Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)
Supporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act would prohibit cost-sharing by private insurers for prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care
WASHINGTON — Representatives Jared Golden (ME-02), Young Kim (CA-40), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and David Valadao (CA-22) today introduced theSupporting Healthy Moms and Babies Act, which would require private health insurance companies to fully cover the costs of childbirth and related maternity care.
TheSupporting Healthy Moms and Babies Actwould amend the list of Essential Health Benefits under the Affordable Care Act to include detailed minimum services for prenatal, labor and delivery, perinatal, and postpartum care for up to one year after a child’s birth and would require private insurers to cover those services without cost-sharing.
“Pregnancy and childbirth are a normal part of family life, so insurance companies should treat it like the routine care it is and cover the cost,” Golden said. “It shouldn’t cost thousands of dollars to give birth at the hospital, and other necessary maternity services shouldn’t be a luxury. This is simple, commonsense reform and will make it easier for Mainers to start and grow families on their own terms without a huge hospital bill.”
Mainers pay 19 percent more than the national average for childbirth,according to the Health Care Costs Institute, with an average out-of-pocket cost of roughly $2,400. That figure includes delivery only; Other costs associated with prenatal and postnatal care, and the high cost of NICU services for thenearly one in 10 babies who need it, can quickly add up for new parents.
“Americans shouldn’t have to choose between starting a family and being strapped in debt. Unfortunately, rising living costs on top of excessive hospital and health care fees after giving birth deter individuals from becoming parents,” Kim said. “We should do what we can to make life more affordable, which is why I’m proud to help lead the charge to cut childbirth cost-sharing fees and ensure women, babies and families receive the care they deserve without astronomical costs.”
“When my daughter was born by emergency C-section nine weeks early, I wanted to focus all my attention on my recovery and her well-being for the six weeks she was in the NICU, not our medical bills,” McClellan said. “TheSupporting Healthy Moms and Babies Actwill provide more pregnant and postpartum patients the peace of mind that they can access care without worrying about how to pay for it.”
“The cost of maternal care is already expensive, and too often, families with private insurance are hit with surprise medical bills they didn’t see coming,” Valadao said. “Building a family already comes with so much uncertainty, but designating maternal care as an Essential Health Benefit and eliminating cost-sharing will give parents some peace of mind during one of life’s most important moments. I’m proud to join my colleagues in supporting this practical, bipartisan solution that puts families first.”
Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
Full text of theSupporting Healthy Moms and Babies Actcan be foundhere, and a one-pager can be foundhere.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“The Maine Hospital Association strongly supports this vital legislation to eliminate cost-sharing for prenatal, labor and postpartum care. In a rural state like Maine, where many communities face significant barriers to accessing maternity care and OB units have closed due to workforce and financial pressures, this bill offers critical support,” said Jeffrey Austin, vice president of government affairs and communications for the Maine Hospital Association. “By removing financial burdens on patients, we can strengthen the sustainability of rural obstetric services, improve maternal health outcomes, and ensure that every family — regardless of ZIP code — has access to the care they need during pregnancy and childbirth.”
“As physicians and advocates for the health of all Mainers, we commend Rep. Golden for his leadership in prioritizing maternal and infant health,” said R. Scott Hanson, MD, MPH, FACP, president of the Maine Medical Association. “This bill is a vital tool for closing gaps in care and supporting families during one of the most critical times in their lives. We know firsthand that extending the coverage to one year postpartum will save lives. We look forward to supporting Rep. Golden on the bill to strengthen critical programs, improve care coordination and help ensure that every mother and child can access the care they need to thrive.”
“Anything policymakers can do to reduce health care costs, including out-of-pocket costs, for example deductibles and coinsurance, will help consumers who are struggling with high health care costs and medical debt,” said Ann Woloson, executive director of Consumers for Affordable Health Care. “This bill does just that — adding maternity care to the list of essential health benefits and requiring private insurers to cover the cost of maternity care without cost-sharing will provide some very much needed relief from rising health care costs.”
“No one should go into debt because they have a baby or experience a reproductive health emergency,” said Alex Carter, policy advocate at Maine Equal Justice. “As a legal aid provider, medical debt is among the top concerns for our low-income clients. For people who are just over the income limit for Medicaid or who have high-deductible insurance plans, an expensive hospital bill can change the economic trajectory of a family, diverting resources away from their basic needs and discouraging people from seeking follow-up care. We support Rep. Golden’s bill to ensure everyone can grow their families and access the maternal health care they need without the fear of crushing medical bills.”
“Right now, many new parents in Maine are burdened with medical debt the moment their child is born — debt that weighs down their finances for years and blocks economic opportunity,” said James Myall, policy analyst at the Maine Center for Economic Policy. “TheSupporting Healthy Moms and Babies Actwould end this cycle, making sure no parent starts or grows their family under a mountain of bills.”
The bill also has been endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; the American Medical Association; the American Hospital Association; the American Society for Reproductive Medicine; the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs; March of Dimes; and the National Partnership for Women & Families.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05) and Mike Lawler (NY-17) reintroduced theHUD Accountability Act of 2025, a bipartisan measure that would require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to testify before Congress on an annual basis. The bill aims to strengthen transparency and ensure HUD leadership is held accountable amid an ongoing housing affordability crisis.
“Whether a Republican or Democratic administration, it is imperative that the people’s representatives have an opportunity to provide oversight of the Executive Branch on behalf of the public, which includes bringing Cabinet officials before Congress to explain their policymaking actions and motivations,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I was proud to support this bipartisan legislation last Congress, and I’m happy to reintroduce it with Congressman Lawler as we seek to lower housing costs and ensure transparency for the American people.”
