Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) honored the pilots and flight attendants who saved his life: Captain Michael Tibaldo, First Officer James Kim, Flight Attendant Donnell Mitchell, and Flight Attendant Jaclyn Curry, all of whom are unionized workers who are members of Teamsters Local 357 and Teamsters Local 135. General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Sean O’Brien, and General Secretary-Treasurer at Teamsters, Fred Zuckerman, were also in attendance.
During the event, Congressman Donald Norcross presented the Republic Airways pilots and flight attendants with framed copies of Congressional Record statements detailing their heroic actions.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Captain Michael Tibaldo, First Officer James Kim, Flight Attendant Donnell Mitchell, and Flight Attendant Jaclyn Curry for saving my life,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “Every minute matters in a medical emergency, and I’m lucky that the Republic Airlines crew was trained, equipped, and ready to respond when I was in my hour of need. It’s an honor to present the airline crew with an official Congressional Record of their heroic actions, and I once again thank them for their bravery.”
On April 6, 2025, Congressman Donald Norcross experienced a sudden medical emergency while traveling on Republic Flight 4711. The crew members and airline pilots reacted swiftly to provide the Congressman with immediate medical attention, divert the airplane, and transport him to the University of North Carolina (UNC) Rex Hospital. The Congressman was later diagnosed with sepsis.
Thanks to the pilots, flight attendants, doctors, and nurses at UNC Rex and Cooper University Hospital, Congressman Donald Norcross was able to make a full recovery from this medical emergency.
Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
Breaking News
Since 1933, the Boilermakers have been working with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to build and maintain the infrastructure that powers the South. What began as a New Deal hydroelectric-focused endeavor has evolved over the past 90 years to coal, natural gas, nuclear and a planned, first-in-the-nation nuclear fusion generation facility. The generating assets within the TVA are diverse and efficient, delivering power to millions of southern households across seven states, powering the southern economy and stabilizing the national electric grid. TVA is a federally owned power authority that has been operating in partnership with the IBB for nearly 100 years, producing millions of man-hours for generations.
Since the Obama administration, several unsuccessful attempts have been made to privatize TVA. There are strong rumors that the Trump administration is considering privatization of TVA, meaning they would sell off the generating assets and infrastructure to the highest bidder, jeopardizing millions of Boilermaker man-hours. Additionally, privatizing TVA’s assets would cost families who live in the TVA jurisdiction an estimated additional $50 a month on their utility bill—a cost most working families cannot afford.
Below is the Boilermakers’ official statement urging against privatization of TVA. Boilermakers are strongly encouraged to contact their U.S. Senators using this action page link, which can and should be shared widely. The link will take you to an easy form that will automatically contact your Senator with a letter. It only takes a minute. This will help Boilermakers working on TVA projects and remind Washington that Boilermakers power America.
Boilermakers’ official statement on privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority
Kansas City, Mo. (July 23, 2025) —Following is the official statement of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, issued by International President Timothy Simmons, regarding U.S. Senate consideration of privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority
We urge the Senate to slow down any attempt to privatize the Tennessee Valley Authority, as any such effort would have devastating effects across the South and our nation. Through the hard work of thousands of Boilermakers, TVA has been efficiently and effectively powering the South for over 90 years, building and maintaining a diverse portfolio of power generation assets across seven states. Disrupting TVA’s service to the South would, in turn, disrupt the nation, stalling out our ability to meet increasing power demands further stressed by the need to support the ever-evolving AI technology sector. In its current practice, TVA generates power that is affordable for every family and stabilizes the nation’s power grid. This is a classic case of “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
All Boilermakers are encouraged to contact their U.S. Senators using this action link.
A New Jersey construction company owner was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in prison for evading employment tax penalties assessed against him.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Joseph Caravella, of Randolph, owned several masonry companies in New Jersey. From 2008 to 2016, the IRS assessed approximately $650,000 in Trust Fund Recovery penalties against Caravella for causing three masonry businesses that he owned to not pay their federal employment taxes. The timely payment of federal employment taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year. Congress empowered the IRS to impose a penalty equal to the amount of the unpaid taxes — called a Trust Fund Recovery Penalty — against any responsible individual who fails to ensure that these taxes are paid timely. Caravella pleaded guilty to attempting to evade these Trust Fund Recovery penalties.
From around March 2008 through April 2019, Caravella sought to evade the payment of these penalties by placing companies that he controlled in the names of nominee owners and avoiding the use of a bank account in his own name to prevent the IRS from levying the funds. Also during that time, Caravella continued to cause his businesses not to pay employment taxes, resulting in an additional loss of $1.2 million to the IRS.
In total, Carvalla caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,885,519.39.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Hayter L. Whitman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Fell for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division today announced that it has filed a response in support of the City of Seattle’s Motion to Terminate the Consent Decree in United States v. City of Seattle. The decree required reforms in the Seattle Police Department’s practices regarding use of force, crisis intervention, stops and detentions, supervision and accountability. With support from the Justice Department, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) achieved sustained substantial compliance.
The Justice Department brought this case pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division jointly investigated and found that the Seattle Police Department (SPD) had engaged in a pattern or practice of unnecessary or excessive force that violated the Constitution and federal law. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington entered the consent decree in 2012.
“We congratulate the Seattle Police Department on its achievement of sustained substantial compliance with this thirteen-year-old consent decree,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Civil Rights Division will continue to work with police departments across the country to help make America’s communities safe again.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, believes the district court should terminate the consent decree and monitorship, which have been in place for 13 years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington. “Seattle has been held up as an example of successful police reform and has done recent work on its crowd control policies and accountability systems. We trust it will continue to lead the way on constitutional policing.”
Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby joined U.S., Dutch and British forces on June 30 to observe an amphibious assault during Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25), the premier East Coast naval integration exercise focused on improving joint readiness and interoperability.
ADRIATIC SEA – The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) and USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), all assigned to Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG), integrated their force with Italian Navy frigate ITS Spartaco Schergat (F598) beginning July 20, 2025.
Headline: Facilitator cites “strong engagement” in initial WTO reform consultations
Ambassador Ølberg, who was appointed by General Council Chair Ambassador Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) in early June to serve as facilitator for the reform discussions, noted that he has conducted two rounds of consultation involving nearly 100 members, with the discussion structured around three indicative tracks:
governance (institutional issues)
fairness (level playing field and balanced trade)
“issues of our time”
“What is already clear is this: across all three tracks, there is strong engagement, serious thinking, and a shared sense that reform is both necessary and urgent — even if views differ on the details,” the facilitator said.
The “next phase of our work is about focus, discipline, and delivery,” he added. “From the consultations so far, one thing is clear — we have a wide range of perspectives … Our goal is not to solve every issue now. It’s to identify where ministers can add the guidance needed to move forward decisively after MC14.”
At their 12th Ministerial Conference in 2022, WTO members agreed to undertake a comprehensive review of the WTO’s functions in order to ensure the organization is capable of responding more effectively to both the challenges facing the multilateral trading system and the opportunities provided by contemporary developments in global trade.
Speaking after more than 60 members took the floor to react to the facilitator’s report, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said she was “encouraged with what I’m hearing.”
“I agree with those who say that it’s somewhat existential for the organization to seize the opportunity to do this reform,” she said. “It’s not unusual that views are initially divergent … that being said, there seems to be an unmistakable momentum.”
A number of members noted the importance of dispute settlement reform, which is being addressed on a separate track. Addressing the General Council, Ambassador Almoqbel referred to his communication to members in early June stating that he and the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) Chair, Ambassador Clare Kelly (New Zealand), would be closely monitoring the situation on dispute settlement reform and would revert to members at the appropriate time.
Since that communication, the DSB Chair has been holding “low-key” conversations with members to “check the temperature,” Ambassador Almoqbel said, and these conversations are ongoing.
Report of the Director-General
Reporting to the General Council in her capacity as Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed the submission of Argentina’s instrument of acceptance for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. She noted that only five more acceptances are needed for the Agreement to enter into force, with several already in the pipeline. She also noted the possibility of convening a special General Council meeting after the summer break to formally receive the additional instruments and mark the Agreement’s entry into force.
Regarding the negotiations on additional provisions to the Agreement, DG Okonjo-Iweala said she was encouraged by the strong support expressed by many members to move forward and conclude the negotiations. However, there was value in using the summer break to reflect on how best to advance the discussions, she said.
The Director-General also invited members to use the summer break to reflect on how to collectively ensure movement on “the negotiating files”, including joint initiatives such as the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement.
“We cannot have a jam on multilateral negotiations moving forward and a jam on plurilaterals,” DG Okonjo-Iweala said. Otherwise, members risk ending the year with nothing credible to take to the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) for consideration, she added. The world is “looking to the WTO, not as a source of stagnation or lack of action, but as a source of stability, predictability, a source of revitalization.”
Twenty-four members took the floor after the Director-General’s intervention, some speaking on behalf of groups of members, highlighting their issues of interest.
