R100 delivers more than 27,000 faster, ultra-reliable connections in a year.
The Scottish Government has surpassed it’s commitment to deliver gigabit-capable broadband connections to 20,000 homes and businesses last year.
A record 27,000 premises were equipped with faster broadband in 2024-25 through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme, exceeding a Programme for Government commitment by more than a third.
Connections have been made right across the country, from the Killantringan Lighthouse in Dumfries and Galloway to Stornoway in the Western Isles and Baltasound on Shetland.
The R100 contracts, being delivered by Openreach, have now enabled more than 80,000 faster broadband connections across the country, with 80% of all R100 contract build to take place in rural areas.
Business Minister Richard Lochhead visited Loch Katrine in the Trossachs to hear how access to faster broadband speeds is helping transform opportunities for local businesses.
He said:
“Fast, reliable broadband is a fundamental building block for economic growth. The Scottish Government’s R100 programme is one of the most ambitious and complex digital infrastructure programmes in Europe, rolling out connections in some of the most challenging locations in the country to help businesses and communities prosper.
“Despite telecommunications being reserved to the UK Government, our commitment to the R100 programme illustrates this government’s commitment to delivering the digital connectivity people and businesses need to succeed.
“Exceeding our 2024-25 delivery target was helped by record Scottish Government funding and an ongoing partnership with Openreach maximising the opportunities to deliver fast broadband to even more homes and businesses.”
CEO and Lead Trustee of the Steamship Sir Walter Scott Trust, James Fraser said:
”The impact of the introduction of fibre cable connections at Loch Katrine has been transformative for many aspects of our core business and our tenants. With an increasing trend to digital bookings for cruises, eco lodges, cycle hire and meals out, having high speed digital connections is critical to the success of our business and other businesses on the lochside.
“Previously our digital speeds were very poor leading to customer dissatisfaction, loss of bookings and customer complaints, particularly from guests staying overnight in our eco lodges or in campervans in our car parks. With the higher speeds now available there has been a marked improvement in digital services with increased customer satisfaction levels.”
Openreach Partnership Director for Scotland, Robert Thorburn, said:
“It’s brilliant to see businesses like the Steamship Sir Walter Scott benefitting from full fibre. We’re committed to making sure that the hardest-to-reach homes and businesses in Scotland are connected to the latest generation of broadband technology, giving them access to the same fast, reliable services available in our cities.
“While building new full fibre networks in rural areas throws up many challenges, our engineers have the skills and experience to overcome these and deserve an enormous amount of credit for their work. We’re proud of the role we’ve played, working alongside the Scottish Government, in hitting this significant milestone – but we know that our work isn’t done yet, and we’ll continue to connect communities across the country.”
Background
The commitment to connect over 20,000 premises to gigabit capable broadband in areas of market failure by March 2025, through delivery of three regional, multi-year contracts with Openreach is set out in the Programme for Government 2024-25: Serving Scotland
Originally conceived as a superfast broadband programme, R100 is now providing a gigabit-capable connection – a speed more than 30 times faster than superfast broadband – in around 99% of cases. Building to some of the hardest-to-reach parts of Scotland, a total of 78,000 connections have enabled access to faster broadband as a result of the R100 contracts.
West End LIVE returned to Trafalgar Square for its 20th anniversary on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June, drawing thousands of theatre lovers to the heart of Westminster to enjoy world-class musical performances.
Organised by Westminster City Council in partnership with the Society of London Theatre, West End LIVE has grown over two decades to become Europe’s largest free musical theatre festival. Over the weekend, 70,000 people attended and there have been 1.46 million views on the YouTube videos from the event.
This year’s line-up featured over 60 performances with a mix of beloved classics and recent hits, delivering an unforgettable showcase of the most iconic songs across all West End musicals. A special performance celebrating two decades of West End LIVE took centre stage on Sunday afternoon with memorable songs from musicals of the last 20 years, some of which are no longer running in West End.
For the first time, working alongside our power provider, Film and TV Services, the entire event was powered by 100% green energy using grid-supplied electricity, Battery Energy Storage Systems, and state-of-the-art Stage V backup generators.
This year, we also made improvements to our pre-allocated accessibility viewing area and worked with Nimbus Disability to provide guests with greater clarity on the documentation they needed.
In addition to showcasing the very best of the West End to visitors from across the world, the event was a community celebration and attended by guests from community organisations across Westminster in line with our aim of increasing cultural access for local residents.
Cllr Ryan Jude, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology and Culture, said:
“West End LIVE is one of the highlights of Westminster’s cultural calendar, and it was fantastic to see Trafalgar Square filled with so much energy, talent, and thousands of theatre lovers.
“This year, we’re especially proud that the event was powered by 100% green energy, reflecting our commitment to creating a Fairer Environment by reducing the carbon footprint of large-scale cultural events.
“Through our partnership with the Society of London Theatre, the impact of West End LIVE reaches far beyond a single weekend. Working together, we’re proud to be increasing access to cultural opportunities for residents and young people in Westminster. West End LIVE is a wonderful example of how we are ensuring everyone has the chance to experience the amazing cultural opportunities we have on offer in our city.”
Emma De Souza, Executive Director (Audiences & Commercial) at Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, said:
“Our 20th West End LIVE was truly memorable, welcoming so many brilliant shows to the stage from the West End and beyond. International stage and screen celebrities such as Corbin Bleu, Kevin McHale, Keala Settle, Vanessa Williams and Rachel Zegler took to the stage, alongside some of our best-loved West End and Broadway stars including Carrie Hope Fletcher, Lee Mead, Andy Nyman, Orfeh and Marisha Wallace, and an abundance of home-grown talent including acclaimed singer Fleur East.
“This event would not be possible without the unique relationship we have forged with Westminster City Council over the past 20 years, and we are very grateful to them, to all of the shows involved, and to our sponsors for their ongoing support.”
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is set to strengthen its commitment to improving outdoor sports facilities as it approves the latest version of its Playing Pitch Strategy.
The updated strategy will be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday 24 June and sets out where sports provision across the city currently meets demand, alongside where improvements are needed.
The council will continue to work closely with national governing bodies, Sport England, local clubs and schools to deliver improvements.
The strategy focuses on making the most of existing facilities, investing in those that need attention, and creating new ones where they are needed.
This work supports the council’s wider aim to improve people’s physical and mental health and help communities connect through sport and physical activity.
Key recommendations include:
Protecting existing sports facilities
Improving the quality of facilities, especially those that are overused or in poor condition
Working with schools and others to open up more spaces for community use
Helping clubs secure long-term access to the places they play
Exploring opportunities to transfer suitable sites to clubs to manage
Upgrading changing rooms and other support facilities, especially to support mixed-gender use
Adding more sports lighting to increase access and extend playing times
Using funding from new housing developments to improve sports provision
Maintaining strong partnerships to help secure funding and deliver the improvements
Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Playing sports has so many benefits for our physical and mental health and it also fosters a sense of community by connecting with residents through the power of sport.
“That is why it is so important that the city’s outdoor facilities are fit for purpose and available to use, which is why we are looking at measures to ensure they are continually improved.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement for the Special Rapporteur on Burundi
UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Burundi. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.
Thank you, Mr. President.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for his timely update and again recognise the ongoing importance of his mandate. We reiterate our call on Burundi to grant him full access to the country.
Mr President, the UK welcomes the peaceful conduct of Burundi’s recent legislative elections, as reported by the African Union observer mission.
However, we are concerned by reports of serious irregularities, including voter intimidation, duplicate and fraudulent registrations and the early opening of polling stations without the presence of officials. Opposition parties must be allowed to engage meaningfully in democratic processes.
We call on the government of Burundi to address these issues transparently, to enable the people of Burundi to fully exercise their civil and political rights.
We also remain deeply concerned by ongoing restrictions on human rights defenders and journalists. We urge Burundi to take further steps to protect civic space, and to ensure inclusive governance and political pluralism.
Special Rapporteur,
How can the international community best support Burundi in strengthening its existing democratic processes?
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Speech
UN Human Rights Council 59: UK Statement on the Situation of Human Rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Report on the Situation of Human Rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.
Thank you, Mr Vice President.
Nearly a year has passed since the July 2024 presidential elections, yet instead of transparency, Venezuelan authorities have deepened repression. An alarming cycle of human rights violations continues to take place.
Over 900 Venezuelans remain arbitrarily detained, with reports of enforced disappearances targeting opposition members, human rights defenders and the independent media. Many detainees are held incommunicado, denied access to legal counsel and subjected to due process violations. The justice system, far from protecting victims, has become a tool of repression. Civil society has been stifled, worsened by the so-called ‘anti-NGO’ law, which undermines the ability of organisations to operate freely.
The UK strongly condemns the continued erosion of human rights and calls for an immediate end to the repression.
We commend the OHCHR’s vital work. We remain deeply concerned by the limited return of its office in Venezuela. Now more than ever, its presence in Caracas is essential: to monitor the worsening human rights situation, ensure accountability, and uphold fundamental freedoms.
We are keen to hear any assessment the OHCHR has made of the impact of arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances on families in Venezuela, especially on women and girls.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) will present its cultural, traditional and everyday life features, investment and tourism opportunities at the exhibition “Far East Street”, which will be held in Vladivostok from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth anniversary Eastern Economic Forum. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District.
“Thousands of people from dozens of countries become participants and guests of the Eastern Economic Forum. And only a few of them have visited all regions of the Far East. The exhibition “Far East Street” is a good opportunity to tell about how and by what the Far Eastern regions live, to attract investors and tourists to their territories. Yakutia is a unique region with a rich culture, traditions and natural attractions. There are unique natural objects and places of power, different peoples with their own cultural characteristics and traditions live here. Yakutia is a confident leader in the field of creative technologies. Recently, an international forum of creative industries was held here, which gave creative people the opportunity to show their work to the general public. A separate area was the development of the cinematography sector. Films by Yakut directors receive prizes at film festivals, deserved attention from critics, and gain fans not only in Russia, but also in other countries. I am sure that after visiting the pavilion, which tells about the beauty of the northern nature, the sights and features of the republic, visitors will want to come to Yakutia and find out how it lives”, emphasized the Deputy Chairman of the Government – Plenipotentiary Representative President in the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum Yuri Trutnev.
