Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)
May 29, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today introduced the Make Autorail Great Again Act to block all federal funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) until it officially changes its name to the “Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access” (WMAGA) and renames the Metrorail the “Trump Train.” “WMATA has received billions in federal assistance over the years and continues to face operational, safety, and fiscal challenges,” said Rep. Steube. “In the spirit of DOGE, this bill demands accountability by conditioning federal funding on reforms that signal a cultural shift away from bureaucratic stagnation toward public-facing excellence and patriotism.” Rebranding WMATA as WMAGA and the rail system as the Trump Train represents more than a name change; it is a mandate for performance and transformation. “Like any struggling institution, WMATA needs a fresh identity that aligns with efficiency, service quality, and renewed public trust. These new names serve as a bold rallying point for much-needed reform,” Steube added. “With Washington, D.C. preparing to host major global events such as the FIFA World Cup and the 2027 NFL Draft, our capital’s transit system must meet the highest standards,” Steube emphasized. “The American people expect modern, reliable, and well-managed public services in their nation’s capital. This bill leverages federal funding to ensure the transit system earns the right to represent the nation on the world stage.” Background:The Make Autorail Great Again Act prohibits federal funds from being provided to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact (approved by Congress under Public Law 89-774) is amended to officially change WMATA’s name to the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA) and rebrand the Metrorail as the Trump Train. Until these changes are enacted, WMATA will be ineligible for approximately $150 million in annual federal funding it currently receives through federal formula matching programs. Congress has long used its power of the purse to incentivize state and local reforms. This act applies those same principles to public transit, using funding conditions to demand governance reform, modernization, and improved service delivery.Read the full bill text here.
Within one year of enactment, H.R. 3490 would direct the Government Accountability Office to report on esophageal cancer. The report would include an evaluation of the cost of health care spending related to esophageal cancer under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program and the frequency with which people who are covered under that program and who have a high risk for esophageal cancer are screened according to established guidelines.
Based on the cost of similar reports, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Rafferty. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
On May 21, 2025, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ordered reported the following two bills that would name different post offices:
H.R. 1008, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 298 Route 292 in Holmes, New York, as the “Sheriff Adrian ‘Butch’ Anderson Post Office Building”; and
H.R. 1009, a bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 86 Main Street in Haverstraw, New York, as the “Paul Piperato Post Office Building.”
Cash flows for the Postal Service are recorded in the federal budget in the Postal Service Fund and are classified as off-budget direct spending. CBO estimates that naming each facility would have no significant cost.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Rafferty. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Thank you, Olesya, and thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. It is such a pleasure to contribute to this conference. Our profession has increasingly recognized, especially after the Global Financial Crisis, that research in the interdisciplinary topics between macroeconomics and finance is indispensable both for monetary policy and for promoting financial stability. As a researcher myself, and having spent many years in academia, I place great value on the social contribution of research and its potential to improve policymaking. I want to express my appreciation for your efforts in using macro-financial data and theoretical models to enlighten us on several critical issues. For instance, let me cite a few topics of the conference that shed light on important issues:
The work on the transmission of monetary policy to both households and firms provides insights into how policy decisions ripple through the economy, a topic I recently addressed in a speech at the University of Minnesota. In this speech, I discussed my approach to monitoring monetary policy transmission and highlighted some of its key elements, such as the long and variable lags associated with policy effects. The exploration of the neutral rate of interest—that which neither slows nor stimulates economic activity—provides another angle to this important concept. This is a topic I have addressed in previous remarks, and I am especially interested in the potential factors that can affect the neutral rate. The work on how and why financial conditions faced by firms and households change with data releases and underlying macroeconomic conditions also enhances our grasp of the complex interplay between economic indicators and real-world financial experiences. The research on the functioning of the Treasury securities market and how it is affected by regulatory constraints sheds light on a crucial aspect of our financial system.
I commend you for pushing ahead with a research agenda that furthers our understanding of topics so relevant to our monetary policymaking. In the spirit of stimulating your research appetite, I’d like to mention some topics that have captured my attention recently. These represent emerging challenges and opportunities in the field, and I believe they warrant further investigation. First, recently, I have been paying attention to the possible interaction between the financial vulnerabilities of firms and their exposure to trade. As global economic tensions rise and supply chains evolve, understanding how a company’s financial health intersects with its international trade exposure becomes increasingly crucial. This research could provide valuable insights for both policymakers and business leaders navigating an uncertain global economic landscape. Second, lately, I have been monitoring the financial stability implications of the potential lower desirability of U.S. financial assets in flight-to-safety events. Traditionally, U.S. assets have been seen as a safe haven during times of global economic uncertainty. One notable example of this was during the Global Financial Crisis. However, we recently saw instances in which the VIX went up, stock prices went down, long-term yields from U.S. Treasury securities went up, and the U.S. dollar depreciated against the currencies of advanced foreign economies (AFEs), with a notable role for the euro. Importantly, the historical relationships and the observed moves in the VIX and interest rates of AFEs would have been associated with a decrease in long-term yields from U.S. Treasury securities and an appreciation of the dollar. As the global economic landscape shifts, it is crucial to examine how possible changes in the role of U.S. financial assets as a safe haven might affect financial stability both domestically and internationally. Lastly, I have been keenly interested, for some time now, in how stresses in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector could potentially spill over to the rest of the U.S. economy. The CRE sector continues to face challenges from low vacancy rates and valuation losses, especially in urban centers for the office sector. Another challenge is that some banks, insurers, and securitization vehicles continued to have concentrated exposures to CRE. As we have seen in past crises, such as the Global Financial Crisis, vulnerabilities in specific sectors can have far-reaching consequences for the financial system. Understanding potential vulnerabilities and potential domino effects are vital for maintaining overall economic stability and crafting preemptive policies. These, I believe, represent some of the most pressing questions facing our field today. They offer rich opportunities for groundbreaking research that could significantly influence future policy decisions. In conclusion, I want to reiterate my gratitude for the vital work you are all doing. Your research not only advances our understanding, but it also provides a solid foundation for informed policymaking. As we navigate the complex interplay of macroeconomics and finance in an ever-changing global landscape, the importance of your work cannot be overstated. I encourage you to continue pushing the boundaries of our knowledge, to ask the difficult questions, and to pursue the answers with rigor and dedication. Your efforts today will shape the policies of tomorrow, influencing the economic well-being of millions. Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to the insightful discussions and presentations that will unfold during this conference.
West Hants District RCMP has charged a man with historical sexual offences that occurred over a two-year period in Windsor.
In November 2024, RCMP officers received a report of historical sexual assaultinvolving a teacher, who taught at King’s-Edgehill School at the time of the offences, and a youth victim. Investigators learned that the offences occurred on and off school property and between the years 2000 and 2002.
In January 2025, as a result of the investigation, Roderick Alexander MacDonald, 48, was served a summons in British Columbia to attend court in Nova Scotia.
MacDonald, who lives in British Columbia, has been charged with Sexual Exploitation, Invitation to Sexual Touching and Sexual Assault. He’s scheduled to return in Windsor Provincial Court on June 2, at 1:30 p.m.