Investment facilitation for development
On the IFD initiative, members were once again unable to reach consensus on the request supported by 127 members to incorporate the IFD Agreement under Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO. This marked the ninth time the proposal has been submitted to members for adoption.
Speaking on behalf of the 127 co-sponsors, the Republic of Korea underlined the urgent need to incorporate the Agreement into the WTO framework in order to help members attract investment, in particular for developing and least developed country members. The outlook for global foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025 remains negative due to escalating trade tensions, geopolitical fragmentation and economic volatility, the Republic of Korea said. The IFD member parties believe that incorporating the Agreement into the WTO will reinforce the credibility and relevance of the organization.
Three members reiterated their objections to incorporating the IFD Agreement into the WTO multilateral framework. They reiterated their openness to further discussions on the matter.
Current trade tensions
China once again introduced a proposal on supporting the multilateral trading system in the current situation. The proposal further elaborates on its “Stability, Development and Reform” (SDR) approach for the WTO, which calls for stability as the cornerstone, development as the priority, and reform as the pathway to support the multilateral trading system as it faces heightened trade turbulence. China said it stands ready to work with all members pragmatically and constructively to collectively safeguard and strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system.
Five members took the floor to respond to China’s intervention.
Brazil introduced an agenda item on respecting the rules-based multilateral trading system. Brazil said the world was witnessing an unprecedented attack on the system and on the credibility of the WTO, with arbitrary tariffs disrupting global value chains and posing risks to the world economy.
Even more concerning is a dangerous shift towards the use of tariffs as a tool to interfere in the domestic affairs of third countries, Brazil said. It is essential that the WTO recover its role as a place where all countries can settle disputes and affirm legitimate interests through dialogue and negotiation, Brazil added.
Fifteen members took the floor to react to Brazil’s statement. DG Okonjo-Iweala said the interventions underlined the importance of WTO reform and responding to the concerns expressed by members.
Work Programme on Electronic Commerce – Report by the facilitator
Ambassador Richard Brown (Jamaica), the facilitator for the WTO’s Work Programme on E-Commerce, reported on his recent consultations with members. He said that, overall, members overwhelmingly consider the work programme as an important aspect of the WTO engagement on e-commerce. They would like to see it preserved and made more effective, he added.
Ambassador Brown also noted that the “vast majority” of members support the extension of the WTO’s customs duties moratorium on electronic transmissions, with some preferring either longer periods for the moratorium or a permanent decision. At the same time, a few delegations continue to raise concerns related to revenue losses and policy space limitations, he added.
Ministers at the 13th Ministerial Conference in 2024 agreed to maintain the moratorium until MC14 or 31 March 2026, whichever is earlier. Both the moratorium and the Work Programme are set to expire on that date. MC14 is scheduled for 26-29 March 2026.
Transition support measures in favour of countries graduated from the LDC category
Gambia, on behalf of the Group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), introduced the group’s latest proposal regarding additional transition measures in favour of countries graduated from the LDC category. The measures are in recognition that the phasing-out of international support measures associated with LDC status can present challenges for graduating LDCs as they seek to integrate more fully into the global economy.
Next meeting
The next regular meeting of the General Council is tentatively scheduled for 6-7 October.
Headline: Verizon Delivers a one-two punch with Best Wireless Network Performance results:
NEW YORK – Another day, another set of network victories for the wireless provider serving the most mobility and broadband customers in the U.S.¹ In back-to-back benchmarking reports, Verizon continues its award-winning momentum as J.D. Power – the global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics – names Verizon America’s Most Awarded Brand for Network Quality, 35 times in a row in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Study – Volume 2. Meanwhile, the industry-leading wireless provider dominates the 1H 2025 RootMetrics study, claiming top spots for Best 5G Network; Fastest 5G Network; and Most Reliable 5G Network.
“When you’re named the Most Awarded Brand for Network Quality, 35 Times in a Row by the gold standard for customer satisfaction and service quality ratings, it explains why more customers, businesses, sports leagues and everyone in between choose Verizon,” said Joe Russo, EVP & President, Global Network and Technology, Verizon. “This recognition just reinforces what we- and our customers- have always known: Verizon delivers unmatched quality, unwavering reliability and innovative connectivity that people count on whenever and wherever it matters most.”
Verizon’s latest recognition underscores its ongoing streak of industry leadership and network excellence. As 5G reshapes the wireless landscape, Verizon continues to set the standard with a durable, high-performing network that delivers for millions of customers nationwide. This momentum reflects the company’s relentless investment and forward-thinking strategy, ensuring that Verizon remains at the forefront of connectivity and innovation.
A true differentiator in the industry, Verizon stands apart through the depth and versatility of its network offerings, delivering exceptional value for customers, including:
Unmatched reliability and coverage: Verizon’s awarding-winning 5G and 4G LTE networks deliver coast-to-coast coverage, keeping customers connected in bustling cities and remote communities alike. The networks’ proven performance means fewer dropped calls and dependable service when it matters most and to complement Verizon’s industry leading network coverage, its satellite services remain free of charge to Verizon customers.
5G leadership that sets the pace: Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband continues to raise the bar, offering blazing-fast speeds and ultra-low latency for streaming, gaming and remote work. With dedicated mmWave and C-band spectrum now reaching more than 280 million people, and expanding.
Consistent speed, even in high-traffic moments: Verizon’s ongoing network investments enable fast, reliable connections—even in crowded stadiums, busy downtowns and during peak hours.
Powering innovation for critical sectors: From utilities and transportation to public safety, Verizon’s advanced network delivers secure, low-latency solutions that drive smart grid technology, IoT deployments and private networks. The Verizon Frontline Innovation Program continues to deliver next-generation tools for first responders and essential services.
Security at every level: Verizon prioritizes network security, employing robust measures to protect customer data and communications. This is especially important for government agencies and critical infrastructure, where advanced cybersecurity safeguards sensitive information.
Verizon keeps raising the bar for what’s possible in connectivity, powering experiences that make lives better. As the model of excellence for network quality and 5G performance, Verizon delivers exceptional value to its customers by combining its industry-leading network, compelling customer offerings, and AI-powered customer experience innovations that set a new standard for what customers can expect. The Verizon team isn’t just leading today– they are shaping the future of how people live, work and play.
While WFP has been able to hold hunger at bay across northern Nigeria in the first half of 2025, funding shortfalls are jeopardising such efforts, with life-saving programmes set to grind to a halt by the end of July.
Without immediate funding, millions of vulnerable people will be left without food assistance as WFP’s food and nutrition stocks have been completely exhausted, with the organization’s last supplies leaving warehouses in early July.
With life-saving assistance set to end after the current round of distributions is completed, millions of vulnerable people will face impossible choices: endure increasingly severe hunger, migrate, or even risk possible exploitation by extremist groups in the region.
Children at risk
“Nearly 31 million people in Nigeria are now facing acute hunger, a record number,” said WFP Country Director David Stevenson, with children set to be among the worst affected if vital aid ends.
With more than 150 WFP-supported nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states set to close if funding is not renewed, over 300,000 children under the age of two will lose access to potential life-saving treatment.
“This is no longer just a humanitarian crisis,” he said. “It’s a growing threat to regional stability, as families pushed beyond their limits are left with nowhere to turn.”
Extremist groups
In conflict-affected areas in the north, escalating violence from extremist groups is driving mass displacement, with some 2.3 million people across the Lake Chad Basin having been forced to flee their homes.
As mass displacement strains already limited resources and pushes communities to the brink, the lack of emergency food assistance risks increasing recruitment by these groups.
“When emergency assistance ends, many will migrate in search of food and shelter. Others will adopt negative coping mechanisms – including potentially joining insurgent groups – to survive,” said Mr. Stevenson.
“Food assistance can often prevent these outcomes,” he added, as WFP urgently seeks $130 million to sustain food and nutrition operations through the end of the year.
Nearly 1.3 million people in the Caribbean country have fled their homes, with an additional 15,000 uprooted ast week after armed attacks in the communes of Dessalines and Verrettes in the Artibonite department.
Further, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners have screened more than 217,000 children for acute malnutrition in 2025. Some 21,500 children have been admitted for acute malnutrition treatment, representing a mere 17 per cent of the 129,000 children who are projected to need life-saving treatment this year.
This malnutrition stems from severe food insecurity across the country. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that an estimated 5.7 million people – more than half of Haiti’s population – faced high levels of acute food insecurity between March and June this year.
Education emergency
Haiti’s children also face an education emergency. More than 1,600 schools remain closed in Haiti – an increase of over two-thirds compared to the start of the year.
“Without access to education, children, of course, are more vulnerable to exploitation and recruitment by gangs,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at Headquarters in New York
In response, UNICEF has provided learning opportunities to more than 16,000 children, and the agency has provided over 100,000 children with mental health and psychosocial support.
