlike anything American cinema had seen before.
It did not align with the mainstream tastes of the era – the top grossing Hollywood films of 1955 were family-friendly, comforting offerings like Oklahoma! and Lady and the Tramp.
Audiences and reviewers didn’t know what to make of this abnormal mix of fairy tale logic, nightmarish imagery and biblical allegory.
So heartbroken was Laughton by the savage reception the film received (“a horrible yarn […] a repulsive picture”, one reviewer called it), he never directed again. Yet the reputation of his one-hit wonder has only grown over time.
Successive generations of critics and filmmakers have caught on to its brilliance. Critic Roger Ebert said it was “one of the greatest of all American films”. In 2008, French film magazine Cahiers du cinémavoted it as the second-best film of all time, behind only Citizen Kane (1941).
A long-lasting legacy
Margaret Atwood, David Lynch and the Coen Brothers have all cited the film as a major influence. Spike Lee paid homage to LOVE and HATE in Do The Right Thing (1989). And surely James Cameron admired it, for what is Terminator 2 (1991) if not a rehash of Powell’s insistent chase-down of children?
Its depiction of a charming, violent manipulator speaks to contemporary fears about religious hypocrisy and the abuse of moral authority. And it reminds us the bucolic innocence of rural America can hide evil in plain sight.
It’s often the case that films which are misunderstood on first release are ahead of their time, and never fully appreciated until many years later.
That’s the case with The Night of the Hunter. It remains unsettlingly modern, 70 years on.
Ben McCann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In the village of Nagigi, Fiji, the ocean isn’t just a resource – it’s part of the community’s identity. But in recent years, villagers have seen the sea behave differently. Tides are pushing inland. Once abundant, fish are now harder to find. Sandy beaches and coconut trees have been washed away.
Like many coastal communities, including those across the Pacific Islands region, this village is now under real pressure from climate change and declining fish stocks. Methods of fishing are no longer guaranteed, while extreme weather and coastal erosion threaten homes and land. As one villager told us:
we can’t find fish easily, not compared to previous times […] some fish species we used to see before are no longer around.
When stories like this get publicity, they’re often framed as a story of loss. Pacific Islanders can be portrayed as passive victims of climate change.
But Nagigi’s experience isn’t just about vulnerability. As our new research shows, it’s about the actions people are taking to cope with the changes already here. In response to falling fish numbers and to diversify livelihoods, women leaders launched a new aquaculture project, and they have replanted mangroves to slow the advance of the sea.
Adaptation is uneven. Many people don’t want to or can’t leave their homes. But as climate change intensifies, change will be unavoidable. Nagigi’s experience points to the importance of communities working collectively to respond to threats.
Unwelcome change is here
The communities we focus on, Nagigi village (population 630) and Bia-I-Cake settlement (population 60), are located on Savusavu Bay in Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island. Fishing and marine resources are central to their livelihoods and food security.
In 2021 and 2023, we ran group discussions (known as talanoa) and interviews to find out about changes seen and adaptations made.
Nagigi residents have noticed unwelcome changes in recent years. As one woman told us:
sometimes the sea is coming further onto the land, so there’s a lot of sea intrusion into the plantations, flooding even on land where it never used to be
Tides are pushing ashore in Nagigi, threatening infrastructure. Celia McMichael, CC BY-NC-ND
In 2016, the devastating Tropical Cyclone Winston destroyed homes and forced some Nagigi residents to move inland to customary mataqali land owned by their clan.
As one resident said:
our relocation was smooth because […] we just moved to our own land, our mataqali land.
But some residents didn’t have access to this land, while others weren’t willing to move away from the coast. One man told us:
leave us here. I think if I don’t smell or hear the ocean for one day I would be devastated.
Adaptation is happening
One striking aspect of adaptation in Nagigi has been the leadership of women, particularly in the small Bia-I-Cake settlement.
In recent years, the Bia-I-Cake Women’s Cooperative has launched a small-scale aquaculture project to farm tilapia and carp to tackle falling fish stocks in the ocean, tackle rising food insecurity and create new livelihoods.
Women in the cooperative have built fish ponds, learned how to rear fish to a good size and began selling the fish, including by live streaming the sale. The project was supported by a small grant from the United Nations Development Programme and the Women’s Fund Fiji.
Recently, the cooperative’s women have moved into mangrove replanting to slow coastal erosion and built a greenhouse to farm new crops.
As one woman told us, these efforts show women “have the capacity to build a sustainable, secure and thriving community”.
The community’s responses draw on traditional social structures and values, such as respect for Vanua – the Fijian and Pacific concept of how land, sea, people, customs and spiritual beliefs are interconnected – as well as stewardship of natural resources and collective decision-making through clans and elders, both women and men.
Nagigi residents have moved to temporarily close some customary fishing grounds to give fish populations a chance to recover. The village is also considering declaring a locally-managed marine area (known as a tabu). This is a response to climate impacts as well as damage to reefs, pollution and overfishing.
For generations, village residents have protected local ecosystems which in turn support the village. But what is new is how these practices are being strengthened and formalised to respond to new challenges.
A women’s cooperative have built aquaculture ponds to raise and sell fish. Celia McMichael, CC BY-NC-ND
Adaptation is uneven
While adaptation is producing some successes, it is unevenly spread. Not everyone has access to customary land for relocation and not every household can afford to rebuild damaged homes.
What Nagigi teaches us, though, is the importance of local adaptation. Villagers have demonstrated how a community can anticipate risks, respond to change and threats, recover from damage and take advantage of new opportunities.
Small communities are not just passive sites of loss. They are collectives of strength, agency and ingenuity. As adaptation efforts scale up across the Pacific, it is important to recognise and support local initiatives such as those in Nagigi.
Sharing effective adaptation methods can give ideas and hope to other communities under real pressure from climate change and other threats.
Many communities are doing their best to adapt often undertaking community-led adaptation, even despite the limited access Pacific nations have to global climate finance.
Nagigi’s example shows unwelcome climatic and environmental changes are already arriving. But it’s also about finding ways to live well amid uncertainty and escalating risk by using place, tradition and community.
The authors acknowledge the support of the people of Nagigi and Bia-I-Cake, and especially the Bia-I-Cake Women’s Cooperative, for sharing their time and insights.
Celia McMichael receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC).
Merewalesi Yee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