This year, the area of the Yakutia pavilion will be more than 1 thousand square meters and will be divided into three zones: the main pavilion, the trade and exhibition area and the stage. The exhibition and presentation exposition will be dedicated to the presentation of the World Mammoth Center in the Republic of Sakha, the idea of which, by decree of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, is included in the Strategy for the Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and Ensuring National Security for the Period up to 2035.
A presentation area of the scientific complex with a cryogenic storage facility for mammoth fauna, monitoring stations, museum, exhibition and laboratory buildings, the Ice Age Park technological testing ground and a tourist and leisure center will be prepared for visitors.
“The Eastern Economic Forum is the main event for the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District. We are signing many agreements here. The investment projects implemented within their framework have set the dynamics of Yakutia’s development for years to come. Since the first forum, 4 trillion rubles have been invested in the republic, and the gross regional product has increased fourfold and reached 2.3 trillion rubles. The main result of all this is an improvement in the quality of life of people. New industries have been created, thousands of jobs have been opened, infrastructure is developing: housing, roads, and social facilities are being built. And at the EEF sites, we also have the opportunity to demonstrate the culture, traditions of the peoples, and the originality of the Far Eastern regions. This year, the Sakha Republic pavilion will be dedicated to the World Mammoth Center, which is planned to open in Yakutsk. The capital of our region is one of the largest scientific centers in the northeast of Russia, where paleontological research is actively developing with the involvement of foreign and Russian scientists. You will be able to learn about all this and more at the exhibition “Far East Street”. I am confident that VEF-2025 will be fruitful for us, and all planned events will be held at the highest level,” noted the head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev.
The exhibition and presentation exposition is planned to present projects dedicated to the problem of preserving the eastern population of the Siberian Crane – a symbol of untouched northern nature, one of the rare species of cranes that is under threat of extinction. Special attention will be paid to the investment potential of the region and the initiatives of large companies in its territory.
The pavilion will also house a tourism zone. Visitors will be able to get information about popular tourist routes, including learning about the Lena Pillars National Nature Park, the tukulan sand dunes, Lake Labynkyr and the Buluus Glacier.
In addition, popular regional brands will be presented in the trade and exhibition area – jewelry and souvenirs, clothing and accessories will be on display here. Guests and participants of the “Far East Street” will be able to visit the exhibition and fair of products of Yakut manufacturers and buy a memorable souvenir.
The cultural program will attract special attention of visitors, which will have a thematic direction according to the days of the forum. Its basis will be the theme of patriotism and love for the native land, it will unite unique national folklore and modern trends of music, high classical art.
The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition “Far East Street” will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
WASHINGTON—This week, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson wrote an op-ed in the Washington Reporter regarding his support for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a legislative vehicle to advance President Trump’s full policy agenda. “The budget reconciliation package—the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—is the legislative vehicle to advance President Trump’s full commonsense policy agenda. To put it simply, this package is truly one big, beautiful bill that reflects the promises President Trump campaigned on and won with.” The full op-ed is available here and below. It’s Time to Send the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s Desk By Rep. Mike Simpson Opportunities like this don’t come around often. Right now, Congress has the chance to pass legislation that delivers on the American-first agenda that Idahoans and millions of Americans voted for last November. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a substantial opportunity we have in front of us, and it is of the utmost importance we get this passed and to President Trump’s desk. The budget reconciliation package—the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—is the legislative vehicle to advance President Trump’s full commonsense policy agenda. To put it simply, this package is truly one big, beautiful bill that reflects the promises President Trump campaigned on and won with. The mainstream media has made a lot of noise, which we have heard since this reconciliation process began. However, if there is one thing sure, more than 77 million Americans voted for the legislation standing before us in Congress. For Idahoans, two of the biggest concerns in 2024 were getting our economy back on track and securing the southern border. This bill tackles both. It includes the largest tax cut in history for working and middle-class families, boosting their take-home pay and wages. If passed, this would deliver up to a $12,200 increase in annual take-home pay for a typical Idaho family of four. And let me be clear: failing to extend the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts would stick Americans with the largest tax hike in history – Idahoans would face a 24% tax increase. Rest assured, I’m working alongside my colleagues to prevent that from happening. Border security is just as important. We all witnessed what happened to the border during the Biden administration, and the One Big Beautiful Bill works to ensure a crisis like that never happens again. I view the One Big Beautiful Bill as a national security investment. The Biden administration’s open-border policies allowed millions of illegal immigrants to flood through the southern border. The result? A catastrophic wave of violent crime that plagued our nation. For anyone who argues that the open border did not affect Idaho, every state was a border state under the previous administration. Idahoans felt the consequences. Ask any law enforcement officer about the rates of fentanyl overdoses and the amount of illicit drugs that poured into our state over four years. The One Big Beautiful Bill reverses course. It provides funding to help finish President Trump’s border wall and provides our brave Border Patrol and ICE agents with the resources they need to keep our communities safe. These historic investments will strengthen America’s border security for years to come. This is more than just a reconciliation package – it’s the only way to get our country back on track. Congress has a real opportunity here—a chance to deliver the America-first agenda Idahoans and Americans nationwide voted for in November. We cannot afford to let it slip by. The time to advance President Trump’s policy agenda by passing the One Big Beautiful Bill is now.
HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad met on Thursday with HE Under-Secretary of State for Africa at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Collins of Highbury, on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Forum, held in London, UK.
During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them, in addition to several topics of mutual interest.
HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani attended the meeting.
HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad met on Thursday with HE CEO of the World Humanitarian Forum Feraye Ozfescioglu, HE Lord of Wimbledon, former Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia and United Nations at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Lord Tariq Ahmad, and member of the Advisory Board of the World Humanitarian Forum Richard Hawkes, on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Forum, held in London, UK.
During the meeting, cooperation relations were discussed, as well as ways to support and enhance them, in addition to several topics of mutual interest.
HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani attended the meeting.
The State of Qatar has confirmed that the Israeli occupation’s aggression against the Gaza Strip, ongoing since October 2023, has caused an unprecedented deterioration in the humanitarian situation. The escalation has resulted in widespread starvation and the deliberate destruction of essential infrastructure, amounting to what Qatar described as a campaign of mass extermination.
This came in a statement delivered by Mr. Hamad Muhammad Al-Suwaidi, Second Secretary of Qatar’s Permanent Delegation in Geneva, during his participation in the 2025 session of the International Telecommunication Union. The session included a review of international assistance and support provided to Palestine.
Mr. Hamad Muhammad Al-Suwaidi stated that the destruction of the telecommunications sector in the Gaza Strip is not merely the loss of a technical service, but the collapse of a vital infrastructure that affects every aspect of daily life for Gaza’s residents. He emphasized that this collapse has severely worsened both humanitarian and living conditions in the Strip.
Al-Suwaidi pointed out that the Palestinian telecommunications sector was already fragile due to long-standing Israeli restrictions on its development. Despite this, it has not been spared from Israeli bombardment. He noted that more than 74% of the sector’s infrastructure and assets—including information technology systems—have been destroyed. Many cellular network towers and sites are out of service due to bombing, severe fuel shortages, the prevention of importing essential equipment and spare parts, and tight restrictions on the movement of maintenance crews.
In this context, Mr. Hamad Muhammad Al-Suwaidi welcomed the steps taken by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to implement Resolution 1424, issued by the ITU Council in 2024. He emphasized the need for a clear and actionable executive plan to ensure the full and urgent implementation of the resolution. Al-Suwaidi stressed that such a plan is essential to overcoming the challenges facing the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in the State of Palestine. He underscored the importance of ensuring fair and comprehensive access to communication and internet services for all Palestinians. He also called for urgent international efforts to support the reconstruction of this vital sector following the end of the war on Gaza.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has been allocated R9.08 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, accounting for 0.35% of the national appropriation.
“When adjusted for inflation, this reflects a real decrease of R121.5 million, or 1.4%, compared to last year. In short; the department is being asked to do more, with less,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said during his Budget Vote speech in Parliament on Friday.
The Minister said the Budget Vote is being tabled against the backdrop of a constrained fiscal environment.
“Following the reversal of the proposed VAT increase in May 2025, the national budget framework was revised, with consolidated government spending projected to grow from R2.4 trillion in 2024/25 to R2.81 trillion in 2027/28.
“Nearly half the Department’s medium-term budget – R14.5 billion – will go directly to goods and services, including the Expanded Public Works Programme, implementation of the Forestry Master Plan, and rollout of the Waste Management Strategy,” the Minister said.
Transfers and subsidies to public entities, such as the South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI), South African National Parks (SANParks), iSimangaliso, and South African Weather Service, will account for over R5.5 billion.
“This department is using every rand to protect ecosystems, grow green jobs, and meet the urgent demands of climate adaptation, regulation, and environmental justice.
“To achieve these imperatives, the department is focusing on six flagship priorities in the 2025/26 financial year. These “Big 6” priorities shape our work, guide our partnerships, and define the strategic investments proposed in this Budget Vote,” the Minister said.
He emphasised that climate change is not a distant threat.
“…It is here, disrupting our communities, economies, and ecosystems. We see it in rising temperatures, intensifying floods, droughts, and fires that affect lives and livelihoods. Through the Climate Change Act, now in force, we have established a unified, whole- of-government response to this urgent crisis.
“This year, we will deliver new Nationally Determined Contributions, a revised Low Emissions Development Strategy, final Sectoral Emission Targets, and implement the Climate Change Adaptation Response Plan for vulnerable coastal regions,” the Minister said.
The department has also completed the Highveld Air Quality Management Plan to ensure Eskom complies with air pollution laws — because the constitutional right to clean air cannot be compromised.
