Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the joint Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) high-level dialogue on adequate housing, today:
It is a privilege to join you today for this important dialogue. I thank the President of the Economic and Social Council and UN-Habitat for convening us at such a critical moment.
Let me begin with a simple question: What did it take for us to be here today? We woke up somewhere safe. We had an address where documents could reach us, where our families knew to find us. We had a place to eat a meal, charge our phones and prepare for this day. For almost 3 billion people on our planet, none of that is guaranteed.
This is why today’s dialogue — at this critical moment during the High-Level Political Forum — matters so urgently. Housing is not simply about a roof over one’s head. It is a fundamental human right and the foundation upon which peace itself rests. Sustainable development and sustainable peace are inseparable.
Today, in an increasingly urbanized world, almost 3 billion people still live in inadequate conditions, in informal settlements, overcrowded housing or with no shelter at all. Among them are more than 120 million refugees and internally displaced persons — families torn from their homes by conflict, persecution and violence.
When homes are destroyed, when families are forced to flee, when communities are uprooted, we witness how housing becomes both a casualty and weapon of war. In Gaza, in Ukraine, in Sudan, in Yemen, in Myanmar and beyond, we have seen this time and again.
There is no safe housing in rubble, and without shelter, we lose the very basis of social cohesion and stability that makes peace possible. This crisis touches every Sustainable Development Goal we’ve committed to achieving by 2030.
We often say that home is where the heart is. Our work on housing sits at the very heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, and when we secure adequate housing for all, we nurture the conditions where every other goal can flourish.
We know that when people have access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing, children perform better in school. Workers are more productive. Health outcomes improve dramatically. Decent work becomes accessible. Communities become more resilient to the forces that fuel conflict and division. And while adequate housing cannot eliminate gender-based violence within the home, it reduces women and girls’ exposure to violence in public spaces.
So, the reality is that the ambition of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind begins with something as fundamental as a safe place to call home. By 2030, 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities, rising to nearly 70 per cent by 2050.
We have the tools and the commitment to grow cities, not slums, guided by the New Urban Agenda’s call for planned, inclusive urbanization that ensures housing, services and dignity for all. Success or failure to deliver on our commitments will depend on our ability to act urgently and work together.
At the Financing for Development Forum, Member States rightly called for bold reforms and investments to strengthen the social contract. That must include housing, not as a stand-alone project, but as a driver of inclusive development.
The Pact for the Future reaffirmed the 2030 Agenda and gave us a mandate to make multilateralism deliver in the lives of people, in the neighbourhoods where they live. It also gave us a mandate to prevent conflict and sustain peace — and housing sits at the intersection of both.
Later this year, the Second World Social Summit offers us an opportunity to reaffirm that housing is critical for social protection, decent work, access to services, and essential to building a just and cohesive society. It is also an opportunity to recognize housing as a pillar of conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
As Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, I see how country teams are working every day with governments, civil society and local and regional governments to advance these goals.
But we need to do more. Concretely, that means aligning political commitment and financing with the urgency and scale of the challenge. It means investing in adequate housing, not just as development infrastructure, but peace infrastructure.
We also need to bring to the centre those who are too often pushed to the margins: women, young people, older persons, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, displaced populations and people living in homelessness.
Their voices and experiences must inform the policies and solutions because they know what works, what’s missing, and they can inform the solutions we need to scale. They also know intimately the connections between displacement, insecurity and conflict. Their involvement is the best measure of our commitment to equity, dignity and human rights.
The first place where opportunity begins or where it is denied is not an office building or a school – it’s a home. Together, let’s deliver not only shelter, but lasting solutions that offer security and a path to prosperity. Not only four walls and a roof, but the opportunity to live in dignity.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business Network to highlight some of President Trump’s many wins since taking office six months ago, including historic tax cuts, increased military recruitment, protecting female athletes, securing the southern border, and making our food healthier.
Excerpts from the interview can be found below and the full interview can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.
KUDLOW: “So Senator Tuberville, I think one of the themes here—this is something we’ve talked about. Victor Davis Hanson has been writing about this. The experts were wrong. Trump got this stuff done. In particular, the southern border—which is virtually flat now, virtually empty—no crossings. We didn’t need new legislation, right? Remember that push? We just needed somebody who was tough enough to enforce the laws. Let’s start with that one, okay? Immigration. How about that? Maybe his greatest achievement.”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, you’re exactly right and one of the repercussions of the immigration stoppage of keeping very few illegals coming to our country—we’re saving $40 billion dollars to this point in this budget. $40 billion dollars. And that’s going to count up. We could not afford for Kamala Harris to win this election because it would have been a disaster, just for the immigration alone, which would [have] just stair-stepped everything to becoming a disaster when it come to the economy.”
KUDLOW: “And you know Senator, the Democrats have to be crazy and just out of their minds to oppose this, okay? They’re still defend[ing]—and they’re still in the business of defending sanctuary cities and of defending the worst of the worst criminals. And we just had this awful shooting of a border agent in New York City. And DHS secretary Kristi Noem correctly just blasted New York City Democrats. They got a mayor—the Socialist mayor, Communist mayor, whatever he is—Mamdani the Commie. He wants to keep ICE agents out. He wants to keep Netanyahu out. He wants to keep Trump out. I mean, how can the Democrats be so stupid? I call them experts. They’re really just deep state people who arejust on the wrong side of all these issues.”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, the wrong side, and that’s the only side they can reach to, Larry, for votes. They have to have votes, and they’re looking for somewhere to get votes. This sanctuary city nonsense—it’s unlawful. People are going to get hurt more and more when you hang out in these sanctuary cities. But all they’re doing is pushing socialism, and all socialism is just—it’s communism without a gun, at the end of the day. And so, we need to understand the direction this country’s going if the Democrats have an opportunity to get a leg back into this country in terms of leadership. That’s not going to happen. As you just said, I was at that dinner in the White House Friday night when President Trump was going through all those wins that we’ve had. It’s just amazing to me that it takes so long to go through them, our dinner got cold. But at the end of the day, it was so fun to listen to all that. It’s just amazing what he’s done in six months.”
KUDLOW: “So the experts were wrong, tariffs are not inflationary, real wages are actually going up, the stock market is now hitting new record highs. I believe today, both the NASDAQ and the SMP hit new record highs. But here’s one for you, which I think is very important: in six months, military recruitment—new military recruitment—Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary, Donald Trump, President of the United States and Commander in Chief—new military recruitment has gone sky high, record levels. What do you make of that, Senator?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, I’ll tell you why, people—these young men and women—are feeling good about our country again. They’re not being told that they’re woke, and they need to be social justice warriors. They’re doing it for the right thing. They’re doing it to protect our country. But it’s also a great way to get an education. It’s a great job. But it wasn’t sold that way by the Democrats. It was sold by the Democrats as ‘Hey, be part of a basically a clown show,’ and that’s what it was turning into. I’m on Armed Services. I’ve never seen anything like the recruiting that was going on. The books that our generals were telling our troops to read, whether it was on ships or in in some of these camps—it’s just amazing to me the direction where we were going.”
KUDLOW: “Well, here’s another one then. We obliterated Iran, but the deep state experts said, ‘No. No. No. If we hit Iran, it would cause a massive blow-up and war throughout the Middle East and the rest of the world.’ What I don’t see is any of that stuff. In fact, we’re—I guess, we’re at a ceasefire, de facto, if not de jure. But the point is he obliterated the Iran nuclear program. None of them under the Bidens or the Obamas or anybody else had the backbone, I’ll call it, to do such a thing. You know what I mean? Here—tough wins, okay? Tough always wins.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yep. President Trump’s a peacemaker. He understands sometimes you have to take the tough decision. Don’t listen to everybody else around you. Go by your instincts. He understood that, hey, there is no possible way we can allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. And if they’re getting this close as his experts were telling him, we’ve got to do something. And so go in, go out. He set them back probably a year and a half, two years. They can always build back. But who’s to say we won’t go back in there in two years and destroy it again? And it’s cost them a trillion dollars to build this infrastructure up. […]”
KUDLOW: “Here’s another one: no men in women’s sports. How about that? Commonsense, you wouldn’t have thought. This was like a major battle—a major battle. This was like the Democrats’ last stand, but no men in women’s sports.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. Of course, I’ve been on this ever since it started. This was my first vote when I got here four years ago. And there’s [been] no Democrats in four years vote on any of my bills about no men and women sports. It’s absolutely insane what they’ve tried to do. And it’s an attack on women. And it doesn’t—I don’t understand this. I must be talking to people from a different planet sometimes when they talk about [how] they need the opportunity to do whatever they want to do. No, they don’t. Men and women have separate identities in terms of physical ability, and they need to be separate in sports and that’s the reason we’ve had it this way for 249 years.”
KUDLOW: “How about this one? I didn’t put it in my riff, but alright, fancy colleges and universities—no more antisemitism. No more racism. No more affirmative action. And if you don’t play ball, you’re gonna lose your grants, your federal grants. Now that is a tough President doing the right thing. Is he not?”
