How does the CEO of an organization brought in to help respond to fast-moving health crises like Mpox and other infectious diseases plan for the unexpected? Sania Nishtar heads up Gavi – The Vaccine Alliance, an organization that has helped vaccinate over one billion children in the world’s poorest countries and prevent more than 18 million deaths worldwide. Sania talks to us about the planning, mindsets, technologies and scenario planning her team uses to be ready for any emergency. She explains the importance of securing ‘crystal clarity’ in advance for what its expected to deliver and how that helps the organization prepare for a range of circumstances and efficiently coordinate with governments and other global organizations when time is of the essence. This organization was launched at Davos 25 years ago and she shares what what’s needed for global health security and strengthened public health systems now and in months and years ahead.
This interview was recorded in January 2025 at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Related podcasts:
What most people get wrong about progress: Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IJjZs4E7A&t=51s
We’re ‘losing the war’ on modern slavery: What leaders can do – HPE’s John Schultz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXggC3o08I&t=1s
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.
As of 11:00 am on Monday, July 14, there are 55 active wildfires in Saskatchewan. Of those active fires, four are categorized as contained, 12 are not contained, 21 are ongoing assessment and 18 are listed as protecting values.
This year, Saskatchewan has had 369 wildfires, which is above the five-year average of 260 to date.
Eight communities are currently under an evacuation order: Resort Subdivision of Lac La Plonge, La Plonge Reserve, Northern Village of Beauval, Jans Bay, as well as priority individuals from Patuanak/English River First Nation, Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Northern Village of Pinehouse and Canoe Lake Cree First Nation.
Effective last night, July 13, 2025, the community of Kinoosao is no longer under an evacuation order and will be repatriating today.
There are approximately 1,700 evacuees in the province at this time, 1,200 of which are supported by the SPSA in hotels or staying with friends and family.
Any evacuees should register through the Sask Evac Web Application and then call 1-855-559-5502 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to have their needs assessed and for additional assistance. Individuals who need help registering through the application can call the 855 Line for assistance.
Evacuees supported by the Canadian Red Cross should call 1-800-863-6582.
As a reminder, there is a fire ban in place in the area north of the provincial forest boundary, up to the Churchill River. The fire ban prohibits any open fires, controlled burns and fireworks in the designated boundary. This includes provincial parks, provincial recreation sites and the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District within the boundary.
A full list of evacuated communities can be found on the Active Evacuations webpage.
The latest wildfire information, an interactive fire ban map, frequently asked questions, fire risk maps and fire prevention tips can be found at: saskpublicsafety.ca.
A list of fire bans and restrictions in provincial parks and recreation sites can be found here.
A California man pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and laundering the fraudulent proceeds.
According to court documents, Juan Carlos Esparza, 33, of Valley Village, schemed with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Karpis Srapyan, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. From July 2019 until January 2023, the defendant and his co-defendants operated four sham hospices, one of which, House of Angels Hospice, was owned by Esparza. The defendants controlled the other three hospices, even though the listed owners were foreign nationals. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also controlled and used cell phones in the names of the foreign nationals in furtherance of the scheme. In total, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million.
Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others, including their co-defendants Susanna Harutyunyan and Mihran Panosyan, to launder the fraudulent proceeds. As part of the money laundering scheme, Esparza and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents and other documents associated with the sham hospices at the House of Angels office, and bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in a pair of residential properties. After defrauding Medicare, Esparza and his co-defendants moved the funds between various assets and accounts, including bank accounts in the names of shell companies, to conceal the scheme. Esparza spent $90,000 in fraudulent proceeds to purchase a vehicle.
Esparza pleaded guilty to health care fraud and transactional money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for healthcare fraud and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for transactional money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering last month and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Karpis Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. Co-defendant Susanna Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17. Harutyunyan faces deportation.
The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah E. Edwards, Allison L. McGuire, and Michael Bacharach of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A California man pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and laundering the fraudulent proceeds.
According to court documents, Juan Carlos Esparza, 33, of Valley Village, schemed with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Karpis Srapyan, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. From July 2019 until January 2023, the defendant and his co-defendants operated four sham hospices, one of which, House of Angels Hospice, was owned by Esparza. The defendants controlled the other three hospices, even though the listed owners were foreign nationals. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also controlled and used cell phones in the names of the foreign nationals in furtherance of the scheme. In total, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million.
Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others, including their co-defendants Susanna Harutyunyan and Mihran Panosyan, to launder the fraudulent proceeds. As part of the money laundering scheme, Esparza and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents and other documents associated with the sham hospices at the House of Angels office, and bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in a pair of residential properties. After defrauding Medicare, Esparza and his co-defendants moved the funds between various assets and accounts, including bank accounts in the names of shell companies, to conceal the scheme. Esparza spent $90,000 in fraudulent proceeds to purchase a vehicle.
Esparza pleaded guilty to health care fraud and transactional money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for healthcare fraud and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for transactional money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering last month and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Karpis Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. Co-defendant Susanna Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17. Harutyunyan faces deportation.
The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah E. Edwards, Allison L. McGuire, and Michael Bacharach of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A California man pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and laundering the fraudulent proceeds.