“South Africa’s biodiversity is a powerful engine for development. The revised National Biodiversity Economy Strategy will unlock 397,000 jobs and inject R127 billion annually into the economy by 2036 through eco-tourism, bioprospecting, and sustainable game meat production.
“South Africa’s fisheries are lifelines for coastal and rural communities. Through Fishing for Freedom, we are securing sustainable access, supporting small-scale fishers, and combating illegal harvesting that threatens biodiversity and food security.
“We are fast-tracking signage, wreck removal, security and road markings at the 12 proclaimed fishing harbours, implementing co-management systems for nearshore fisheries, and expanding Small, Medium and Micro enterprises (SMMEs) training in the small-scale fisheries sector,” the Minister said.
This is part of the department’s revitalisation of harbours — unlocking jobs and dignity for coastal communities. – SAnews.gov.za
President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken out following his decision to remove Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield, from his position.
Whitfield’s removal – which was done in terms of section 93 (1) of the Constitution – was announced on Thursday.
In a statement on Friday, President Ramaphosa said although it was not common practice for the President of the Republic of South Africa to provide reasons for either appointment or dismissals; “several unfortunate statements and outright distortions by a number of people” have made it necessary to do so.
“Mr Whitfield was removed as a Deputy Minister because he undertook an international visit without the permission of the President. His travel to the United States was a clear violation of the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive.
“This requirement is known to all Ministers and Deputy Ministers. These rules and established practices were expressly communicated to all members of the Executive during the induction sessions at the commencement of the 7th administration,” he said.
The President said the rules and practices “were repeated in Cabinet in March this year by me as President”.
“All international travel by members of the executive must always be undertaken with the express permission of the President. This practice is rigorously observed and adhered to by all members of the Executive. However, Mr Whitfield deliberately chose to violate this rule and practice,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President confirmed that prior to Whitfield’s removal, he spoke to Democratic Alliance (DA) and fellow Government of National Unity (GNU) party leader, John Steenhuisen about his removal and “I expect him to present to me for approval a replacement for Mr Whitfield from his party as the DA is entitled to a Deputy Minister as agreed”.
“In that discussion, Mr Steenhuisen informed me that Mr Whitfield had been expecting that he may be dismissed on the grounds that he had undertaken an international trip without the President’s permission.
“This expectation, along with a perfunctory letter of apology that Mr Whitfield wrote to me following his travel to the USA without the required permission, indicated that he was aware that his actions had violated the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive,” he said.
The President emphasised that previous Presidents had undertaken to remove ministers and deputy ministers before.
“During my discussion with Mr Steenhuisen, he asked me if there was precedent for the action that I intended to take in relation to Mr Whitfield. I informed him that there was indeed prior precedent.
“I told him that in 1995, President Nelson Mandela dismissed the late Deputy Minister Madikizela-Mandela and that in 2007 President Thabo Mbeki dismissed then Deputy Minister Nosizwe Madlala-Routledge on the grounds of undertaking international travel without permission.
“Given all these circumstances, there is consequently no reasonable grounds for Mr Steenhuisen and the Democratic Alliance to issue ultimatums and threats when the President exercises his constitutional prerogative and responsibility. Nor are there any grounds to try link this with matters that have no bearing on the conduct of the former Deputy Minister,” he said.
The President emphasised that there is “no basis” to suggest that the former Deputy Minister’s removal is “related to any other reason than his failure to receive permission to travel and adhere to the rules and established practices expected of members of the Executive”.
“While Mr Steenhuisen asked that he be allowed to brief the Democratic Alliance Federal Executive prior to the removal letter being delivered to Mr Whitfield, this would have had no bearing on my decision. It is the responsibility and the prerogative of the President to determine the timing and manner of the appointment and removal of Members of the Executive.
“I am amazed at Mr Steenhuisen’s intemperate reaction to the removal of Mr Whitfield. He knows very well that the blatant disregard of the rules and practices that govern the international travel of members of the executive is a serious violation that should not be permitted,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President reminded that it remains the Constitutional prerogative of the President to appoint or remove Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
“It is unprecedented in the history of our democracy that the exercise by the President of his constitutional prerogative and responsibility with respect to a clear violation of rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive has met with such irresponsible and unjustifiable threats and ultimatums from a member of the executive.
“Let it be clear that the President shall not yield to threats and ultimatums, especially coming from members of the Executive that he has the prerogative to appoint in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
South Africa’s Group of 20 (G20) Presidency is making significant progress toward a comprehensive Leaders’ Declaration that emphasises sustainable development and addresses pressing global issues.
This statement was made by South Africa’s G20 Sherpa and Chair, Zane Dangor, who spoke to the media on Friday as the three-day Sherpa meeting concluded.
During a briefing with local and international media, Dangor said the gathering highlighted key developments through a collaborative approach that seeks input from all delegates.
“The past two and a half days have gone really well. Delegates are happy with the progress we’ve made in our working groups and our task forces, but also in the way we are conducting our Presidency.
“We’re putting forward our priorities in a very consultative manner, and this will help us to shape our Leaders’ Declaration, which was what we discussed in the last session,” the Sherpa said.
However, he noted that the draft declaration remains fluid to accommodate ongoing global dynamics.
“We gave them a framework of what we think should be in the declaration based on our priorities. They’ve agreed with that, and they’ve also asked for certain other things to be included. So, we’re quite confident that we are on track.”
However, Dangor announced that the final declaration is expected to emerge after ongoing working group discussions and will be circulated for further input in the coming weeks.
“We can’t draft something that changes within three or four months, even two weeks…”
Meanwhile, Dangor stated that the delegates are satisfied with the consultative process and the inclusion of various priorities, including climate change and artificial intelligence.
The G20 Leaders’ Declaration captures the shared perspectives, commitments, and agreements made by the leaders of the intergovernmental forum, typically outlining the framework for future international collaboration.
This week, South Africa hosted the world’s largest economies and organisations, which convened at Sun City Resort in the North West for the third G20 Sherpa meeting.
In the G20, the Sherpas are the leaders of each country, who take the discussions and agreements to the final summit with Heads of State and Government.
African agenda
On advancing the continent’s agenda, Dangor said the African Union’s permanent membership brings “a perspective of 54 countries to the table”, providing a more robust African representation in global discussions.
“We can see that they’re getting better prepared at making those inputs. The AU and the EU [European Union] bring a grouping of countries to the table… it does bring the African flavour to the G20 in a way that is much appreciated by others.”
Dangor, who serves as the Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, told journalists that South Africa’s G20 Presidency is particularly focused on continuity, addressing a longstanding challenge, where each G20 Presidency traditionally defines its own themes.
“We’ve been keen to focus on the sustainable development agenda,” he explained, highlighting a consistent approach across recent Presidencies.
Geopolitical tensions
He stressed that geopolitical tensions remain a critical challenge, with discussions centering on principles of international law and territorial integrity.
According to Dangor, South Africa’s G20 Presidency is working to draft language that ensures “no exceptions” to holding nations accountable under international frameworks.
“We’re hoping to get ceasefires to stay in place. We’re hoping for justice to prevail, and we’re hoping for humanitarian access in Sudan, Gaza, and other places to be championed by the international community. These were the issues that we were discussing.”
While challenges persist, including the absence of United States representatives, Dangor said the G20 leadership remains optimistic about crafting a meaningful declaration that addresses global South priorities and sustainable development goals.
He mentioned that a Troika meeting has been organised between Brazil, the United States, and South Africa to update America on the current discussions and plans for the upcoming months.
“The G20 is continuing. The work continues in the working groups, the Sherpa work continues, and we will then have to factor in, based on levels of participation going forward, what we do with the views of the US, if they may, bring it at a later stage.” – SAnews.gov.za
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Tokyo stocks ended higher Friday for a fourth straight day, with the Nikkei closing above the 40,000 line for the first time since January, as concern over hefty U.S. tariffs eased.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended up 566.21 points, or 1.43 percent, from Thursday at 40,150.79, its highest level since Dec. 27.
The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 35.85 points, or 1.28 percent, higher at 2,840.54.
The Nikkei index briefly climbed over 600 points after the U.S. administration said Thursday that President Donald Trump could extend a 90-day pause on so-called reciprocal tariffs set to expire July 9, analysts said.
Investors also welcomed the easing of tensions in the Middle East, as the cease-fire agreed earlier in the week by Israel and Iran appeared to be holding.
Drugs destroy people’s lives, enslaving them and making them powerless. Addiction doesn’t have the last word, and those who have fallen into it can find hope again. We do not intend to give in to indifference, and will do everything necessary to give dignity and a future back to those who have fallen into the abyss of drug abuse.
These are some of the key messages we intend to reiterate today, on the International Day against Drug Abuse established by the United Nations.
This Government has undertaken extraordinary efforts to combat drugs and prevent addiction, accompanying this work with a record financial investment of approximately EUR 165 million, around double what was available in previous years.
We still have a lot of work to do in order to overcome this challenge but, as Pope Leo XIV highlighted during today’s audience with Italy’s anti-addiction system, the key word is “together”.
Together with communities, third sector entities, scientific organisations, doctors, healthcare professionals, public addiction services, regional and local authorities. Together with all those who pursue the common good, and care about the dignity of each and every person. This has been the spirit behind the Government’s work ever since it took office, and it will continue to drive its efforts.
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Congratulations to the graduate
On June 24, a ceremony was held in the meeting room of the Academic Council of SPbGASU to present certificates, certificates of obtaining the first profession and certificates of completion of training at SPbGASU to ninth-grade graduates of School No. 334 in the Nevsky District of St. Petersburg.
The dean of the automobile and road engineering faculty of SPbGASU Andrey Zazykin addressed the graduates with welcoming words, conveying congratulations from the rector Evgeny Rybnov and noting that the students have many professional achievements and personal victories ahead of them, and the experience they have gained will help them make the right choice of their future profession.