TUBERVILLE: “Exactly. Our education is going to hell in a handbasket. And here’s the reason why: it’s become a business, Larry. It’s become a business of making money and doing things to where they can pay their presidents $2 or $3 million dollars each and have their private planes. It’s really gone overboard. But let me give you one: 35-40% of the companies in this country have cut out this poison that we’re putting in our food. And of all the people I talk to, this is one of the major wins that President Trump’s had. We don’t talk about it enough. I’m having dinner with Dr. Oz and some of the people of MAHA tonight, and it’s gonna be a celebration of making a lot of progress in just a short period of time and cleaning up our food.”
KUDLOW: “Well, I love that. Look, we had Bobby Kennedy on the show. He was absolutely terrific. I gotta stop eating ice cream because they’re always weird dyes. I can’t do that anymore. I’m gonna stick to my—”
TUBERVILLE: “Eat vanilla. Eat vanilla, Larry.”
KUDLOW: “I don’t know. Even vanilla, I can’t be sure anymore. He really shook everybody up. But finally, Senator—and this is a tragedy. Today a Border Patrol agent got shot in New York City. I think people, alright. Kristi Noem—DHS Secretary Noem—is blasting this as part of the New York City problem. This is part of the sanctuary city problem. This is part of the blue city Democratic problem. This is Mamdani the Commie problem. He’s gonna make it worse. I mean, this poor guy got shot for no good reason. Now, this stuff has gotta stop.”
TUBERVILLE: “It really does have to stop. And again, law enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol, whoever is in authority—protect yourself. President Trump has given them authority to protect themself. It’s unfortunate this young person got shot and shot in the face [is] my understanding. Hope he’s fine. But again, this is not gonna be the end of it, Larry. It’s gonna get worse and worse as we go from here. But they have to protect themselves, give them the right to shoot back if they shoot at them…”
KUDLOW: “And so, let me ask you. I mean, Democrats defunding the police again. I haven’t heard that this is what Mamdani the Commie wants to do. Defund the police, put social workers in their place. By the way, he’s got a clone who just got the Democratic nomination for mayor out in Minneapolis, unbelievable to me. How can they actually argue that? You got your Mayor Bass. You got your Governor Newsom. You got all these people, okay? They may not come out for defund the police, but they don’t want any law and order when it comes to chasing the worst of the worst of the illegal criminals who should be deported. I mean, honestly, this is the Democratic position. I think I saw poll today. The Democratic Party has an approval rating, Senator, of 19%. How about those apples? 19%.”
TUBERVILLE: “It’s gonna get worse. Can you imagine [in] Minneapolis, and Chicago, and Detroit, and New York, San Francisco, LA—social workers being the police? What uniform are they gonna wear, first of all? And then are they gonna be armed? It will be a total disaster and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. But [radical Democrats] believe in this. I don’t understand it, but it’ll all get straightened out at the end of the day. They’re not gonna win any of the elections coming up [that] they think they’re gonna win. And President Trump’s gonna keep hammering them every day in terms of making sure we take this social justice nonsense out of everything that we do.”
KUDLOW: “Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Absolutely. Senator Tommy Tuberville, as always, sir, thank you for your wisdom.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act. The legislation would add rioting to the list of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) predicate offenses, giving the U.S. Department of Justice authority to use the full suite of RICO tools against entities who fund or coordinate violent interstate riots, such as the ones recently seen in Los Angeles, California.
“77 million Americans voted for President Trump and his America First policy agenda – and that includes arresting and deporting illegal aliens,” said Senator Tuberville.“Democrats don’t like that – so they are rioting in the streets and violently attacking law enforcement officers. This cannot stand. My colleagues and I are introducing a bill to make sure the Department of Justice has the tools it needs to go after anti-American terrorist groups and their funders who are protecting illegal rapists, murderers, and criminals. We have to cut these violent riots off at the source. The adults are back in charge, and law and order will prevail.”
“Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence,” said Senator Cruz.“Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans. My legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to hold them accountable, and I urge colleagues to pass it expeditiously.”
U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Lee (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) also joined the legislation. U.S. Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This bill is supported by Heritage Action and National Right to Work Committee.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke with Vice Admiral Frank Bradley, President Trump’s nominee to be Admiral and Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, President Trump’s nominee to be General and Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) during their Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) nomination hearing. They discussed SOCOM’s military operations in Panama and Latin America to combat narco-terrorism and secure our southern border, along with the strategic need for having a military presence in Africa.
Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning.
Thanks [to] both of you. Thanks for what you’ve done for our country over your careers—you and your family. What a sacrifice it’s been, but you’ve done an outstanding job.
ON SOCOM EFFORTS TO COMBAT NARCO-TERRORISTS:
“Admiral, I think [for] far too long, we’ve had our eyes on other things and not on our hemisphere—whether it’s illegal migrants, drugs, or both. So, what is [the] Special Operations community doing to assist the militaries and governments in our hemisphere like Panama to combat narco-terrorists?”
BRADLEY: “Senator, in my current capacity, I’m not privy to all of the activities that SOCOM is engaged in, in the Southern Hemisphere. But in listening and watching General Fenton and his leadership over these last three years, I know that the partnerships that our teams have been engaging in and developing remain critical to being able to help them build capacity, to be able to defend themselves, but also to provide security locally, which, of course, helps to prevent and secure our Southern border as well.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, I’m sure you’re up on the point of the Darién Gap and the problems that’s caused over the years, and relationship with our Special Ops, down in that area—training people—that will probably be in your forte going forward. What’s your thoughts about cooperation activities with Latin America as [you’re] going into this job?”
BRADLEY: “Yes, sir. I think as the counterterrorism fight informs us, it is far better to find the root of the problem well away from our borders than it is to have to defend them internal to the United States. And so, if confirmed, making it a priority to provide assistance to all of our combatant commanders as far forward as possible, and with those partnered forces to help them to be able to secure their own territory.”
ON AMERICAN MILITARY PRESENCE IN AFRICA:
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, and we and we have problems all over the world. But if we don’t watch our back door, then we’re gonna [really have] problems within our country, which we already have. General, I think we need to be reinforcing our military presence in Africa. Unfortunately, under the previous administration, we seemed like we were doing just the opposite. Niger—you and I talked about this in a meeting in my office—the vacuum that was caused there. China, Russia, Iran, were all too happy to feel the things that we were doing there. What’s your assessment of our withdrawal from Airbase 201? And have we learned from these lessons? And your thoughts about maybe the future there?”
ANDERSON: “Senator, I appreciate that question and there was a significant investment that went into that airbase. It was in a key area for us to be able to monitor the threat. So, the loss of that is one that we have to find creative ways to continue to get the indicators and warnings of what the terrorists are doing in that area. I think we also have to understand that there is some volatility across the continent. So how do we make smart investments with the partners that we can continue to sustain. I will say that the relationships that we built in Niger with the military over several decades are still there. There is—when the time is right—I believe there will be an opportunity, but that time will have to be determined. And if confirmed, I’ll look at what that is.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. After your confirmation, I guess, by telling committee and people even watching at home—why do we need to have [a] presence in Africa? What [are] your thoughts?”
ANDERSON: “So, Africa is key to any strategy. It’s just on strategic terrain. It’s just the waterways that it forms between the Strait of Gibraltar all the way down to the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. It [has] critical minerals and resources that are on the continent that we need for the future economy. Both China and Russia see their strategies going through the continent, and they are going to engage there and so we can cede that ground or we can compete in that ground. And I think we have a very powerful tool to compete with. As Admiral Bradley mentioned, nobody brings more credibility to the counterterrorism fight than the U.S. As a matter of fact, when we rescued that hostage in Niger, the next morning [there was an] influential blogger that posted, ‘The Americans came like the lion in the night. They killed their enemies and rescued their own.’ No other nation on Earth could do that.And that is a powerful symbol across the continent and around the world of what our military and what the United States is capable of. And I do think that some level of engagement in Africa does matter. I’d agree it’s an economy of force, but a small investment goes a long way so that we don’t have a strategic surprise that then distracts the United States from focusing on the rising threats in the Pacific and other areas.”
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Thanks Mr. Chairman.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Newsmax’s Chris Salcedo Show to discuss DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s recent report exposing the FBI’s involvement in covering up then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of classified information. Sen. Tuberville and Salcedo also discussed the Senate’s effort to continue advancing President Trump’s America First policy agenda as well as the Radical Democrat Socialist Party’s violence against law enforcement.
Excerpts from the interview can be found below and the full interview can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.
SALCEDO: “Senator Tommy Tuberville. Senator, it’s always good to see you. DNI Gabbard releases revelations about Obama, Comey, Brennan, and that gang. Now, we learn that James Comey’s FBI rigged the Hillary Clinton investigation so we would never know how badly she damaged our national security when they didn’t probe those crucial thumb drives. Senator, where is your party’s push for accountability?”
TUBERVILE: “Well, thanks for having me on, Chris. What a colossal cover up this has been. I got here right after Joe Biden took office, and it has been a disaster of […] most Republicans watching this go down. It is a huge cover up.
They’ve tried to push a narrative that, basically, they wanna change our country [into] something that it’s not. They wanted to take all the ability of us as Republicans, as Americans, to try to keep our country going in the right direction. But the mainstream media, the Democrats, and a few Republicans have pushed this narrative of ‘let’s do it the right way. Let’s make sure we’re doing the right thing.’ It has been something that I’ve been shocked at since I’ve been here. And now we’re finally seeing things start to leak out, the truth of really what happened.