There is no information to suggest there are additional victims and others have not come forward, however, the Nova Scotia RCMP encourages anyone who may be a survivor of sexual assault to contact their local RCMP detachment or police of jurisdiction. Survivors can discuss incidents with officers before deciding to participate in an investigation and court process. To offer an anonymous tip, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Moira A. McDonald, Associate Professor, Director, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Royal Roads University
A growing number of Canadian travellers are embracing “soft adventure” travel. This trend blends a desire for active engagements in nature and educational and culturally relevant experiences with the chance to reset and relax.
Low-risk outdoor activities such as wine tasting, canoeing, fishing, whale-watching and cycling are all examples of this growing trend. This shift reflects a “growing desire for peace of mind and rejuvenation” among Canadians in their travel experiences.
In these times of global uncertainty, soft adventure tourism offers affordable options for Canadians and international visitors to explore and experience all that Canada has to offer. As tourism experts, we have some suggestions for destinations that provide travellers with a chance to pause, breathe and recharge.
The West Coast
Along the coast of Vancouver Island, orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, seals and porpoises draw visitors each summer. Tourism operators offer whale-watching tours all over the island, giving travellers a chance to experience its marine life firsthand. Just a day trip from Victoria, the Kinsol Trestle is a chance to walk or cycle through nature.
British Columbia is home to more than 200 distinct Indigenous communities that offer tourism experiences ranging from pristine beaches to savouring cuisine in award-winning restaurants and more.
In Manitoba, Churchill offers sightings of both beluga whales and polar bears. Each summer, hundreds of belugas enter the Churchill River, and the town offers kayaking, boat tours and paddleboarding to see them.
While you’re in Churchill, you can also see the northern lights up to 300 nights a year, along with numerous historic sites like the Prince of Wales Fort.
A diver swims near the City of Cleveland shipwreck in Tobermory, Ont. The City of Cleveland was a 255 foot long wooden steamer that was built in Cleveland in 1882 and sunk in 1901 near Fitzwilliam island. (Shutterstock)
Québec offers an experience that at times feels distinctly European. In Old Montréal and the Old Port, cobblestone streets and artisan vendors make it feel like you’re stepping into the past. Both locations are steeped in history and culinary excellence.
Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, is a vibrant coastal city known for its lively nightlife and flourishing culinary scene. Across the harbour in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, visitors can go bird watching or take part in a cycling adventure on the easy-to-moderate Salt Marsh Trail. A visit to Peggy’s Cove is a must.
The province is also home to tourism initiatives that reflect the region’s diverse cultural heritage. Among these is Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia, which is designed to enrich the travel experience for Black people visiting or living in the province.
Over on Prince Edward Island, visitors can explore Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthplace, the author of beloved childhood classic Anne of Green Gables, in Cavendish. Nearby at the museum, visitors can reimagine Anne Shirley’s iconic adventures in a return to the magic of storytelling and place, before making their way to Greenwich Beach via the boardwalk through P.E.I.’s largest sand dunes.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, Gros Morne National Park offers visitors views of “soaring fjords and moody mountains” alongside the chance to spot puffins in their natural habitat. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park also provides opportunities for fishing.
Visitors to the Yukon can cool their feet in the cold mountain streams while trying their hand at gold panning in historic Dawson City. Once a hub of the 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush, it still features several preserved frontier-style buildings.
Together, these northern destinations offer travellers a chance to immerse themselves in the natural beauty, history and living cultures of Canada’s North while embracing the slower pace and meaningful experiences at the heart of soft adventure travel.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Irene Gammel, Professor & Director, Modern Literature and Culture Research Centre and Gallery, Toronto Metropolitan University
U.S. Army soldiers march along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. during U.S. President Donald Trump’s Inaugural Parade in January 2017.(Kalie Jones)
Born on June 14, 1946, United States President Donald Trump turns 79 in 2025 — the same day that the U.S. Army, founded in 1775, marks its 250th anniversary. To mark the anniversary, Trump proclaimed that “we’re gonna have a big, big celebration.”
Dismissed by many as a costly vanity project by some, the parade invites a deeper question: what kind of political work does a birthday celebration like this actually do?
Far from trivial or benign, Trump’s spectacle draws on a long history of authoritarian leaders who use ritualized celebrations to bind personal power to national identity. The most notorious example, Adolf Hitler, turned his birthdays into massive national events with military parades, mass rallies and highly estheticized scenes of domestic cheer.
These displays blurred dominance and intimacy, fatherliness and force — an approach revived today in the digital era, where curated imagery and social media entangle leadership with affective spectacle.
Fascist birthday culture
I was born and raised in Germany. I’m acutely aware that Hitler’s birthday still casts a shadow and that such dates continue to carry political weight, with the rituals involved doing long-term political work.
During the Third Reich, the Führer’s birthday — modeLled on the Kaiser’s — became a mass propaganda event, blending public spectacle with personal attachment.
As German philosopher Theodor Adorno noted, fascist rituals portrayed the authoritarian leader as both a “superman” and an ordinary, flawed “average person.” This duality encouraged intimate identification and awe, much like the dynamic between a patriarchal father and child.
Trump echoes this dynamic through a mix of paternal posturing, hypermasculine bluster and expansive nationalism. Whereas Hitler relied on the latest photograph and film technology, today’s spectacles are amplified by digital media’s participatory culture.
German leader Adolf Hitler reviewing a military parade held in celebration of his 47th birthday on April 20, 1936. (German Federal Archives), CC BY
Neo-Nazi groups across North America and Europe still mark Hitler’s birthday with cakes, cookies, memes and tweets; often disarmingly “cute” images overlaid with disturbing swastikas and jokes. In his 2017 paper, sociologist Christian Fuchs shows that the most retweeted neo-Nazi post in his study was “Wake and bake #HitlersBirthday #420,” blending cannabis culture with fascist nostalgia to deflect horror through humour.
The blurred boundaries between the national and the personal feed meme culture, where, as communications scholar Limor Shifman writes, “small units of culture” spread through imitation, often cloaked in play.
Amid mounting pressure on various institutions in the U.S. — universities, courts and public discourse — the military/birthday parade is an extravaganza that fuses esthetics and propaganda to cement authority, suppress dissent and consolidate power.
Power aesthetics of military pageantry
By combining a military display with a personal celebration, Trump’s birthday parade stages a grand spectacle of power. Key here is the presence of thousands of soldiers in military uniform, which creates a “persona and a powerful collective presence,” as fashion scholar Jennifer Craik writes.
Uniforms signal discipline and belonging, but also intimidate and threaten. Fashion writer Colin McDowell calls the uniform a “spectacle” steeped in associations with power and eroticism, a garment long linked to theatricality and role-playing.
Nowhere was this more explicit than under European fascism and colonialism. Uniforms were engineered to seduce, often fetishized: streamlined silhouettes, tight jackets and black leather boots. As Craik notes, such imagery was not incidental; it was the visual grammar of domination. As sociologist Klaus Theweleit observes, fascist power had to be seen, desired and even fantasized.