Insecurity and lack of funds straining access
Despite dire humanitarian needs and commendable efforts by UN agencies, the current support “is just a fraction of what is needed in Haiti,” Mr. Dujarric emphasised.
Insecurity continues to constrain the humanitarian response, causing access challenges, supply shortages and the closure of health facilities.
Subsequently, the many displaced families in urgent need of hygiene supplies, food, emergency shelter, medical assistance, and other essential items are often unable to access them.
Humanitarian response is also hampered by a severe lack of funds.
“Haiti remains, as I have said here many times, the least funded of our underfunded country appeals globally,” Mr. Dujarric stressed. More than halfway through the year, the Haitian humanitarian response plan has received less than 9 per cent of the $908 million required.
The project aims to create detailed geologic maps of the Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line, a geologic boundary from New Jersey to Georgia. This area features rapids in streams and rivers, with higher land to the northwest. The Fall Line marks a 10-mile-wide area between the hard metamorphic rock of the Piedmont to the west and the softer sedimentary rock of the Coastal Plain to the east.
These new geologic maps will fill in knowledge gaps in many places in the southeastern U.S. that have not been mapped in detail before.
“New technologies and mapping techniques allow us to create more accurate maps of what lies underground, providing crucial geologic information, such as where important minerals could be or where earthquake risks are greater” said Mark Carter, a USGS research geologist and project lead with the USGS Florence Bascom Geoscience Center.
A key focus of this mapping project is to inform State Geological Surveys, private industry, and key decision-makers where critical minerals vital to the economy and national security might be located.
As demand for rare earth elements and other critical minerals grows for use in technology, energy, and defense sectors, this project can provide vital data that helps the U.S. secure domestic sources of critical minerals, thus reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign sources.
“Critical minerals are needed for almost every part of modern life,” Carter explained. “Projects like this one can make the U.S. more self-reliant by helping us find where these resources are.”
Critical minerals like titanium are found in sandy deposits along the coastal plain, originating from weathered rocks in and around the Appalachians and washed downstream. While experts know the current locations of many of these sandy deposits, their original sources in Piedmont and Blue Ridge bedrock upstream are still unknown. Discovering the origin of these minerals is important because there may be large amounts of valuable resources yet to be uncovered, added Carter.
Titanium is one of 50 critical minerals essential to the U.S. economy and national security. More than 95% of titanium used in the U.S. during 2024 was imported from other countries, so finding domestic sources of titanium is important for the U.S. to be self-sufficient. Titanium’s high strength-to-weight ratio is crucial for components in airplanes, spacecraft, military armor, and medical implants. Most titanium ore is processed into titanium dioxide, a pigment used in various products like paints, plastics, toothpaste and sunscreen.
In addition to its potential in locating critical minerals, this project fills a critical public safety need by assessing areas for earthquake hazards.
Many older geologic maps of the southeastern U.S. do not provide the detail needed to identify possible geological hazards, including rare but severe earthquakes that endanger lives and infrastructure. Updated maps can improve geological understanding and knowledge on earthquake risks, helping local governments and emergency services better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of earthquakes. This improved understanding helps local and state governments maximize the effectiveness of building codes, emergency plans, and public awareness programs.
“At the heart of this mapping endeavor is a commitment to public safety,” said Carter. “The project will provide local agencies and policymakers with the knowledge needed to implement effective hazard mitigation strategies, which can help save lives, protect communities and reduce economic losses in the event of a future earthquake.”
At present, the research for the project is focused on the Fall Line in southeast Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, and central Georgia. Much of the work in Georgia is focused on Federal lands, including the Oconee National Forests and both the Piedmont and Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuges.
During fieldwork, geologists traverse varied terrains to study rocks outcrops, topographic features, and soils while collecting samples for laboratory analysis. A key aspect of geologic mapping is laboratory work to determine the age of rocks and sediments. At USGS labs, various techniques are employed to achieve this, such as uranium-lead dating for zircon minerals, pollen analysis to determine sediment age, cosmogenic nuclide dating to measure sunlight exposure, and optically stimulated luminescence dating to find out when sands were last exposed to sunlight, which tells experts when the sands were buried.
This field and laboratory work also helps other parts of the USGS like the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI), which collects geophysical, geologic, geochemical, and topographic data across all regions of the U.S. to enhance scientific understanding of the nation’s geology and mineral resources. Earth MRI airborne surveys aid geologic mapping by measuring rock characteristics that are not visible to the naked eye but can be matched to geologic features that span large regions, even in remote, rugged areas or areas covered by vegetation or water. This project and similar efforts by USGS and State geological survey partners provide essential ground-truth information to interpret the geophysical data and infer the bedrock geology and features such as faults that are concealed beneath younger soils and sediment.
To learn more about this USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program project, visit: Geology of the eastern Piedmont and upper Coastal Plain along the Fall Zone, Virginia to Georgia | U.S. Geological Survey
The manufacturing of African print textiles has shifted to China in the 21st century. While they are widely consumed in African countries – and symbolic of the continent – the rise of “made in China” has undermined the African women traders who have long shaped the retail and distribution of this cloth.
For many decades Vlisco, the Dutch textile group which traces its origins to 1846 and whose products had been supplied to west Africa by European trading houses since the late 19th century, dominated manufacture of the cloth. But in the last 25 years dozens of factories in China have begun to supply African print textiles to west African markets. Qingdao Phoenix Hitarget Ltd, Sanhe Linqing Textile Group and Waxhaux Ltd are among the best known.
We conducted research to establish how the rise of Chinese-made cloth has affected the African print textiles trade. We focused on Togo. Though it’s a tiny country with a population of only 9.7 million, the capital city, Lomé, is the trading hub in west Africa for the textiles.
We conducted over 100 interviews with traders, street sellers, port agents or brokers, government officials and representatives of manufacturing companies to learn about how their activities have changed.
“Made in China” African print textiles are substantially cheaper and more accessible to a wider population than Vlisco fabric. Our market observations in Lomé’s famous Assigamé market found that Chinese African print textiles cost about 9,000 CFA (US$16) for six yards – one complete outfit. Wax Hollandais (50,000 CFA or US$87) cost over five times more.
Data is hard to come by, but our estimates suggest that 90% of imports of these textiles to Lomé port in 2019 came from China.
One Togolese trader summed up the attraction:
Who could resist a cloth that looked similar, but that cost much less than real Vlisco?
Our research shows how the rise of China manufactured cloth has undermined Vlisco’s once dominant market share as well as the monopoly on the trade of Dutch African print textiles that Togolese traders once enjoyed.
The traders, known as Nana-Benz because of the expensive cars they drove, once enjoyed an economic and political significance disproportionate to their small numbers. Their political influence was such that they were key backers of Togo’s first president, Sylvanus Olympio – himself a former director of the United Africa Company, which distributed Dutch cloth.
In turn, Olympio and long-term leader General Gnassingbé Eyadéma provided policy favours – such as low taxes – to support trading activity. In the 1970s, African print textile trade was considered as significant as the phosphate industry – the country’s primary export.
Nana-Benz have since been displaced – their numbers falling from 50 to about 20. Newer Togolese traders – known as Nanettes or “little Nanas” – have taken their place. While they have carved out a niche in mediating the textiles trade with China, they have lower economic and political stature. In turn, they too are increasingly threatened by Chinese competition, more recently within trading and distribution as well.
China displaces the Dutch
Dating back to the colonial period, African women traders have played essential roles in the wholesale and distribution of Dutch cloth in west African markets. As many countries in the region attained independence from the 1950s onwards, Grand Marché – or Assigamé – in Lomé became the hub for African print textile trade.
While neighbouring countries such as Ghana limited imports as part of efforts to promote domestic industrialisation, Togolese traders secured favourable conditions. These included low taxes and use of the port.
Togolese women traders knew the taste of predominantly female, west African customers better than their mostly male, Dutch designers. The Nana-Benz were brought into the African print textile production and design process, selecting patterns and giving names to designs they knew would sell.
They acquired such wealth from this trade that they earned the Nana-Benz nickname from the cars they purchased and which they used to collect and move merchandise.
Nana-Benz exclusivity of trading and retailing of African print textiles cloth in west African markets has been disrupted. As Vlisco has responded to falling revenues – over 30% in the first five years of the 21st century – due to its Chinese competition, Togolese traders’ role in the supply chain of Dutch cloth has been downgraded.
In response to the flood of Chinese imports, the Dutch manufacturer re-positioned itself as a luxury fashion brand and placed greater focus on the marketing and distribution of the textiles.
Vlisco has opened several boutique stores in west and central Africa, starting with Cotonou (2008), Lomé (2008) and Abidjan (2009). The surviving Nana-Benz – an estimated 20 of the original 50 – operate under contract as retailers rather than traders and must follow strict rules of sale and pricing.
While newer Togolese traders known as Nanettes are involved in the sourcing of textiles from China, they have lower economic and political stature. Up to 60 are involved in the trade.