Advisor to the General Director of St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise “Passazhiravtotrans” Sergey Maevsky invited the guys to join his enterprise in the future – the largest passenger transport operator in the North-West region.
Principal of School No. 334 Natalia Nagaichenko addressed the graduates with a farewell speech: “Remember the names of those who made our country famous with their discoveries and inventions, whose works became the foundation for the development of science and technology. They left us a rich heritage, which we can rightfully be proud of! But pride in the past is only a starting point. True strength is in the desire to surpass what has been achieved, in the desire to make a contribution to the future. Believe in yourself, in your potential, in the power of Russian science and engineering! Go forward, to new heights, for the benefit of the city and the country!”
In autumn 2023, SPbGASU, in cooperation with the Center for Advanced Professional Training, SPb GBPOU “Academy of Transport Technologies” and key partners – Renga Softvea LLC, St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise “Passazhiravtotrans” and EVROAVTO LLC, began implementing the Engineering Classes project.
On the basis of the 334th school, a TIM class and the first motor transport class in the Northern capital were created. The main goal of the engineering classes is early career guidance and training of engineering personnel, as well as building a chain of sustainable interaction “school – college – university – employer”.
Over the course of two years, schoolchildren mastered additional general development programs and a vocational training program, for which they successfully passed the final certification.
In a ceremonial atmosphere, Anna Samodelkina, Senior Methodologist of the Center for Advanced Professional Training of St. Petersburg, Natalia Khlebova, Head of the Career Guidance and Employment Department of the Academy of Transport Technologies, Igor Chernyaev, Head of the Department of Technical Operation of Vehicles of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Roman Litvin, Associate Professor of the Department of Ground Transport and Technological Machines of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, and Ekaterina Kopylova, Deputy Director of the Institute of Continuing Education of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, presented graduates with certificates of completion of training in additional general development programs of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering and certificates of the first profession of “Automobile Repair Mechanic”, “Draftsman-Designer” and “Inspector of Purchased Components”.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
Employees of the Department of Technosphere Safety and the Smart Labor testing ground of SPbGASU took part in the forum and exhibition “Engineering Assembly of Russia 2025”. The event took place in St. Petersburg on June 25-26 and was dedicated to the development of domestic industry.
At the forum, specialists from our university presented a virtual reality training program, “Zero Cycle. Concrete Works,” developed within the framework of the innovative educational project of SPbGASU “Modern Educational Technologies for Ensuring Occupational Safety in the Construction Industry.” In addition, innovative personal protective equipment, industrial exoskeletons for construction work, were presented at the SPbGASU stand, the capabilities and efficiency of which are being studied by specialists from the Department of Technosphere Safety.
Dean of the Faculty of Construction, Head of the Department of Technosphere Safety Andrey Nikulin presented a report on “Using information modeling technologies (TIM) to ensure safe work during the construction cycle.”
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)
Congressman Glenn Grothman (WI-06) has reintroduced the Enforce the Caps Act, which extends critical federal spending caps through Fiscal Year (FY) 2029. The legislation builds on the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act, which currently enforces spending caps only through FY 2025.
“Americans are fed up with the reckless spending in Washington that continues to fuel our growing debt crisis,”said Grothman.“Congress already reached a bipartisan agreement on commonsense spending caps through FY25, and this legislation simply extends those enforcement tools through FY29, adding essential guardrails to protect taxpayers from runaway deficits.
“While the Fiscal Responsibility Act was a step forward, more action is needed to get Washington’s fiscal house in order. The Enforce the Caps Act strengthens our commitment to reducing the deficit and curbing inflation. This is about securing our nation’s economic future for future generations.”
“Congress needs automatic enforcement to make spending limits real. Rep. Grothman’s proposal to add sequester backing to appropriations caps for four more years makes good sense. As Congress continues with the unfinished business of ending excessive spending and debt, this legislation deserves members’ support,”said Kurt Couchman, Senior Fellow in Fiscal Policy with Americans for Prosperity.
“While the Fiscal Responsibility Act accomplished a $1.5 trillion reduction (CBO) in spending through, primarily, its FY2024 and FY2025 spending caps, President Biden and Senate Democrats would not allow enforceable spending limits in Fiscal Years 2026 through 2029. This leaves the nation’s fiscal stability vulnerable to whoever holds power during these years. Thankfully, Representative Glenn Grothman has introduced the Enforce the Caps Act, which would make these spending caps enforceable through sequestration. This law would decrease planned spending by an additional $553 billion. Rep. Grothman’s bill is a crucial next step towards fiscal sanity, providing a more stable economy for Americans and protecting future taxpayers. ATR urges all lawmakers to support this important legislation,”said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform.
“The Enforce the Caps Act is a vital step toward restoring fiscal discipline in Washington. This commonsense legislation would finally hold Congress accountable to the discretionary spending limits it has repeatedly agreed to but consistently ignored. JCN polling finds balancing the budget is one of the biggest priorities of American small businesses, and the Enforce the Caps Act would help rein in the reckless spending that is 100% responsible for America’s deficit crisis. It’s about time that Washington played by the same rules every Main Street entrepreneur does—living within a budget,”said Alfredo Ortiz, CEO of Job Creators Network.
“National Taxpayers Union is pleased to once again support the Enforce the Caps Act, which would make discretionary spending limits established in the Fiscal Responsibility Act enforceable through sequestration in future years. Enforcing these limits would promote greater budget discipline and help reduce annual deficit spending,”said Brandon Arnold, Executive Vice President of the National Taxpayers Union.
“The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is proud to endorse the Enforce the Caps Act, reintroduced by Rep. Grothman. Following the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which set discretionary spending caps for FY24–FY29, this legislation would reduce federal outlays by $553 billion from FY26 to FY33 by ensuring those caps are enforced through sequestration. TPA strongly supports this measure, which reins in Washington’s reckless spending and safeguards taxpayers’ hard earned dollars,”said David Williams, President of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.
“Rep. Glenn Grothman’s Enforce the Caps Act takes a much-needed step toward restoring fiscal discipline. With binding spending caps set to expire after FY 2025, Congress should prevent a surge in discretionary spending that could fuel inflation and deepen the U.S. debt crisis. Locking in previously agreed upon spending caps—with a real enforcement mechanism—will help focus taxpayer dollars on core government priorities by forcing tradeoff considerations, and helping Congress do what every family must do: budget within limited means,”said Romina Boccia and Dominik Lett from Cato Institute.
“R Street Institute is pleased to support the ‘Enforce the Caps Act.’ Too often, when Congress sets fiscal targets as part of a negotiated deal, critical spending restrictions are postponed for future years and rarely achieved in full. This shortchanges taxpayers and legislators who were promised savings as part of a comprehensive agreement. It also devalues the legislative process by signaling that lawmakers never intended to follow the law, making it harder for legislators to work together in the future and undermining trust in the institution. By enforcing the spending limits in the ‘Fiscal Responsibility Act,’ Congress can at once secure urgently needed savings and boost congressional integrity,”said Nan Swift, Resident Fellow, Governance Project, R Street Institute.
“The Enforce the Caps Act would add real teeth to the Fiscal Responsibility Act beyond 2025, codifying significant deficit reduction in the process. We applaud Representative Grothman for his initiative in introducing this important bill. Although the Fiscal Responsibility Act was the largest and most important deficit reduction bill in over a decade, it does not include a mechanism to truly enforce its savings or discretionary targets beyond 2025. The ECA would extend the statutory caps in place for 2024 and 2025, limiting appropriations growth to 1 percent per year through 2029. Members have already voted for these spending levels as targets under the FRA, so it only makes sense to make them real. In doing so, the Enforce the Caps Act would play a significant role in improving America’s fiscal future,”said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
“The Enforce the Caps Act is a step in the right direction. It strengthens the FRA by making the budget caps from FY 26′ to FY 29′ fully enforceable through sequestration. We applaud Congressman Grothman for reintroducing this commonsense measure to rein in out-of-control spending,”said Jill Homan, Deputy Director for Trade and Economic Policy for the America First Policy Institute
Background Information
The bipartisan Fiscal Responsibly Act of 2023 placed two years of enforceable discretionary spending caps for FY24 and FY25 and four years of non-enforceable caps for FY26 through FY29. The Enforce the Caps Act protects taxpayers by simply extending the enforcement period to apply to FY26 through FY29.
The Enforce the Caps Act would simply make the FY 26 through FY 29 caps enacted by the Fiscal Responsibility Act enforceable through sequestration.
According to the CBO, full enforcement of these caps would decrease outlays by $553 billion between 2026 and 2033.
This bill is endorsed by Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Job Creators Network, National Taxpayers Union, R Street Institute, America First Policy Institute, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and Taxpayers Protection Alliance.
This bill has three original cosponsors, including Representatives Andy Barr (R-KY), Ralph Norman (R-SC), and David Rouzer (R-NC).
U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) proudly serves the people of Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives
Headline: ICC and World Bank Group join forces to empower SMEs in emerging markets
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Formalised today at ICC Global Headquarters in Paris, the non-binding partnership sets out key areas to enable SMEs by harnessing ICC’s global network of over 45 million companies and chambers and the development expertise and reach of the World Bank Group institutions – including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said:
“Over the past year, we’ve put jobs at the centre of our global mission to end poverty. Small and medium enterprises account for nearly three quarters of employment in emerging markets. This partnership will help drive the creation of jobs by combining the power of ICC’s 45 million SMEs in 170 countries with the World Bank Group’s global knowledge, financial capacity, and public and private sector networks.”
ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said:
“ICC is uniquely positioned not only to identify the systemic barriers facing SMEs around the world, but also to deliver ways to remove them. Today we are marking a bold step forward in equipping SMEs to meet today’s economic challenges by converting the combined expertise and networks of ICC and World Bank Group into impact at scale.”
An estimated 1.2 billion young people are expected to enter the workforce in emerging markets and developing economies in coming years, yet projections suggest that only just over 400 million jobs will be created. Strengthening SMEs is vital given that they represent 95% of all firms and account for 70% of employment in these economies.