“With families in New York and across the country being crushed by skyrocketing housing costs, Congress needs to take this crisis seriously, and that starts with oversight,” said Congressman Lawler. “In the past, there have been long gaps between appearances by the HUD Secretary before the Financial Services Committee. That lack of regular oversight isn’t acceptable. Our bill simply ensures that the Secretary provides annual testimony on the Department’s programs, finances, and priorities. Last Congress, I hosted the first congressional field hearing in Rockland County in years to hear directly from constituents about how high housing costs are affecting their lives. Whether it’s addressing the workforce housing crunch or improving HUD oversight, I’m focused on bringing greater transparency and accountability to programs meant to serve the American people.”
TheHUD Accountability Act, which passed committee last Congress with bipartisan backing, would require the HUD Secretary to testify annually for five years before the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. The legislation outlines key areas for testimony, including:
Progress in addressing the affordable housing and homelessness crises
The condition and performance of HUD programs, including public housing
Oversight efforts to combat waste, fraud, and abuse
The financial status of FHA’s mortgage insurance funds
The capacity of the Department to deliver on its statutory mission
Official text of theHUD Accountability Act of 2025 is availablehere.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)
Rep. Cleaver, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, accepted the award after decades of work to expand access to safe, decent, and affordable housing
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver has been awarded the 2025 Shirley Chisholm Award for Housing by the National Urban League, given to a lawmaker whose commitment and work has expanded access to fair and affordable housing in the United States. In a ceremony this month, Cleaver accepted the prestigious award from National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial at the organization’s 2025 Empowerment Summit in Washington, DC. The National Urban League is the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization.
“Since my first days on the City Council in Kansas City, my strongest passion and highest priority has been the work to expand housing opportunity for everyday families,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I understand what it means to live in a shack with no electricity or running water, and I know firsthand the challenges that come with America’s underinvestment in housing that is truly accessible and affordable, which is why I’ve spent my career working to protect and strengthen housing programs that serve low- and middle-income families of all backgrounds. To receive this award, named in honor of the great civil rights champion Shirley Chisholm, is extraordinarily meaningful to me. Just as her work helped pave the way for families like mine to rise out of poverty, I hope the work I’ve done in Kansas City and Washington will continue to change the trajectory of families who are every bit as deserving of the American dream.”
Since coming to Washington, Congressman Cleaver has fought tirelessly to bring housing investments to Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District and passed multiple bipartisan overhauls of America’s federal housing programs.
The Global Financial Crisis of 2008 destroyed trillions in home equity and over half the wealth of the African American households in the United States. As a new member on the House Financial Services Committee, Congressman Cleaver was instrumental in national recovery efforts through theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, including the creation of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which helped stabilize the housing market in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, and the Green Impact Zone, which targeted more than $125 million of federal investment into the urban core in Kansas City, MO.
Following the crisis, Congressman Cleaver worked on the passage of theDodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which included, but was not limited to, the creation of the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau (CFPB), tasked with protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive financial practices, including predatory mortgage lending.
In the 115th Congress, Cleaver was elected by his colleagues to serve as the head Democrat on the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. As Ranking Member, Cleaver teamed up with then-Chairman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) to co-author the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA), which introduced a massive set of changes and reforms to federal housing programs. The most sweeping housing bill in 20 years, HOTMA was passed with unanimous support by Congress and was signed into law by President Obama.
The following Congress, Rep. Cleaver introduced the Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act with Congressman Sean Duffy (R-WI) to help low-income families who rely on housing vouchers to move out of poverty and into neighborhoods with better opportunities. The legislation was passed with bipartisan support by Congress and signed into law by President Trump.
In the 117th Congress, Cleaver was elected by his colleagues to serve as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance during the COVID-19 eviction and foreclosure crisis. In that capacity, Chairman Cleaver helped lead the effort to pass legislation providing federal funds to address housing and homelessness including theAmerican Rescue Plan Act(ARPA), which represented the largest single-year investment in preventing and ending homelessness in U.S. history. Through ARPA and other appropriations, Cleaver helped secure more than $46.6 billion in emergency rental assistance and more than $10 billion for the Homeowner Assistance Fund to ensure that families could remain safely housed. Cleaver also helped secure more than $5 billion in homelessness funds through ARPA which included, for the first time in the nation’s history, Emergency Housing Vouchers for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Cleaver’sStabilizing Rural Homeowners During COVID Act, which provided desperately needed assistance to families living in US Department of Agriculture-supported housing was also signed into law.
Cleaver also worked with the Biden Administration on key initiatives of the Administration to expand access to fair and affordable housing. In April 2021, Cleaver introduced theReal Estate Valuation Fairness and Improvement Actto address bias in home valuations. Cleaver’s legislation served as the framework for the Biden Administration’s Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE Task Force), the first-ever interagency effort to combat discrimination in the home appraisal process. In 2022, the Task Force released the PAVE Action Plan, and the Biden Administration announced the most wide-ranging actions ever taken to advance equity in the home appraisal process.
Cleaver also invited several members of the Biden Administration to Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District to discuss housing and other federal investments, including discussions related to Parade Park Homes. Since 2022, Cleaver has worked with US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Fudge, HUD Acting Secretary Todman, HUD officials, and local officials to stabilize the property and chart a path forward to ensure the health of residents and the community. Earlier this year, Congressman Cleaver successfullysecured $15.5 millionin federal grant funding to support the rehabilitation of Parade Park Home, the oldest Black-owned housing cooperative in the nation, with more than 500 affordable housing units in the heart of the 18th & Vine Jazz District.