According to court documents, Juan Carlos Esparza, 33, of Valley Village, schemed with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Karpis Srapyan, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. From July 2019 until January 2023, the defendant and his co-defendants operated four sham hospices, one of which, House of Angels Hospice, was owned by Esparza. The defendants controlled the other three hospices, even though the listed owners were foreign nationals. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also controlled and used cell phones in the names of the foreign nationals in furtherance of the scheme. In total, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million.
Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others, including their co-defendants Susanna Harutyunyan and Mihran Panosyan, to launder the fraudulent proceeds. As part of the money laundering scheme, Esparza and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents and other documents associated with the sham hospices at the House of Angels office, and bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in a pair of residential properties. After defrauding Medicare, Esparza and his co-defendants moved the funds between various assets and accounts, including bank accounts in the names of shell companies, to conceal the scheme. Esparza spent $90,000 in fraudulent proceeds to purchase a vehicle.
Esparza pleaded guilty to health care fraud and transactional money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for healthcare fraud and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for transactional money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering last month and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Karpis Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. Co-defendant Susanna Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17. Harutyunyan faces deportation.
The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah E. Edwards, Allison L. McGuire, and Michael Bacharach of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) was among the mob of rioters who attacked federal immigration authorities as they executed a criminal search warrant at a marijuana facility. Rep. Carbajal doxed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employee, who was subsequently attacked by rioters and sent to the emergency room.
Images of injury inflicted on ICE employee after being doxed by Rep. Carbajal
During the enforcement operation in Carpinteria, California, Rep. Carbajal spoke to an ICE Public Affairs Specialist, who gave the congressman his business card. The congressman then showed the ICE employee’s business card to the mob, making a target out of him. The employee was subsequently attacked, with lacerations to his left hand due to a rock being thrown at him. The employee had to go to the emergency room and get stitches for his injury.
When ICE announced his actions led to an ICE employee’s injuries, the congressman deflected from his own actions by claiming oversight and falsely labeled the crowd as “peaceful protesters.” He did not address the injuries the ICE employee sustained as a result of his actions. Unfortunately, this is just another case of Democratic lawmakers labeling political stunts as oversight while they endanger the safety of ICE personnel.
“The actions by Representative Carbajal are downright un-American. He dares to claim that his actions were simply congressional oversight, but doxing ICE personnel and inciting a mob of rioters to attack law enforcement is NOT oversight—it’s abominable.” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “His actions sent an ICE employee to the emergency room. It’s no wonder that ICE agents are facing a 700% increase in assaults when radical members of Congress like Salud Carbajal and LaMonica McIver are openly encouraging and leading their supporters in assaulting law enforcement.”
This operation led to the arrest of 361 illegal aliens and the rescue of 14 migrant children who were victims of potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking. During the enforcement operation, officers were surrounded by a mob of 500 rioters who threw rocks and other objects at law enforcement and their vehicles.
Furthermore, several of the illegal aliens arrested at the facilities had extensive criminal records, including:
Rape
Kidnapping
Serial burglary
Attempted rape
Attempted child molestation
DUI
Hit-and-run
The investigation into immigration and potential child labor violations is ongoing. Information will be released as it becomes available.
U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) was among the mob of rioters who attacked federal immigration authorities as they executed a criminal search warrant at a marijuana facility. Rep. Carbajal doxed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employee, who was subsequently attacked by rioters and sent to the emergency room.
Images of injury inflicted on ICE employee after being doxed by Rep. Carbajal
During the enforcement operation in Carpinteria, California, Rep. Carbajal spoke to an ICE Public Affairs Specialist, who gave the congressman his business card. The congressman then showed the ICE employee’s business card to the mob, making a target out of him. The employee was subsequently attacked, with lacerations to his left hand due to a rock being thrown at him. The employee had to go to the emergency room and get stitches for his injury.
When ICE announced his actions led to an ICE employee’s injuries, the congressman deflected from his own actions by claiming oversight and falsely labeled the crowd as “peaceful protesters.” He did not address the injuries the ICE employee sustained as a result of his actions. Unfortunately, this is just another case of Democratic lawmakers labeling political stunts as oversight while they endanger the safety of ICE personnel.
“The actions by Representative Carbajal are downright un-American. He dares to claim that his actions were simply congressional oversight, but doxing ICE personnel and inciting a mob of rioters to attack law enforcement is NOT oversight—it’s abominable.” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “His actions sent an ICE employee to the emergency room. It’s no wonder that ICE agents are facing a 700% increase in assaults when radical members of Congress like Salud Carbajal and LaMonica McIver are openly encouraging and leading their supporters in assaulting law enforcement.”
This operation led to the arrest of 361 illegal aliens and the rescue of 14 migrant children who were victims of potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking. During the enforcement operation, officers were surrounded by a mob of 500 rioters who threw rocks and other objects at law enforcement and their vehicles.
Furthermore, several of the illegal aliens arrested at the facilities had extensive criminal records, including:
Rape
Kidnapping
Serial burglary
Attempted rape
Attempted child molestation
DUI
Hit-and-run
The investigation into immigration and potential child labor violations is ongoing. Information will be released as it becomes available.
Following the start of the rainy season in Sudan’s North Darfur region, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah said:
“The rainy season is a terrifying prospect for many Sudanese who have fled fighting in North Darfur between armed groups. Internally displaced persons and refugees have told Amnesty International that they fear the coming rains will heighten the risk of diseases and make already dire conditions in their areas even worse. They are desperate for food, including seeds to plant ahead of the rains, water and medical services. Adequate shelter also remains a major concern. One 90-year-old woman told us that she didn’t have any proper shelter and was living under the trees. Others are in similar situations.