Former street sellers of textiles and other petty commodities, Nanettes began travelling to China in the early to mid-2000s to source African print textiles. They are involved in commissioning and advising on the manufacturing of African print textiles in China and the distribution in Africa.
While many Nanettes order the common Chinese brands, some own and market their own. These include what are now well-known designs in Lomé and west Africa such as “Femme de Caractère”, “Binta”, “Prestige”, “Rebecca Wax”, “GMG” and “Homeland”.
Compared to their Nana-Benz predecessors, the Nanettes carve out their business from the smaller pie available from the sale of cheaper Chinese cloth. Though the volumes traded are large, the margins are smaller due to the much lower final retail price compared to Dutch cloth.
After procuring African print textiles from China, Nanettes sell wholesale to independent local traders or “sellers” as well as traders from neighbouring countries. These sellers in turn break down the bulk they have purchased and sell it in smaller quantities to independent street vendors.
All African print textiles from China arrive in west Africa as an incomplete product – as six-yard or 12-yard segments of cloth, not as finished garments. Local tailors and seamstresses then make clothes according to consumer taste. Some fashion designers have also opened shops where they sell prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) garments made from bolts of African print and tailored to local taste. Thus, even though the monopoly of the Nana-Benz has been eroded, value is still added and captured locally.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese actors have become more involved in trading activity – and not just manufacturing. The further evolution of Chinese presence risks an even greater marginalisation of locals, already excluded from manufacturing, from the trading and distribution end of the value chain. Maintaining their role – tailoring products to local culture and trends and linking the formal and informal economy – is vital not just for Togolese traders, but also the wider economy.
Rory Horner receives funding from the British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship. He is also a Research Associate at the Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies at the University of Johannesburg.
Fidele B. Ebia 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.
Under bright lights, the audience looks at a bare stage on two planes. Below, a small stage is white and empty, occupied only by a table and two chairs. Above, a huge, slanted mirror reflects a bird’s-eye view of the stage to the audience. Three middle-aged figures enter the stage without looking at each other. One lies down, staring into the mirror. One stands and one sits. For the next 70 minutes, they will never hold one another’s gaze.
This is the revival of Sarah Kane’s play 4.48 Psychosis. The production takes place 25 years after the original work, bringing the original cast and creative team back to the Royal Court where the play was first staged – now transferred to The Other Place, a small theatre run by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
It replicates the staging of the original with precision. The same faces are on the same set, making the same gestures. Even the projections of the street outside show cars from the 1990s. And yet, because this is theatre, there are inevitable differences.
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The play is a revival and a commemoration. Kane wrote 4.48 Psychosis in the year leading up to her death by suicide in 1999 and completed it during her final stay in a psychiatric hospital. It stages the experience of a suicidal and psychotic mind breaking down.
About a week after sending the play to her agent, Kane ended her own life. A year later, the original production was staged at the Royal Court, directed by her long-term collaborator James Macdonald and starring three young actors: Daniel Evans, Madeleine Potter and Jo McInnes. All three have returned for this revival.
4.48 Psychosis is a highly experimental play. It contains dialogue between doctor and patient, poetry, seemingly psychotic speech, lists and quotations from literature and medical documents. In her aims for the play, Kane was both very open and very specific. She described the play in an interview at Royal Holloway University as an attempt to stage the experience of a mind breaking down:
I’m writing a play called 4:48 Psychosis … It’s about a psychotic breakdown and what happens in a person’s mind when the barriers which distinguish between reality and different forms of imagination completely disappear … you no longer know where you stop and the world starts.
What’s more, through an experimental style, Kane hoped to make her audience experience some of the distress experienced by the mental collapse being staged. She described this as “making form and content one”.
How this strange work was to be staged was to be left up to future creatives. She didn’t specify how many actors should perform the work, or provide references to their age or gender. Kane believed that as a playwright, her job was to write the work, and then let directors figure it out.
The result was that the first performance split the experience of breakdown across three actors. At times, they take on more specific roles such as a patient, a doctor, and a lover or bystander. At others, they all seem to occupy a shared mental reverie.
Since the original production, 4.48 Psychosis has been staged in multiple ways around the world. French actor Isabelle Huppert performed the first French production largely as a monologue in 2005, with occasional lines delivered by Gérard Watkins as a psychiatrist. Recently in the UK it has been transformed into a successful opera in which a six-person ensemble and full orchestra performed the play’s “hive mind”, and has been performed in a plastic box in British Sign Language.
When it was first performed in 2000, a year after Kane’s death, the play left a profound impression on its audiences. It was arguably one of the most brutal, head-on representations of mental illness that had ever been seen in British theatre. Reviews from that first production discuss anxieties about whether the play should be viewed as a “suicide note” – a disturbingly “real” reference to Kane’s death.
Today, such anxieties may seem less relevant. After all, over two decades have passed since Kane’s death, and we are in a very different world when it comes to how we view disclosure of personal struggle. In a culture of mental health awareness campaigns and social media oversharing, the closeness of Kane’s suffering to her work seems less scandalous, and perhaps less unsettling.
At times, this revival feels a bit more like a repetition, or archival reconstruction than a fresh performance. There are moments that feel dated – for example, the use of pixelated projections.
The most compelling moments were where something original was introduced due to the more advanced ages of the actors. In my experience, the play is typically performed by a younger cast, as a rageful, energetic cry of despair. It hits differently with a cast in their fifties.
Madeleine Potter’s resigned, ironic complaints about being mistreated by “Dr This and Dr That” gave the impression of a woman with a lifetime’s experience of inadequate mental health services. And Jo McInnes’s desperate monologue about lost love could be referencing an estranged or dead child, as much as a lover.
These moments inserted something new into Kane’s iconic last work and underlined that mental suffering is far from being the privilege of the young. More of a slow burn than an explosive cry of anger, this return to 4.48 Psychosis explores mental torment that can persist over a lifetime, revealing it to be as relevant as ever.
4.48 Psychosis is at The Other Place until July 27.
Leah Sidi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nando Sigona, Professor of International Migration and Forced Displacement and Director of the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity, University of Birmingham
The letter that arrived for eleven-year-old Guilherme in June 2025 was addressed personally to him. The UK Home Office was informing him that he and his eight-year-old brother Luca must return to Brazil. Their parents, an academic and a senior NHS nurse, both long-term UK residents with valid visas were not included in the order.
“Whilst this may involve a degree of disruption in family life,” the letter stated, “this is considered to be proportionate to the legitimate aim of maintaining effective immigration control.”
The family’s difficulties with the Home Office began after the parents divorced a few years after arriving in the UK. Mother and children arrived in the UK as dependants on the father’s visa. After the divorce, the mother secured her own skilled worker visa, while the father was granted indefinite leave to remain in 2024.
Under current rules, skilled workers must wait five years before applying for settlement. For the children to qualify for settlement, both parents must be settled or one must have sole responsibility – neither condition applies here. Only after media attention did the Home Office reconsider the decision.
This case is just the latest example of how barriers to migrants’ family life are embedded in the UK’s immigration system – something I have been studying for years. The Labour government’s recently announced immigration plans extend and bolster these barriers.
Current rules require migrants to earn at least £29,000 to sponsor a spouse or child – a figure set to rise to £38,700 in early 2026 after changes introduced by the last government. The newest immigration plans propose doubling the path to settlement from five to ten years. And they restrict the rights to family reunion to only “nuclear” families: divorced parents, adult children and extended kin are left out.
These changes are aimed at reducing migration and restoring “public trust”. But in practice, they make family unity a luxury — harder to achieve for low-paid migrant workers and even for working-class British citizens with foreign partners.
Recent research my colleagues and I conducted — based on over 50 interviews with migrant domestic and food delivery workers and other experts — shows how the immigration system fractures families and puts children at risk.
Faith, a Zimbabwean domestic worker, explained how she was unable to bring her eldest daughter to the UK due to age restrictions on dependant visas. Her daughter was later trafficked into the UK and, though she eventually rejoined her mother, hasn’t recovered from the trauma of separation: “She’s struggling to sleep, can’t eat … always emotional, saying she feels dizzy, scared to be around people.”
Faith had been trapped in an abusive relationship for a long time because her visa was tied to her partner. When she eventually left her partner, her visa was withdrawn – leaving her in breach of immigration rules. Her younger child was placed in care while Faith was detained for breaching the terms of her visa.
Jamal, a food delivery rider from Eritrea, had a similar experience of legal dependency. He came to the UK on a dependant visa linked to his British wife. After their relationship deteriorated, his ability to remain in the country was threatened: “If we have problems, she can cancel my visa. This was her weapon.”
Susan, a Zimbabwean woman working in the care and cleaning sector, moved to the UK to look after her adult daughter who had cancer. When her six month visitor visa expired, she applied for asylum, but her application was refused and eventually she was detained for almost a month.