Last Congress, Cleaver invited Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Sandra Thompson to Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District for a convening between the FHFA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, tenant advocates, and community leaders for in-depth discussions on issues impacting tenants in federally backed properties. Following the convening, the FHFA accepted Cleaver’s call to adopt the first-ever tenant protections for renters in multifamily properties with Enterprise-backed mortgages. Participants also heard reports of unacceptable living conditions at Independence Towers and shortly thereafter, Cleaversecured $1,350,000from Fannie Mae to address desperately needed repairs at the apartment complex.
Cleaver has received several awards for his work on housing, including reception of the inaugural Terwilliger Bipartisanship in Housing Award from the Bipartisan Policy Center last year. The award recognized Cleaver’s long-standing leadership and bipartisan work on housing, including on bipartisan legislation such as theChoice in Affordable Housing Actand theRural Housing Service Reform Act. The 2025 Shirley Chisholm Award for Housing is further recognition of Cleaver’s commitment and longstanding work.
“In my view, access to affordable housing has the potential to open doors and unlock opportunities that allow entire families to climb the economic ladder—just like it did for mine,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I’m proud of the work I’ve done on this issue since my first days on the City Council, and I look forward to continuing this work on behalf of Missouri families in the years to come.”
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.
overnor Kathy Hochul today issued a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune outlining the potentially disastrous impact that the House’s proposed budget would have on New Yorkers. If enacted, the bill would gut New York’s healthcare system, strip families of crucial nutrition benefits, trigger billions in economic losses through the removal of clean energy tax credits and continue to unfairly tax hard-working New Yorkers by failing to fully repeal the SALT cap.
The House bill slashes $13.5 billion in funding for our healthcare economy through cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act marketplace, putting nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers at risk of losing their health insurance. Safety net hospitals in rural and low-income areas could be forced to shutter their doors permanently and doctors and health care providers would face financial jeopardy. The bill also significantly shrinks federal support for SNAP nutrition and food benefits, making it more difficult for the nearly three million New Yorkers who rely on SNAP to put food on the table for their families.
In addition, the House bill would put the safety and reliability of our power grid at risk by repealing tax credits that support major renewable and energy storage projects with an estimated loss of $25 billion in clean energy investments. The bill would also curtail efforts to reduce housing energy costs and improve resilience by eliminating the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, an important resource to retrofit affordable housing stock. Other proposed measures include gutting student loan programs, levying outrageous taxes on nonprofits and universities, eliminating the popular direct-file program to simplify the tax process, and prohibiting state AI regulation.
The proposed budget would inflict all of these harms while still failing to deliver on a key promise made by New York Republicans in Congress to their constituents: a full repeal of the SALT cap. Congressional Republicans’ decision to impose a new, permanent SALT cap upholds a double-tax on New York taxpayers and unfairly burdens middle-class households.
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Majority Leader Thune and Minority Leader Schumer:
As Governor of New York, I am writing to you ahead of the Senate’s consideration of the House reconciliation legislative package to underscore the detrimental impact this bill would have on my state. If enacted, the proposed bill would gut New York’s healthcare system, strip families of crucial nutrition benefits, trigger billions in economic losses through the removal of clean energy tax credits, stagnate growth in education and critical technology sectors, and continue to unfairly tax hard-working New Yorkers by failing to fully repeal the SALT cap. Passage of this legislation would worsen the affordability crisis and inject further instability into an already fragile economy.
Restricting Access to Healthcare: The House bill slashes $13.5 billion in funding for our healthcare economy through cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Make no mistake: if the Senate passes this legislation and it is signed into law, nearly 1.5 million people in New York will lose their health insurance. Over $3 billion will be lost to our hospitals, with safety net hospitals in rural and low-income areas at significant risk of shuttering their doors permanently. These closures will harm all New Yorkers, regardless of their insurance coverage.
Reducing Food Security: The bill also significantly shrinks federal support for SNAP nutrition and food benefits, making it more difficult for the nearly three million New Yorkers who rely on SNAP to put food on the table for their families. The bill places significant administrative burdens on our state and counties and will create headaches for eligible families in receiving their benefits. States have always played a key role in SNAP; this bill decimates the longstanding federal-state partnership by penalizing states with recurring annual costs. We expect the House-passed bill to cost New York State alone over $2.1 billion annually.
Undermining Energy Modernization and Resilience: The House reconciliation package would put the safety and reliability of our power grid at risk by repealing tax credits that support major renewable and energy storage projects. The financial impact to New York from the loss of the investment tax credit alone would be $25 billion to the state’s current portfolio of large-scale clean energy investments and would further make new projects more expensive for businesses and threaten good-paying union jobs. Added fees on electric vehicles, canceled IRA transportation funding, and the rollback of EV and home energy credits would also drive-up costs statewide. The bill would also curtail efforts to reduce housing energy costs and improve resilience by eliminating the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), an important resource to retrofit our nation’s affordable housing stock.
Education Undermined, Disparities Widened: The House bill threatens to dismantle essential supports for low-income and nontraditional students by imposing restrictive eligibility changes for working, part-time learners; establishing harsh institutional penalties; and eliminating key federal loan programs. In New York, where nearly half of community college students attend part-time and rely heavily on Pell Grants, these changes could force thousands to drop out or incur deeper debt. Additionally, the bill eliminates some subsidized student loans and forces loan risk onto education institutions. Taken together, these provisions represent a regressive shift that threatens to widen educational disparities, destabilize community colleges and minority-serving institutions and undermine national efforts to promote affordable higher education.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Moratorium: The House legislation also includes a highly-problematic and broad prohibition on state AI regulation for a decade. States like New York have passed laws to both invest in the incredible potential of AI and thoughtfully address potential AI harms in the face of federal inaction. Under my leadership, New York has enacted several first-in-the-nation AI safety measures, including the Safe for Kids Act to curb the addictive nature of social media for kids, and safeguards for AI Companion chatbots to reduce harmful interactions. If this federal prohibition remains in reconciliation, the impact is not merely a bureaucratic moratorium; it undermines the states’ fundamental right and responsibility to protect the safety, health, privacy, and economic vitality of its citizens.