Trump’s parade is a show of force. Its sheer scale — bands, vehicles, helicopters — performs strength and legitimacy, marking who belongs and who does not. But the birthday celebration also turns attention back to the man himself, reminding us that authoritarianism is not only about intimidation but also about the persona of the autocrat.
My father, just 10 years old, was part of that spectacle at one of these parades on a mandatory school trip, lined up along the street. Yet as the motorcade neared, he was shoved aside in the crush. What stayed with him wasn’t Hitler — he never saw him — but the fanatical woman who pushed him to get closer.
The point was the crowd itself, kept at a fever pitch with ever-new spectacles like Hitler’s 50th birthday on April 20, 1939, declared a national holiday. German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels staged it as what historian Ian Kershaw called “an astonishing extravaganza of the Führer cult;” a visual and military spectacle widely broadcast.
One gift, a model of the FW 200 Condor, later became Hitler’s official plane. Trump’s new luxury Air Force One, “a gift” from Qatar, is also part of his visual narrative. The symbolism is eerie: once again, the personal cloaks itself in national power.
The cult of MAGA
In the end, Trump’s militarized birthday parade solicits not just admiration but political allegiance. Like past authoritarian rituals, it manipulates affect through military pageantry to elevate the leader as both a symbol and supreme commander.
The spectacle demands emotional submission with the goal being identification with the leader. It exchanges democratic freedom for a vision of unity under a single figure. However wrapped in humour or patriotic kitsch, Trump’s parade rehearses an authoritarian script with disturbingly familiar cues.
What appears as celebration is, in fact, a rehearsal. It signals a dangerous shift toward personal glorification and a political culture where pageantry replaces participation and adoration displaces dissent.
As history warns, that is when democracy begins to give way.
Irene Gammel receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Enhancing physical and psychological health months or even weeks before conception may have powerful positive effects on offspring.(Shutterstock)
Anticipating the conception of a child can be accompanied by a lot of uncertainty about how to plan for pregnancy and parenthood. But relatively few people are aware that the things they do months or years before conceiving can influence the development of their future children.
The preconception period is often overlooked by prospective parents, but is crucial as it sets the foundation for healthy pregnancies and, ultimately, thriving children. Optimizing the physical and mental health of both parents during this time can help create an environment that gives their offspring the best possible start in life.
While it’s well known that exposure to adverse physical or psychological conditions during pregnancy can powerfully affect child development, emerging evidence suggests that factors occurring before conception can also have lasting effects on offspring.
As professors of child development and perinatal psychiatry, our work is aimed at identifying which preconception factors have the potential to influence offspring outcomes, and how to intervene to reduce their effects to give all children the best chance to succeed and thrive.
Enhancing the physical and mental health of both parents during this time can help create an optimal environment. (Shutterstock)
Impact of the pregnancy planning period
The period of pregnancy planning represents a critical opportunity for future parents to optimize the lives of their children. While some physical and mental health factors shift over time, others are relatively stable. Regardless, enhancing physical and psychological health months or even weeks before conception may have powerful positive effects on offspring.
For example, public health authorities recommend that women of childbearing age take a folic acid supplement, as this can prevent neural tube defects and enhance the long-term verbal and social skills of offspring.
Ultimately, optimizing one’s physical health has many benefits for parents and their children and paves the way for improving their mental health as well.
Mental health and pregnancy planning
Even though planning a pregnancy may be stressful for some, optimizing one’s mental health has benefits not only for parents, but also for their future children.
As a result, increasing the focus of public health efforts on the mental health of parents could be crucial to enhancing child development as well.
Partners are important too
Even though the health of mothers and birthing parents can have an important impact on the development of future offspring, healthy partners can also help promote positive long-term outcomes in children.
Healthy partners can also help promote positive long-term outcomes in children. (Shutterstock)
Partners can also provide support and motivation to improve and/or maintain the healthy habits of mothers and birthing parents, which can help optimize offspring development.
Giving future children the best start in life
A number of practical steps can be taken by parents when planning a pregnancy to help enhance child development.
Optimizing mental health through exercise, nurturing relationships, building social networks, managing stress and seeking counselling and other help when needed can promote well-being during this important time.
We’re still learning about the preconception period
Research aimed at understanding the long-term effects of preconception conditions on later child development is still relatively new. Our work is attempting to expand this knowledge base by developing a cohort study that begins in the preconception phase and follows parents throughout pregnancy and into the postpartum period.
So far, more than 500 women across Canada have joined the study, and we are continuing to enrol new participants until the end of August 2025. Please note that the web page is in French, but English speakers are welcome to join the study. However, since all research materials are in French, participants must be able to understand written French to take part in the study.
Our work will examine how parents’ mental health evolves across the perinatal period. This study is intended to help us understand the transition to parenthood and how factors present before conception can influence children’s development.
The pregnancy planning period is a time when parents can make positive changes in their lives that can benefit their health and the development of their future children. Investing in the physical and mental health of both parents is critical for preparing them to welcome a healthy child and can benefit both their family and society.
Sabrina Faleschini receives funding from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture.
Ryan Van Lieshout 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.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Helicopter Operational Versatility and Enhanced Readiness (HOVER) Act. The bill invests in Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) conversion, enabling the Army to leverage proven technology that reduces pilot workload, mitigates human error, and enhances survivability in complex operational environments.
Sen. Cruz said, “Peace through strength requires ensuring that our military has access to and is leveraging the best cutting-edge technology. The HOVER Act allows the U.S. Army to modernize its fleet with such technology, boosting military readiness and American national security. I urge my colleagues to swiftly pass this bill to ensure our military remains the strongest and most effective in the world.”
Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-Texas-6).
Rep. Ellzey said, “As a former helicopter pilot, I understand firsthand the demands and risks associated with complex missions in challenging environments. The HOVER Act is a step forward in aviation safety and mission effectiveness. By integrating Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) technology into Black Hawks, we will not only reduce pilot workload but also enhance situational awareness and increase survivability in high-risk conditions. This legislation is about giving our pilots the tools they need to be successful. It gives them the ability to execute their missions safely and effectively and come home to their families.”
BACKGROUND
This bill would:
Authorize funds for the conversion of at least three Army Black Hawk helicopters into OPVs.
Direct the Secretary of the Army to conduct a two-year operational experimentation program to evaluate OPVs.
Require the Secretary of the Army to submit a report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees within 12 months on the progress, findings, and recommendations for OPVs.
World number one Jannik Sinner sent Frenchman Richard Gasquet into retirement with a 6-3 6-0 6-4 hammering in the battle of generations at the French Open on Thursday to ease into the third round.
It was the second time in as many years in Paris that the 23-year-old beat local hero Gasquet, who said he would end his career that started over two decades ago and yielded 16 tour-level singles titles after his home Grand Slam.
With his team watching on in matching white T-shirts that read “Merci Richard” the 38-year-old soaked up his ovation and video messages from peers including Novak Djokovic and the recently retired Rafa Nadal on the big screen.