She faced deportation but was released after a legal aid lawyer helped her submit strong evidence of her daughter’s condition. Reflecting on her experience, she explained: “When it benefits them, they say I’ve had no contact [with my family in the UK]. When they want to deport me, they say I have family to return to [in Zimbabwe].”
Immigration status doesn’t just define one’s own legal position, it can determine who gets the right to have a family in the UK and who does not. While some of our interviewees secured status through a partner’s EU citizenship and reunited with family members already in the UK, others who rely on temporary visas are excluded.
Changes to the immigration in recent years have placed a higher value on how migrants can contribute or provide “value” – seeing them as workers (or students) first, not members of families. Many are allowed in the UK for a limited time and without the right to bring with them even the closest family members. The effect is particularly harsh on women in domestic work, whose visas are short-term and not renewable.
Many interviewees reported that immigration barriers delayed or obstructed their children’s education or healthcare. Samantha’s daughter waited over two months for a school placement because their legal status was still pending. Adriana was charged £8,000 for NHS maternity services because of her undocumented status, which restricts access to free healthcare to GP and emergency care.
Even in less extreme cases, legal insecurity takes a toll. Children grow up hearing their parents talk about “papers”, “Home Office letters” or the risk of being “sent back”.
That the Home Office sent a removal letter to an eleven-year-old is not a clerical error. It is the system working as designed. And even when public outrage forces a reversal — as in Guilherme’s case — the wider machinery of enforcement continues.
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Nando Sigona is Scientific Coordinator of “Improving the Living and Working Conditions of Irregularised Migrant Households in Europe” (www.i-claim.eu), a three-year six-country research project, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe and UKRI.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University
In June 2025, Immigration Judge ShaSha Xu in New York City reportedly told lawyers in her courtroom: “We’re not really doing names publicly.” Only the government lawyers’ names were hidden – the immigrants’ attorneys had to give their names as usual. Xu cited privacy concerns, saying, “Things lately have changed.”
When one immigration lawyer objected that the court record would be incomplete without the government attorney’s name, Xu reportedly refused to provide it. In another case, New York immigration Judge James McCarthy in July referred to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, attorney as merely “Department” throughout the hearing.
New York immigration Judge Shirley Lazare-Raphael told The Intercept that some ICE attorneys believe it is “dangerous to state their names publicly.” This follows a broader pattern of ICE agents wearing masks during arrests to hide their identities.
This secrecy violates a fundamental principle that has protected Americans for centuries: open courts. Here’s how those courts operate and why the principle governing them matters.
Hiding of ICE attorneys’ names in court fits a broader pattern seen here outside a New York immigration courtroom of ICE agents wearing masks. AP Photo/Olga Fedorova
‘Presumption of openness’
The U.S. legal system is built on openness, with multiple layers of legal protection that guarantee public access to court proceedings.
This tradition of open courts developed as a direct rejection of secret judicial proceedings that had been used to abuse power in England. The notorious Star Chamber operated in secret from the 15th to 17th centuries, initially trying people “too powerful to be brought before ordinary common-law courts.”
But the Star Chamber eventually became a tool of oppression, using torture to obtain confessions and punishing jurors who ruled against the Crown. Parliament abolished it in 1641 after widespread abuses.
By the time American colonial courts were established, the reaction against the Star Chamber had already shaped English legal thinking toward openness. American courts adopted this principle of transparency from the beginning, rejecting the secretive proceedings that had enabled abuse.
Today, the term “star chamber” refers to any secret court proceeding that seems grossly unfair or is used to persecute individuals.
Many state constitutions also guarantee open courts – such as Oregon’s mandate that “no court shall be secret.”
While there’s no explicit law requiring attorneys to be publicly named, there’s also no policy allowing their names to be kept secret. The presumption is always toward openness.
In response to these recent developments, law professor Elissa Steglich said that she’d “never heard of someone in open court not being identified,” and that failing to identify an attorney could impair accountability “if there are unethical or professional concerns.”
Rules for anonymity
Courts sometimes allow anonymity, but only in specific circumstances.
Juries can be anonymous when there’s “substantial danger of harm or undue influence,” as legal expert Michael Crowell writes – like in high-profile organized crime cases or when defendants have tried to intimidate witnesses before. Even then, the lawyers still know the jurors’ names.
Similarly, parties to a lawsuit can sometimes use pseudonyms like “Jane Doe” when the case involves highly sensitive matters such as sexual abuse, or when there’s a real risk of physical retaliation.
What’s happening with ICE attorneys is different. There’s no formal court ruling allowing it, no specific safety findings and no established legal process.
Immigration courts have fewer protections
Immigration courts operate differently from regular federal courts. They are so-called “administrative courts” that are part of the executive branch, not the judicial branch.
These courts decide claims involving an individual’s right to stay in the U.S., either when the government seeks to remove someone from the country for violating immigration law or when an individual seeks to stay in the country through the asylum process.
Immigration judges lack the lifetime job protections that regular federal judges have. As executive branch government employees, they can be hired and fired, just like other Department of Justice employees.
People in immigration court also have fewer procedural protections than criminal defendants. They have no right to court-appointed counsel and must represent themselves unless they can afford to hire an attorney. The majority of immigrants appear without an attorney. Outcomes are better for those who can afford to hire counsel.
Immigration court records are also less accessible to the public than other federal court proceedings.
For years, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the nation’s highest immigration court, made less than 1% of its opinions publicly available. A federal court ruled that public disclosure was required; the Board of Immigration Appeals now posts its decisions online.
Because immigration courts operate with less oversight than regular federal courts, public observation becomes more critical.
Open courts aren’t just about legal procedure – they’re about democracy itself. When the public can observe how justice is administered, it builds confidence that the system is fair.
Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 21, 2025, in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Court watching protects transparency
Court watching has become an important way for citizens to ensure due process is honored, especially in immigration cases.
Observers can monitor whether proper legal procedures are being followed. They can watch for signs that attorneys are prepared, treating people respectfully and following court rules – regardless of whether those attorneys identify themselves.
Observers help track trends such as lack of legal representation, language barriers or procedural unfairness that can inform advocacy for reforms. This kind of public oversight is especially important in immigration court, where people often don’t have lawyers and may not understand their rights.
When community members bear witness to these proceedings, it helps ensure the system operates fairly and transparently.
State bar associations have clear standards about attorney conduct in court proceedings. The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct emphasize that lawyers are “officers of the legal system” with duties to uphold its integrity.
Immigration judges, despite being government employees rather than lifetime-tenured federal judges, are also bound by judicial conduct codes that require them to uphold public confidence in the justice system. When judges allow or encourage anonymity without formal procedures or safety findings, they risk violating these ethical obligations.
Bar associations can investigate professional conduct violations and impose sanctions ranging from reprimands to suspension or disbarment. While enforcement against federal government lawyers has historically been uncommon, sustained documentation by court observers can provide the evidence needed for formal complaints.
While government attorneys, judges and other court personnel may face real safety concerns, hiding their identities in open court is unprecedented and breaks with centuries of legal tradition that requires accountability and transparency in our justice system.
As pressure mounts to process immigration cases quickly, courts are ethically and legally bound to ensure that speed doesn’t come at the expense of fundamental fairness and transparency.
Cassandra Burke Robertson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kimberley O’Sullivan, Senior Research Fellow, He Kainga Oranga – Housing and Health Research Programme, University of Otago
The spotlight is again on New Zealand’s energy sector, with a group of industry bodies and independent retailers pushing for a market overhaul, saying the sector was “broken” and “driving up the cost of living”.
The Commerce Commission and the Electricity Authority has already established a joint task force, after prices peaked in 2024, to investigate ways to improve the performance of the electricity market.
The Authority recently announced new rules requiring larger electricity retailers to offer lower off-peak power prices from next year. The government is also expected to make further announcements on the sector.
But the question is whether these changes will do enough to help New Zealanders live affordably in dry and warm homes.
People have told us that not being able to afford enough power to keep warm made them more likely to get sick and exacerbated existing health conditions. They described mental distress from unaffordable electricity and the threat of disconnection.
Research participants used words such as “stressed”, “anxious” or “depressed”. They also spoke about having to choose between food and power bills.
If power is disconnected, there can be additional costs from losing food in the fridge and freezer, as well as the problem of paying disconnection and reconnection fees when people already can’t afford the bill.
Electricity bills reflect several costs along the supply chain from generation to getting the electricity to the sockets in our homes. A new regulatory period for lines charges from April 2025 increased bills by $10 to $25 per month, depending on where you live.
The new Consumer Care Obligations might help reduce some of the risks. Power companies must now comply with these obligations when working with households struggling to pay their bills, are facing disconnection or have someone in the home who is medically dependent on electricity.
If households feel their power company is not meeting these obligations, they can contact Utilities Disputes, a free independent electricity and gas complaint resolution service, or the Electricity Authority.
But multiple changes are needed to address the different parts of the energy hardship problem. Improving home energy efficiency through schemes like Warmer Kiwi Homes is crucial.