Unfair Tax Burdens: Not only does this bill guarantee higher costs, it also fails to deliver on a key promise made by New Yorkers in your caucus to their constituents: a full repeal of the SALT cap. House Republicans’ decision to impose a new, permanent SALT cap upholds a double-tax on New York taxpayers and unfairly burdens households. The bill also levies outrageous taxes on nonprofits including universities, and eliminates the popular direct-file program that simplifies the tax filing process – all in an effort to cut taxes for the richest Americans.
These are just some of the more egregious harms this bill would inflict on my constituents. If New York Republicans in the House refuse to advocate for the best interests of their state, I will. As Governor, I must stand up for middle-class New Yorkers who cannot afford the consequences of this budget. I urge you to reject the House proposal and instead work with Leader Schumer on a bipartisan reconciliation package that delivers for working families, invests in the future, and reflects the real needs of the people we serve.
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – “Tourism in Sri Lanka is experiencing a robust recovery. This is a benefit for the entire country: we are showing the beauty of our island. We see that the general trend in the country’s economy and society is now positive. It will take some time to fully overcome the crisis of the last three years, but there are encouraging prospects,” Fr. Basel Fernando, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Sri Lanka, told Fides. According to official figures from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the country will welcome a record number of visitors in 2025: 250,000 visitors in January alone, a new record, and in May 2025, tourism grew by 20% compared to the previous year. In the first five months of 2025, the authority predicts that total visitors exceed the 1 million mark, with a forecast of more than 2 million compared to the previous year. Father Fernando notes to Fides: “We are in a phase of recovery and hope, which is evident at the political, social, and economic levels,” Father Fernando continued. “The new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, elected last fall, has a large majority in parliament; the people supported him primarily to stop corruption. The serious crisis we have plunged into was also due to corruption, with its roots in past mismanagement,” he noted. “Now,” he continued, “the country is saving money, there is no waste of public funds, and there is more prudence.” In addition, “the government has allocated a larger share of the budget to areas such as education and poverty reduction: the poor are receiving greater attention, and thanks to the gradual economic recovery, inflation is under control and the purchasing power of wages is stable. All these social and economic developments create a positive climate and give people real hope for greater prosperity.” Hope, however, according to the National Director, “also shapes the spiritual sphere, the inner being of every person: we see this in the Catholic community when we celebrate the Jubilee of Hope,” he says. “We are here at the level of an inner and spiritual renewal: we are rediscovering hope in our hearts so that we can transmit hope beyond the Church to society, working for peace, justice, goodness, and the witness of charity. It is a time of inner renewal, but then the effects of this hope are felt in our relationships with our neighbors, externally. Let us remember the Jubilee of the Year 2000 and renew the commitment we made at the beginning of the new millennium: to proclaim the Gospel to all creation.”Father Fernando concludes: “The renewal of the Church and of humanity begins with each individual, with the personal conversion of each person, with closeness and personal fidelity to Christ. Here in Sri Lanka, we feel the effects of secularization in the Church and in society as well. The Jubilee, therefore, begins with the transformation of the heart of each person.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 6/6/2025)
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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – There are 48 States that spend more on interest payments than on education or healthcare. This is according to the report “A World of Debt” by the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Debt service, i.e., the payment of interest on loans received, thus has a major impact on the lives of the poorest countries, as the funds allocated to education, healthcare, and subsidies for the purchase of basic goods and fuel are cut. The protests that took place in Nigeria and Kenya in 2024, primarily among young people, are closely linked to this debt mechanism. In order to pay the interest and reduce their countries’ overall debt, the Kenyan and Nigerian governments had presented financial laws that provided for tax increases and subsidy cuts. During his audience with participants in the conference “Debt Crisis in the Global South” organized by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on June 5, 2024, Pope Francis said: “In the wake of mismanaged globalization, and in wake of the pandemic and wars, we find ourselves faced with a debt crisis that mainly affects the countries of the global South, causing misery and distress, and depriving millions of people of the possibility of a dignified future.” The Pope expressed hope that the Holy Year 2025 will pave the way for “a bold and creative new international financial architecture.” The UNCTAD report agrees with Pope Francis when he states: “The global financial architecture is no longer able to meet the needs of the world in the 21st century. This is a major challenge for sustainable development.” Therefore, creativity and courage are needed to overcome a financial structure that further widens the gap between rich and poor. According to the UNCTAD report, “Developing countries struggle with an international financial architecture whose deeply entrenched asymmetries exacerbate the impact of successive crises on sustainable development. This system exacerbates their debt burden by limiting their access to finance for sustainable development and forcing them to borrow from more costly external sources.” Recent events have exacerbated this challenge. Rising global interest rates since 2022 have further strained developing countries’ public finances. High interest payments outpace growth in basic public spending such as health, education, and climate change mitigation. In developing countries, home to 3.3 billion people, one in three countries spends more on interest payments than on these key areas of human development. “Debt service for public external debt totaled USD 365 billion in 2022, corresponding to 6.3% of export earnings. By comparison, the 1953 London Agreement on German war debt limited the share of export earnings that could be spent on servicing external debt (public and private) to 5% to avoid undermining the recovery,” states the UNCTAD report, highlighting the different treatment of poorer countries today. It notes, in particular, that 61% of developing countries’ debt is held by private creditors who are subject to little political constraint when demanding interest payments. For this reason, the call Pope Francis made on December 16, 2024, during a meeting with representatives of the banking sector, resonates strongly: “The imminent Jubilee reminds us of the need to forgive debts. It is the condition for fostering hope and future in the life of many people, especially the poor. I encourage you to sow hope. Do not tire of accompanying and keeping the level of social justice high.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 6/6/2025)
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RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iPower Inc. (Nasdaq: IPW) (“iPower” or the “Company”), a tech and data-driven ecommerce services provider and online retailer, today announced the formation of United Package NV LLC (“United Package”), a new joint venture (“JV”) that marks the first full-scale implementation of its “Made in USA” module within the Company’s proprietary SuperSuite Supply Chain Platform.