The American people are going to find out. It is going to be fun up here to watch all this start taking a narrative, a true narrative, of what really happened of the Democrats trying to change this country into a socialist-communist country for the last four years. These people need to lawyer up, and they need to find out what it’s really like to be under the gun. Putting their hand up, testifying in front of people all over this country because it’s gonna be much-watched as we look at all this narrative being brought forward.”
SALCEDO: “Well, Senator, you know, getting real Americans put into prosecutorial positions would help bring this accountability to these lawless Democrats. There are a number of confirmations for U.S. Attorney backed up in the United States Senate right now. Some have been waiting for months. Has leader Thune committed to you that this backlog will be done away with before the August recess?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, we’ve talked about that. We’re trying to catch up. The problem, Chris, is the Democrats are playing four corners of basketball here. Slow play. They don’t get back anytime.
It’s a lot of fundamental errors that have happened, not just from here in the Senate, but also the White House. We have to have some firepower. We have to be able to fight back. But at the end of the day, we’re gonna get this done, even if we have to stay up here weekends through August. The Democrats don’t think that we’ll stay up here and work. Guess what? We’ll stay up here and work. We’ll have enough people up here to get a quorum to make sure that we push the agenda. And if they don’t wanna take a vacation, we don’t have to take one.”
SALCEDO: “Wow. I think you’re breaking some news right there. ‘The Senate actually works.’ That’s some big news, Senator. Look, over the weekend, an off-duty CBP officer was shot in the face by an illegal alien suspect. In Wisconsin, an illegal alien was finally arrested by ICE after he allegedly decapitated a woman and stored her body three months after a nut job Illinois judge let him walk free on those gruesome charges. And then there’s Hunter Biden. He’s upset with Americans for trying to stop illegal immigration and the effort to deport illegal aliens.” […]
TUBERVILLE: “This is coming from somebody that’s never had a job, Joe Biden’s son. He’s lived off his dad for many, many years. And so whatever you get from him, you can take [with] a grain of salt. Again, but he’s coming back even at his Democrat team, the members that have actually pushed everything towards the Republicans. But 800% surge of assault on our law enforcement officers in this country. Our justice system, Chris, is in shambles.
Judges taking people that are arrested, letting them go in the front door, go out the back door. That is stopping as we speak, but we have to continue to push that. Again, the Democrats pushed a lot of these judges out in the last few years. They’re overwhelmed all over the country of being very lax on crime. But if we don’t take our neighborhoods back and our streets back, we do not have a country […] but we’ve gotta protect our law enforcement people. They get up every day, ICE, Border Patrol. They get up every day, put a badge on, a gun on their side, and not knowing whether they’re gonna come back or not.
President Trump gave them authority, and they need to take that authority. That [if they’re] shot at, they need to shoot back. We need to take advantage of what’s going on right now and make sure we take our streets back because the Democrats […] could[n’t] care less about that. They want their voters to vote for them, that’s the voters for the Democratic Party. These people are breaking all these laws all over the country.” […]
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
“I deeply regret President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO,” Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the Paris-based agency, said in a statement.
In New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the Secretary-General joins Ms. Azoulay “in deeply regretting the decision by the United States.”
The US first withdrew from UNESCO in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan and didn’t rejoin for two decades. Fourteen years after re-entry, the first Trump administration withdrew from the organization in 2017, but the decision was reversed under President Joseph Biden in 2023.
Ms. Azoulay underscored that “this decision contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism,” and she highlighted that this decision would affect UNESCO partners in the United States, including communities seeking site inscription.
A White House press statement on the withdrawal said the decision had been taken to protect American interests from UNESCO’s work to advance “divisive social and cultural causes.”
The statement also said the organization is focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which it described as “a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.”
The statement also specifically cited UNESCO’s decision to admit the State of Palestine as a Member State as problematic, contrary to US policy and fuelling the United Nations’ “anti-Israel rhetoric”.
Ms. Azoulay in her statement denied these claims that UNESCO is “anti-Israel,” highlighting the organization’s work in Holocaust education and combating antisemitism.
“UNESCO is the only United Nations agency responsible for these issues, and its work has been unanimously acclaimed by major specialized organizations,” she said, including American organizations such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
Diversifying funding in preparation
Ms. Azoulay stressed that this announcement was anticipated, and the organization has prepared accordingly, highlighting major structural reforms in recent years, including the diversification of funding sources.
“The decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset,” she explained. Despite the US now representing eight per cent of the organization’s budget, UNESCO’s budget has steadily increased thanks to donations from member states and private contributors, the latter of which have doubled since 2018.
“Today, the Organization is better protected in financial terms,” she said.
Continuing US partnerships
“UNESCO’s purpose is to welcome all the nations of the world, and the United States of America is and will always be welcome,” Ms. Azoulay emphasised.
The organization will continue to work with its US partners in the private, academic and non-profit sectors, and it will pursue discussions with the US Government.
Over 380,000 people are currently displaced there, and the plan aims at increasing assistance for communities over the next three months.
It focuses on food, healthcare, water, sanitation, shelter and protection, and requires $120 million for implementation, according to the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA).
Spread of diseases
The health situation in North Darfur has also been deteriorating, with humanitarian partners on the ground warning that cholera, measles, malaria and trauma cases are surging in El Fasher and other displacement camps in the region.
As insecurity has forced the over 32 health facilities in the region to close, the lack of rapid diagnostic tests and the widespread Internet outage in the El Fasher area are also severely hindering disease surveillance.
Critical shortages of surgical supplies, essential medicines and vaccines are “pushing the health system to the brink, leaving thousands without access to the care that they need to stay alive,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said during his daily press briefing from New York.
Deadly civilian toll
Displacement continues to take a deadly toll on civilians seeking safety, with markets in South Darfur reeling from sharp price increases due to flooding and seasonal rivers cutting off supply routes from Chad and Northern State.
Meanwhile, the UN remains “deeply concerned over escalating violence in the Kordofan region,” Mr. Dujarric said, after five civilians were reportedly killed and several others injured in drone strikes on fuel markets in Al Fula and Abu Zabad towns in West Kordofan state.
The UN called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel, unimpeded access across conflict lines and borders, and increased international support to address the spiraling humanitarian needs across Sudan.
The report, to be released later this month, reveals how between 2020 and 2024, the world experienced a dramatic increase in food prices driven by a combination of COVID-19 inflation, the war in Ukraine restricting movements on food and commodities, and increasing climate shocks.
“The episodes described in this publication bring up what we call a perfect storm,” said Mr. Torero Cullen.
Máximo Torero Cullen speaks to journalists at the UN HQs via video link.
First, he explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, governments launched fiscal stimulus and relief packages, which increased demand and, thus, global inflation.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine compounded this crisis. Before the war began in 2022, Ukraine was a key exporter of wheat, sunflower oil and fertilisers. The war not only restricted these exports but disrupted trade routes and pushed up fuel and input costs, which amplified inflation across the world.
Additionally, increasingly frequent and intense climate shocks in major producing regions – such as droughts, floods and heat waves – further aggravated food inflation.
Worldwide impacts
Only in 2024 did prices return to pre-COVID levels, meaning that households struggled for multiple years to afford food, with major consequences.
As real wages fell while food prices increased, household purchasing power was eroded. Households responded by buying cheaper and less nutritious food, reducing meal frequency, and often prioritising meals for certain family members and reducing intake for women and children.
Mr. Torero Cullen also explained that an increase in food prices directly correlates to an increase in moderate and severe food insecurity. The impacts of this were particularly harsh in Africa and Western Asia, where food imports, dependence and currency depreciation made food even more expensive.
Moreover, as food prices increased, nutrition outcomes among children under five worsened. The SOFI report illustrated that a 10 per cent food price increase led to a 2.7 to 6.1 per cent increase in moderate to severe wasting, which has long-lasting effects on child development and public health systems.
Notably, these grave impacts were uneven, mostly affecting low-income and African countries – many of which are still seeing worsening figures. During the peak of the crisis in January 2023, some low-income countries experienced food price inflation of up to 30 per cent, compared to 13.6 per cent globally.
Policy recommendations
Mr. Torero Cullen finished his briefing by outlining the policy prescriptions detailed in the SOFI report.
He first underscored targeted fiscal support. “Social protection measures are the most effective response to food price spikes,” he explained. “This will protect vulnerable populations without creating long-term fiscal risk or market distortions.”
He also highlighted avoiding trade disruptions, coordinating monetary and fiscal policies, improving market transparency, and institutional preparedness as essential components for avoiding future crises.
“This SOFI underscores that inflation can undermine progress. It underlines our vulnerabilities, and it also brings the importance of strengthening resilience, inclusiveness and transparency to be able to avoid and minimize the risk of these problems,” he concluded.
The text, sponsored by Pakistan and adopted unanimously, reiterated that all States “shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means through dialogue, diplomatic engagement and cooperation in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.”
It also reiterated that nations must “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
Highlighting the need to prevent disputes from arising and escalating, the resolution further called on Member States to take “necessary measures for the effective implementation of Security Council resolutions for peaceful settlement of disputes.”
Mediation and preventive diplomacy
The text encouraged the Secretary‑General to ensure that the United Nations can “lead and support mediation and preventive diplomacy efforts,” while continuing to deploy his good offices.