“I’d like to thank Jannik for his kindness and the player that he is and I know he’ll have a great career.” Gasquet said.
“I have great memories with all of you. You all supported me in defeat and victory … I began playing in a club in the south and travelled and played across France. So I remember all the tournaments I played in, not just Roland Garros.
“We always had a welcome here that was extraordinary. I’d like to thank the federation. Tennis finishes for me today.”
Gasquet, who made his French Open debut in 2002 when top seed Sinner was still in a crib, drew huge roars from the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd when he unleashed his single-handed backhand on the Italian early in the match.
Fans were slightly more subdued when Sinner raced ahead 4-1 and won the opening set, before they were almost silenced when he dished out a bagel in the next set to leave Gasquet with a mountain to climb.
Sinner faced more resistance in the first eight games of the next set as Gasquet mounted an unlikely comeback attempt, but he broke for a 5-4 lead and promptly closed out the match, before paying tribute to his opponent.
“We have a good relationship off the court. We’re different generations, but it’s your moment,” Sinner said.
“Congrats to your family, your team. Without great people around each player, it’s impossible to make such an incredible career. You played in such an incredible era of tennis and everyone will recognise you, even after your retirement.”
Victory ensured U.S. and Australian Open champion Sinner became the first man born in 1990 or later to record 16 straight wins at Grand Slams. He will next play Czech Jiri Lehecka.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) — The proportion of smokers among China’s population aged 15 and above will fall to 23.2 percent in 2024, down 0.9 percentage points from 2022, according to a research report released by Chinese health authorities on Thursday.
The results were released at an event to mark the 38th World No Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31.
A survey conducted by the National Health Commission of China showed that 63.9 percent of respondents had encountered information about tobacco control in the past 30 days, demonstrating the effectiveness of China’s large-scale anti-tobacco campaigns.
The study also found that public awareness of the health risks associated with active and passive smoking has increased. The proportion of the population exposed to passive smoking continues to decline, thanks to widespread public support for smoke-free environments.
In 2024, the proportion of people aged 15 and over who quit smoking increased to 22.6%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to 2022.
The survey was conducted in 31 provincial-level regions in China, and 199,684 completed questionnaires were collected. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, May 29 (Xinhua) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the Jewish state’s government has accepted the proposal of U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steven Witkoff for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages, Israeli state television Kan TV reported.
According to the TV channel, B. Netanyahu made the corresponding statement during a meeting with the families of the Israeli hostages, who are presumed dead. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) — Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian on Thursday called on the United States to completely abandon the wrong practice of unilaterally imposing additional customs duties.
At a regular press briefing, He Yongqian noted that on May 28, the US Court of International Trade ruled that the global, retaliatory and so-called fentanyl tariffs were illegal, ordered that they be lifted and their use permanently stopped.
The Chinese side has consistently maintained that there can be no winners in a trade war and that protectionism has no prospects.
“Since the introduction of unilateral tariff measures by the United States, not only have they failed to solve any of the American problems, but they have also caused serious damage to the international trade and economic order, and have also significantly disrupted the production and economic activities of enterprises, and the life and consumption of the population,” He Yongqian stated.
The official stressed that the tariffs had harmed other countries without benefiting the United States itself, and that they had provoked a massive wave of criticism within the United States itself.
He Yongqian also said that since the China-US trade and economic talks in Geneva, the two sides have maintained communication on trade issues at various levels in various bilateral and multilateral formats.
China has had repeated contacts with the United States recently over Washington’s abuse of export controls in the semiconductor sector, she said.
China once again calls on the US to immediately correct its wrong practices, stop discriminatory restrictive measures against China, and jointly uphold the consensus reached at the high-level talks in Geneva with China, the spokeswoman added. –0–
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)
Headline: Carter secures 24-month extension for federal funds to rebuild after Hurricanes Irma, Matthew
Carter secures 24-month extension for federal funds to rebuild after Hurricanes Irma, Matthew
Washington, May 29, 2025
ATLANTA – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today secured a 24-month extension for the state of Georgia to use funds allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to rebuild following the destruction of Hurricanes Irma and Matthew.
The extension period will be used to complete five open projects related to Hurricane Matthew and eight open projects related to Hurricane Irma.
“The state of Georgia has faced extreme natural disasters, causing damage statewide that cannot be rebuilt overnight. I’m proud to have secured additional time for Georgia’s Emergency Management Agency to continue rebuilding our state so that it is better prepared for future storms. The progress that’s already been made has been tremendous, and there is more work to be done to ensure that we are ready the next time a Hurricane strikes,”said Rep. Carter.
LOS ANGELES — Fourteen defendants — including San Fernando Valley and Glendale residents — were arrested May 28, on two federal criminal complaints alleging they fraudulently obtained more than $25 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds and federally-guaranteed small business loans.
This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multiagency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California.
“This transnational criminal network sought to defraud the government of millions of dollars and almost succeeded,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. “Through the diligent work of the El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force and our federal partners, ICE HSI is continuing to identify these criminal groups looking to profit from the pandemic and will use all available resources to hold them accountable, to include removing them from the country when applicable.”
The 18 total defendants named in the complaints — four defendants are believed to be in Armenia — are charged with conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims; false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims; wire fraud and attempted wire fraud; bank fraud and attempted bank fraud; money laundering conspiracy; laundering of monetary instruments; engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity; and/or structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements.
The defendants arrested May 28 include:
Vahe Margaryan, aka “William McGrayan,” 42, of Tujunga, who allegedly orchestrated a scheme to defraud numerous banks and the Small Business Administration’s Preferred Lender Program, a program designed to help small businesses that otherwise might not obtain financing. McGrayan allegedly directed owners of sham corporations to open bank accounts, make false statements, and concoct documents, including phony resumes and financial statements, to support loan applications to buy other sham corporations. McGrayan allegedly paid for phony tax returns that falsely reported millions in revenue and tens of thousands in tax due and owing. McGrayan, whose alleged criminal activity lasted from 2018 until January 2025, then directed the laundering of millions in fraud proceeds through various bank accounts.
Sarkis Gareginovich Sarkisyan, 37, aka “Samuel Shaw,” of Glendale, who allegedly, among other offenses, submitted a false application and bogus documents to obtain a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program which provided low-interest, forgivable loans to help small businesses retain their workforce and cover expenses. Sarkisyan allegedly applied in April 2021 on behalf of a fake business that received more than $700,000 in PPP funds.
Mery Babayan, 32, aka “Mery Diamondz,” of Van Nuys, together with co-defendants Margaryan and Hovannes Hovannisyan, 48, aka “John Harvard,” of Panorama City, in May 2021 allegedly defrauded a bank by representing the nonexistent sale of a sham business to another sham company to obtain an approximately $3 million federally guaranteed loan through the SBA’s Preferred Lending Program.