This milestone represents iPower’s commitment to building a resilient, localized manufacturing infrastructure in the United States. United Package will focus on the domestic production of packaging materials to serve the rapidly growing demands of U.S. businesses seeking reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective supply chain solutions without reliance on offshore manufacturing.
“The launch of United Package is a significant step toward reshoring critical manufacturing capabilities and building a more robust, diversified supply chain infrastructure,” said Lawrence Tan, CEO of iPower. “This JV reinforces our long-term strategy to empower brands with faster lead times, lower logistics risk, and higher operational agility, right here in the U.S. We look forward to continue building out our ‘Made in USA’ module as we add further depth to our domestic production footprint, strengthen supplier partnerships, and expand our value-added service offerings to meet the evolving needs of our partners and customers.”
By integrating United Package into the SuperSuite ecosystem, iPower aims to provide customers with:
Faster turnaround times from production to delivery
Reduced exposure to global shipping volatility
Enhanced sustainability with lower carbon footprints
Transparent vendor collaboration via the SuperSuite digital dashboard
Improved inventory responsiveness and demand forecasting
The “Made in USA” module of SuperSuite is designed to provide end-to-end support to manufacturing initiatives across the country — offering legal and regulatory guidance, facility planning, local workforce development, and immediate access to iPower’s nationwide distribution and e-commerce infrastructure.
United Package is only the beginning. iPower plans to expand its “Made in USA” initiative by forming additional strategic ventures and supporting a new wave of domestic manufacturers across various categories.
About iPower Inc.
iPower Inc. is a tech and data-driven online retailer, as well as a provider of value-added ecommerce services for third-party products and brands. iPower’s capabilities include a full spectrum of online channels, robust fulfillment capacity, a nationwide network of warehouses, competitive last mile delivery partners and a differentiated business intelligence platform. iPower believes that these capabilities will enable it to efficiently move a diverse catalog of SKUs from its supply chain partners to end consumers every day, providing the best value to customers in the U.S. and other countries. For more information, please visit iPower’s website at www.meetipower.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that iPower believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. iPower undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although iPower believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and iPower cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results and performance in iPower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on September 20, 2024, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as filed with the SEC on November 14, 2024, February 14, 2025 and May 15, 2025, and in its other SEC filings.
SAN DIEGO, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Turtle Beach Corporation (Nasdaq: TBCH), a leading gaming accessories brand, today announced that Cris Keirn, Chief Executive Officer, and Mark Weinswig, Chief Financial Officer, will virtually participate in the Oppenheimer 25th Annual Consumer Growth and E-Commerce Conference, on June 9-11.
Chief Executive Officer Cris Keirn will host a fireside chat on Tuesday, June 10 at 11:15a.m. ET, and management will also be available for meetings during the conference.
A live webcast of the event will be available through the “Events & Presentations” section of TBCH’s website at corp.turtlebeach.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on the investor relations website for 90 days.
About Turtle Beach Corporation Turtle Beach Corporation (the “Company”) (corp.turtlebeach.com) is one of the world’s leading gaming accessory providers. The Company’s namesake Turtle Beach brand (www.turtlebeach.com) is known for designing best-selling gaming headsets, top-rated game controllers, award-winning PC gaming peripherals, and groundbreaking gaming simulation accessories. Innovation, first-to-market features, a broad range of products for all types of gamers, and top-rated customer support have made Turtle Beach a fan-favorite brand and the market leader in console gaming audio for over a decade. Turtle Beach Corporation acquired Performance Designed Products LLC (www.pdp.com) in 2024. Turtle Beach’s shares are traded on the Nasdaq Exchange under the symbol: TBCH.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Except for historical information contained in this release, statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements regarding assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions, or beliefs about future events. Statements containing the words “may”, “could”, “would”, “should”, “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “estimate”, “target”, “goal”, “project”, “intend” and similar expressions, or the negatives thereof, constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are only predictions and are not guarantees of performance. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company, or any person, that the objectives of the Company will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management.