It also took note “with appreciation” of the work of the UN’s Mediation Support Unit (MSU) and urged the Secretariat to ensure the availability of “well-trained, experienced, independent, impartial, and geographically and linguistically diverse mediation experts at all levels.”
The MSU is the UN system-wide focal point on mediation expertise and support, providing tailored operational support to peace and dialogue processes globally.
Participation of women and youth
The resolution also underscored the importance of integrating inclusive approaches to peaceful settlement of disputes; ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, and meaningful participation of youth in conflict prevention and dispute resolution efforts.
It also highlighted the role of regional and subregional organizations in complementing UN efforts, calling for enhanced information-sharing and cooperation.
The Council further requested that the Secretary‑General present “concrete recommendations for further strengthening the mechanisms for peaceful settlement of disputes” within one year, alongside plans for an open debate to review progress.
July 22, 2025 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, was in British Columbia (B.C.) from July 17 to 21, to meet with provincial and industry leaders, as well as Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) clients in the defence, aerospace and agriculture sectors.
During a keynote address at a Surrey Board of Trade event, Minister Sidhu outlined Canada’s economic priorities, including strengthening and diversifying trade relationships worldwide. He spoke about the significance of the Government of Canada’s Team Canada Trade Missions, a key initiative under the Indo-Pacific Strategy that helps Canadian businesses export to new international markets.
The minister also met with his newly appointed B.C. counterpart, the Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, Ravi Kahlon. They explored collaboration opportunities between the federal and provincial governments to create market connections for Canadian companies, including through Canada’s TCS. Following their meeting, Minister Kahlon joined Minister Sidhu at a round-table discussion with Business Council of British Columbia members, where they shared Canada’s and B.C.’s priorities for continued growth in the energy sector.
While in the Vancouver area, Minister Sidhu toured the Port of Vancouver and saw first-hand how the harbour contributes to Canada’s international supply chain, facilitating the flow of exports to Asia and connections to essential goods from around the world. He also visited OSI Maritime Systems Ltd., a successful TCS partner, where he gained valuable insights into the unique export challenges faced by Canadian defence companies. The Minister then met with Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO of the Vancouver International Airport to discuss key priorities, including cargo capacity and enhancing international connectivity.
In Kitimat, he visited LNG Canada, the country’s first export-oriented liquefied natural gas facility, where he learned about the company’s exports to Asia. As a world leader in the energy sector, Canada is a partner of choice for clean energy solutions and is ready to become a conventional and clean energy superpower.
Minister Sidhu concluded his visit to B.C. in Kelowna. He participated in a discussion with business leaders at the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, where he highlighted the role the TCS can play to help B.C. companies reach new export markets. While in Kelowna, the minister also visited Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing, Hillcrest Farms, and KF Aerospace, local businesses, to gain insights into their experiences, discuss challenges they face, and explore how the TCS can support them.
“It’s fabulous to see so many people getting out into nature and making the most of conservation areas and facilities like campsites, huts and tracks,” says DOC Heritage and Visitors Director Catherine Wilson.
“Huts and campsite fees ensure people make a fair contribution when they stay in these places and help keep facilities available into the future.”
DOC today released its summer visitor insights report looking at the busiest months to identify visitor needs and any issues. DOC’s visitor insights reports inform staff about who’s getting out in nature, where they are going and how they rate their experiences. This helps DOC’s management approaches, particularly at busy sites says Catherine.
“Landscapes and scenery remain top attractions for international visitors and short walks are still the most popular outdoor activity across the board.
“Over summer, international visitor numbers were back to 93 percent of pre-COVID figures with more than 50 percent heading to a national park during their visit.”
“Fiordland and Aoraki Mount Cook are the two most popular national parks and are on the itineraries of more than 20 percent of international tourists.
“Almost 75 percent of international visitors enjoy walks or tramps during their time in New Zealand and 99 percent rated New Zealand’s natural scenery as good or very good.”
DOC’s bookings data shows between December 2024 and February 2025, nearly 60,000 people did a Great Walk, 60 percent of whom were New Zealanders. For bookable DOC facilities other than the Great Walks, more than 450,000 bednights* were booked at campsites and 70,000 in huts over this period.
Coastal areas and marine reserves were popular with New Zealanders, with Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve in Auckland top of DOC’s most-visited destinations.
“Sadly, there was also persistent illegal fishing or collecting shellfish in marine reserves with 101 confirmed offences and 79 infringements between October 2024 to March 2025,” says Catherine.
Te Whanganui-o-Hei (Cathedral Cove), Horoirangi (near Cable Bay), and Long Bay-Okura (Auckland) were the marine reserves which saw the highest number of offences.
“Marine reserves are vital for protecting our precious marine wildlife as well as ensuring fish stocks into the future,” says Catherine.
“This behaviour is truly disappointing, and we’ve seen wider issues across the country this summer. This includes dogs attacking wildlife, people driving through endangered river-bird colonies and irresponsible camping harming vulnerable natural areas like alpine wetlands.”
“Nature is at the core of our wealth and wellbeing in New Zealand and we harm it at our peril.
“It’s heartening to see recent DOC research shows 92 percent of New Zealanders agree nature is an important part of our national identity.”
Tourism on public conservation land is worth $3.4 billion each year and supports around 2000 tourism businesses.
The summer report looks at information from a range of sources including from the International Visitor Survey, DOC’s visitor surveys and bookings data.
It’s been nearly six months since the Fast-track Approvals system opened for business, and updated statistics show the one-stop shop is on track to make it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs for economic growth, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.
“The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas and opened for project applications on 7 February this year,” Mr Bishop says.
“The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth.
“In Fast-track’s first six months, more than 50 projects have made applications. We expect the first eight projects to have completed the full end-to-end Fast-track process including final consent decisions by the end of this year.”
Projects before Expert Panels
“The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panels consider each application, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals,” Mr Bishop says.
“Since 7 February when the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime officially opened for project applications, we’ve seen good progress for a range of applications for projects that, if approved, will help address our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time as so often happens under the RMA.
“Eight projects are now before expert panels for consideration, with the first expert panels’ final decisions expected by mid-September this year. These projects, if approved, will contribute billions of dollars to New Zealand’s economy and create thousands of jobs.”
Projects before the Panel Convenor
“The Panel Convenor will shortly establish expert panels for a further six projects that have lodged substantive applications,” Mr Jones says.
“Projects currently before the Panel Convenor include expansions to Kings Quarry and Drury Quarry. These quarries provide much-needed aggregate which supports the construction of major infrastructure projects.
“It is heartening to see applications for mining and quarrying projects working their way through the system.”
Project referrals
“Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral into the Fast-track process,” Mr Bishop says.
“These applications go first to me as Infrastructure Minister for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before deciding whether to refer the project for Fast-track.
“To date I have referred seven projects to the Fast-track process, meaning they can now submit substantive applications to the EPA.
“The latest three referrals are Stage 2 of the Auckland Surf Park community which would include a large artificial intelligence data centre, a residential development of about 400 homes, and a village centre; the Waitākere District Court’s new courthouse project; and The Point Mission Bay which would see 252 new retirement homes and amenities for residents and visitors.
“Other projects have also applied to me for referral into Fast-track, including from the renewable energy, housing and infrastructure sectors. 16 of these applications are under consideration or being circulated to other Ministers for feedback. Decisions will be made in due course.”
Note to editor:
Fast-track project statuses to date:
Expert Panels are currently considering:
Bledisloe North wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension
Delmore (residential)
Maitahi Village (residential)
Milldale (residential development)
Tekapo Power Scheme (power scheme consent renewal)
Waihi North (mining extension)
Drury Metropolitan centre
Sunfield (residential development)
Panel Convener will shortly appoint panels for:
Drury Quarry
King’s Quarry extension
Rangitoopuni (residential and retirement units)
Ryans Road (industrial subdivision).
Stella Passage (wharf extension and related work)
Taranaki VTM (seabed mining)
Six projects have been ‘referred’ into the Fast-track process by the Minister for Infrastructure:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Greene County, Mo., and possessing firearms.
Russell Lee Deck, Jr., 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian C. Wimes to a total sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, followed by three years of supervised release.
On Nov. 8, 2024, Deck pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Deck admitted he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County from June 1 to Aug. 25, 2022, and to possessing firearms.
The drug trafficking conspiracy ended when a Springfield police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Deck on Aug. 18, 2022. When the officer pulled behind Deck’s vehicle in a hotel parking lot and activated his lights, Deck put the car in reverse and rammed the officer’s vehicle. The officer got out of his vehicle, pulled his duty weapon, and ordered the vehicle’s occupants to stop. Instead, Deck drove forward, then put his vehicle in reverse and rammed the officer’s vehicle again before fleeing the parking lot.
A police pursuit ensued, with Deck driving at a high rate of speed in a residential neighborhood, while Deck’s passenger shot at the officer’s vehicle. The pursuit ended when Deck crashed into a Jeep SUV at an intersection. While the Jeep suffered significant damage, the innocent driver appeared to be unharmed. Deck’s passenger fled the crash on foot and was arrested after Greene County deputies found the passenger hiding under a car. Shell casings and damage from gunfire were located throughout the neighborhood.