Introducing an Energy Performance Rating for houses would make it easier for home buyers and renters to know how much it will cost to power a home before they move in. This would also help target energy hardship support.
Lower prices during off-peak hours are a good start. But it is clear the sheer size and complexity of the problems mean government action, with community and industry collaboration, needs to go beyond slightly cheaper electricity when there is less demand.
Kimberley O’Sullivan receives funding from a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi, the Health Research Council, the Ministry of Business, Employment, and Innovation, and Lotteries Health Research.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on another Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision announced this morning, which concludes that President Trump has illegally impounded funding provided by Congress for Head Start programs across America, in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA):
“Today, a top government watchdog confirmed what we’ve known for months: President Trump has illegally held up vast sums of funding for Head Start programs across America—blocking funding that working families count on every day for pre-K and so many critical services Head Start offers.
“Because of Trump’s illegal impoundment of this funding that Congress provided, we have seen Head Start centers temporarily close, families scramble to make alternate plans, and needless stress and panic in communities nationwide—including in Washington state.
“Stealing money from preschool programs? No President in modern history has demonstrated such contempt for working and low-income American families as Donald Trump.
“Trump has signaled he would like to eliminate Head Start—but that’s not his choice to make. Congress delivered this funding for Head Start on a bipartisan basis, and instead of trying to destroy preschool programs and breaking our laws to hurt working families, President Trump needs to ensure every penny of these funds get out in a timely, consistent way moving forward—and he must also finally get out the rest of the investments he has been robbing the American people of.”
In its decision, GAO also highlighted the Trump administration’s complete unwillingness to provide any explanation or justification for their actions, which, in this case, impact hundreds of thousands of children and families in Head Start programs across the country. This is further evidence that claims by this administration of a commitment to radical transparency are a farce—as this administration continues to try to hide what it is doing, and how it is spending taxpayer dollars, from the American public.
In April, Senator Murray raised alarm bells about how President Trump was withholding nearly $1 billion in Head Start funding, and she led her colleagues in demanding that the funds get moving. A Head Start center in Lower Yakima Valley, Washington state, was forced to temporarily close because of the chaotic delays. Senator Murray has also consistently warned of how President Trump’s dismantling of the Office of Head Start is hurting families nationwide.
In its decision today, the GAO concluded that:
“As explained below, we conclude that HHS withheld these funds from expenditure in violation of the ICA. The Head Start Act requires the Secretary to prescribe procedures to assure that ‘financial assistance under this subchapter shall not be suspended, except in emergency situations, unless the recipient agency has been given reasonable notice and opportunity to show cause why such action should not be taken’. HHS’s actions here were inconsistent with this legal requirement. … As of 2024, there were approximately
1,600 grant recipients across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and Palau. Grant recipients, known as Head Start agencies, can generally receive federal funds that cover up to 80 percent of the approved costs of an agency’s Head Start program. …. The Constitution grants the President no unilateral authority to withhold funds fromobligation. …. In addition, plaintiffs in numerous cases before federal district courts reported Head Start agencies’ inabilities to access Head Start grant funding. While we accept that the rate of an agency’s obligations or disbursements of a given appropriation may vary from year to year, we expect that an agency’s obligations and expenditures, at any time throughout the fiscal year, will reflect a ‘reasonable attempt by the agency to carry out the purposes of the appropriation.’ Moreover, we would not expect substantial variations in disbursement rates in this case, where disbursements are directed by the Head Start Act. …. If the Administration wishes to make changes to the appropriation provided for Head Start, it must propose legislation for consideration by Congress.”
Presidents do not wield the power to unilaterally withhold or block investments that have been enacted into law through what’s known as “impoundment.” This foundational principle has been affirmed time and again. The Impoundment Control Act (ICA) of 1974 makes this plain and establishes limited procedures the president can and must follow to propose delaying or rescinding enacted funding. The Impoundment Control Act also charges the GAO with the responsibility of investigating and reporting to Congress when the president illegally withholds funding.
The GAO has now acknowledged that it has opened 46 impoundment investigations and counting. Today’s announcement follows the GAO’s first decision in May in one of its ongoing investigations, which concluded Trump is illegally impounding funding for electric vehicle charging, and a subsequent investigation in June concluding Trump is illegally impounding funding for museums and libraries across America. The ICA authorizes the Comptroller General to file suit when the president illegally impounds funding.
Since his first hours in office, President Trump has illegally blocked funding owed to communities across the country through a variety of different means. Senate and House Appropriations Committee Democrats have been tracking Trump’s illegal funding freeze and found that, as of June 3, President Trump is blocking at least $425 billion in funding owed to the American people.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
PM call with President Sandu of the Republic of Moldova: 23 July 2025
The Prime Minister met the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, this afternoon.
The Prime Minister met the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, this afternoon.
Discussing Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, the leaders agreed to work closely to stop the spread of malign disinformation and illicit finance, and the Prime Minister underscored the need to sanction those who seek to undermine democracy.
The Prime Minister updated the President on the progress of the Coalition of the Willing, and how all must ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position now and going forwards. The leaders discussed the effectiveness of sanctions on stopping Putin’s war machine, and how the international community must ramp up the pressure.
The leaders agreed on the importance of an unconditional ceasefire and the necessity of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
This plan outlines key strategies, outputs, and activities for the period 2025–2030. It reaffirms the Government of Lao PDR’s unwavering commitment to enhancing disaster risk management and promoting resilience through strengthened collaboration with development partners, international organizations, and all stakeholders. It also reflects our collective aspiration to contribute meaningfully to regional and global efforts in disaster risk reduction.
“Small business owners are matching the market with increased confidence,” CNBC reports in their latest Small Business Survey — which shows a renewed sense of economic optimism as President Donald J. Trump’s policies deliver results and as the landmark One Big Beautiful Bill takes effect.
Here’s what you need to know:
Nearly half of small business owners rate the economy as “excellent” or “good” — up from 30% in the previous quarter.
More than half of small business owners expect revenue to increase over the next year — up 10% from last quarter — and more describe their business conditions as “good.”
Fewer small business owners “have been, or expect to be impacted by tariffs.”
There has been a sharp decline in the number of small business owners who expect government regulations, tax policy, and trade policy to negatively impact their operations.
Confidence in President Trump has spiked, with nearly six-in-ten small business owners approving of his job performance — improving sentiment shared “across the political spectrum.”
SurveyMonkey’s Sam Gutierrez: “Small business owners who identify as Democrats report the largest increase in sentiment. They are much more optimistic about business conditions compared with the previous quarter.”
A HISTORIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENT WITH JAPAN: Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump announced a landmark economic agreement with Japan—one of America’s closest allies and most important trading partners.
This historic deal reflects the strength of the U.S.–Japan relationship and Japan’s recognition of the United States as the most attractive and secure destination for strategic investment in the world.
The agreement reaffirms the shared commitment of both nations to economic prosperity, industrial leadership, and long-term security. It delivers a powerful signal that the U.S.–Japan alliance is not only a cornerstone of peace in the Indo-Pacific, but also a driver of global growth and innovation.
With over $550 billion in a new Japanese/USA investment vehicle and enhanced access for American exports, this agreement marks a new chapter in bilateral cooperation—one that will unleash the full potential of the U.S. economy, strengthen vital supply chains, and support American workers, communities, and businesses for decades to come.
RESTORING AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL POWER: Japan will invest $550 billion directed by the United States to rebuild and expand core American industries.
This is the single largest foreign investment commitment ever secured by any country and will generate hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs, expand domestic manufacturing, and secure American prosperity for generations.
At President Trump’s direction, these funds will be targeted toward the revitalization of America’s strategic industrial base, including:
Energy infrastructure and production, including LNG, advanced fuels, and grid modernization;
Semiconductor manufacturing and research, rebuilding U.S. capacity from design to fabrication;
Critical minerals mining, processing, and refining, ensuring access to essential inputs;
Pharmaceutical and medical production, ending U.S. dependence on foreign-made medicines and supplies;
Commercial and defense shipbuilding, including new yards and modernization of existing facilities.
The United States will retain 90% of the profits from this investment—ensuring that American workers, taxpayers, and communities reap the overwhelming share of the benefit.
This capital surge, combined with the trillions already secured under President Trump’s leadership, will be a key component of a once-in-a-century industrial revival.
ENSURING BALANCED TRADE THROUGH A PREDICTABLE TARIFF FRAMEWORK: As part of this agreement, imports from Japan will be subject to a baseline 15% tariff rate.
In addition to raising billions in revenue, this new tariff framework, combined with expanded U.S. exports and investment-driven production, will help narrow the trade deficit with Japan and restore greater balance to the overall U.S. trade position.
This approach reflects the United States’ broader effort to establish a consistent, transparent, and enforceable trade environment—one in which American workers and producers are no longer disadvantaged by outdated or one-sided trade rules.