“Sudan is the world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crisis, yet the humanitarian response for 2025 is grossly underfunded. This will go down in history as an abject failure unless Sudan’s international partners rise to the occasion and increase emergency funding for the humanitarian response in Sudan, as well as for Sudanese refugees.
“To stop this humanitarian emergency from spiraling further, parties to the armed conflict must facilitate rapid, unconditional and safe access to humanitarian aid, and end all attacks on humanitarian objects and personnel.
“Sudan is the world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crisis, yet the humanitarian response for 2025 is grossly underfunded. This will go down in history as an abject failure unless Sudan’s international partners rise to the occasion and increase emergency funding for the humanitarian response in Sudan, as well as for Sudanese refugees. More must be done to save lives. The international community cannot afford to look away.”
Background
Since the latest armed conflict broke out in Sudan in April 2023, over 11 million people have fled their homes. Displaced persons live in dire conditions in Sudan, including in Darfur, one of the regions most severely affected by fighting, as well as other countries. Cases of cholera outbreak are already being reported in North Darfur.
Parties to the conflict continue to impede humanitarian access and attack humanitarian objects and personnel.Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to ensure sufficient humanitarian aid to a suffering population.
The rainy season in Darfur typically lasts from June to September. In April, MSF already warned that the rainy season threatened to worsen the ongoing malnutrition crisis. In August 2024, the UN confirmed famine conditions in Zamzam camp and identified 13 other areas at risk of famine.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
UN experts* today expressed alarm at the situation of lawyers in Tunisia, noting a serious deterioration in the last year.
“Targeting legal professionals solely for performing their role in the justice system or exercising their freedom of expression poses a direct threat to the integrity and fairness of legal proceedings in Tunisia and could jeopardise the right to a fair trial,” the experts said.
The experts noted that lawyer Ahmed Souab was arrested on 21 April 2025, following critical comments made publicly about the recent trial of several opposition figures. Souab was defending some of the clients who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for charges characterised as “conspiracy against State security”. Lawyer Sonia Dahmani was reportedly violently detained at the premises of the Tunisian Bar Association by masked men in May 2024 and is facing five criminal cases all initiated under Decree-Law 2022-54 on “cybercrime” before the Tunis First Instance Court solely for stating her opinion publicly. Dahmani was sentenced in January 2025 to 18 months in prison for her comments in a TV show, and this June, she received an additional two-year prison sentence.
The experts also deplored other reported cases of legal professionals in the country who have been criminally accused, and even sentenced to long prison terms, solely for defending their clients and for expressing their opinion publicly such as Dalila Msaddak, Islem Hamza, Ayachi Hamami, Ghazi Chaouachi, Mehdi Zagrouba, and Lazhar Akremi.
“The measures taken directly interfere with the independence of the legal profession, undermining the ability of lawyers to represent their clients,” the experts said. “They appear designed to ensure critics of the Executive are silenced.”
The experts stressed that free exercise of the legal profession contributes to ensuring access to justice, oversight of State power, protection of due process and fair trial rights.
“We call on Tunisia to comply with international standards providing that lawyers should be able to carry out all their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference. They should not face prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics,” they said. “Like all human beings, lawyers are entitled to freedom of expression and opinion.”
The experts have been in contact with the Government of Tunisia regarding their concerns.
The Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
His Majesty King Mohammed VI has sent a message of condolence and sympathy to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following the passing of former president Muhammadu Buhari.
In this message, HM the King expresses His deep sorrow upon learning of the passing of former president Muhammadu Buhari, may he rest in peace.
On this sad occasion, the Sovereign conveys His heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to the Nigerian president, the grieving family as well as the people of the sister nation upon the loss of an illustrious son, who worked untringinly to serve his country’s best interests and lead his people towards further progress and prosperity. “Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the bereaved.”
“I share your grief and want you to know how much I appreciated the working sessions I had with the deceased. They culminated in the launch of promising development projects that have ushered a new era grounded in friendship and close cooperation between our two sister nations,” HM the King concludes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements has received updates from the Department of Human Settlements, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, and the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane and City of Cape Town on various petitions the committee is considering and has highlighted mixed reactions to the reports. The committee remains of the view that all stakeholders must not rest on their laurels in bringing finality to the petitions.
SLOVO PARK INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS UPGRADING
The committee welcomed the progress made by both the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and the City of Johannesburg, including the completion of the electrification of households. Also, the committee welcomed the appointment of Joburg Water for the installation of water and sewage infrastructure. The committee has highlighted that in the context of the history of the promises made to the residents of Slovo Park, the movement is welcomed, albeit long overdue.
The committee also welcomed the collaboration between the City of Johannesburg and the provincial department to achieve the medium and long-term interventions planned for the area. The committee has also urged all stakeholders to expedite procurement and other related processes to ensure the achievement of targets.
Also, the committee welcomed the assurance that community engagements and sharing of information with residents have been enhanced to ensure a free flow of information between the government and the people. “The issue of stakeholder engagement is critical to allay fears and eliminate any flare-up of protests. It is critical that as new developments arise and some impediments delay projects, people are informed,” said Mr Nocks Seabi, the Chairperson of the committee.