The ICC-World Bank Group agreement underscores a mutual commitment to promoting inclusive economic opportunity, enhancing the resilience of small businesses and accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Initial activities will focus on trade facilitation, upskilling, digitalisation and improved access to finance with a group of pilot countries – Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya and Nigeria.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University
The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene.AP Photo/Allen G. Breed
Hurricane Helene lasted only a few days in September 2024, but it altered the landscape of the Southeastern U.S. in profound ways that will affect the hazards local residents face far into the future.
Helene was a powerful reminder that natural hazards don’t disappear when the skies clear – they evolve.
These transformations are part of what scientists call cascading hazards. They occur when one natural event alters the landscape in ways that lead to future hazards. A landslide triggered by a storm might clog a river, leading to downstream flooding months or years later. A wildfire can alter the soil and vegetation, setting the stage for debris flows with the next rainstorm.
Satellite images before (top) and after Hurricane Helene (bottom) show how the storm altered landscape near Pensacola, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Google Earth, CC BY
I study these disasters as a geomorphologist. In a new paper in the journal Science, I and a team of scientists from 18 universities and the U.S. Geological Survey explain why hazard models – used to help communities prepare for disasters – can’t just rely on the past. Instead, they need to be nimble enough to forecast how hazards evolve in real time.
The science behind cascading hazards
Cascading hazards aren’t random. They emerge from physical processes that operate continuously across the landscape – sediment movement, weathering, erosion. Together, the atmosphere, biosphere and the earth are constantly reshaping the conditions that cause natural disasters.
For instance, earthquakes fracture rock and shake loose soil. Even if landslides don’t occur during the quake itself, the ground may be weakened, leaving it primed for failure during later rainstorms.
A strong aftershock after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province, China, in May 2008 triggered more landslides in central China. AP Photo/Andy Wong
Earth’s surface retains a “memory” of these events. Sediment disturbed in an earthquake, wildfire or severe storm will move downslope over years or even decades, reshaping the landscape as it goes.
These risks present challenges for everything from emergency planning to home insurance. After repeated wildfire-mudslide combinations in California, some insurers pulled out of the state entirely, citing mounting risks and rising costs among the reasons.
Cascading hazards are not new, but their impact is intensifying.
Yet climate change is only part of the equation. Earth processes – such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – also trigger cascading hazards, often with long-lasting effects.
Mount St. Helens is a powerful example: More than four decades after its eruption in 1980, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to manage ash and sediment from the eruption to keep it from filling river channels in ways that could increase the flood risk in downstream communities.
Rethinking risk and building resilience
Traditionally, insurance companies and disaster managers have estimated hazard risk by looking at past events.
But when the landscape has changed, the past may no longer be a reliable guide to the future. To address this, computer models based on the physics of how these events work are needed to help forecast hazard evolution in real time, much like weather models update with new atmospheric data.
A March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range wiped out trees in its path. Brian Yanites, June 2025 A drone image of the same March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range shows where it temporarily dammed the river below. Brian Yanites, June 2025
Thanks to advances in Earth observation technology, such as satellite imagery, drone and lidar, which is similar to radar but uses light, scientists can now track how hillslopes, rivers and vegetation change after disasters. These observations can feed into geomorphic models that simulate how loosened sediment moves and where hazards are likely to emerge next.
Cascading hazards reveal that Earth’s surface is not a passive backdrop, but an active, evolving system. Each event reshapes the stage for the next.
Understanding these connections is critical for building resilience so communities can withstand future storms, earthquakes and the problems created by debris flows. Better forecasts can inform building codes, guide infrastructure design and improve how risk is priced and managed. They can help communities anticipate long-term threats and adapt before the next disaster strikes.
Most importantly, they challenge everyone to think beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster – and to recognize the slow, quiet transformations that build toward the next.
Brian J. Yanites receives funding from the National Science Foundation.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University
The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene.AP Photo/Allen G. Breed
Hurricane Helene lasted only a few days in September 2024, but it altered the landscape of the Southeastern U.S. in profound ways that will affect the hazards local residents face far into the future.
Helene was a powerful reminder that natural hazards don’t disappear when the skies clear – they evolve.
These transformations are part of what scientists call cascading hazards. They occur when one natural event alters the landscape in ways that lead to future hazards. A landslide triggered by a storm might clog a river, leading to downstream flooding months or years later. A wildfire can alter the soil and vegetation, setting the stage for debris flows with the next rainstorm.
Satellite images before (top) and after Hurricane Helene (bottom) show how the storm altered landscape near Pensacola, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Google Earth, CC BY
I study these disasters as a geomorphologist. In a new paper in the journal Science, I and a team of scientists from 18 universities and the U.S. Geological Survey explain why hazard models – used to help communities prepare for disasters – can’t just rely on the past. Instead, they need to be nimble enough to forecast how hazards evolve in real time.
The science behind cascading hazards
Cascading hazards aren’t random. They emerge from physical processes that operate continuously across the landscape – sediment movement, weathering, erosion. Together, the atmosphere, biosphere and the earth are constantly reshaping the conditions that cause natural disasters.
For instance, earthquakes fracture rock and shake loose soil. Even if landslides don’t occur during the quake itself, the ground may be weakened, leaving it primed for failure during later rainstorms.
A strong aftershock after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province, China, in May 2008 triggered more landslides in central China. AP Photo/Andy Wong
Earth’s surface retains a “memory” of these events. Sediment disturbed in an earthquake, wildfire or severe storm will move downslope over years or even decades, reshaping the landscape as it goes.
These risks present challenges for everything from emergency planning to home insurance. After repeated wildfire-mudslide combinations in California, some insurers pulled out of the state entirely, citing mounting risks and rising costs among the reasons.
Cascading hazards are not new, but their impact is intensifying.
Yet climate change is only part of the equation. Earth processes – such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – also trigger cascading hazards, often with long-lasting effects.
Mount St. Helens is a powerful example: More than four decades after its eruption in 1980, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to manage ash and sediment from the eruption to keep it from filling river channels in ways that could increase the flood risk in downstream communities.
Rethinking risk and building resilience
Traditionally, insurance companies and disaster managers have estimated hazard risk by looking at past events.
But when the landscape has changed, the past may no longer be a reliable guide to the future. To address this, computer models based on the physics of how these events work are needed to help forecast hazard evolution in real time, much like weather models update with new atmospheric data.
A March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range wiped out trees in its path. Brian Yanites, June 2025 A drone image of the same March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range shows where it temporarily dammed the river below. Brian Yanites, June 2025
Thanks to advances in Earth observation technology, such as satellite imagery, drone and lidar, which is similar to radar but uses light, scientists can now track how hillslopes, rivers and vegetation change after disasters. These observations can feed into geomorphic models that simulate how loosened sediment moves and where hazards are likely to emerge next.
Cascading hazards reveal that Earth’s surface is not a passive backdrop, but an active, evolving system. Each event reshapes the stage for the next.
Understanding these connections is critical for building resilience so communities can withstand future storms, earthquakes and the problems created by debris flows. Better forecasts can inform building codes, guide infrastructure design and improve how risk is priced and managed. They can help communities anticipate long-term threats and adapt before the next disaster strikes.
Most importantly, they challenge everyone to think beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster – and to recognize the slow, quiet transformations that build toward the next.
Brian J. Yanites receives funding from the National Science Foundation.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brian J. Yanites, Associate Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science. Professor of Surficial and Sedimentary Geology, Indiana University
The Carter Lodge hangs precariously over the flood-scoured bank of the Broad River in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 13, 2025, eight months after Hurricane Helene.AP Photo/Allen G. Breed
Hurricane Helene lasted only a few days in September 2024, but it altered the landscape of the Southeastern U.S. in profound ways that will affect the hazards local residents face far into the future.
Helene was a powerful reminder that natural hazards don’t disappear when the skies clear – they evolve.
These transformations are part of what scientists call cascading hazards. They occur when one natural event alters the landscape in ways that lead to future hazards. A landslide triggered by a storm might clog a river, leading to downstream flooding months or years later. A wildfire can alter the soil and vegetation, setting the stage for debris flows with the next rainstorm.
Satellite images before (top) and after Hurricane Helene (bottom) show how the storm altered landscape near Pensacola, N.C., in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Google Earth, CC BY
I study these disasters as a geomorphologist. In a new paper in the journal Science, I and a team of scientists from 18 universities and the U.S. Geological Survey explain why hazard models – used to help communities prepare for disasters – can’t just rely on the past. Instead, they need to be nimble enough to forecast how hazards evolve in real time.
The science behind cascading hazards
Cascading hazards aren’t random. They emerge from physical processes that operate continuously across the landscape – sediment movement, weathering, erosion. Together, the atmosphere, biosphere and the earth are constantly reshaping the conditions that cause natural disasters.
For instance, earthquakes fracture rock and shake loose soil. Even if landslides don’t occur during the quake itself, the ground may be weakened, leaving it primed for failure during later rainstorms.
A strong aftershock after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province, China, in May 2008 triggered more landslides in central China. AP Photo/Andy Wong
Earth’s surface retains a “memory” of these events. Sediment disturbed in an earthquake, wildfire or severe storm will move downslope over years or even decades, reshaping the landscape as it goes.
These risks present challenges for everything from emergency planning to home insurance. After repeated wildfire-mudslide combinations in California, some insurers pulled out of the state entirely, citing mounting risks and rising costs among the reasons.
Cascading hazards are not new, but their impact is intensifying.
Yet climate change is only part of the equation. Earth processes – such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – also trigger cascading hazards, often with long-lasting effects.
Mount St. Helens is a powerful example: More than four decades after its eruption in 1980, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to manage ash and sediment from the eruption to keep it from filling river channels in ways that could increase the flood risk in downstream communities.
Rethinking risk and building resilience
Traditionally, insurance companies and disaster managers have estimated hazard risk by looking at past events.