While the Company believes that its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurances that its goals and strategy will be realized. Numerous factors, including risks and uncertainties, may affect actual results and may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements made by the Company or on its behalf. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs on imported goods and other trade restrictions, the release and availability of successful game titles, macroeconomic conditions affecting the demand for our products, logistic and supply chain challenges and costs, dependence on the success and availability of third-parties to manufacture and manage the logistics of transporting and distributing our products, the substantial uncertainties inherent in the acceptance of existing and future products, the difficulty of commercializing and protecting new technology, the impact of competitive products and pricing, general business and economic conditions, risks associated with the expansion of our business including the integration of any businesses we acquire and the integration of such businesses within our internal control over financial reporting and operations, our indebtedness, liquidity, and other factors discussed in our public filings, including the risk factors included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company is under no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement after the date of this release whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
DENVER, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a Safe Harbor Financial (Safe Harbor or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SHFS), a fintech leader in facilitating financial services and credit facilities to the cannabis industry, announced that Terry Mendez, Safe Harbor’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey Kay, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Dominic Marella, Vice President of Business Development, and Michael Regan, Head of Investor Relations & Data Science will participate in the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference being held on June 8–10, 2025, at the Marriott Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois.
Terry Mendez, will join a panel discussion titled “The CFO, The CPA & The CEO: How To Make Your Business Financially Resilient” on Monday, June 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. CT on the Main Stage on Floor 5 (Chicago Ballroom ABCD). The panel will explore the critical role of financial leadership, tax strategy, and capital structure in navigating the volatile cannabis market.
Safe Harbor will host one-on-one meetings throughout the conference. For more information or to schedule a meeting, please contact ir@SHFinancial.org.
About Safe Harbor: Safe Harbor is among the first service providers to offer compliance, monitoring and validation services to financial institutions that provide traditional banking services to cannabis, hemp, CBD and ancillary operators, making communities safer, driving growth in local economies and fostering long-term partnerships. Safe Harbor, through its financial institution clients, implements high standards of accountability, transparency, monitoring, reporting and risk mitigation measures while meeting Bank Secrecy Act obligations in line with FinCEN guidance on cannabis-related businesses. Over the past decade, Safe Harbor has facilitated more than $25 billion in deposit transactions for businesses with operations spanning more than 41 states and US territories with regulated cannabis markets.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained in this press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included herein may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to trends in the cannabis industry, including proposed changes in U.S and state laws, rules, regulations and guidance relating to Safe Harbor’s services; Safe Harbor’s growth prospects and Safe Harbor’s market size; Safe Harbor’s projected financial and operational performance, including relative to its competitors and historical performance; success or viability of new product and service offerings Safe Harbor may introduce in the future; the impact volatility in the capital markets, which may adversely affect the price of Safe Harbor’s securities; the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been or may be brought by or against Safe Harbor; and other statements regarding Safe Harbor’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “outlook,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Safe Harbor’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Safe Harbor undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.
Safe Harbor Investor Relations Contact: Mike Regan, Head of Safe Harbor Investor Relations ir@SHFinancial.org
Safe Harbor Media Relations Contact: Ellen Mellody 570-209-2947 safeharbor@kcsa.com
New York, NY, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —Cyabra Strategy Ltd. (“Cyabra”), a leading AI platform for real-time disinformation detection, has released a groundbreaking new report exposing a sophisticated campaign to artificially inflate online backlash against Target’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
The investigation analyzed thousands of social media conversations between January to June, 2025, and uncovered how bot networks manufactured outrage to spark a boycott movement. The report reveals how misinformation targeting Target’s DEI programs was deliberately amplified by bad actors to manipulate public perception and damage brand reputation.
Cyabra’s report was prominently featured in USA Today’s June 4 article, “What fueled the Target DEI boycott? The answer may surprise you.” The coverage highlights Cyabra’s key findings, including that 27% of the social media accounts analyzed were fake and played a significant role in amplifying the viral backlash. The report also revealed a 764% surge in inauthentic sentiment following Target’s announcement that it was scaling back its diversity initiatives.
While not solely responsible, the presence of fake accounts amplifying negativity from both sides – whether promoting or opposing the boycott – helped shape a toxic narrative that ultimately eroded overall brand perception, coinciding with a $12 billion drop in Target’s market value by late February 2025. The full report can be viewed here.
The report underscores Cyabra’s ability to detect weaponized disinformation targeting brands. In today’s volatile digital environment, brands face growing risks from coordinated campaigns designed to manufacture outrage, damage trust and brand reputation, and trigger real-world consequences like boycotts and stock volatility. These attacks often appear organic but are driven by fake profiles and bot networks. Cyabra’s real-time intelligence platform helps executives distinguish authentic sentiment from manipulation, enabling faster, smarter decisions that protect brand reputation, guide crisis response, and maintain stakeholder confidence.
“The Cyabra report uncovered a strategic operation designed to look like a viral movement,” said Dan Brahmy, CEO & Co-founder of Cyabra. “Disinformation, namely fake accounts and false narratives, are being weaponized against brands. We are proud that our disinformation detection tools are able to shine a light on how bad actors manipulate online sentiment to attack corporate values.”
Cyabra has entered into a business combination agreement with Trailblazer Merger Corporation I (NASDAQ: $TBMC), a blank-check special-purpose acquisition company.
About Cyabra Cyabra is a real-time AI-powered platform that uncovers and analyzes online disinformation and misinformation by uncovering fake profiles, harmful narratives, and GenAI content across social media and digital news channels. Cyabra’s AI solutions protect corporations and governments against brand reputation risks, election manipulation, foreign interference, and other online threats. Cyabra’s platform leverages proprietary algorithms and NLP solutions, gathering and analyzing publicly available data to provide clear, actionable insights and real-time alerts that inform critical decision-making. Cyabra uncovers the good, bad, and fake online.