Felix Parker, 77, of North Hollywood, who in January 2023 allegedly made false statements and submitted fraudulent documents, including fake tax returns that falsely reported that his shell company, Canmar Promo, earned millions of dollars annually and owed tens of thousands in federal income taxes. Parker allegedly obtained more than $2 million in government-guaranteed funds earmarked to help small businesses.
Axsel Markaryan, 47, aka “Axel Mark,” of Pacoima, who in June 2023 allegedly fraudulently obtained more than $5 million in SBA loans via the submission of false statements and the submission of fake documents, including bogus tax returns. After the loans were obtained, Markaryan and his co-schemers in November 2023 laundered the money, including sending at least $100,000 to a co-schemer in Armenia.
Law enforcement seized approximately $20,000 in cash, two money-counting machines, paper cash bands or currency straps in denominations of $2,000 and $10,000, multiple cell phones, multiple laptops, two loaded semi-automatic 9mm handguns, and boxes of 9mm ammunition.
“Today’s enforcement action is intended to send a message to all criminals who take advantage of government programs designed to help those who need them most,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “If you took COVID-19 or SBA money you weren’t entitled to, your door could be the next one we visit. Together with our law enforcement partners, my office will aggressively prosecute individuals who cheat the system meant to protect and support law-abiding citizens.”
“Scheming to fraudulently obtain federal funds that were meant to provide assistance to the nation’s small businesses is unacceptable,” said the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General Western Region acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Huang. “OIG will continue to ardently investigate fraudulently obtained SBA program funds, including COVID-19 pandemic-related loans, to protect taxpayers from fraud, waste, and abuse. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
“Today, 14 individuals were arrested in connection with a fraudulent loan scheme in which they allegedly obtained in excess of $25 million through the SBA Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs, and other federal funding programs,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, Los Angeles Field Office. “These programs were established to assist individuals and businesses in need of financial assistance and instead were pilfered by the named defendants. IRS-CI is dedicated to identifying and dismantling criminal organizations that prey on assistance programs set up for the benefit of our law-abiding citizens.”
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of decades in federal prison.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Aveis and Gregg E. Marmaro of the Major Frauds Section and Maxwell Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting these cases.
Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 866-DHS-2-ICE. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.
LOS ANGELES – The chief financial officer at a downtown Los Angeles-based shipping company was arrested May 27 on a 22-count federal grand jury indictment charging him and the company’s CEO with using fraudulent documents, shell companies, bribes to public officials, and kickbacks to Mexican drug cartels to smuggle billions of dollars’ worth of goods from the United States into Mexico, repeatedly lying to U.S. customs officials and defrauding Mexico out of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of duties owed. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, IRS Criminal Investigation and the DEA are investigating this matter.
Ralph Olarte, 55, of Glendale, the CFO of Sport LA Inc., was arrested May 27 at Los Angeles International Airport. He made his initial appearance and was arraigned May 28 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
Also charged in the indictment is Humberto Lopez Belmonte, 53, of Mexico City, who was arrested and arraigned on May 27 in Los Angeles federal court. Lopez pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and a July 21 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Lopez released on $100,000 bond.
Olarte and Lopez are charged with one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States. Both defendants and their company, Sport LA Inc., also are charged with one count of smuggling goods from the United States, three counts of knowingly submitting false and misleading export information, five counts of wire fraud for false information submitted to CBP, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Mexico, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and seven counts of international promotional and concealment money laundering.
Sport LA is charged with three counts of making false statements to a government agency. The other defendant companies — H&R Logistics Inc. and Olarte Transport Service Inc. — are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the indictment returned on April 30 and unsealed May 27, Olarte and Lopez, from at least 2013 to the present, operated a lucrative international shipping enterprise. Through shipping companies they controlled, Olarte and Lopez smuggled billions of dollars’ worth of goods from and through the United States into Mexico. Many times, they concealed the nature of the shipped goods, some of which contained contraband.
The companies allegedly submitted millions of false and misleading statements to U.S. customs officials, used shell companies in Mexico to shield their true customers, and created and presented false documents – including sham certificates for paid Mexican import taxes. They also bribed Mexican customs officials, paid kickbacks to drug cartels — including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — to operate the scheme and smuggled bulk cash into the U.S. to avoid reporting requirements.
Olarte and Lopez then laundered the proceeds of their scheme back from the true Mexican customers, through the shell companies, and ultimately into the companies’ U.S. bank accounts. As a result of the conspiracy, Olarte and Lopez personally received millions of dollars in illicit proceeds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Olarte and Lopez would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count of wire fraud- and money laundering-related count, up to five years in federal prison for each smuggling- and false statements-related count, and up to two years in federal prison for each count of knowingly submitting false and misleading export information.
This investigation is led by HSI’s El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multiagency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California.
The Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Public Affairs posture is active. The world is watching; and you will represent America’s Army in all that you say and do. Your command presence will be the display of pride, discipline and fitness.
Be aware of national and world press and social media influencers in and around your locations to/from and throughout DC. Welcome media and designate a representative. Stay positive; and if you don’t want to be interviewed – politely decline.
Unit leaders at all levels should keepHQDA 250 Birthday Public Affairs Guidance on-hand.
Focus comments on your participation in the festival and parade; and what you do in the Army.
Share your once-in-a-lifetime experience on your social media platforms. THINK, TYPE, POST.
For interviews, avoid commenting and speculating about any current world events, political situation(s), or ongoing missions. A good response could be the following: ‘that question is better answered by others in my chain of command; I don’t speak on politics, or I don’t want to speculate.’ Then, talk about your message and what you do know.
Refer questions outside of your role to your chain of command. For command representatives and PAOs, HQDA-level media questions should be referred to this number, 703-220-9044.
Messages/Talking Points:
We are focused on ensuring that the U.S. military remains the world’s most combat-credible fighting force capable of maintaining peace through strength.
One year older than the nation it defends, the United States Army has dedicated itself to fighting and winning the nation’s wars for 250 years.
As we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Army, we reflect on the rich history and legacy of service, sacrifice, and dedication. From the Revolutionary War to present-day missions, our Soldiers have consistently demonstrated their resolve to defend freedom at home and abroad.
I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN SOLDIER BECAUSE:
I JOINED THE ARMY TO:
I AM PROUD TO REPRESENT AMERICA TODAY ESPECIALLY BECAUSE:
Army Birthday Information: https://www.army.mil/1775/
Refer questions outside of your role to your chain of command.
For command representatives and PAOs, HQDA-level media questions should be referred to this number: 703-220-9044.