But when the landscape has changed, the past may no longer be a reliable guide to the future. To address this, computer models based on the physics of how these events work are needed to help forecast hazard evolution in real time, much like weather models update with new atmospheric data.
A March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range wiped out trees in its path. Brian Yanites, June 2025 A drone image of the same March 2024 landslide in the Oregon Coast Range shows where it temporarily dammed the river below. Brian Yanites, June 2025
Thanks to advances in Earth observation technology, such as satellite imagery, drone and lidar, which is similar to radar but uses light, scientists can now track how hillslopes, rivers and vegetation change after disasters. These observations can feed into geomorphic models that simulate how loosened sediment moves and where hazards are likely to emerge next.
Cascading hazards reveal that Earth’s surface is not a passive backdrop, but an active, evolving system. Each event reshapes the stage for the next.
Understanding these connections is critical for building resilience so communities can withstand future storms, earthquakes and the problems created by debris flows. Better forecasts can inform building codes, guide infrastructure design and improve how risk is priced and managed. They can help communities anticipate long-term threats and adapt before the next disaster strikes.
Most importantly, they challenge everyone to think beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster – and to recognize the slow, quiet transformations that build toward the next.
Brian J. Yanites receives funding from the National Science Foundation.
As a research chef and educator at Drexel University in Philadelphia, I am following the Michelin developments closely.
Having eaten in Michelin restaurants in other cities, I am confident that Philly has at least a few star-worthy restaurants. Our innovative dining scene was named one of the top 10 in the U.S. by Food & Wine in 2025.
Researchers have convincingly shown that Michelin ratings can boost tourism, so Philly gaining some starred restaurants could bring more revenue for the city.
But as the lead author of the textbook “Culinary Improvisation,” which teaches creativity, I also worry the Michelin scrutiny could make chefs more focused on delivering a consistent experience than continuing along the innovative trajectory that attracts Michelin in the first place.
Ingredients for culinary innovation
In “Culinary Improvisation” we discuss three elements needed to foster innovation in the kitchen.
The first is mastery of culinary technique, both classical and modern. Simply stated, this refers to good cooking.
The second is access to a diverse range of ingredients and flavors. The more colors the artist has on their palette, the more directions the creation can take.
And the third, which is key to my concerns, is a collaborative and supportive environment where chefs can take risks and make mistakes. Research shows a close link between risk-taking workplaces and innovation.
According to the Michelin Guide, stars are awarded to outstanding restaurants based on: “quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques and flavors, the personality of the chef as expressed in the cuisine, value for money, and consistency of the dining experience both across the menu and over time.”
The criteria do not mention innovation.
It’s possible the high-stakes lure of a Michelin star, which awards consistent excellence, could lead Philly’s most vibrant and creative chefs and restaurateurs to pull back on the risks that led to the city’s culinary excellence in the first place.
Philadelphia’s preeminent restaurant critic Craig LaBan and journalist and former restaurateur Kiki Aranita discussed local contenders for Michelin stars in a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The 19 restaurants LaBan and Aranita discuss as possible star contenders average just over a one-mile walk from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Together they have received 78 James Beard nominations or awards, which are considered the “Oscars” of the food industry. That’s an average of over four per restaurant.
And when I tried to book a table for two on a Wednesday and Saturday before 9 p.m., about half were already fully booked for dinner two weeks out, in July, which is the slow season for dining in Philadelphia.
If LaBan’s and Aranita’s predictions are right, Michelin will be an added recognition for restaurants that are already successful and centrally located.
Black Dragon Takeout fuses Black American cuisine with the aesthetics of classic Chinese American takeout. Jeff Fusco/The Conversation, CC BY-SA
Off the beaten path
When the Michelin Guide started in France at the turn of the 19th century, it encouraged diners to take the road less traveled to their next gastronomic experience.
Consider Jacob Trinh’s Vietnamese-tinged seafood tasting menu at Little Fish in Queen Village; Kurt Evans’ gumbo lo mein at Black Dragon Takeout in West Philly; the beef cheek confit with avocado mousse at Temir Satybaldiev’s Ginger in the Northeast; and the West African XO sauce at Honeysuckle, owned by Omar Tate and Cybille St.Aude-Tate, on North Broad Street.
I hope the Michelin inspectors will venture far beyond the obvious candidates to experience more of what Philadelphia has to offer.
In the frenzy surrounding the Michelin scrutiny, chef friends have invited me to dine at their restaurants and share my feedback as they refine their menus in anticipation of visits from anonymous Michelin inspectors.
Restaurateurs have been asking my colleagues and me for talent suggestions to replace well-liked and capable cooks, servers and managers whom owners perceive to be just not Michelin-star level.
And managers are texting us names of suspected reviewers, triggered by some tell-tale signs – a solo diner with a weeknight tasting menu reservation, no dietary restrictions or special requests, and a conspicuously light internet presence.
In all, I am excited about Philadelphians being excited about Michelin. Any opportunity to spotlight the city’s restaurant community and tighten its food and service quality raises the bar among local chefs and restaurateurs and makes the experience better for diners. And the prospect of business travelers and culinary tourists enjoying lunches and early-week dinners can help restaurants, their workers and the city earn more revenue.
But in the din of the press events and hype, let’s not forget that Philadelphians don’t need an outside arbiter to tell us what we already know: Philly is a great place to eat and drink.
Jonathan Deutsch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Thomas A. DuBois, Professor of Scandinavian Studies, Folklore, and Religious Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
In May 2025, Tapio Luoma, archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, delivered an apology to the Sámi, the only recognized Indigenous people in the European Union.
Speaking on behalf of the church to which more than 6 in 10 of the Finnish populace belong, including most Sámi, Luoma acknowledged its role in past activities that stigmatized Sámi language and culture.
The church “has not respected the rights to self-determination of the Sámi people,” his address began. “Before God and all of you here assembled, we express our regret and ask forgiveness of the Sámi people.”
Luoma’s words were the latest in a series of apologies through which the former state churches in Scandinavia have sought to reset their relations with the Indigenous population of Sápmi, the natural and cultural area of Sámi people. Today, the region is divided between Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia.
For thousands of years, the Sámi population lived by hunting, fishing and reindeer husbandry along the northern edges of Scandinavia. The Sámi possessed their own languages and maintained distinctive spiritual traditions and healing practices, drawing on traditional ecological knowledge that they had accrued over countless generations. In times of crisis or uncertainty, for example, communities used ceremonial drums to communicate with the spirit world and divine the future.
Conflicts emerged by the 13th century, however, as Christian realms expanded north. Christian clerics condemned Sámi spiritual traditions as “heathen devilry.”
During the 16th-century Protestant Reformation, Scandinavian rulers shifted from Catholicism to Lutheranism. In addition to tending to the souls of their flocks, ministers were tasked with keeping track of the comings and goings of congregation members, collecting taxes, and administering justice for lesser crimes.
They aimed to stamp out the spiritual practices that many Sámi continued to practice alongside Christianity. Church authorities arrested, fined and sometimes even executed practitioners, while confiscating sacred drums to be destroyed or sent to distant museums.
The church’s ritual of confirmation, which marks the passage from adolescence into adulthood, also acquired legal status. Being confirmed required the ability to read and interpret the Bible and Martin Luther’s Catechism, a summary of the Lutheran Church’s beliefs. As the church became part of the state, people who had not received confirmation could not represent themselves in court, own land or even marry.
And where Luther had called for religious instruction to occur in one’s native language, most Nordic clergy provided catechesis only in the majority language, considering Sámi language and traditions impediments to true conversion.
Assimilation efforts
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the new “nation states” of Finland, Norway and Sweden emerged on the world stage. In each country, political leaders conflated what the ancient Greeks called the “demos” – members of a political nation – with an “ethnos,” a cultural group. In order to belong to the Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish political nations, political and cultural leaders of these new states asserted that it was necessary to belong to the majority linguistic and cultural community.
Finland’s 1919 constitution made provision for Swedish, which is still used by about 5% of the population, as a national language alongside Finnish. However, the government accorded no such status to Sámi.
Both state-run residential boarding schools and schools run by churches included Lutheranism as a subject and strove relentlessly to assimilate Sámi into the majority culture, language and worldview, teaching children to see their culture as backward and shameful. Some church and school authorities cooperated with pseudoscientific racial researchers measuring students’ heads and excavating Sámi graves.
A ‘nomad school’ for Sami children in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle, in 1956. John Firth/BIPs/Getty Images
As a result, many students ceased to identify as Sámi and adopted the majority language as their primary mode of communication. Today, only about half the people who identify as Sámi have any facility in Sámi languages, which are considered endangered.
After World War II, church attendance in all the Nordic countries began to plummet. Where 98% of the Finnish population belonged to the state church in 1900, by 2024 that percentage had dropped to 62%. The bulk of defections consisted of people who registered as having no religious affiliation. Membership in the national church shifted from compulsory to voluntary.
Yet as anthropologist David Koester shows, some elements of Lutheran tradition remain extremely popular in all the Nordic countries, particularly Confirmation. The ritual remains a key rite of passage for most Sámi today, yet many of them wrestle with whether they should remain faithful to a church that had worked to suppress their community’s language and culture.
For example, in a church in the northern Swedish town of Jukkasjärvi, an image of the sun as it appeared on Sámi ceremonial drums now faces the altar, providing a vivid reminder of the spiritual history and past worldview of the church’s Sámi congregation. The symbol now encloses an image of a communion wafer carved of reindeer antler.
In 2005, Sunna created a traveling art exhibit that portrayed Sámi Christianization as an act of cultural violence. The exhibit, designed for temporary installation in church sanctuaries, aimed to provoke discussion and encourage open dialogue about the past.
Similarly, in 2008, Norwegian Sámi filmmaker Nils Gaup produced “Kautokeino Rebellion,” a film recounting clergy’s role in suppressing religious activism among followers of a Swedish Sámi minister, Lars Levi Laestadius. The so-called uprising in 1852 led to the imprisonment of several dozen Sámi and the execution of two men – whose skulls were deposited in a research institute and did not receive proper burial until 1997.