Officers removed Deck from the wrecked vehicle and found two bags containing a total of 46.2 grams of methamphetamine in Deck’s pockets. Inside Deck’s vehicle, officers found two handguns on the front passenger side floorboard.
Deck’s passenger who fired the shots during the pursuit, Blake Basten, was sentenced in federal court to a total sentence of 10 years for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm on Feb. 27, 2024.
Deck’s co-defendant in the drug trafficking conspiracy, Justin Hollingsworth, was sentenced to a total sentence of 18 years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on June 24, 2024.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Greene County, Mo., and possessing firearms.
Russell Lee Deck, Jr., 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian C. Wimes to a total sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, followed by three years of supervised release.
On Nov. 8, 2024, Deck pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Deck admitted he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County from June 1 to Aug. 25, 2022, and to possessing firearms.
The drug trafficking conspiracy ended when a Springfield police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Deck on Aug. 18, 2022. When the officer pulled behind Deck’s vehicle in a hotel parking lot and activated his lights, Deck put the car in reverse and rammed the officer’s vehicle. The officer got out of his vehicle, pulled his duty weapon, and ordered the vehicle’s occupants to stop. Instead, Deck drove forward, then put his vehicle in reverse and rammed the officer’s vehicle again before fleeing the parking lot.
A police pursuit ensued, with Deck driving at a high rate of speed in a residential neighborhood, while Deck’s passenger shot at the officer’s vehicle. The pursuit ended when Deck crashed into a Jeep SUV at an intersection. While the Jeep suffered significant damage, the innocent driver appeared to be unharmed. Deck’s passenger fled the crash on foot and was arrested after Greene County deputies found the passenger hiding under a car. Shell casings and damage from gunfire were located throughout the neighborhood.
Officers removed Deck from the wrecked vehicle and found two bags containing a total of 46.2 grams of methamphetamine in Deck’s pockets. Inside Deck’s vehicle, officers found two handguns on the front passenger side floorboard.
Deck’s passenger who fired the shots during the pursuit, Blake Basten, was sentenced in federal court to a total sentence of 10 years for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm on Feb. 27, 2024.
Deck’s co-defendant in the drug trafficking conspiracy, Justin Hollingsworth, was sentenced to a total sentence of 18 years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on June 24, 2024.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for assaulting a postal worker.
Courtney J. Ellis, 45, was charged today in a one count indictment with assaulting an employee of the U.S. Postal Service while they were performing their official duties. Today’s indictment replaces a felony criminal complaint filed June 23, 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, on June 18, 2025, Ellis struck the victim on the head with a wooden board while he was delivering mail to Ellis’s address. The victim, who was delivering mail along that route for the first time, was wearing a USPS uniform and driving a marked USPS delivery vehicle. After striking the victim, Ellis yelled that he didn’t belong in the neighborhood and followed him back to his vehicle where he continued to yell at and threaten the victim until he drove away.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERIC HERMAN, 32, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, following two fatal overdoses involving fentanyl in 2021, both of which are believed to be connected to Herman, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stratford Police Department began investigating Herman’s drug trafficking activities. In May and June 2022, investigators made two controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine from Herman.
Herman was arrested on September 15, 2022. At the time of his arrest, he possessed a distribution quantity of cocaine, a loaded 9mm “ghost gun” with a laser sight attached, and additional rounds of ammunition.
Herman’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for drug and firearm offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Herman has been detained since his arrest. On March 24, 2025, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine base (“crack”), fentanyl, and heroin; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.
Herman pleaded guilty in state court to narcotics and manslaughter charges stemming from an overdose death investigation and was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, suspended after eight years, and five years of probation. Judge Bolden ordered Herman’s federal sentence to run concurrently with his state sentence.
The DEA’s HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
WASHINGTON – Brigette O. Robertson of Washington, D.C. pled guilty today to violating the constitutional rights of a detained citizen by stomping on her face in June 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Joining in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office.
U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich took Robertson’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for Oct. 21, 2025. For the offense to which she pled guilty – a misdemeanor count of violating constitutional rights – the defendant faces a potential penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2023, Robertson was employed by Specific Protection Services, LLC., as a Special Police Officer (SPO). She was licensed in the District of Columbia to act and to carry out law enforcement actions as a SPO. That day, while in full uniform and vested with police powers, Robertson was assigned to and providing security services at a McDonald’s restaurant on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.
At about 3:30 p.m., Robertson got into a verbal altercation with a patron at the restaurant. The altercation escalated into a physical confrontation. Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the scene. After the patron was under the control of an MPD officer, the patron remained prone on the ground. Robertson stepped over the patron and, while doing so, stomped on the patron’s face. The stomp to the face caused the patron to experience pain and bleeding. The stomp was without legal justification and in violation of the individual’s constitutional rights.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews police-involved use of force to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove civil rights violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division investigated the case. Prosecuting the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with his possession of a firearm recovered following a shooting in Joplin, Mo.
Andrew M. Reed, 22, was charged in a single count indictment with being a felon possession of a firearm. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint filed on July 2, 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, police officers responded to the area of 5th and Joplin Avenue in Joplin, Mo., on Feb. 15, 2025, in reference to gunshots, and recovered several spent cartridge casings in the area. Officers recovered a firearm with a thirty-round extended magazine loaded with ammunition consistent with the spent shell casings. Surveillance footage from a nearby business showed a male, later identified as Reed, hiding the firearm.
Reed has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown It was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been charged in federal court for allegedly stabbing another man without provocation, causing serious injuries.
According to court documents, on the night of June 16, 2025, Adrian Cheama, 36, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, allegedly approached the victim while he was walking with a friend along a residential street in Zuni, New Mexico. Without provocation, Cheama stabbed the victim in the abdomen with a weapon described as either a circular metal pole or a knife, then walked away laughing. The victim sustained serious injuries as a result.
Multiple witnesses placed Cheama at the scene and described him carrying a backpack and a baton-like object before and during the attack. The investigation revealed that Cheama had previously made statements suggesting he was looking for the victim.
Cheama is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Cheama faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jordan is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old Laredo woman has been ordered to prison for her role in an unaccompanied minor smuggling ring, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Vanessa Valadez pleaded guilty Sept. 20, 2024, admitting she smuggled a child into the United States for financial gain.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered her to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
“Those that choose to engage in the human trafficking business are not good people. They aren’t motivated by altruism or sympathy. They are paid to traffic in human beings, and they treat people they smuggle as nothing more than cargo,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will not rest until all such smuggling rings—particularly those that deal in children—are completely eradicated.”
“The sentencing of this individual underscores the serious consequences for those who exploit and endanger vulnerable populations, especially children,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig S. Larrabee. “Drugging children to facilitate human smuggling is not only criminal it’s inhumane. HSI is committed to identifying and dismantling the criminal networks behind these horrific acts and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.”
From August to September 2023, Valadez and other family members operated a child smuggling ring working to bring young illegal minors from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, into the United States. All the children were under the age of five.
On the night of Sept. 19, 2023, members of the smuggling ring retrieved a young girl from a stash house which the organization members operated. The co-conspirators smuggled the girl across the border and delivered her to Valadez in downtown Laredo. Co-conspirators then took the child further into the United States and delivered her to unknown people.
Two days later, the ring attempted to transport another young girl. However, law enforcement intercepted them following a routine border inspection at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge in Laredo. To carry out their scheme, co-conspirators had sedated the girl with melatonin gummies and used an unlawfully obtained birth certificate to deceive authorities into believing the girl was a family member.
The investigation revealed the smuggling ring had attempted to similarly transport at least four girls into the United States, three of whom remain unidentified and their whereabouts are unknown. Members of the smuggling ring obtained birth certificates of U.S. citizen children to pose as a family unit at ports of entry to the United States. At times, organization members used melatonin gummies to sedate at least one child to ensure a successful smuggling attempt.
One text message uncovered in the investigation showed an image depicting an unconscious child and a caption, “La noquiamos con unas gomitas,” translated in English as “we knocked her out with some gummies.”
Co-conspirators Ana Laura Bryand, 47, Dallas; her niece Kayla Marie Bryand, 20, Jose Eduardo Bryand, 43, and Nancy Guadalupe Bryand, 44, all of Laredo; and Lizeth Esmeralda Bryand Arredondo, 32, Mexico, previously pleaded guilty and have all already been sentenced to federal prison.
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation with Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations and assistance from Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence A. Check Jr. prosecuted the case.
Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative
WASHINGTON – David Oday Smith, 39, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in an indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Smith is charged federally with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2025, members of the MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team were on patrol on the 5700 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest, when they noticed Smith hiding behind a bus stop with a black satchel.
As officers approached, Smith immediately fled and eventually discarded his black satchel. Officers searched the satchel and discovered a Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol, containing one .40 caliber round loaded in the chamber and 14 additional rounds in the magazine.
Smith is prohibited from possession of a firearm and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2009 second degree murder conviction in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
LAREDO, Texas – A 25-year-old Laredo resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Fernando Tadeo Cerda, 25, pleaded guilty July 19, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Cerda to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release for the drug trafficking conviction. At the hearing, the court considered Cerda was subject to a mandatory 10 years in prison due to being previously convicted of smuggling aliens.