About Trailblazer Trailblazer is a blank check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. For more information, visit: www.trailblazermergercorp.com
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to certain products and services that are the subject of a proposed transaction (the “Business Combination”) between Trailblazer and Cyabra. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding Cyabra’s business strategy, products and services, research and development costs, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future results of current and anticipated product offerings, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to, the following risks relating to the proposed transaction: the ability to complete the Business Combination or, if Trailblazer does not consummate such Business Combination, any other initial business combination; expectations regarding Cyabra’s strategies and future financial performance, including its future business plans or objectives, prospective performance and opportunities and competitors, revenues, products and services, pricing, operating expenses, market trends, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and Cyabra’s ability to invest in growth initiatives and pursue acquisition opportunities; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Trailblazer or Cyabra following announcement of the Business Combination Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein; the inability to complete the proposed Business Combination due to, among other things, the failure to obtain Trailblazer stockholder approval; the risk that the announcement and consummation of the proposed Business Combination disrupts Cyabra’s current operations and future plans; the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination; unexpected costs related to the proposed Business Combination; the amount of any redemptions by existing holders of Trailblazer’s common stock being greater than expected; limited liquidity and trading of Trailblazer’s securities; geopolitical risk and changes in applicable laws or regulations; the size of the addressable markets for Cyabra’s products and services; the possibility that Trailblazer and/or Cyabra may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; the ability to obtain and/or maintain the listing of the combined company’s common stock on Nasdaq following the Business Combination; operational risk; and the risks that the consummation of the proposed Business Combination is substantially delayed or does not occur.
Important Information for Investors and Stockholders In connection with the Business Combination, Trailblazer Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Trailblazer (“Holdings”) has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which includes a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, and certain other related documents, which will be both the proxy statement to be distributed to holders of shares of Trailblazer’s common stock in connection with its solicitation of proxies for the vote by its stockholders with respect to the Business Combination and other matters as may be described in the Registration Statement, as well as the prospectus of Holdings relating to the offer and sale of its securities to be issued in the Business Combination. . After the Registration Statement is declared effective, the proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all Trailblazer stockholders so that they may vote on the Business Combination.
INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF TRAILBLAZER ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUSINESS COMBINATION AND THE PARTIES INVOLVED.
Trailblazer stockholders are currently able to obtain copies of the preliminary proxy
statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference therein, and will be able to obtain the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference therein, once available, in all cases without charge, at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to: Trailblazer at 510 Madison Avenue, Suite 1401, New York, NY 10022, Telephone: 646-747-9618.
Participants in the Solicitation Cyabra, Trailblazer, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Trailblazer stockholders regarding the proposed Business Combination. Information about Trailblazer’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of Trailblazer’s securities is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus pertaining to the proposed Business Combination.
No Offer or Solicitation This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval. No sale of securities shall occur in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification under applicable laws.
Several years ago, an employee at Universal Music came across a cassette tape in a Tokyo warehouse while sorting through archival materials. On it was a recording by the late Taiwanese pop star Teresa Teng that had never been released; the pop ballad, likely recorded in the mid-1980s while Teng was living and performing in Japan, was a collaboration between composer Takashi Miki and lyricist Toyohisa Araki.
Teng died 30 years ago. Most Americans know little about her life and her body of work. Yet the ballads of Teng, who could sing in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and Indonesian, continue to echo through karaoke rooms, on Spotify playlists, at tribute concerts and at family gatherings across Asia and beyond.
I study how pop music has served as a tool of soft power, and I’ve spent the past several years researching Teng’s music and its legacy. I’ve found that Teng’s influence endures not just because of her voice, but also because her music transcends Asia’s political fault lines.
From local star to Asian icon
Born in 1953 in Yunlin, Taiwan, Teresa Teng grew up in one of the many villages that were built to house soldiers and their families who had fled mainland China in 1949 after the communists claimed victory in the Chinese civil war. Her early exposure to traditional Chinese music and opera laid the foundation for her singing career. By age 6, she was taking voice lessons. She soon began winning local singing competitions.
“It wasn’t adults who wanted me to sing,” Teng wrote in her memoir. “I wanted to sing. As long as I could sing, I was happy.”
At 14, Teng dropped out of high school to focus entirely on music, signing with the local label Yeu Jow Records. Soon thereafter, she released her first album, “Fengyang Flower Drum.” In the 1970s, she toured and recorded across Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Southeast Asia, becoming one of Asia’s first truly transnational pop stars.
Teng’s career flourished in the late 1970s and 1980s. She released some of her most iconic tracks, such as her covers of Chinese singer Zhou Xuan’s 1937 hit “When Will You Return?” and Taiwanese singer Chen Fen-lan’s “The Moon Represents My Heart,” and toured widely across Asia, sparking what came to be known as “Teresa Teng Fever.”
In the early 1990s, Teng was forced to stop performing for health reasons. She died suddenly of an asthma attack on May 8, 1995, while on vacation in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at the age of 42.
China catches Teng Fever
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Teng’s story is that Teng Fever peaked in China.
During the late 1970s and 1980s, however, China began to relax its political control under Deng Xiaoping’s Reform and Opening Up policy. This sweeping initiative shifted China toward a market-oriented economy, encouraged foreign trade and investment, and cautiously reintroduced global cultural influences after decades of isolation.
Pop music from other parts of the world began trickling in, including Teng’s tender ballads. Her songs could be heard in coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Shanghai, inland cities such as Beijing and Tianjin, and even remote regions such as Tibet. Shanghai’s propaganda department wrote an internal memo in 1980 noting that her music had spread to the city’s public parks, restaurants, nursing homes and wedding halls.
Teng’s immense popularity in China was no accident; it reflected a time in the country’s history when its people were particularly eager for emotionally resonant art after decades of cultural propaganda and censorship.