MAWIGA PETITION
Members of the committee were disappointed with the slow response to finding solutions to the petitioners’ challenges. While the committee acknowledged that there is progress with sites identified and agreed to by two petitioners, the fact that the building of top structures will only commence next year is concerning. Despite this, the committee called for clear monitoring of the progress to ensure that timelines are adhered to, especially in the context of the length of time it has taken to get to this point.
The MAWIGA (Mabopane, Winterveld and Ga-Rankuwa petitioners) submitted a petition alleging maladministration against the City of Tshwane and North West Housing Corporation officials for illegally selling and transferring their properties without their consent.
The committee has called on the City of Tshwane and the Gauteng Provincial Government to expedite the processes to obtain the clearance certificate on the identified land for Mr Mere. The committee has mandated the city to provide regular progress reports on processes to obtain the clearance certificate.
With regards to the North West Provincial Government, the committee is concerned that the Rustenburg Municipality does not have the appetite to approve a house on the military veteran’s quantum on the site identified because the site is on prime land. The committee has called on the department to heighten engagement to ensure that an alternative site is found and that Mr Kgasoe is engaged to ascertain that he agrees with the site.
Despite these challenges, the committee noted that commendable work has been done to resolve the petitions.
New Mandela Square (Western Cape)
The committee has welcomed commendable progress in achieving the project milestones promised to the committee. Despite this, the committee has called for mechanisms to ensure that the implementation of the projects is not hampered by inter-departmental dependencies, such as the procurement of private land and installation of bulk services.
The committee is cognisant that in most cases, projects are affected by delays from varying spheres of government and has called for proactive measures to ensure that this does not hamper progress.
The committee remains committed to receiving regular reports to ensure the resolution of the various petitions being considered by the committee.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors – IADC
Headline: Bill Pickering’s Story
The following is part of IADC’s 85th anniversary campaign, “Many Stories, One Voice,” which aims to showcase the real human stories behind the drilling industry.
Bill Pickering –IADC Young Professionals Committee Co-Chair; Manager at Precision Drilling
Bill standing in front of a Precision Drilling rig around 2018
My career in drilling started in May 2012; my story, however, started in 1991. My story is my dad’s story, and our story is the same story as many in this industry: Men and women making a sacrifice, putting in long hours and giving their family something more.
Ask Ross Pickering today, and he’ll gladly show you the scar on his right hand from 1991. His satellite phone rang with the news his wife was in labor, and he was a 10-hour drive away in Beaverlodge, Alberta. That drive, a set of missing keys, a smashed window, and a hot-wired truck were the only things between Dad and his laboring wife. Of course, we are no strangers to rapidly changing environments or tall orders in short time frames – Dad made it to the hospital with a few hours to spare.
When I tell you that rigs were always a part of my life, I mean it. Our living room hosted fewer Easters, Christmases and birthdays than the couch of my Dad’s shack on site. My mom is always fond of the time Dad had to tell a bed truck to unhook from his shack so his son could finish hunting for Easter Eggs.
Any young boy who gets to work with his dad, running drilling rigs and farm equipment, is a pretty happy kid. So, you’ll understand why I thought my dad had the most important and most cool job in the world. You’ll also understand that, although I considered a number of careers, drilling rigs were always the goal.
Bill as a child riding his first motorbike in the rig yard with his father, Ross, next to him
In 2012, I got my first opportunity to join the oilfield, building rigs in Calgary. I elected to return to college and complete my undergraduate degree, only to be rewarded with a list of salary offers that, modestly, were half of what I could earn roughnecking. Simple math made an easy decision easier, and I was back with Precision Drilling to finish building the rig we would soon take to the field.
Years later, I elected to pursue a graduate degree in the US, with the goal of rejoining the industry. Five years later, I’m thrilled to have a rewarding 10 years of experience under my belt. What I’ve seen in these 10 years is an industry that champions and rewards hard work and merit over pedigree – something less and less common. Why I love this industry is because every single day somebody like my dad proves that a strong back and a sharp mind can take a person to the top. Why I’ll stay in this industry is the passion and pride we foster, and if you don’t believe me, you need to get out of the office and go talk to a rig hand.
My story isn’t unique, because it’s all of our story. It’s passion, it’s legacy, it’s purpose. We’re the modern miracle that enables our lifestyle. We lift people out of poverty. We innovate at breakneck speed, and we dislike when we get looked down upon, but like good roughnecks, we understand the job will always need to get done. So we do it, we do it well and we do it with passion and pride.
Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors – IADC
Headline: Bill Pickering’s Story
The following is part of IADC’s 85th anniversary campaign, “Many Stories, One Voice,” which aims to showcase the real human stories behind the drilling industry.
Bill Pickering –IADC Young Professionals Committee Co-Chair; Manager at Precision Drilling
Bill standing in front of a Precision Drilling rig around 2018
My career in drilling started in May 2012; my story, however, started in 1991. My story is my dad’s story, and our story is the same story as many in this industry: Men and women making a sacrifice, putting in long hours and giving their family something more.