Click here for a downloadable version of the Troop Card [PDF – 101.5 KB]
Washington, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced a whistleblower award of approximately $700,000. The whistleblower information prompted the CFTC to open the investigation and described the misconduct that ultimately appeared in the order. The whistleblower also provided substantial assistance and helped the Commission conserve resources during the investigation. The award was reduced because of an unreasonable delay in reporting the violations and the whistleblower’s culpability. “Whistleblowers often provide the most valuable evidence about wrongdoing,” said Brian Young, director of the Division of Enforcement. “Today’s award recognizes the courage it takes to come forward to the CFTC, as well as the critical role whistleblowers play in the CFTC’s enforcement efforts.” “We appreciate that the Commission granted this award to a whistleblower who provided key evidence and helped the CFTC interpret it,” said Cynthia Lie, acting director of the CFTC’s Whistleblower Office. “The Whistleblower Office is committed to rewarding whistleblowers for their significant contributions in identifying fraud, manipulation, and abuse in commodity markets.” Acting Associate Director Dan Schiffer and Senior Attorney Advisor Laurence Tai of the Whistleblower Office handled this whistleblower award. About the CFTC’s Whistleblower Program The Whistleblower Program was created under Section 748 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Since issuing its first award in 2014, the CFTC has granted whistleblower awards amounting to approximately $390 million. Those awards are associated with enforcement actions that have resulted in monetary sanctions totaling over $3.2 billion. The CFTC issues awards related not only to the agency’s enforcement actions, but also in connection with related actions brought by other domestic or foreign regulators, if certain conditions are met. The Commodity Exchange Act provides confidentiality protections for whistleblowers. Regardless of whether the CFTC grants an award, the CFTC will not disclose any information that could reasonably be expected to reveal a whistleblower’s identity, except in limited circumstances. Consistent with this confidentiality protection, the CFTC will not disclose the name of the enforcement action in which the whistleblower provided information or the exact dollar amount of the award granted. Whistleblowers may be eligible to receive between 10 and 30 percent of the monetary sanctions collected. All whistleblower awards are paid from the CFTC’s Customer Protection Fund, which was established by Congress, and is financed entirely through monetary sanctions paid to the CFTC by violators of the CEA. No money is taken or withheld from injured customers to fund the program. * * * * * Anyone with information related to potential violations of the CEA or the CFTC’s rules and regulations can submit a tip electronically by filing a Form TCR (Tip, Complaint or Referral) online. Visit Whistleblower.gov for more information about CFTC’s Whistleblower program.
DENVER – Today, Governor Polis appointed Lyudmyla (“Milla”) Lishchuk to the Morgan County Court in the 13th Judicial District. The vacancy is created by the retirement of the Honorable Dennis L. Brandenburg and is effective July 1, 2025.
Ms. Lishchuk is a County Court Judge in Baca County, a position she has held since 2021. Her docket consists of criminal and civil matters. Ms. Lishchuk is also a Hearing Officer II for the Colorado Department of Revenue, Hearing Divisions, a position she has held since 2020. Previously, Ms. Lishchuk was an Attorney and Hearings Manager for the Board of Assessment Appeals (2011-2019); Part-Time Attorney with the Law Offices of Alan G. Molk (2012-2015); Part-Time Attorney with Michael Dowling and Associates (2011-2015); Attorney with Reilly Pozner LLP (2010-2011); and Judicial Clerk for Judges Mark Hannen and Robert Russell and Magistrate Kara Martin (2010). Ms. Lishchuk earned her B.A. from the Metropolitan State College of Denver in 2007, and her J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2009.
DURANGO — The Business Funding & Incentives Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) announced today that Durango-based InnerFrame, a media technology company focused on personal development and mental well-being, has been accepted into the Rural Jump-Start Program.
InnerFrame is an innovative technology company leveraging artificial intelligence to transform digital media into a tool for personal growth and mental wellness. Drawing from neuroscience and behavioral psychology, the company’s proprietary video platform delivers emotionally resonant, highly personalized content designed to support intentional living and self-development. By reimagining screen time as a meaningful, science-backed ritual, InnerFrame helps users align with their goals and reinforce positive daily habits through immersive visual storytelling.
“Our Rural Jump-Start Program continues to support businesses like InnerFrame and strengthen local economies across Colorado,” said Governor Jared Polis. “InnerFrame will bring good-paying jobs to the region and contribute to the state’s tech industry through its digital innovations.”
Over the next four years, the company plans to create more than 20 high-quality jobs in La Plata County, with wages exceeding the regional average. As it continues developing its AI-powered tools, InnerFrame plans to support both individual well-being and the region’s growing tech ecosystem.
“At InnerFrame, we’re redefining screen time as a powerful tool for personal growth,” said Erica Hines, CEO of InnerFrame. “We’re drawing on the science of neuroplasticity and using media more intentionally through content that’s personalized, reflective, and grounded in what matters. We’re also deeply committed to creating meaningful jobs in our region to support local economic growth and give back to the community that has supported us from the start.”
“We are delighted to see InnerFrame grow in La Plata County,” said Eve Lieberman, Executive Director of OEDIT. “Colorado is a leader in tech innovation, and InnerFrame’s presence in the Southwest will help ensure rural communities benefit from the industry’s expansion and job creation.”
As the first company in La Plata County to be accepted into the Rural Jump-Start (RJS) Program, InnerFrame is eligible for significant tax benefits, including relief from state business income tax, sales and use tax, and local business personal property taxes. Eligible employees will also receive a state personal income tax exemption. In addition, the company will receive $15,000 in grant funding to support the launch of its operations. These benefits are intended to encourage economic development and job creation in economically distressed, rural counties of Colorado.
Regional partners, including the Region 9 Economic Development District and the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs (SCAPE), played a vital role in identifying InnerFrame as an RJS candidate and will continue supporting its long-term success.
“As the first RJS business in La Plata County, InnerFrame is a perfect fit for the program, and SCAPE is excited to support their growth,” said Elizabeth Marsh, Executive Director of SCAPE. “We are grateful for state programs that recognize the importance of cultivating new businesses.”
“Region 9 Economic Development is thrilled to welcome its first RJS business in La Plata County,” added Laura Lewis Marchino, Executive Director of Region 9 EDD. “We look forward to supporting InnerFrame as they develop a truly unique product and service in our region.”
To learn more about the Rural Jump-Start program, please contact Quina Weber-Shirk at quina.webershirk@state.co.us.
About the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.
A Missouri man pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a scheme to defraud Medicare by unlawfully billing millions of dollars in claims for cancer genetic testing and cardiovascular genetic testing.
According to court documents, Jamie P. McNamara, 49, of Kansas City, operated several laboratories in Louisiana and Texas, which obtained doctors’ orders for genetic testing from telemarketers and call centers that used aggressive telemarketing campaigns to induce Medicare beneficiaries to agree to receive genetic testing. Orders for genetic testing were signed by purported telemedicine doctors who were not the beneficiaries’ treating physicians, did not perform consultations with the beneficiaries, and did not follow up with the beneficiaries after the testing was performed. To obtain the orders, McNamara paid illegal kickbacks and bribes, which he disguised through sham contracts. In furtherance of the scheme, he also shifted the billing between his laboratories to evade scrutiny from Medicare and law enforcement and concealed his ownership and control of the laboratories by falsely listing the names of his family members as owners and company representatives on Medicare and other documents. In approximately one and a half years, the laboratories operated by McNamara submitted over $174 million in claims to Medicare for genetic testing and received over $55 million in reimbursements. The government previously seized several luxury vehicles and over $7 million in bank accounts.