By aligning with this framework, Japan affirms the strength and mutual respect of the U.S.–Japan economic relationship and recognizes the importance of durable trade grounded in fairness.
SECURING INCREASED MARKET ACCESS FOR AMERICAN PRODUCERS: For decades, U.S. companies have faced barriers when seeking access to Japan’s market. This agreement delivers breakthrough openings across key sectors:
Agriculture and Food:
Japan will immediately increase imports of U.S. rice by 75%, with a major expansion of import quotas;
Japan will purchase $8 billion in U.S. goods, including corn, soybeans, fertilizer, bioethanol, and sustainable aviation fuel.
Energy:
Major expansion of U.S. energy exports to Japan;
The US and Japan are exploring a new offtake agreement for Alaskan liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Manufacturing and Aerospace:
Japan has committed to purchase U.S.-made commercial aircraft, including an agreement to buy 100 Boeing aircraft;
Additional billions of dollars annually of purchases of U.S. defense equipment, enhancing interoperability and alliance security in the Indo-Pacific.
Automobiles and Industrial Goods:
Longstanding restrictions on U.S. cars and trucks will be lifted, granting U.S. automakers access to the Japanese consumer market; U.S. Automotive standards will be approved in Japan for the first time ever.
Broader openings for a range of industrial and consumer goods, leveling the playing field for American producers.
A GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN U.S.-JAPAN ECONOMIC RELATIONS: This agreement is not merely a trade deal—it is a strategic realignment of the U.S.-Japan economic relationship delivering for the American people.
For the first time, the terms of engagement place American industry, innovation, and labor at the center.
By securing historic investment and breaking open long-closed markets, President Trump has once again delivered a deal that no one else could deliver—a deal that will help to rebuild the American economy, strengthen our industrial foundation, and safeguard our national strength for decades to come.
President Trump is proving that when the United States leads from strength, the world follows—and America wins.
SECURING LONG-TERM ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP: This agreement reflects the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Japan, and it advances the mutual interests of both nations.
By aligning on economic and national security, energy reliability, and reciprocal trade, the agreement establishes a foundation for shared prosperity, industrial resilience, and technological leadership.
President Trump has once again delivered a transformative outcome for the American people—ensuring that our workers, producers, and innovators are rewarded, respected, and empowered in the global economy.
With a swarm of satellites now circling the Earth, it’s easy to take for granted the unique value of monitoring our home planet from space. In the 1970s, however, the idea was still novel. When the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1)—what we now call Landsat 1—launched in 1972, it posed the following question: could we manage our natural resources using remotely-sensed data? The answer, 53 years on, is a resounding “yes.”
Even before the launch of ERTS-1, there were 305 proposed investigations across various disciplines, according to the ERTS-A Press Kit.
Members of the Landsat project office understood the value of the program would depend on the practical and widespread uses of the data collected by the ERTS Multispectral Scanner (MSS) instrument. In June 1970, NASA requested proposals for the use of data from researchers around the world. (Etter Mack). The accepted proposals came from a diverse range of institutions including universities, industry, non-profit organizations, and federal and state government agencies, demonstrating the broad interest in utilizing this new Earth observation capability. These were categorized into different scientific disciplines, covering everything from agriculture and forestry to geology and hydrology.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), which planned the ERTS program alongside NASA, was the largest operational user of ERTS-1 data. In the first years of ERTS-1 in orbit, the USGS used the data to monitor strip mining, locate oil and mineral deposits, map flooding, and identify land use change. The USGS also played a large role in encouraging the widespread use of remote sensing by developing new techniques, providing training, and encouraging operational use programs throughout the federal government and beyond.
Between the launches of ERTS-1 and ERTS-2 (later renamed Landsat 2), the USGS and three other federal agencies—the Department of Agriculture, the Army Corp of Engineers, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—began investigating how they could use ERTS data. The Department of Agriculture identified major applications areas, including inventorying and monitoring agricultural, range, and forested lands; tracking changes in the urban-rural interface; and monitoring wildlife habitat for management. The Army Corps of Engineers used ERTS-1 data for the National Dam Safety Program, to develop large-area environmental impact statements, and to study the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the U.S. In anticipation of the launch of ERTS-2, the Corps of Engineers planned multiple NASA-funded investigations focused on reservoir management, coastal planning, and environmental impact prediction. NOAA used ERTS-1 data to improve aeronautical charts and identified further operational uses of ERTS data including water quality monitoring, impact assessments of human activity on fisheries, and snow cover analysis.
Landsat 1 fundamentally changed Earth observation. Its groundbreaking MSS was the first Earth-observing instrument designed to obtain calibration data in orbit and established standards for satellite-based Earth observation. What began as an experimental satellite, has grown into one of the longest-running and most valuable Earth observation programs in the world. Today, the Landsat archive supports billions in annual economic benefits across sectors like agriculture, forestry, water resources, geology and mineral exploration, and environmental monitoring. Research in each of these key application areas has grown as each new Landsat mission innovated on previous technology. That legacy continues and will expand with the next generation of Landsat satellites.
Pamela Etter Mack. Viewing the Earth : The Social Construction of the Landsat Satellite System; Mit Press: Cambridge, Mass., 1990.
Timothy C. Bidwell and Cheryl A. Mitchell. Author index to published ERTS-1 Reports. Sioux Falls, SD: Technicolor Graphics under contract to USGS EROS Data Center, 86. 1975. https://pubs.usgs.gov/unnumbered/70159283/report.pdf
NASA engineers are exploring how the technology used in existing cellphone networks could support the next generation of aviation. In April and May, researchers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland built two specialized radio systems to study how well fifth-generation cellular network technology, known as 5G, can handle the demands of air taxi communications. “The goal of this research is to understand how wireless cellphone networks could be leveraged by the aviation industry to enable new frontiers of aviation operations,” said Casey Bakula, lead researcher for the project, who is based at Glenn. “The findings of this work could serve as a blueprint for future aviation communication network providers, like satellite navigation providers and telecommunications companies, and help guide the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan for future advanced air mobility network requirements in cities.” Instead of developing entirely new standards for air taxi communications, NASA is looking to see if the aviation industry could leverage the expertise, experience, and investments made by the cellular industry towards the development of reliable, secure, and scalable aviation networks. If 5G networks could provide an “80% solution” to the challenge, researchers can focus on identifying the remaining 20% that would need to be adapted to meet the needs of the air taxi industry.
5G networks can manage a lot of data at once and have very low signal transmission delay compared to satellite systems, which could make them ideal for providing location data between aircraft in busy city skies. Ground antennas and networks in cities can help air taxis stay connected as they fly over buildings, making urban flights safer. To conduct their tests, NASA researchers set up a system that meets current 5G standards and would allow for future improvements in performance. They placed one radio in the agency’s Pilatus PC-12 aircraft and set up another radio on the roof of Glenn’s Aerospace Communications Facility building. With an experimental license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct flights, the team tested signal transmissions using a radio frequency band the Federal Communications Commission dedicated for the safe testing of drones and other uncrewed aircraft systems. During testing, NASA’s PC-12 flew various flight patterns near Glenn. The team used some of the flight patterns to measure how the signal could weaken as the aircraft moved away from the ground station. Other patterns focused on identifying areas where nearby buildings might block signals, potentially causing interference or dead zones. The team also studied how the aircraft’s angle and position relative to the ground station affected the quality of the connection. These initial tests provided the NASA team an opportunity to integrate its new C-Band radio testbed onto the aircraft, verify its basic functionality, and the operation of the corresponding ground station, as well as refine the team’s test procedures. The successful completion of these activities allows the team to begin research on how 5G standards and technologies could be utilized in existing aviation bands to provide air-to-ground and aircraft-to-aircraft communications services.
In addition to meeting these initial test objectives, the team also recorded and verified the presence of propeller modulation. This is a form of signal degradation caused by the propeller blades of the aircraft partially blocking radio signals as they rotate. The effect becomes more significant as aircraft fly at the lower altitudes air taxis are expected to operate. The airframe configuration and number of propellers on some of the new air taxi models may cause increased propeller modulation effects, so NASA researchers will study this further. NASA research will provide baseline performance data that the agency will share with the FAA and the advanced air mobility sector of the aviation industry, which explores new air transportation options. Future research looking into cellular network usage will focus on issues such as maximum data speeds, signal-to-noise ratios, and synchronization between aircraft and ground systems. Researchers will be able to use NASA’s baseline data to measure the potential of new changes or features to communications systems. Future aircraft will need to carry essential communications systems for command and control, passenger safety, and coordination with other aircraft to avoid collisions. Reliable wireless networks offer the possibility for safe operations of air taxis, particular in cities and other crowded areas. This work is led by NASAs Air Mobility Pathfinders project under the Airspace Operations and Safety Program in support of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility mission.