Since church attendance is infrequent in Nordic countries, art and film serve as important vehicles for raising awareness of the church’s past. In November 2021, the archbishop of Sweden, Antje Jackelén, issued a formal apology to the Sámi. Sámi artist and activist Anders Sunna was invited to temporarily redecorate the sanctuary of the Cathedral of Uppsala for the occasion. His decorations included reminders of past Sámi sacrificial traditions that took place both outdoors and around hearth fires. In place of a grand altar, Sunna erected a simple table, surrounded by an octagon of benches where the bishop and members of the Sámi community would sit face to face with a sense of equality and respect.
When the Finnish archbishop apologized in May 2025, Sámi in attendance at the Turku Cathedral were appreciative, but they were eager to see what actions might follow, according to reporters at the ceremony. The same wait-and-see attitude characterizes Sámi responses to state-run Truth and Reconciliation processes, which occurred in Norway in 2023 and are currently ongoing in Swedenand Finland.
The process of healing a society injured by colonialism is difficult and slow, requiring extensive discussion – much of it uncomfortable. With Luoma’s words of apology and the arrival of Sámi to listen and witness, an important step in that process occurred.
Thomas A. DuBois does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Flora Cassen, Senior Faculty, Hartman Institute and Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies, Washington University in St. Louis
Every few years, a story about Columbus resurfaces: Was the Genoese navigator who claimed the Americas for Spain secretly Jewish, from a Spanish family fleeing the Inquisition?
This tale became widespread around the late 19th century, when large numbers of Jews came from Russia and Eastern Europe to the United States. For these immigrants, 1492 held double significance: the year of Jews’ expulsion from Spain, as well as Columbus’ voyage of discovery. At a time when many Americans viewed the explorer as a hero, the idea that he might have been one of their own offered Jewish immigrants a link to the beginnings of their new country and the American story of freedom from Old World tyranny.
The problem with the Columbus-was-a-Jew theory isn’t just that it’s based on flimsy evidence. It also distracts from the far more complex and true story of Spanish Jews in the Americas.
In the 15th century, the kingdom’s Jews faced a wrenching choice: convert to Christianity or leave the land their families had called home for generations. Portugal’s Jews faced similar persecution. Whether they sought a new place to settle or stayed and hoped to be accepted as members of Christian society, both groups were searching for belonging.
The story of the New World is not complete without the voices of Jewish communities that engaged with it from the very beginning.
Double consciousness
The first Jews in the Americas were, in fact, not Jews but “conversos,” meaning “converts,” and their descendants.
After a millennium of relatively peaceful and prosperous life on Iberian soil, the Jews of Spain were attacked by a wave of mob violence in the summer of 1391. Afterward, thousands of Jews were forcibly converted.
While conversos were officially members of the Catholic Church, neighbors looked at them with suspicion. Some of these converts were “crypto-Jews,” who secretly held on to their ancestral faith. Spanish authorities formed the Inquisition to root out anyone the church considered heretics, especially people who had converted from Judaism and Islam.
In 1492, after conquering the last Muslim stronghold in Spain, monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella gave the remaining Spanish Jews the choice of conversion or exile. Eventually, people who converted from Islam would be expelled as well.
Among Jews who converted, some sought new lives within the rapidly expanding Spanish empire. As the historian Jonathan Israel wrote, Jews and conversos were both “agents and victims of empire.” Their familiarity with Iberian language and culture, combined with the dispersion of their community, positioned them to participate in the new global economy: trade in sugar, textiles, spices – and the trade in human lives, Atlantic slavery.
Yet conversos were also far more vulnerable than their compatriots: They could lose it all, even end up burned alive at the stake, because of their beliefs. This double consciousness – being part of the culture, yet apart from it – is what makes conversos vital to understanding the complexities of colonial Latin America.
By the 17th century, once the Dutch and the English conquered parts of the Americas, Jews would be able to live there. Often, these were families whose ancestors had been expelled from the Iberian peninsula. In the first Spanish and Portuguese colonies, however, Jews were not allowed to openly practice their faith.
Secret spirituality
One of these conversos was Luis de Carvajal. His uncle, the similarly named Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva, was a merchant, slave trader and conquistador. As a reward for his exploits he was named governor of the New Kingdom of León, in the northeast of modern-day Mexico. In 1579 he brought over a large group of relatives to help him settle and administer the rugged territory, which was made up of swamps, deserts and silver mines.
The uncle was a devout Catholic who attempted to shed his converso past, integrating himself into the landed gentry of Spain’s New World empire. Luis the younger, however, his potential heir, was a passionate crypto-Jew who spent his free time composing prayers to the God of Israel and secretly following the commandments of the Torah.
When Luis and his family were arrested by the Inquisition in 1595, his book of spiritual writings was discovered and used as evidence of his secret Jewish life. Luis, his mother and sister were burned at the stake, but the small, leather-bound diary survived.
Luis’ religious thought drew on a wide range of early modern Spanish culture. He used a Latin Bible and drew inspiration from the inwardly focused spirituality of Catholic thinkers such as Fray Luis de Granada, a Dominican theologian. He met with the hermit and mystic Gregorio López. He discovered passages from Maimonides and other rabbis quoted in the works of Catholic theologians whom he read at the famed monastery of Santiago de Tlatelolco, in Mexico City, where he worked as an assistant to the rector.
His spiritual writings are deeply American: The wide deserts and furious hurricanes of Mexico were the setting of his spiritual awakenings, and his encounters with the people and cultures of the emerging Atlantic world shaped his religious vision. This little book is a unique example of the brilliant, creative culture that developed in the crossing from Old World to New, born out of the exchange and conflict between diverse cultures, languages and faiths.
A glimpse of Luis de Carvajal’s spiritual writings, photographed in New York City. Ronnie Perelis
More than translation
Spanish Jews who refused to convert in 1492, meanwhile, had been forced into exile and barred from the kingdom’s colonies.
The journey of Joseph Ha-Kohen’s family illustrates the hardships. After the expulsion, his parents moved to Avignon, the papal city in southern France, where Joseph was born in 1496. From there, they made their way to Genoa, the Italian merchant city, hoping to establish themselves. But it was not to be. The family was repeatedly expelled, permitted to return, and then expelled again.
Despite these upheavals, Ha-Kohen became a doctor and a merchant, a leader in the Jewish community – earning the respect of the Christian community, too. Toward the end of his life, he settled in a small mountain town beyond the city’s borders and turned to writing.
Ha-Kohen’s work was the first Hebrew-language book about the Americas. The text was hundreds of pages long – and he copied his entire manuscript nine times by hand. He had never seen the Americas, but his own life of repeated uprooting may have led him to wonder whether Jews would one day seek refuge there.
Ha-Kohen wanted his readers to have access to the text’s geographical, botanical and anthropological information, but not to Spain’s triumphalist narrative. So he created an adapted, hybrid translation. The differences between versions reveal the complexities of being a European Jew in the age of exploration.
Ha-Kohen omitted references to the Americas as Spanish territory and criticized the conquistadors for their brutality toward Indigenous peoples. At times, he compared Native Americans with the ancient Israelites of the Bible, feeling a kinship with them as fellow victims of oppression. Yet at other moments he expressed estrangement and even revulsion at Indigenous customs and described their religious practices as “darkness.”
Translating these men’s writing is not just a matter of bringing a text from one language into another. It is also a deep reflection on the complex position of Jews and conversos in those years. Their unique vantage point offers a window into the intertwined histories of Europe, the Americas and the in-betweenness that marked the Jewish experience in the early modern world.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Flora Cassen, Senior Faculty, Hartman Institute and Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies, Washington University in St. Louis
Every few years, a story about Columbus resurfaces: Was the Genoese navigator who claimed the Americas for Spain secretly Jewish, from a Spanish family fleeing the Inquisition?
This tale became widespread around the late 19th century, when large numbers of Jews came from Russia and Eastern Europe to the United States. For these immigrants, 1492 held double significance: the year of Jews’ expulsion from Spain, as well as Columbus’ voyage of discovery. At a time when many Americans viewed the explorer as a hero, the idea that he might have been one of their own offered Jewish immigrants a link to the beginnings of their new country and the American story of freedom from Old World tyranny.
The problem with the Columbus-was-a-Jew theory isn’t just that it’s based on flimsy evidence. It also distracts from the far more complex and true story of Spanish Jews in the Americas.
In the 15th century, the kingdom’s Jews faced a wrenching choice: convert to Christianity or leave the land their families had called home for generations. Portugal’s Jews faced similar persecution. Whether they sought a new place to settle or stayed and hoped to be accepted as members of Christian society, both groups were searching for belonging.
The story of the New World is not complete without the voices of Jewish communities that engaged with it from the very beginning.
Double consciousness
The first Jews in the Americas were, in fact, not Jews but “conversos,” meaning “converts,” and their descendants.
After a millennium of relatively peaceful and prosperous life on Iberian soil, the Jews of Spain were attacked by a wave of mob violence in the summer of 1391. Afterward, thousands of Jews were forcibly converted.
While conversos were officially members of the Catholic Church, neighbors looked at them with suspicion. Some of these converts were “crypto-Jews,” who secretly held on to their ancestral faith. Spanish authorities formed the Inquisition to root out anyone the church considered heretics, especially people who had converted from Judaism and Islam.
In 1492, after conquering the last Muslim stronghold in Spain, monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella gave the remaining Spanish Jews the choice of conversion or exile. Eventually, people who converted from Islam would be expelled as well.
Among Jews who converted, some sought new lives within the rapidly expanding Spanish empire. As the historian Jonathan Israel wrote, Jews and conversos were both “agents and victims of empire.” Their familiarity with Iberian language and culture, combined with the dispersion of their community, positioned them to participate in the new global economy: trade in sugar, textiles, spices – and the trade in human lives, Atlantic slavery.