Cerda had also admitted he violated his term of supervised release and received another nine months to be served consecutively for a total 129-month-term of imprisonment.
The investigation revealed Cerda had conspired with his uncle, Jesus Garza, to coordinate delivery of large amounts of cocaine.
On Nov. 27, 2020, Cerda met with Garza and provided him a duffle bag containing the drugs. As Garza departed the location in Laredo, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and discovered the bag with five bricks which contained over 5,000 grams of cocaine.
Cerda later admitted Garza had instructed him to pick up and deliver “aparatos” (kilograms of cocaine). He further stated he made a total of four deliveries and was paid $1,000.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Garza, 63, Laredo, had also pleaded guilty and later sentenced to 48 months in prison.
Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling prosecuted the case.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today charging a dozen foreign nationals of bank fraud and engaging in transactions involving criminally derived property. The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025 at the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City. Eleven Venezuelan nationals and one Colombian national are accused of committing financial fraud crimes after they allegedly participated in a scheme to defraud banks in Utah and elsewhere.
According to court documents, between January 2023 and June 2023, the defendants were involved in a scheme to defraud financial institutions by opening accounts and presenting fraudulent cashier’s checks to be deposited to those accounts. In some instances, defendants deposited multiple counterfeit checks at different branches on the same day. Defendants then laundered the funds by check, cashier’s check, and cash withdrawal.
Defendants are residents of Salt Lake County:
1. Gilberto Emiro Andrade-Romero, 36, of Venezuela 2. Felipe Enrique Linares-Lobo aka Carlos M. Hidalgo Noguera, 32, of Venezuela 3. Alexis Jose Calixto-Bracho, 25, of Venezuela 4. Daniel Jose Fuenmayor-leal, aka Enais Inciarte-Urdaneta, 34, of Venezuela 5. Yeritza Astrid Cuello-Plata, 40, of Venezuela 6. Federico Javier Gutierrez-Pirela, 36, of Venezuela 7. Hendry Ricardo Martinez-Concho, 42, of Venezuela 8. Cristina Paola Nava-Yoris, 24, of Venezuela 9. Patricia Del Carmen Orozco-Cuello, 37, of Colombia 10. Ismael Norberto Rodriguez-Moreno, 47, of Venezuela 11. Jorge Luis Urribarri-Vento, 32, of Venezuela 12. Rayner Jose Delgado-Quiroz, 24, of Venezuela
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and a HSI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. Lesueur of the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
This is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ozzy Osbourne photographed in London in 1991.Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images
Ozzy Osbourne, the “prince of darkness” and godfather of heavy metal, has died aged 76, just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for a farewell concert in his hometown of Birmingham in England.
His family posted a brief message overnight: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.”
John Michael Osbourne changed the sound of rock music and leaves behind a stellar career spanning six decades, numerous Grammy awards, multiple hall of fame inductions – and a wave of controversy.
An agent of change
In 1969, from the ashes of various bands, Geezer Butler (bass), Tony Iommi (guitar), Bill Ward (drums) and Osbourne formed the band Earth.
Realising the name was taken, they quickly changed their name to Black Sabbath, an homage to the 1963 Italian horror anthology film.
With the Summer of Love a recent memory, Black Sabbath were part of a heavy music revolution, providing an antidote to the free loving hippies of the late 60s period.
Despite making their first two albums cheaply, Black Sabbath, released in February 1970, and Paranoid, released September that same year, they were a global success.
Their approach was laden with sarcasm and irony. American audiences mistook this for satanic worship, positioning them as outsiders (albeit popular ones).
Black Sabbath pose for a group portrait with gold discs, London, 1973, L-R Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler. Michael Putland/Getty Images
After Black Sabbath’s early successes, they were managed by the notorious Don Arden, whose daughter Sharon Levy was the receptionist. More than any musical bond Osbourne had in his life, Sharon would be the most influential character throughout his life.
Osbourne recorded eight albums with Black Sabbath (some to critical acclaim) and was then kicked out (by Sharon) due to his troubles with drugs and alcohol.
Ozzy solo
Osbourne’s solo career has always been managed by Sharon. While recording his second solo album, Diary of a Madman, guitarist Rhodes died in a tragic light plane crash. Osbourne was close to Rhodes and fell into a deep depression, after never having lost someone so close.
Sharon and Osbourne married only months after this incident. His struggle with drug use did not stop him from making further solo records alongside various guitar players, continuing with moderate success throughout his career.
Osbourne ‘retired’ many times over 30 years. Here he performs in California in 2022. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
This lament for touring led to the most successful era of Osbourne’s career. After being rejected for the 1995 Lollapaloza festival bill, Sharon (and their son Jack) started Ozzfest; initially an annual two-day multiband festival headlined by Osbourne, held in Phoenix, Arizona, and Devore, California.
Subsequently becoming a national – and then international – tour, Ozzfest led to a successful partnership with MTV, which led to the reality TV show The Osbournes premiering in 2002. Here, his previous and ongoing battle with drugs was obvious, proudly on display – and ridiculed – to huge global audiences.
The spectacle of a rich rockstar and his family, featuring a constant barrage of swearing, battles with lavish TV remotes, canine therapy, never-ending chaos, and Osbourne constantly yelling “Sharrrooon” like a twisted maniacal loop of A Street Car Named Desire.
Struggles and controversies
Osbourne suffered multiple health conditions over the years, rarely concealing the state of his physical or mental wellbeing.
Notably he’s struggled with drug and alcohol abuse his whole career with drug recovery centres using Osbourne as an exemplar. In 2007 he disclosed he suffered from the Parkinson’s adjacent condition Parkinsonian syndrome. In 2019 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Black Sabbath photographed in the 1970s. Left to right: Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne. Chris Walter/WireImage
This resulted in him being unable to walk for his final Back to the Beginning show in Birmingham on July 5 2025.
And Osbourne’s career had more than its fair share of controversy. He bit the head off a dove and a bat (celebrated with a commemorative toy), and urinated on the Alamo cenotaph. He was taken to court multiple times, but was never convicted.
Ozzy and me
As a white middle-class boy growing up in the Brisbane suburbs in the 80s, heavy metal music appealed to my testosterone and pimple filled body.
Exploring the secondhand record shops of Brisbane, I would’ve bought my first copy of Black Sabbath around 1985. The sound of thunder and a distant church bell before the first drop-D riff enters seemed like the antithesis to sunny Queensland and 80s pop.
As my life became obsessed with the recording studio and the vociferous music scene in Brisbane in the post-Joh era, and those drop-D riffs influenced a new style that swept the world in the early 90s.
Osbourne’s influence was huge and through grunge, his sound was reborn. Grunge was a marriage of the Sabbath-like drop-D riffs with the energy of punk and the melody of the Beatles.
Listening to Black Sabbath and Ozzy records, equipped me with a sonic palette ready to capture the wave of alternative music emmerging from the Brisbane scene.
While Ozzy’s death is no surprise (except for those who never thought he’d last this long), we should take pause and remember an icon with an endless energy for entertaining, a passion for music, and changing the expectations of popular culture for more than 50 years.
Lachlan Goold 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.
Ranger Project Lead Iain Graham describes the moments leading to the monumental rediscovery of kiwi pukupuku in the West Coast wilderness.
Iain Graham, kiwi conservation dog Brew, and the first wild kiwi pukupuku found on the mainland in nearly 50 years | Lucy Holyoake, DOC
Kiwi pukupuku found only in predator free sanctuaries?
Up until now, we believed kiwi pukupuku/little spotted kiwi had gone extinct from mainland New Zealand. Our smallest kiwi is particularly vulnerable to introduced predators, and the last known sighting of a kiwi pukupuku on the mainland was in 1978. In the years since, despite targeted searching, we haven’t found any others.
We also thought all remaining kiwi pukupuku descended from five transferred to Kapiti Island from South Westland in 1912. The descendants of these birds now spread across several predator-free islands and sanctuaries.
Then, back in April, I received an email from a hunter we contracted for tahr control in the Adams Wilderness Area on the West Coast. The email included a short, blurry video of a kiwi looking for its next meal in a bed of fallen Dracophyllum leaves.
That video changed everything.
Finding a kiwi
A weather window opened for us in early May, and kiwi conservation dog Brew and I packed our bags for a week in the scrub to see if we could track down this mystery bird. Brew isn’t great at packing though, so I helped her out.
Air New Zealand conservation dog Brew ready to find a kiwi | Iain Graham, DOC
Brew is kiwi certified under DOC’s Air New Zealand-supported Conservation Dogs Programme, so she has a highly qualified nose for sniffing out our national bird. It’s rough country, and my job was trying to keep up with Brew through all the thick alpine scrub we were contending with. While Brew located kiwi scat (poo!), I was listening out. In the early hours, I heard a pair of kiwi duetting.
Oh, I thought, there’s two of them!
A rugged landscape for searching | Iain Graham, DOC
What followed was two days of increasing frustration as Brew and I followed the calls, only to find our progress constantly blocked by geographic features. On day three, Brew dragged me up a spur near where we had marked the calls, and locked on a small hole in the side of a bank. This was the sign I had been waiting for.
Brew looked on expectantly as I attempted to retrieve the kiwi, only to discover it must have snuck out another entrance. After Brew stared judgingly into my soul, radiating ‘I did my part’ energy, she huffed, put her nose down, and took off down the hill again.