Ask Ross Pickering today, and he’ll gladly show you the scar on his right hand from 1991. His satellite phone rang with the news his wife was in labor, and he was a 10-hour drive away in Beaverlodge, Alberta. That drive, a set of missing keys, a smashed window, and a hot-wired truck were the only things between Dad and his laboring wife. Of course, we are no strangers to rapidly changing environments or tall orders in short time frames – Dad made it to the hospital with a few hours to spare.
When I tell you that rigs were always a part of my life, I mean it. Our living room hosted fewer Easters, Christmases and birthdays than the couch of my Dad’s shack on site. My mom is always fond of the time Dad had to tell a bed truck to unhook from his shack so his son could finish hunting for Easter Eggs.
Any young boy who gets to work with his dad, running drilling rigs and farm equipment, is a pretty happy kid. So, you’ll understand why I thought my dad had the most important and most cool job in the world. You’ll also understand that, although I considered a number of careers, drilling rigs were always the goal.
Bill as a child riding his first motorbike in the rig yard with his father, Ross, next to him
In 2012, I got my first opportunity to join the oilfield, building rigs in Calgary. I elected to return to college and complete my undergraduate degree, only to be rewarded with a list of salary offers that, modestly, were half of what I could earn roughnecking. Simple math made an easy decision easier, and I was back with Precision Drilling to finish building the rig we would soon take to the field.
Years later, I elected to pursue a graduate degree in the US, with the goal of rejoining the industry. Five years later, I’m thrilled to have a rewarding 10 years of experience under my belt. What I’ve seen in these 10 years is an industry that champions and rewards hard work and merit over pedigree – something less and less common. Why I love this industry is because every single day somebody like my dad proves that a strong back and a sharp mind can take a person to the top. Why I’ll stay in this industry is the passion and pride we foster, and if you don’t believe me, you need to get out of the office and go talk to a rig hand.
My story isn’t unique, because it’s all of our story. It’s passion, it’s legacy, it’s purpose. We’re the modern miracle that enables our lifestyle. We lift people out of poverty. We innovate at breakneck speed, and we dislike when we get looked down upon, but like good roughnecks, we understand the job will always need to get done. So we do it, we do it well and we do it with passion and pride.
A young person gets a job, excited to earn their first paycheck. Over time, they realise the hours are long and the payslips small. They are told to stay back to clean up after closing, but never receive overtime. They feel exploited, but what can they do?
It’s hard to find a job that fits with study commitments, and a reference could go a long way in the future. Besides, it happens to all their co-workers; they’d hate to cause a fuss.
It’s a story as old as time, and it’s still happening today. Our new study has found wage exploitation is rife among employers who hire young people.
Young workers in low-paid jobs were asked about their experiences in the workplace, the challenges they encountered, and how they dealt with exploitation.
How some bosses are treating young workers
We found young Australians are frequently underpaid and that exploitation is multifaceted:
33% were paid $15 per hour or less
43% had been told to complete extra work without additional pay
34% were not paid for work during a trial period
24% had not received compulsory super
35% had their timesheet hours reduced by their employer
17.9% had not been paid for all the work they completed
9% received an hourly rate of $10 or less
8% had been forced to return some, or all, of their pay to their employer.
Further, 60% had had to pay for work-related items, such as uniforms, protective equipment, training or car fuel. Some 36% had been forbidden to take entitled breaks while 35% had their recorded timesheet hours reduced by their employer. Meanwhile 20% were “sometimes” paid “off the books”, and 12% were “always” paid off the books. And 9.5% had been given food or products instead of being paid in money.
The most at risk
We found exploitation is most often experienced by the most vulnerable young people. These include transgender, non-permanent workers (casual employees and private contractors), residents on temporary visas) and non-native English speakers.
The worst-performing industries included electricity, gas, water and waste services; manufacturing; mining; transport, postal and warehousing; public administration and safety; information media and telecommunications; accommodation and food services; retail trade, and education and training.
Workers in small businesses (up to 19 staff) were often not paid overtime or penalty rates, and were being paid “off the books”.
Medium-sized business workers (20–199 employees) were the most likely to be required to pay for work-related items, such as equipment, training and car hire.
And those from large businesses (200-plus) reported the highest rates of variance of weekly hours and requirements to pay for work uniform.
Young people often don’t have much industrial knowledge or experience, so it is easy for employers to take advantage of them. They are also unlikely to challenge an employer, as many of them are in insecure work.
What steps are being taken?
Laws which took effect January 1 this year mean employers may face criminal penalties – including fines, imprisonment or both – if they intentionally underpay an employee in breach of the Fair Work Act 2009.
But identifying underpayments and other forms of exploitation are the biggest barrier to compliance with workplace laws.
Surveyed workers who were underpaid said they were most likely to seek the help of a family member. Only 12.9% of those aged 15 to 19 said they would be willing to complain to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
However, workers who had dealt with the ombudsman mostly saw their experiences as positive: 41% found the regulator to be “very helpful”, while only 16.7% described it as “not helpful at all” or “not very helpful”.
The results suggest the Fair Work Ombudsman needs to be doing more to engage teenage workers.
What’s needed
The Fair Day’s Work project set out to use data science and technology to identify risk of underpayment in relation to young workers, and improve employer compliance with workplace laws.
Our aim was to develop a database on young workers employment conditions, along with a web portal to give young people and employers the information they need.
We hypothesised that a prediction tool could be used to assess which young workers are at greatest risk. However, we found publicly available data was insufficient to do this, so we conducted our own survey of young workers and made this data available through a public web portal to help workers and employers.