Yet conversos were also far more vulnerable than their compatriots: They could lose it all, even end up burned alive at the stake, because of their beliefs. This double consciousness – being part of the culture, yet apart from it – is what makes conversos vital to understanding the complexities of colonial Latin America.
By the 17th century, once the Dutch and the English conquered parts of the Americas, Jews would be able to live there. Often, these were families whose ancestors had been expelled from the Iberian peninsula. In the first Spanish and Portuguese colonies, however, Jews were not allowed to openly practice their faith.
Secret spirituality
One of these conversos was Luis de Carvajal. His uncle, the similarly named Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva, was a merchant, slave trader and conquistador. As a reward for his exploits he was named governor of the New Kingdom of León, in the northeast of modern-day Mexico. In 1579 he brought over a large group of relatives to help him settle and administer the rugged territory, which was made up of swamps, deserts and silver mines.
The uncle was a devout Catholic who attempted to shed his converso past, integrating himself into the landed gentry of Spain’s New World empire. Luis the younger, however, his potential heir, was a passionate crypto-Jew who spent his free time composing prayers to the God of Israel and secretly following the commandments of the Torah.
When Luis and his family were arrested by the Inquisition in 1595, his book of spiritual writings was discovered and used as evidence of his secret Jewish life. Luis, his mother and sister were burned at the stake, but the small, leather-bound diary survived.
Luis’ religious thought drew on a wide range of early modern Spanish culture. He used a Latin Bible and drew inspiration from the inwardly focused spirituality of Catholic thinkers such as Fray Luis de Granada, a Dominican theologian. He met with the hermit and mystic Gregorio López. He discovered passages from Maimonides and other rabbis quoted in the works of Catholic theologians whom he read at the famed monastery of Santiago de Tlatelolco, in Mexico City, where he worked as an assistant to the rector.
His spiritual writings are deeply American: The wide deserts and furious hurricanes of Mexico were the setting of his spiritual awakenings, and his encounters with the people and cultures of the emerging Atlantic world shaped his religious vision. This little book is a unique example of the brilliant, creative culture that developed in the crossing from Old World to New, born out of the exchange and conflict between diverse cultures, languages and faiths.
A glimpse of Luis de Carvajal’s spiritual writings, photographed in New York City. Ronnie Perelis
More than translation
Spanish Jews who refused to convert in 1492, meanwhile, had been forced into exile and barred from the kingdom’s colonies.
The journey of Joseph Ha-Kohen’s family illustrates the hardships. After the expulsion, his parents moved to Avignon, the papal city in southern France, where Joseph was born in 1496. From there, they made their way to Genoa, the Italian merchant city, hoping to establish themselves. But it was not to be. The family was repeatedly expelled, permitted to return, and then expelled again.
Despite these upheavals, Ha-Kohen became a doctor and a merchant, a leader in the Jewish community – earning the respect of the Christian community, too. Toward the end of his life, he settled in a small mountain town beyond the city’s borders and turned to writing.
Ha-Kohen’s work was the first Hebrew-language book about the Americas. The text was hundreds of pages long – and he copied his entire manuscript nine times by hand. He had never seen the Americas, but his own life of repeated uprooting may have led him to wonder whether Jews would one day seek refuge there.
Ha-Kohen wanted his readers to have access to the text’s geographical, botanical and anthropological information, but not to Spain’s triumphalist narrative. So he created an adapted, hybrid translation. The differences between versions reveal the complexities of being a European Jew in the age of exploration.
Ha-Kohen omitted references to the Americas as Spanish territory and criticized the conquistadors for their brutality toward Indigenous peoples. At times, he compared Native Americans with the ancient Israelites of the Bible, feeling a kinship with them as fellow victims of oppression. Yet at other moments he expressed estrangement and even revulsion at Indigenous customs and described their religious practices as “darkness.”
Translating these men’s writing is not just a matter of bringing a text from one language into another. It is also a deep reflection on the complex position of Jews and conversos in those years. Their unique vantage point offers a window into the intertwined histories of Europe, the Americas and the in-betweenness that marked the Jewish experience in the early modern world.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah on Friday expressed immense pride and joy as India has been selected to host the prestigious 2029 World Police and Fire Games. In a post on X , Shah highlighted that this achievement is a matter of great pride for every Indian citizen and a testament to the country’s growing stature in the global sporting arena.
The minister attributed India’s successful bid to host the event to the robust sports infrastructure developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The World Police and Fire Games, a biennial event that brings together police, fire, and disaster services personnel to compete in over 50 sports, will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Shah emphasized that the selection of Ahmedabad as the venue underscores the city’s rising prominence as a key sporting destination in India.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah on Friday expressed immense pride and joy as India has been selected to host the prestigious 2029 World Police and Fire Games. In a post on X , Shah highlighted that this achievement is a matter of great pride for every Indian citizen and a testament to the country’s growing stature in the global sporting arena.
The minister attributed India’s successful bid to host the event to the robust sports infrastructure developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The World Police and Fire Games, a biennial event that brings together police, fire, and disaster services personnel to compete in over 50 sports, will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Shah emphasized that the selection of Ahmedabad as the venue underscores the city’s rising prominence as a key sporting destination in India.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Further update: Genta-Equine 100 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Horses – Adverse events
Actions following the identification of the cause of an increase of adverse event reports following the use of Genta-Equine 100 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Horses.
As a result of the identification of elevated concentrations of histamine as the likely cause of adverse event reports relating to the use of Genta-Equine 100 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Horses, as detailed within our initial notification on 18 December 2024 and update notification on 14 March 2025, it has been agreed that the Marketing Authorisation Holder (MAH) will implement a maximum limit for histamine in the active substance used within the product.
Due to the critical nature of Genta-Equine to equine veterinary surgeons in the UK, a recall has not been initiated in the UK and the MAH will be allowed to release one or more new batches of finished product which have been shown to contain levels of histamine below the maximum permissible limit. These will be released via the national Specific Batch Control scheme.
We would like to remind veterinary professionals that Dechra (UK distributor) has advised that where there are concerns around using the affected batches of Genta-Equine, treatment with an alternative appropriate antibiotic should be considered. They have also advised that a refund can be received for any unopened bottles.
We will continue working with the MAH to monitor reports and ensure appropriate actions are carried out as required.
Symptoms included in adverse event reports
Reports received include signs of abdominal pain/colic, pawing, restlessness/agitation, groaning, shaking/shivering/fasciculation, Flehmen response, lying down or attempting to lie down, staggering, increased sweating and increased respiratory rate.
Adverse event reports received may include reports where more than one product was used, the product was used off-label and/or where, on further evaluation, it is considered that there is no causal association between the product and event.
Reporting of adverse events
We strongly encourage anyone who is aware of an adverse event to report directly to the MAH. Please provide all relevant information, including the batch number.
Contact details for the MAH or their local representative can found be on the product leaflet or on the Product Information Database.
The reporting of adverse events is critical to our ongoing monitoring activities in order to protect animal health, public health, and the environment. Find out more about pharmacovigilance at VMD Connect – Adverse Events and Pharmacovigilance.
Across 54 African markets, The Coca-Cola Company and its authorized bottlers, collectively known as the Coca-Cola system, contributed $10.4 billion in economic activity across its value chain in 2024.
The Coca-Cola system and its value chain supported more than 1 million jobs in retail, agriculture, manufacturing, transport and services in Africa.
The Coca-Cola system purchased $4.3 billion from suppliers in Africa in 2024, representing 83% of the system’s total procurement on the continent.
The Coca-Cola Company (www.Coca-ColaCompany.com) announced the results of a comprehensive, Africa-wide socio-economic impact study during the 2025 U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda, Angola.
The study shows that the Coca-Cola system, made up of The Coca-Cola Company and its authorized bottlers, working with a wide network of suppliers, manufacturers, service providers and customers, contributed $10.4 billion in value-added economic activity across its value chain in Africa in 2024.
The Coca-Cola system supported more than 1 million jobs across its value chain on the continent in sectors like retail, agriculture, manufacturing, transport and services. This included 36,800 direct Coca-Cola system jobs, plus 987,000 indirect jobs that are supported across the value chain, meaning the system collectively supported 27 additional jobs for every job it directly creates.
The study, conducted by global consultancy Steward Redqueen, shows that the system invested $4.3 billion in the African economy in 2024 through the purchase of goods and services from local suppliers, representing 83% of its total procurement.
“Our long-standing presence in Africa, working with locally owned bottlers and suppliers, allows us to drive more sustainable growth and contribute to the continent’s development,” said Luisa Ortega, president of the Africa operating unit of The Coca-Cola Company. “Our unique operating model allows us to make a lasting impact in local communities.”
The company’s portfolio in Africa includes a wide range of brands in several beverage categories. Ingredients and packaging used by the Coca-Cola system in Africa are mostly locally sourced, supplied, produced, manufactured and distributed.
“The Coca-Cola Company’s commitment to Africa remains steadfast,” Ortega said. “The Coca-Cola system has announced investments of nearly $1.2 billion on the continent over the next five years, and we are hopeful that stable and predictable policy environments will enable more investments in the months and years ahead. Additionally, the Coca-Cola system will invest nearly $25 million by 2030 to help address critical water-related challenges in local communities in 20 African markets.”
This study highlights the Coca-Cola system’s role in Africa’s long-term growth and driving more sustainable development across the continent. The approach adopted by Steward Redqueen integrates client-provided operational data with trusted third-party economic sources and industry benchmarks. More than just measuring direct contributions, the analysis uncovers economic interlinkages, showing how the Coca-Cola system drives production, generates income, and supports employment across a spectrum of industries and geographies.
Teodora Nenova Managing Partner at Steward Redqueen added: “Our impact assessment reveals the wide-reaching economic footprint of the Coca-Cola system across Africa. The findings highlight the scale of the Coca-Cola system’s local presence and its ongoing contribution to economic opportunity and livelihoods across the continent.”
About The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.Coca-ColaCompany.com.