“The defendant used illegal payments and lies to fraudulently bill Medicare over $174 million,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Health care fraud harms patients, drains government resources, and violates the public trust. The Criminal Division is fully committed to uncovering and aggressively prosecuting these schemes.”
“This guilty plea marks the conclusion of a meticulous and complicated prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Medicare fraud schemes profoundly erode taxpayer confidence and faith in our medical institutions. Schemes such as these must be rooted out, investigated and prosecuted, not only for the monetary loss triggered by the fraud, but also to preserve the public’s trust. Our office, along with our investigative partners, will continue to work diligently to maintain taxpayer confidence in our federal institutions and seek justice for all victims of fraud.”
“McNamara lined his pockets by preying on vulnerable Americans concerned about their health. The genetic tests Medicare patients were lured into receiving did not provide them with any answers on their predisposition to life threatening illnesses and cost taxpayers millions of dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “Today’s plea is the culmination of thorough investigative work and partnership between the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) to protect the public and ensure that justice is served.”
“Misleading patients with fraudulent genetic testing schemes to exploit the Medicare program is not just unethical — it’s criminal,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of HHS-OIG. “Today’s plea reflects HHS-OIG’s steadfast commitment to holding those who deceive patients and seek to cripple the integrity of our nation’s federal health care programs accountable. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate such schemes and bring those responsible to justice.”
While on pretrial release, McNamara violated his bond conditions by, among other things, fleeing from a DUI arrest and cutting off an ankle monitor. He was subsequently detained.
McNamara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9 and faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Moses for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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The U.S.-Africa Energy Forum (USAEF), taking place in Houston on August 6-7, 2025, is pleased to announce Kristian Johansen, Chief Executive Officer of TGS, as a featured speaker. TGS is a global leader in energy data and subsurface intelligence, with an expanding footprint across Africa supporting exploration and investment in oil, gas and renewable energy.
As African nations prepare for new licensing rounds, farm-outs and energy diversification, access to high-quality seismic data and digital solutions is proving vital in attracting global capital. TGS’ work across the continent – from deepwater seismic reprocessing to renewable resource assessments – is enabling governments to present technically de-risked, investment-ready acreage to the market.
Recent activity spans some of Africa’s most promising and underexplored regions. In Angola, TGS has reprocessed legacy data in a block previously relinquished by Shell, unlocking new geological insight. In the Republic of Congo, the company is supporting digitalization to enhance transparency and efficiency in upstream development. Expanded seismic coverage in Tanzania and Benin is helping to bring new frontier acreage to market, while in Mauritania, TGS is growing its multi-client 3D seismic library across more than 101,000 square-kilometers offshore – cementing its role in advancing exploration in high-potential deepwater zones. Meanwhile in Cabo Verde, the company is assessing renewable energy opportunities, including offshore wind, as part of its support for Africa’s broader energy transition.
TGS’ growing presence in Africa highlights the critical role of data in enhancing the technical credibility and commercial appeal of emerging energy opportunities. By equipping governments and investors with deeper geological insight and actionable intelligence, the company is enabling faster, more confident decision-making – especially as exploration budgets tighten globally. With multiple licensing rounds anticipated across the continent, TGS continues to serve as a strategic data partner, supporting African markets in presenting transparent, competitive and technically validated acreage.
For tickets, sponsorship opportunities and more information, please contactsales@energycapitalpower.comor visit USAfricaEnergy.com. Join us in Houston to connect with the leaders shaping Africa’s energy landscape and experience the momentum that drives ECP’s events worldwide.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)
Larsen Makes Statement on Trump Revoking Visas for Chinese Students
Washington, D.C., May 29, 2025
Today, Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement:
“The Trump administration’s plan to revoke visas for Chinese students is xenophobic and weakens U.S. national security. This policy will force promising young people to study elsewhere, diminishing American global leadership and causing long-term economic harm. If this Administration is serious about competing with China, American higher education needs to attract the world’s best students, not turn them away because of where they were born.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting at the SEC Headquarters in Washington D.C. on June 5, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET. The meeting will also be webcast on the SEC website.
The committee will host two panels:
Engaging with Beneficial Owners: Exploring Pass-Through Voting and Other Means of Reaching the Ultimate Beneficial Owner; and
Beyond the GAAP: Market Perspectives on Non-GAAP Financial Disclosures
The committee will also discuss a potential recommendation from the committee’s disclosure subcommittee regarding Examining the Use of Mandatory Arbitration Clauses by SEC Registered Investment Advisers.
The Investor Advisory Committee, which focuses on investor-related interests, advises the Commission on regulatory priorities and various initiatives to help protect investors and promote the integrity of the U.S. securities markets. Established by statute, the committee is authorized by Congress to submit findings and recommendations to the Commission.
For morning information about the Investor Advisory Committee and the full agenda for the meeting, visit the committee’s webpage.
H.R. 2351 would direct the Coast Guard (USCG) to carry naloxone and similar overdose medications at all of its facilities, implement a system to track their distribution, and report on those efforts to the Congress. The bill also would codify existing policies prohibiting the manufacture or distribution of controlled substances aboard vessels.
Under current law, the USCG is not required to carry naloxone; however, all designated law enforcement units are currently equipped with it. Using information from the Coast Guard, CBO estimates that it would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period for the agency to supply naloxone to additional facilities. CBO estimates that maintaining the tracking system and other reporting requirements would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. In total, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2351 would cost $1 million over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Kelly Durand and Aaron Krupkin. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
H.R. 2384 would establish a working group within the Department of the Treasury to research terrorists’ use of new financial technologies, including digital assets, and report on its findings. The working group would comprise 11 senior-level representatives from specified agencies in the federal government and 5 people representing businesses and other interested organizations. The bill would require the working group to report within 180 days of enactment on the evasion of sanctions using digital assets to the Congress and to report annually to the Congress and other executive branch agencies about its findings. Under the bill, the working group would sunset four years after enactment.
Using information about the costs of similar working groups, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2384 would cost less than $500,000 annually, totaling $1 million over the 2025-2030 period for administrative costs; any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
USGS research allows NPS and BLM managers and ranchers to make informed planning decisions about current and future livestock stocking rates to maintain their livelihood and economic well-being.
Results from this research helps ensure that ranchers, recreationists, and public land stewards have the information they need to adapt and thrive in the face of increasing drought and changing land use.
The Colorado Plateau, known for its dramatic rock formations and hardy desert ecosystems, is facing increasing pressure from more frequent and severe droughts.
This iconic landscape supports rangelands where grasses and other vegetation are critical for ranching, tourism, and other culturally and economically important activities that Department of the Interior (DOI) lands support.
According to the Department of the Interior Economic Benefit Report, total economic contributions in fiscal year (FY) 2019 from recreation on DOI lands totaled $60.59 billion and public land grazing leases created 2.21 billion.
In FY 2019 in Utah, recreation brought in $2.72 billion, creating 26,675 jobs. And grazing and timber generated $170 million, which created 4,444 jobs. In southeastern Utah, National Park visitors spent $397.6 million in local communities in 2023.