We came up six recommendations to help stop young workers being exploited:
regulators need to get tougher with the nine industries we identified as the poorest performers to make them more compliant
the Fair Work Ombudsman should scrutinise the industries where payment was made in food or products and workers were required to return money to employers occurred most frequently
educate mid-sized businesses on the extent to which they can lawfully require workers to pay for work-related items
lawmakers and the Fair Work Commission should consider introducing truly equitable “loaded rates” for junior employees. This would deal with non-payment of penalty rates and other entitlements by some employers
more money to make young workers aware they can get help from the Fair Work Ombudsman, trade unions, community legal centres, the Young Workers’ Centre and similar bodies
more work to develop and use data science and digital tools to help employers fulfil their legal obligations, and to protect young workers’ rights.
Our survey results highlight the extent to which young people continue to be exploited in the workplace and suggest more work needs to be done to bring about change.
John Howe receives funding from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
Tom Dillon receives funding from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
A young person gets a job, excited to earn their first paycheck. Over time, they realise the hours are long and the payslips small. They are told to stay back to clean up after closing, but never receive overtime. They feel exploited, but what can they do?
It’s hard to find a job that fits with study commitments, and a reference could go a long way in the future. Besides, it happens to all their co-workers; they’d hate to cause a fuss.
It’s a story as old as time, and it’s still happening today. Our new study has found wage exploitation is rife among employers who hire young people.
Young workers in low-paid jobs were asked about their experiences in the workplace, the challenges they encountered, and how they dealt with exploitation.
How some bosses are treating young workers
We found young Australians are frequently underpaid and that exploitation is multifaceted:
33% were paid $15 per hour or less
43% had been told to complete extra work without additional pay
34% were not paid for work during a trial period
24% had not received compulsory super
35% had their timesheet hours reduced by their employer
17.9% had not been paid for all the work they completed
9% received an hourly rate of $10 or less
8% had been forced to return some, or all, of their pay to their employer.
Further, 60% had had to pay for work-related items, such as uniforms, protective equipment, training or car fuel. Some 36% had been forbidden to take entitled breaks while 35% had their recorded timesheet hours reduced by their employer. Meanwhile 20% were “sometimes” paid “off the books”, and 12% were “always” paid off the books. And 9.5% had been given food or products instead of being paid in money.
The most at risk
We found exploitation is most often experienced by the most vulnerable young people. These include transgender, non-permanent workers (casual employees and private contractors), residents on temporary visas) and non-native English speakers.
The worst-performing industries included electricity, gas, water and waste services; manufacturing; mining; transport, postal and warehousing; public administration and safety; information media and telecommunications; accommodation and food services; retail trade, and education and training.
Workers in small businesses (up to 19 staff) were often not paid overtime or penalty rates, and were being paid “off the books”.
Medium-sized business workers (20–199 employees) were the most likely to be required to pay for work-related items, such as equipment, training and car hire.
And those from large businesses (200-plus) reported the highest rates of variance of weekly hours and requirements to pay for work uniform.
Young people often don’t have much industrial knowledge or experience, so it is easy for employers to take advantage of them. They are also unlikely to challenge an employer, as many of them are in insecure work.
What steps are being taken?
Laws which took effect January 1 this year mean employers may face criminal penalties – including fines, imprisonment or both – if they intentionally underpay an employee in breach of the Fair Work Act 2009.
But identifying underpayments and other forms of exploitation are the biggest barrier to compliance with workplace laws.
Surveyed workers who were underpaid said they were most likely to seek the help of a family member. Only 12.9% of those aged 15 to 19 said they would be willing to complain to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
However, workers who had dealt with the ombudsman mostly saw their experiences as positive: 41% found the regulator to be “very helpful”, while only 16.7% described it as “not helpful at all” or “not very helpful”.
The results suggest the Fair Work Ombudsman needs to be doing more to engage teenage workers.
What’s needed
The Fair Day’s Work project set out to use data science and technology to identify risk of underpayment in relation to young workers, and improve employer compliance with workplace laws.
Our aim was to develop a database on young workers employment conditions, along with a web portal to give young people and employers the information they need.
We hypothesised that a prediction tool could be used to assess which young workers are at greatest risk. However, we found publicly available data was insufficient to do this, so we conducted our own survey of young workers and made this data available through a public web portal to help workers and employers.
We came up six recommendations to help stop young workers being exploited:
regulators need to get tougher with the nine industries we identified as the poorest performers to make them more compliant
the Fair Work Ombudsman should scrutinise the industries where payment was made in food or products and workers were required to return money to employers occurred most frequently
educate mid-sized businesses on the extent to which they can lawfully require workers to pay for work-related items
lawmakers and the Fair Work Commission should consider introducing truly equitable “loaded rates” for junior employees. This would deal with non-payment of penalty rates and other entitlements by some employers
more money to make young workers aware they can get help from the Fair Work Ombudsman, trade unions, community legal centres, the Young Workers’ Centre and similar bodies
more work to develop and use data science and digital tools to help employers fulfil their legal obligations, and to protect young workers’ rights.
Our survey results highlight the extent to which young people continue to be exploited in the workplace and suggest more work needs to be done to bring about change.