Headline: Sanctuary City NYC Sees a More Than 400% Spike in ICE Detainers as DHS Prioritizes American People Over Criminal Illegal Aliens
lass=”text-align-center”>Sanctuary politicians forbid local law enforcement from any assistance on immigration matters, even to the point of refusing to assist with criminal arrest warrants WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today U
S
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued 6,025 arrest requests to transfer custody, or detainers, in sanctuary New York City (NYC), since January 20, 2025
To put this into perspective, during the entire Biden Administration, ICE only issued 9,472 detainers in NYC
Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, there has been a more than 400 percent increase in the number of detainers lodged in NYC
Despite the 6,025 arrest detainers lodged, NYC has honored just a handful
In non-sanctuary cities, law enforcement would honor these requests and transfer these criminal illegal aliens to ICE law enforcement to detain and deport them
“In just six months ICE has issued over 6,000 detainers in NYC alone—that’s a more than 400 percent increase in the number of detainers lodged under Biden,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
“When sanctuary politicians like Mayor Eric Adams ignore ICE detainers, they are protecting criminal illegal aliens at the expense of American citizens
These are barbaric criminals with prior convictions for rape, murder, drug trafficking, and instead of holding them for ICE, sanctuary politicians release them back into your communities
These reckless policies have deadly consequences
Just this week, two illegal aliens who entered our country and were released under President Biden shot and nearly killed a brave off-duty CBP officer
Both criminal illegal aliens had been arrested previously for violent crimes and released by the NYPD
” ICE detainers are legal requests to state or local law enforcement to hold illegal aliens in custody and turn them over to immigration authorities
These individuals often have prior deportation orders, criminal convictions, or pose as national security threats
As ICE officers are arresting and removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, they are facing a record number of assaults against them
Assaults on ICE law enforcement have increased by 830 percent since Trump took office
This increase in violence is largely driven by anti-ICE rhetoric and further fueled by these sanctuary politicians and their reckless policies
DHS reaffirms our commitment to the American people—it will not be deterred by partisan attacks or activist pressure
ICE will continue placing detainers, enforcing immigration law, and defending public safety—because every American deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhood
Commercial companies and government agencies are increasingly pursuing a more immersive and affordable alternative to conventional displays currently used in flight simulators. A NASA research project is working on ways to make this technology available for use faster. Mixed reality systems where users interact with physical simulators while wearing virtual reality headsets offer a promising path forward for pilot training. But currently, only limited standards exist for allowing their use, as regulators have little to no data on how these systems perform. To address this, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley invited a dozen pilots to participate in a study to test how a mixed-reality flight simulation would perform in the world’s largest flight simulator. “For the first time, we’re collecting real data on how this type of mixed reality simulation performs in the highest-fidelity vertical motion simulator,” said Peter Zaal, a principal systems architect at Ames. “The more we understand about how these systems affect pilot performance, the closer we are to providing a safer, cost-effective training tool to the aviation community that could benefit everyone from commercial airlines to future air taxi operators.”
Mixed reality blends physical and digital worlds, allowing users to see physical items while viewing a desired simulated environment. Flight simulators employing this technology through headset or a similar setup could offer pilots training for operating next-generation aircraft at a reduced cost and within a smaller footprint compared to more traditional flight simulators. This is because pilots could rely more heavily on the visuals provided through the headset instead of large embedded visual displays in a physical motion simulator. During the testing – which ran May 23-30 – pilots donned a headset through which they could see the physical displays and control sticks inside the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) cab along with a virtual cockpit overlay of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle through the head-mounted display. When the pilots looked toward their windscreens, they saw a virtual view of San Francisco and the surrounding area. Pilots performed three typical flight maneuvers under four sets of motion conditions. Afterward, they were asked to provide feedback on their level of motion sickness while using the head-mounted display and how well the simulator replicated the same movements the aircraft would make during a real flight. An initial analysis of the study shows pilots reported lower ratings of motion sickness than NASA researchers expected. Many shared that the mixed-reality setup inside the VMS felt more realistic and fluid than previous simulator setups they had tested. As part of the test, Ames hosted members of the Federal Aviation Administration Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, which studies factors that influence human performance in aerospace. Pilots from the National Test Pilot School attended a portion of the testing and, independent from the study, evaluated the head-mounted display’s “usable cue environment,” or representation of the visual cues pilots rely on to control an aircraft.
NASA will make the test results available to the public and the aviation community early next year. This first-of-its-kind testing – funded by an Ames Innovation Fair Grant and managed by the center’s Aviation Systems Division – paves the way for potential use of this technology in the VMS for future aviation and space missions.
In this photo from June 28, 2025, Expedition 73 flight engineer Jonny Kim and former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space Peggy Whitson work together inside the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module setting up hardware for cancer research. The hardware is used to culture patient-derived cancer cells, model their growth in microgravity, and test a state-of-the-art fluorescence microscope. Results of this study may lead to earlier cancer detection methods, development of advanced cancer treatments, and promote future stem cell research in space. Whitson returned to Earth on July 15, 2025, with fellow Axiom Mission 4 crew members ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary. They completed about two and a half weeks in space. Image credit: JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)/Takuya Onishi
As the Sun approaches the most active part of its eleven-year magnetic cycle this summer, NASA volunteers have been watching it closely. Now they’ve spotted a new trend in solar behavior that will have you reaching for your suntan lotion. It’s all about something called a “Type II” solar radio burst: “Type II solar radio bursts are not commonly detected in the frequency range between 15 to 30 megahertz,” said Prof. Chuck Higgins, Co-founder of Radio JOVE. “Recently, we’re seeing many of them in that range.” Let’s unpack that. Our Sun often sprays powerful blasts of radio waves into space. Heliophysicists classify these radio bursts into five different types depending on how the frequency of the radio waves drifts over time. “Type II” solar radio bursts seem to come from solar flares and enormous squirts of hot plasma called coronal mass ejections. Now, Thomas Freeman, an undergraduate student at Middle Tennessee State University, and other volunteers working on NASA’s Radio JOVE project have observed something interesting about these Type II bursts: they are now showing up at lower frequencies—somewhere in between FM and AM radio. What does it mean? It means our star is full of surprises! These Radio JOVE observations of the Sun’s radio emissions during solar maximum can be used to extend our knowledge of solar emissions to lower frequencies and, therefore, to distances farther from the Sun. Radio JOVE is a NASA partner citizen science project in which participants assemble and operate radio astronomy telescopes to gather and contribute data to support scientific studies. Radio JOVE collaborated with SunRISE Ground Radio Lab, organized teams of high school students to observe the Sun, and recently published a paper on these Type II solar radio bursts. Learn more and get involved!
Headline: Travis County Disaster Outreach Center to Extend Days of Operation
Travis County Disaster Outreach Center to Extend Days of Operation
AUSTIN, Texas – The Travis County FEMA Disaster Outreach Center will remain open until Friday, July 25, to help survivors of the July storms and flooding
The center, which opened July 16 and has been serving survivors daily, is located at:Round Mountain Baptist Church 14500 Round Mountain Road Leander, TX 78641Hours: 8 a
m
to 8 p
m
dailyDates: Monday, July 21, to Friday, July 25Survivors can get face time with representatives from FEMA and the U
S
Small Business Administration to answer their questions, help with their disaster applications and review their case file
The SBA provides disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations including houses of worship
For the latest information about the Texas recovery, visit fema
Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for New Mexico
President Donald J
Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for New Mexico
WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of New Mexico to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding and landslides from June 23, 2025, and continuing
The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Lincoln County
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster
Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding and landslides in Lincoln County
José M
Gil Montañez has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas
Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments
Individuals who sustained losses in the designated areas should first file claims with their insurance providers and then apply for assistance online at www
DisasterAssistance
gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App
If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service
NASA is seeking proposals from U.S. companies about innovative Moon and Mars proximity relay communication and navigation capabilities as the agency aims to use private industry satellite communications services for emerging missions. On July 7, NASA issued a Request for Proposals, soliciting advanced industry concepts to establish high-bandwidth, high-reliability communications infrastructure between the lunar surface and an Earth-based operations control center, along with concepts that establish a critical communications relay on the Martian surface and transfer data between Mars and the Earth. “These partnerships foster important advancements in communications and navigation,” said Greg Heckler, deputy program manager for capability development within NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program. “It allows our astronauts, our rovers, our spacecraft – all NASA missions – to expand humanity’s exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.” NASA’s request directly supports the agency’s long-term vision of an interoperable space communication and navigation infrastructure that enables science, exploration, and economic development in space. NASA, as one of many customers, will establish a marketplace that supports cost-effective commercial services involving communication needs on and around the Moon and Mars. Responses are due by 5 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Aug. 13. NASA’s SCaN Program serves as the management office for the agency’s space communications and navigation. More than 100 NASA and non-NASA missions rely on SCaN’s two networks, the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network, to support astronauts aboard the International Space Station and future Artemis missions, monitor Earth’s weather, support lunar exploration, and uncover the solar system and beyond. Learn more about NASA’s SCaN Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/scan News Media Contact:Claire O’SheaHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