It was time for a kiwi stakeout. This sounds more fun than it is; we patiently sit outside a burrow entrance and wait for the bird to exit (in this case after blocking the other exit). There’s no noise and no movement, so it becomes a true battle of patience. These stakeouts can end in minutes or hours, and with either success or failure.
I found a comfortable position in front of the burrow, wearing every layer of clothes I had with me, and sat there for 6 hours. Then, hearing a male calling not far down the hill, I realised he had somehow beat me at the patience game. Alright, I thought. No luck tonight, but tomorrow is another day.
Tomorrow was also the last chance to find these birds before we flew out. Unfortunately, with the day came the rain. Brew and I were cooped up in our tent while the rain passed – as heavy rain prevents handling kiwi.
The final chance
The rain stopped at about 4pm. This would be our last chance to get hands on a bird not seen in the area in half a century, so luckily there was no pressure. That night we headed to the same area, this time deciding not to rely on a kiwi being in the burrow.
Suddenly, a call came from above me, less than 10 metres away. This time it was the female and, instinct kicking in, my light came on and I darted up the hill towards her. She was still calling as I pushed through some flax and caught her in my torch beam. She clearly wasn’t expecting my kind of company; she stopped calling and hesitated, just long enough for me to dive towards her and get a hand around her ankles. Facedown on the damp forest floor, I finally exhaled.
Gotcha!
Success! Kiwi captured | Iain Graham, DOC
After all that, she sat quietly in my lap as I put a transmitter onto her, collected some pin feathers for DNA analysis, took some morphometric measurements, and snapped a couple of photos. She looked to be an old battler; right eye missing, left eye clouded by a cataract, and missing the nail from her middle toe. Otherwise, she seemed to be in good condition and, as I released her, she sauntered away into the darkness, seemingly unfazed by her close encounter with me.
It’s a kiwi pukupuku!
We know kiwi pukupuku can interbreed with other species, but mixed genetics wouldn’t preserve the unique species history and adaptation. So we were really hoping this girl was a real, purebred kiwi pukupuku. It took a little while for the genetic analysis to come through, and felt like much longer. But when the results came in, the team was euphoric. Clean match. For the first time in nearly 50 years, we’d located a wild, pure kiwi pukupuku on the New Zealand mainland.
Questions and the future
The find is just the beginning, and now the real work begins. We’re still gathering information, and the questions keep mounting. How many are there? How have they survived? What does this mean for the future of kiwi pukupuku?
Regardless, we’re thrilled to be working with Kāti Māhaki on future protection and management of these precious birds.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)
July 22, 2025
Frost’s Bill Would Prevent Cancer-Causing Fertilizer Byproduct from Being Used in Road Construction
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL) and Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) reintroduced the No Radioactive Roads Act, legislation to ensure the current Trump Administration or any future administration cannot allow for deadly, cancer-causing radioactive material, phosphogypsum (PG), to be used in road construction. Florida is the world’s largest PG producing area with 1 billion tons of PG stored in stacks, mainly in the Central Florida region.
The Biden-Harris Administration quickly reversed the first Trump Administration’s unscientific decision to allow PG in road construction in 2021. However, with Trump’s return to office, PG’s threat to people’s health is once again imminent.
In 2021, a tear at a PG stack facility allowed for millions of gallons of untreated wastewater to be released into Tampa Bay, devastating the clean waters of the bay and causing a red tide outbreak, killing millions of fish. Despite the environmental fallout, in 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law to allow the cancer-causing material to be used in road construction. Most recently, ahead of the Trump Administration taking office, the Environmental Protection Agency authorized Mosaic’s pilot road project to use 1,200 tons of the hazardous material in Polk County, Florida.
Frost and Cherfilus-McCormick first introduced the bill in 2024.
“As Florida allows for PG to be used in our roads, endangering our workers, drivers, and entire communities, we need immediate federal action that puts public health over corporate profits,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “The science is abundantly clear—PG is a deadly, cancer-causing substance that harms our environment and puts lives at risk, and no administration should be able to permit its use without the highest safety standards. It’s unacceptable that the fertilizer industry is looking to offload toxic waste into our roads in order to boost their profits while leaders like DeSantis and Donald Trump enable it. The No Radioactive Roads Act puts our people, our planet, and our future over the profits of corporate polluters.”
“Protecting the health and safety of our communities must be our top priority. Using radioactive materials like phosphogypsum in road construction endangers our families, harms our environment, and puts our future at risk,” said Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. “The No Radioactive Roads Act is a crucial step in preventing communities from facing the long-term dangers of toxic exposure. I am proud to partner with Congressman Maxwell Frost on this legislation to protect the well-being of every Floridian.”
“The EPA’s decision to weaken standards for phosphogypsum is both reckless and unfounded. We cannot allow the health and safety of our communities to be sacrificed for the financial interests of the fertilizer industry, which seeks to profit from incorporating this radioactive byproduct into our roads. The science is clear: exposure to phosphogypsum is directly linked to significantly increased cancer risk. We will not tolerate policies that endanger our residents and workers,” said Orange County Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad. “In Orange County, I am also introducing an accompanying resolution to prohibit the use of phosphogypsum in local roadway projects. Our stance is firm, and our message is clear: I fully support Congressman Frost’s bill on behalf of the people of our district, the state of Florida, and communities across the country.”
The No Radioactive Roads Act has been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, Center for Biological Diversity, Food & Water Watch, Surfrider Foundation, and the Save Split Oak Campaign.
“Representative Frost’s No Radioactive Roads Act will help protect the health and safety of communities as the Trump administration continues to roll back protections from toxic pollutants. Constructing roads with radioactive, cancer-causing phosphogypsum can harm workers, drivers, and nearby families who are already most impacted by environmental injustice and the climate crisis. We will continue to fight alongside our climate champions in Congress like Representative Frost to pass legislation to protect the health of our communities, our air and water, and our future generations,” said Madeleine Foote, Healthy Communities Program Director for League of Conservation Voters.
“The EPA made it clear decades ago that radioactive phosphogypsum has no place in our roads,” said J.W. Glass, EPA policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “While Rep. Frost shouldn’t have to introduce legislation just to get the EPA to follow its own rules, this bill provides clear direction the agency needs to keep our water, workers and wildlife safe from radiation and other pollutants tied to this toxic waste.”
“We sincerely thank Representative Frost for championing the No Radioactive Roads Act, which takes decisive action to safeguard our communities from the significant risks posed by phosphogypsum. Florida has experienced firsthand the devastating consequences of mismanaging this hazardous material, including the Piney Point disaster, where over 200 million gallons of contaminated wastewater spilled into Tampa Bay. Using phosphogypsum in road construction would endanger workers, drivers, drinking water supplies, and fragile ecosystems, not just in Florida but across the country. This legislation is a crucial step toward protecting public health and preserving the safety of our water resources. We are committed to working with Congress and communities to ensure this vital bill becomes law and helps prevent future disasters,” said Jim Walsh, Policy Director, Food & Water Watch.
“Clean water and resilient watersheds are the foundation of healthy coastal communities and strong economies. The use of radioactive waste in roads presents a serious risk that puts public health and the environment in jeopardy for generations to come. The ‘No Radioactive Roads Act’ introduces common-sense safeguards for protecting human health, requiring water quality monitoring, and ensuring transparency,” said Katie Bauman, Florida Policy Manager for Surfrider Foundation.
“On behalf of the Save Split Oak Forest campaign, we strongly support Congressman Frost’s No Radioactive Roads Act. This legislation is crucial for safeguarding Florida’s ecosystems from the dangers of radioactive road runoff, which can harm our waterways, soil, and wildlife. Protecting conservation lands like Split Oak Forest is essential for preserving biodiversity and ensuring smart, sustainable growth. We urge all members of Congress to back this act to prevent harmful pollution and promote a future where Florida’s natural environment and communities can thrive together,” said Lee Perry, Lead Volunteer of the Save Split Oak Campaign.
Additional Background:
For over 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prohibited the use of phosphogypsum (PG) for road construction because this fertilizer waste product emits deadly, cancer-causing radon gas and contains toxic heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and sulfur.
These toxins can become airborne or seep into the soil and groundwater. One of these elements, radium-226, has a 1,600-year half-life and will poison generations of people working on, living near, or traveling over any future radioactive roads.
Scientific research makes clear that phosphogypsum (PG) is not safe to use as a road building material, but just months before leaving office, the first Trump Administration green-lit PG to be used in road construction.
The Biden-Harris Administration quickly reversed the Trump Administration’s decision to allow PG in road construction but this means that PG’s threat to people’s health and safety can reemerge under the new Trump Administration.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district))
Unlocking the development potential of diaspora communities and helping reduce reliance on foreign aid
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Rep. Jonathan J. Jackson (D-IL) introduced the African Diaspora Investment and Development Act (AIDA), groundbreaking legislation that harnesses the economic power of African and Caribbean diaspora communities to advance sustainable development, reduce remittance costs, and align U.S. foreign policy with grassroots investment.
Millions of Americans with heritage in Africa and the Caribbean send billions of dollars annually to support loved ones and communities in their countries of origin. Yet, they often face high transaction fees, limited investment tools, and few incentives to grow their impact. AIDA addresses these barriers head-on.