That spending supported 5,122 jobs in the region and had a cumulative benefit to local economies of $486.1 million.
Over the past two decades, the region has experienced three droughts so extreme they are considered 1-in-100-year events based on long-term climate records.
These conditions are placing stress on native plant communities and posing serious challenges for the ranching and tourism economies that rely on healthy, functioning lands.
To address these challenges, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), universities, and others, is leading long-term research to understand how drought affects vegetation and landscape health in southeastern Utah and seeking adaptation strategies.
A series of USGS drought experiments have shown that grasses that typically emerge early in the spring (called “cool-season” grasses) struggle to survive in extreme drought conditions when compared to grasses that emerge later in the summer (warm-season grasses) or woody vegetation like shrubs.
These cool season grasses are particularly important because they grow early in the spring, protecting soils from erosion, and providing forage for livestock and wildlife. Researchers observed similar patterns from experimentally imposed seasonal droughts and in monitoring studies from region.
Seeking solutions to limit or adapt to negative impacts of drought is also an important aspect of the work USGS is conducting on the Colorado Plateau.
For example, USGS is working with NPS to test new restoration techniques to address drought-driven land degradation in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, which together welcomed over 1.5 million visitors in 2024.
Across both national parks, staff aim to restore degraded grasslands by seeding and transplanting warm-season grasses and woody shrubs which are more likely survive future extreme droughts.
Researchers are also testing different simulated grazing strategies within drought experiments to assess how grazing timing or deferment may minimize drought impacts. This research helps identify when and where grazing should be adjusted based on grass availability and drought severity.
Finally, working with TNC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) Jornada Experimental Range and Oklahoma and Central Plains Ag Research Center, universities and others, the USGS is testing heritage cattle breeds that are potentially more adapted to the changing vegetation and warmer conditions brought on droughts on the Plateau.
These heritage breeds appear better suited to browse on woody vegetation and travel further from water sources to forage, which may make them a more ecologically and economically sustainable breed in a potentially hotter and less productive Colorado Plateau.
By providing timely, reliable science, USGS research supports long-term productivity of America’s public lands.
Findings from our research are shared with local and regional ranchers, NPS, and BLM through a variety of outreach events, including scientific and public presentations, work with University Extension specialists, through field tours, and scientific publications.
By connecting scientific insight with on-the-ground decision-making, this research is helping DOI land managers and ranchers support thriving and resilient landscapes on the Colorado Plateau.
Home Newsroom AG Labrador Announces Settlement with Kootenai County Contractor
BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced a settlement with Coeur d’Alene contractor Connell (Neal) R. Foster and his company, Prime Builders, for deceptive construction-related business practices that resulted in substantial consumer losses. Foster has agreed to cease all advertising, negotiating, or entering into construction-related contracts with Idaho consumers unless he does so as an employee acting under the direction of a supervisor or third-party who is directly responsible for his actions. The settlement also prohibits Foster from engaging in construction business under the name of his spouse, Monica R. Foster. “This case is a reminder that Idaho contractors must be held to high standards of honesty and accountability,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Our office will continue to take decisive action against those who take advantage of Idaho families through fraud or deception.” The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division received seven complaints against Foster, with consumers alleging losses totaling more than $325,000. Under the business registration of his spouse, Foster operated Prime Builders from Mullan, Idaho, and conducted construction work in both Idaho and Washington. Consumers reported that Prime Builders accepted payments for home additions, decks, sheds, and other structures—many of which were never delivered, only partially completed, or refunded. The court approved the settlement on March 6, 2025. Foster is required to begin making restitution payments to affected consumers within 30 days. He has agreed to a court-approved payment plan that will remain in effect until the restitution is paid in full. Attorney General Labrador urges consumers seeking a contractor’s services, please utilize these tips to avoid fraudulent business practices:
Read the Contractor’s business profile on the Better Business Bureau’s Website, paying particular attention to any unresolved complaints, its rating, and the business’s responses provided to the Better Business Bureau. Check with the Attorney General’s Office or the Department of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) at Welcome to Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses for any information regarding the Contractor and its business practices within the State of Idaho. Review Idaho Code § 48-525 to understand what information a contractor is required to disclose. Verify the contractor has liability and worker’s compensation insurance to avoid liability for work-related injuries and the contractor’s recklessness or negligence. If possible, obtain a surety bond, title insurance, and a lien waiver to cover potential losses, loss of title, and to prevent lienholders placing liens on the project for nonpayment.
Consumers who incurred losses because of Foster’s construction practices may file consumer complaints with the Consumer Protection Division. A complaint form is available here.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies is proud to announce the participation of Terry Gebhardt, Vice President of Exploration at Woodside Energy, as a featured speaker at this year’s event in Cape Town. With over two decades of global exploration experience and a leadership role at one of the world’s most active independent energy companies, Gebhardt brings a timely and valuable perspective to the continent’s evolving upstream landscape – particularly as Woodside delivers major milestones offshore West Africa.
Woodside Energy’s successful startup of the Sangomar Field Development Phase 1 in 2024 marked a transformative moment for Senegal’s hydrocarbon sector. The company, in partnership with PETROSEN, brought the country’s first offshore oil project online, establishing Senegal as a new oil-producing nation. This milestone not only affirms the resource potential of the MSGBC Basin, but also highlights Africa’s ability to execute technically complex, deepwater projects with strong returns. As Gebhardt joins AEW 2025, attention turns to what’s next. Phase 2 of the Sangomar development – currently under planning – aims to build on the momentum of Phase 1 by expanding production capacity, leveraging existing infrastructure and maximizing value creation.
A defining feature of Woodside’s approach in Africa is its emphasis on local content and capacity building. In Senegal, the company has worked closely with PETROSEN and other stakeholders to embed skills development, supplier participation and knowledge transfer into every stage of the project lifecycle. These efforts signal Woodside’s commitment not just to accelerating project delivery, but embedding local expertise across its African operations and building sustainable, inclusive energy ecosystems.
While Woodside continues to pursue high-impact opportunities in Africa, the company is also demonstrating strategic discipline. Its recent decision not to farm into PEL 87 in Namibia’s Orange Basin reflects a measured, portfolio-based approach to exploration and capital deployment. At AEW 2025, Gebhardt is expected to share insights on how the company balances opportunity, risk and value across its African footprint.
“Woodside’s success with the Sangomar project reflects Africa’s readiness to execute large-scale, high-impact developments and signals a new era of upstream growth in the MSGBC Basin. Their leadership and commitment to local partnerships embody the kind of long-term investment Africa needs to unlock its full energy potential, and we look forward to welcoming them at AEW 2025,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
With its strategic success in Senegal, continued engagement in West Africa’s LNG narrative and commitment to high-impact, high-value exploration, Woodside Energy remains a key player in Africa’s energy future. Gebhardt’s participation at AEW 2025 reinforces that commitment and promises to add depth to discussions around investment, partnership and unlocking Africa’s full energy potential.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
AEW: Invest in African Energies: AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