John Howe receives funding from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
Tom Dillon receives funding from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia)
This week, Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA), George Whitesides (CA-27), Vince Fong (CA-20), and Lou Correa (CA-46) reintroduced the Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act, aimed at enhancing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ability to track and predict atmospheric rivers—massive storm systems that can cause extreme flooding, heavy snowfall, and dangerous conditions. California continues to face the growing threat of these powerful storms, which resulted in billions of dollars in damage and multiple deaths in recent seasons.
“Better forecasting saves lives and protects our communities,” said Rep. Jay Obernolte. “We’ve seen firsthand how destructive atmospheric rivers can be, especially when they catch families and emergency responders off guard. This bill equips NOAA with the tools and knowledge it needs to improve forecasting models and give our communities more time to prepare.”
“In Southern California, we’re no stranger to the threat of natural disasters, including atmospheric rivers,” said Rep. George Whitesides. “I’m proud to co-lead this legislation that has the backing of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, which will help us reduce the risks that come from flooding. Taking steps to bolster our emergency preparedness efforts is critical to keeping families across the Santa Clarita Valley, Antelope Valley, and Northern San Fernando Valley safe.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia)
Washington, DC – Congressman Jay Obernolte (CA-23) recently visited the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility to tour the grounds, speak with facility leadership, and see firsthand the conditions under which detainees are housed. Following his visit, the Congressman emphasized the importance of facts and transparency in the face of increasing misinformation surrounding the facility.
“Facilities like Adelanto exist to help ICE enforce our immigration laws and keep our communities safe,” said Congressman Obernolte. “The vast majority of detainees housed here have committed serious crimes in addition to being present in our country illegally. They are being processed quickly, fairly, and humanely.”
During his visit, Congressman Obernolte observed the intake process, medical facilities, immigration courts, and housing areas, and received briefings on how detainees are classified and managed. He noted that those in custody are provided with access to medical care, legal counsel, meals, and the full rights guaranteed under federal law.
The Adelanto ICE Processing Facility continues to operate under federal oversight and remains a key part of our nation’s immigration enforcement system.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
PM meeting with Prime Minister Fiala of the Czech Republic: 14 July 2025
The Prime Minister welcomed the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, to Downing Street this afternoon.
The Prime Minister welcomed the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, to Downing Street this afternoon.
The leaders began by reflecting on the close relationship between the two countries, including across defence, trade and energy security.
Both agreed that there were plenty of opportunities to be even more ambitious, which was emphasised by the signing of a civil nuclear memorandum of understanding today.
The agreement would allow both countries to harness the potential of nuclear power and the related technology to drive prosperity, energy security and highly skilled jobs, the leaders agreed.
The Prime Minister also thanked Prime Minister Fiala for the Czech Republic’s strong support for Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression, and the leaders reflected on the strength of solidarity for Ukraine through the Coalition of the Willing.
On 1 July 2025, the Panel of Experts on South Sudan briefed the members of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015), in connection with the Panel’s final report submitted in pursuance of paragraph 18 of resolution 2731 (2024).
During the briefing, the Coordinator provided an overview of the findings and recommendations contained in the Panel’s report, noting inter alia the current volatile political and security situation in South Sudan, including serious clashes between the armed forces of the principal signatories to the peace agreement, as well as the ongoing humanitarian and economic crises.
Following the Coordinator’s presentation, members of the Committee asked questions and exchanged views regarding the findings and recommendations contained in the final report.
Ottawa, Ontario, July 14, 2025—The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today initiated a preliminary injury inquiry into a complaint by Canada Pipe Company ULC, d/b/a Bibby‑Ste‑Croix, of Sainte-Croix, Quebec, that it has suffered injury as a result of the dumping and subsidizing of cast iron soil pipe from China. The Tribunal’s inquiry is conducted pursuant to the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA) as a result of the initiation of dumping and subsidizing investigations by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
On September 9, 2025, the Tribunal will determine whether there is a reasonable indication that the alleged dumping and subsidizing have caused injury or retardation, or are threatening to cause injury, as these words are defined in SIMA. If so, the CBSA will continue its investigations and, by September 24, 2025, will make preliminary determinations. If these preliminary determinations indicate that there has been dumping or subsidizing, the CBSA will then continue its investigations and, concurrently, the Tribunal will initiate a final injury inquiry.
The Tribunal is an independent quasi‑judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance. It hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters.
Any interested person, association or government that wishes to participate in the Tribunal’s inquiry may do so by filing a Form I—Notice of Participation.
S. 318 would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a plan to improve cybersecurity and telecommunications aboard vessels within the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, which currently includes 17 vessels that collect data for marine research. The NSF would be required to report to the Congress on the plan within one year of enactment.
Using information about the costs of creating similar plans, CBO estimates that developing the plan would cost the NSF less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Emma Uebelhor and Willow Latham-Proença. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
S. 318 would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a plan to improve cybersecurity and telecommunications aboard vessels within the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, which currently includes 17 vessels that collect data for marine research. The NSF would be required to report to the Congress on the plan within one year of enactment.
Using information about the costs of creating similar plans, CBO estimates that developing the plan would cost the NSF less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Emma Uebelhor and Willow Latham-Proença. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera held the 6th China-EU High-Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate in Beijing on Monday.
Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called on the two sides, under the strategic guidance of their leaders, to strengthen practical cooperation on environment and climate and make greater contributions to the sustainable development of China, the EU and the world.
The Vice Premier of the State Council noted that China pays special attention to environmental protection and climate change control, has developed and implemented a series of practical measures, and has achieved notable results in the all-round green transformation of socio-economic development.
China will firmly promote green and low-carbon development and take effective measures to participate in global environmental and climate governance, Ding Xuexiang promised, adding that China hopes to work with the EU to maintain high-level dialogue and exchanges, build greater consensus and deepen the green partnership.
According to him, China is ready to adhere to the principles of mutual benefit and win-win with the European Union, continuously expand the depth and scope of cooperation in key areas such as energy and the circular economy, and jointly support the green and low-carbon development of other developing countries.
China also hopes to work with the EU to promote the construction of a fair, reasonable, cooperative and mutually beneficial global environmental and climate governance system, Ding Xuexiang added.
T. Ribera, for her part, said that the European Union hopes to take advantage of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the EU and China to further strengthen existing cooperation with China, make efforts to find new opportunities for cooperation, adhere to multilateralism and promote the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
July 14, 2025 Saint John, NB Canada Border Services Agency
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers in Saint John, New Brunswick (NB) recently intercepted a shipment of suspected cannabis that is the largest cannabis seizure on record since 2015.
On May 21, 2025, border services officers at the Port of Saint John, with assistance from CBSA intelligence officers in the Greater Toronto Area and Atlantic Regions, examined a marine container destined for export to Scotland, United Kingdom.
During this examination, officers uncovered over 6,700 kilograms of suspected cannabis, valued at $49.6 M. The drugs were falsely declared on the documentation provided to the CBSA and were concealed in nearly 400 boxes inside the container.
The quantity seized in this single shipment is three times more than the total amount of cannabis seized by the CBSA across Canada in the previous year.
The cannabis and all evidence were transferred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Eastern Region Federal Policing (New Brunswick) for further investigation.
The CBSA and the RCMP are securing our borders by collaborating on investigations to prevent illegal drug smuggling and organized crime from threatening the safety and well-being of our communities.
Although cannabis is legal in Canada, cannabis smuggling supports organized crime and helps fund other illegal activities, such as narcotics and weapons smuggling. It is often used as an exchange for other illegal drugs being imported into Canada such as cocaine. The trade of contraband cannabis is a major threat to the safety and health of Canadians. It is a serious criminal offence, punishable with imprisonment of up to 5 years under the Customs Act and up to 14 years under the Cannabis Act.
“Rats are a worldwide menace that destroy property and spread disease. For three quarters of a century, Alberta has proudly been one of the few jurisdictions on Earth to live without the pest. We owe that reputation to our Rat Control Program, established in 1950.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for rats. If we spot an infestation, we quickly eradicate it. As a result, we’ve prevented millions of dollars in damages to farms and homes and ensured deadly diseases stay out of our province.
“Our success is a direct result of the proactive measures and hard work from agricultural fieldmen, pest control officers, municipalities in the Rat Control Zone, provincial staff and so many more.
“Albertans have kept our province rat-free through several decades of vigilance. You can help rat on rats through 310-FARM or [email protected].
“We are so proud to celebrate this success as we mark 75 years rat-free!”
Related information
Alberta’s Rat Control Program
The Provincial Archives of Alberta – Alberta Rat Patrol
USGS has joined forces with public and private partners to create the Bird Collision Prevention Alliance and will serve as a leading agency along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Dark Sky International, Fatal Light Awareness Program and many others. This multi-sector partnership will advance efforts to address the issue of bird collisions with glass. The USGS Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) has participated in several leadership and working group efforts since February 2024 to advance the goals of this coalition. More information on the Bird Collision Prevention Alliance and its mission can be found here.
For more information about how the BBL is contributing to the science of bird collisions, visit Bird Window Collisions | U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS has joined forces with public and private partners to create the Bird Collision Prevention Alliance and will serve as a leading agency along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Dark Sky International, Fatal Light Awareness Program and many others. This multi-sector partnership will advance efforts to address the issue of bird collisions with glass. The USGS Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) has participated in several leadership and working group efforts since February 2024 to advance the goals of this coalition. More information on the Bird Collision Prevention Alliance and its mission can be found here.
For more information about how the BBL is contributing to the science of bird collisions, visit Bird Window Collisions | U.S. Geological Survey.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services
CMS Proposes Physician Payment Rule to Significantly Cut Spending Waste, Enhance Quality Measures, and Improve Chronic Disease Management for People with Medicare
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would increase quality care for Medicare recipients while significantly reducing unnecessary spending. The calendar year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule would advance primary care management through new quality measures, reduce waste and unnecessary use of skin substitutes, and introduce a new payment model focused on improving care for chronic disease management.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services
CMS Proposes Physician Payment Rule to Significantly Cut Spending Waste, Enhance Quality Measures, and Improve Chronic Disease Management for People with Medicare
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would increase quality care for Medicare recipients while significantly reducing unnecessary spending. The calendar year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule would advance primary care management through new quality measures, reduce waste and unnecessary use of skin substitutes, and introduce a new payment model focused on improving care for chronic disease management.
On July 14, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that announces and solicits public comments on proposed policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and other Medicare Part B issues, effective on or after January 1, 2026.