As highlighted in Realizing Africa’s Potential: A Journey to Prosperity by Professor Landry Signé, published by the Brookings Institution, the diaspora can be a powerful driver of development in their home countries—not just through remittances, but by fostering trade, investment, research, innovation, and the transfer of knowledge and technology. This dynamic strengthens U.S. interests by empowering African and Caribbean diaspora communities, who are an integral part of the American fabric, to spur economic growth and innovation both abroad and at home, reinforcing U.S. global partnerships and domestic prosperity.
The African Diaspora Investment and Development Act:
Reduces the cost of remittances by promoting transparency, competition, and innovation in money transfers.
Creates tax incentives for diaspora investments that drive sustainable economic development in African and Caribbean countries.
Encourages financial inclusion through fintech and diaspora-owned money transfer platforms.
Supports diaspora-led investments with U.S. financial backing.
Advances U.S. development goals by strengthening diaspora engagement in entrepreneurship, infrastructure, and community development projects abroad.
“The African and Caribbean diasporas are economic engines that deserve recognition and support,” said Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). “This bill creates smart incentives that empower families, foster sustainable development, and reflect our values in U.S. foreign policy. AIDA is about unlocking diaspora investment potential. By empowering these communities, we can reduce reliance on foreign aid and embrace a model based on investment, dignity, and shared prosperity.”
“This bill is timely and vital, especially at a time when US policy towards Africa and the Diaspora is shifting from aid to trade,” said Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL). “Remittances ($90 billion inflow to Africa in 2023) have surpassed both foreign assistance and direct investment in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean; a source for development and economic growth. AIDA strengthens the Diaspora contributions in GPD growth through investments and family support – food, housing, education, health care, etc.”
“Reducing remittance costs and eliminating taxes on remittances are critical measures that ensure every dollar sent goes further, directly benefiting health, education, small businesses, and local infrastructure,” said President of the Nigerian Physicians Advocacy Group, Susan Edionwe. “These changes will empower organizations like ours, whose work relies heavily on diaspora contributions, to expand our impact and better serve the people of Nigeria and beyond.”
“The proposed AIDA bill is a fundamental recognition that as a nation of immigrants the USA holds the ultimate power of transformation in the contributions of its diaspora to the rest of the world,” said Founder and CEO of Hamstrings, Inc., Eric V. Guichard. “AIDA is about leveraging these diaspora resources for good. It is a paradigm shift in development finance whose time has come.”
“Remittances from family and friends in the U.S. to these regions primarily address basic necessities for recipients including housing, food, education, services, small business support and humanitarian assistance,” said Haiti Renewal Alliance. “A framework for partnerships with the U.S. DFC and diasporas via the AIDA Act to channel remittances for coordinated and robust investments with people on the ground in African and Caribbean countries, ushers the U.S. leading the next generation of successful global development for inclusive growth, peace, stability and opportunity, appreciating diaspora from Africa and Caribbean as key contributors.”
During a time when development assistance from the United States in Africa and in the Caribbean, is being drastically curtailed or even eliminated, African and Caribbean countries will need to increasingly rely on remittances coming from the Diaspora to meet basic needs and to get by,” said President of Constituency for Africa (CFA), Melvin Foote. “The proposed AIDA legislation if passed, would certainly be a huge step in the right direction.”
The legislation has received early praise from diaspora organizations, development experts, and financial inclusion advocates.
“In a further effort to conceal the Epstein Files to protect President Trump, the Department of Justice is yet again using the criminal justice system for political purposes by belatedly and improperly seeking cooperation from Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence on convictions for conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse minors.
“As Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche well knows from his lengthy tenure as a prosecutor and supervisor in the Southern District of New York, this is almost certainly not the first time the DOJ has inquired about cooperation from Ghislaine Maxwell, who, as a matter of course, would have been offered the opportunity to reduce her sentence in return for truthful and forthright information about Epstein and all others involved in the scheme.
“DAG Blanche is now doing an end-run around the SDNY and its institutional policies by acting as a political agent of President Trump to forestall the release of the full Epstein files by tacitly floating a pardon for Maxwell in return for information that politically benefits President Trump.
“Maxwell’s information is only as credible as any corroboration found in the Epstein files, including recordings, witness interviews, electronic communications, and photographs and videos. Neither the grand jury testimony nor Maxwell’s compromised information will expose the full extent of the conspiracy, including all those who may be included in the files.
“Do not be fooled: this latest delay tactic is yet another effort to conceal the Epstein files. Full transparency will only occur when DOJ releases the full and complete Epstein files, as they promised.”
Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), introduced the Bubble Tax Modernization Act, which would lower the tax rate for lower-alcohol wine, cider, and mead made with fruit.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), introduced theBubble Tax Modernization Act, which would lower the tax rate for lower-alcohol wine, cider, and mead made with fruit.
Despite the popularity of bubbly beverages, the carbonation tax–colloquially called the ‘bubble tax’ on fruit wine, fruit cider, and fruit mead makes carbonating these agricultural products at sparkling levels cost prohibitive. Most craft beverage entrepreneurs can’t afford to carbonate these products at the level the market wants. The result is that an important American agricultural sector is falling flat.
“Oregon has some of the highest quality fruit in the country, but red tape in our tax code makes it nearly impossible to use these products to make the fruited wines, ciders, and meads that people want,” said Rep. Salinas. “My bill levels the playing field for the cider industry and makes it more affordable to produce the sparkling, fruited drinks consumers want.”
“Cidermakers should not be limited to just pears and apples in order to avoid a massive, unnecessary tax hike on their products,” said Rep. Van Orden. “This bill works for everyone – farmers, cidermakers, and consumers – by allowing any type of fruit to be added to cider and taxed at the standard rate.”
Currently, the tax code dictates that if a sparkling cider, wine, or mead is made with fruits other than apples and pears, then it can only be minimally carbonated, often to the point that it tastes flat to most consumers. If cidermakers want to carbonate their fruited drinks to the same level as other, non-fruited ciders, taxes on these fruited ciders triple. Rep. Salinas’ legislation allows cidermakers to create and carbonate fruited beverages without this higher tax burden, granting them more freedom to produce drinks to match public demand.
“The Bubble Tax Modernization Act is a critical, overdue fix that will finally bring fairness to how cider is taxed in the U.S.,” said Monica Cohen, CEO of the American Cider Association. “It eliminates outdated penalties on carbonated, fruit-forward ciders and gives small cidermakers the freedom to innovate without being punished. This bill supports American agriculture, strengthens rural economies, and helps keep cider accessible to consumers. It’s common-sense legislation and we applaud Representatives Salinas and Van Orden for moving this forward.”
“The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the most innovative and orchard-driven cider producers in the country. Yet outdated federal tax rules have unfairly penalized craft cideries and restricted innovation and expansion into the fruited cider category,” said Emily Ritchie, Executive Director of the Northwest Cider Association. “The Bubble Tax Modernization Act is a common-sense update that will allow our producers to grow, hire more local workers, and invest back into our rural communities and vibrant apple and pear orchards. This is a crucial step toward fairness and opportunity for the Northwest cider industry.”
“New York’s cider industry has become a national leader—thanks to the innovation, resilience, and agricultural roots of our cider producers. But outdated carbonation tax thresholds are holding us back,” said Scott Ramsey, Executive Director of the New York Cider Association. “The Bubble Tax Modernization Act represents a long-overdue step toward fairness for cider makers in New York and across the country. By leveling the playing field, this bill will empower our producers to expand their offerings, hire more local workers, and reinvest in the rural communities and orchards that fuel our economy. We’re proud to support this effort to strengthen one of New York’s most dynamic and agricultural industries.”
TheBubble Tax Modernization Actis endorsed by the American Cider Association, Northwest Cider Association, North Carolina Cider Association, New York Cider Association, and Pennsylvania Cider Guild.
To read the full text of this legislation, clickhere.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced that the Committee advanced the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 by a 15-2 vote. The bill authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight for the U.S. Intelligence Community, and includes multiple provisions authored by Senator Collins. The bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
“The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 is critical for the Intelligence Community to defend U.S. interests and to arm policy and decision makers with critical information,”said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would also build upon the effectiveness of the security clearance process, strengthen cybersecurity, and increase congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.”
The provisions co-authored by Senator Collins address the following issues:
Requiring improvement to the security of our voting and election systems through cybersecurity penetration testing and accreditation, by amending the Help America Vote Act of 2002. This provision was co-authored with Chairman Warner, and was originally introduced as the SECURE IT Act (“Strengthening and Enhancing Cybersecurity by Using Research, Education, Information, and Technology” Act) in the FY24 and FY25 IAA.
Ensuring continued support for victims of Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs) by mandating that the Intelligence Community support Department of Defense AHI medical research, along with a requirement for the ODNI to issue standard AHI reporting guidelines. This provision was co-sponsored with Senators Cotton, Warner and Gillibrand.
Extension of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, to 2035. This provision was co-sponsored with Senators Warner, King, and Rounds.
Additional subjects of critical importance to Senator Collins which were included in this IAA were: AHI budget increase to military intelligence centers and health agencies for medical and mechanical research; new policy requirements to support biomedical and biotechnological research to defend against various threats; and multiple security clearance reform initiatives.