For a society that had been awash in rote, revolutionary songs like “The East is Red” and “Union is Strength,” Teng’s music offered something entirely different. It was personal, tender and deeply human. Her gentle, approachable style – often described as “angelic” or like that of “a girl next door” – provided solace and a sense of intimacy that had long been absent from public life.
Teng performs ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ in Taipei in 1984.
Teng’s music was also admired for her ability to bridge eras. Her 1983 album “Light Exquisite Feeling” fused classical Chinese poetry with contemporary Western pop melodies, showcasing her gift for blending the traditional and the modern. It cemented her reputation not just as a pop star but as a cultural innovator.
It’s no secret why audiences across China and Asia were so deeply drawn to her and her music. She was fluent in multiple languages; she was elegant but humble, polite and relatable; she was involved in various charities; and she spoke out in support of democratic values.
A sound of home in distant lands
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the Chinese immigrant population in the United States grew to over 1.1 million. Teng’s music has also deeply embedded itself within Chinese diasporic communities across the country. In cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, Chinese immigrants played her music at family gatherings, during holidays and at community events. Walk through any Chinatown during Lunar New Year and you’re bound to hear her voice wafting through the streets.
Teng visits New York City’s Chinatown during her 1980 concert tour in the U.S. Wikimedia Commons
For younger Chinese Americans and even non-Chinese audiences, Teng’s music has become a window into Chinese culture.
When I was studying in the U.S., I often met Asian American students who belted out her songs at karaoke nights or during cultural festivals. Many had grown up hearing her music through their parents’ playlists or local community celebrations.
The release of her recently discovered song is a reminder that some voices do not fade – they evolve, migrate and live on in the hearts of people scattered across the world.
Teresa Teng’s music is still celebrated in Chinatowns across the U.S.
In an age when global politics drive different cultures apart, Teng’s enduring appeal reminds us of something quieter yet more lasting: the power of voice to transmit emotion across time and space, the way a melody can build a bridge between continents and generations.
I recently rewatched the YouTube video for Teng’s iconic 1977 ballad “The Moon Represents My Heart.” As I read the comments section, one perfectly encapsulated what I had discovered about Teresa Teng in my own research: “Teng’s music opened a window to a culture I never knew I needed.”
Xianda Huang 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.
Hundreds of thousands of U.S. nonprofits provide vital services, such as running food banks and youth programs, supporting public health initiatives and helping unemployed people find new jobs. Although this work helps sustain local communities, obtaining the money and staff they require is a constant struggle for many of these groups.
That’s where AmeriCorps often comes in. The independent federal agency for national service and volunteerism has facilitated the work of approximately 200,000 people a year, placing them through partnerships with thousands of nonprofits that provide tutoring, disaster relief and many other important services.
But Americorps’ fate is now uncertain. In April 2025, the Trump administration canceled more than 1,000 grants, suddenly ending the stipends that were supporting more than 32,000 AmeriCorps volunteers. On June 5, a judge ordered that these grants be restored in Washington D.C. and 24 states in response to a lawsuit they had filed. The judge also ordered that all volunteers who had been deployed in those places be reinstated “if they are willing and able to return.”
I’m a sociology and public affairs professor who has studied nonprofits and volunteering for decades. My research suggests that dismantling AmeriCorps would harm the organizations that rely on national service members and take a toll on the communities that benefit from their work.
AmeriCorps explains what the independent national service agency does.
What AmeriCorps does
AmeriCorps traces its roots to the mid-1960s, when Volunteers in Service to America, known as VISTA, was founded as a domestic counterpart to the Peace Corps. Several earlier service programs were consolidated when Congress passed the National and Community Service Trust Act in 1993. AmeriCorps was officially launched in 1994 – and VISTA became one of its programs.
Since then, AmeriCorps members have built housing and infrastructure, delivered disaster relief, tutored in low-income schools, provided health care and helped older adults age with dignity in both urban and rural communities across the nation.
AmeriCorps includes a variety of programs, each designed to address specific public needs. Some AmeriCorps volunteers provide direct services, such as tutoring, food delivery and in disaster response efforts. Others focus on building the long-term capacity of local nonprofits through volunteer recruitment, fundraising strategy and community outreach.
AmeriCorps volunteers, whom the agency calls “members,” are placed in thousands of nonprofits, schools and local agencies. Many of them are recent college graduates or early-career professionals. Some programs specifically ask people over 55 to serve. Those “senior” volunteers support children through the Foster Grandparents program, volunteer for organizations or assist other older people through the Senior Companions program.
Many AmeriCorps volunteers are paid a modest allowance for this work that runs about $500 per week. AmeriCorps senior volunteers receive smaller sums in hourly stipends to offset the costs of volunteering.
Fox40 News in Sacramento, Calif., covers the Trump administration’s reduction of AmeriCorps’ ranks in April 2025.
One such study found that every dollar invested in national service generates $11.80 in benefits for society, such as higher earnings, better mental and physical health, and economic growth. Additionally, every federal dollar spent on national service produces $17.30 in savings across other government programs through reductions in public assistance, health and criminal justice spending.
As part of AmeriCorps’ research grants program, I have received funding to study civic engagement and AmeriCorps programming.
In one of those studies, which I conducted with two former colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin in 2021, we found that VISTA volunteers were able to help nonprofits gain volunteers. After two years, an organization with that support had 71% more volunteers than those that didn’t participate in the VISTA program.
We also found that the longer a nonprofit had a staffer supported by the VISTA program, the more its overall pool of volunteers increased.
Nonprofits with VISTA volunteers also had three times as many donations two years later, compared with nonprofits without VISTA service members. But the total value of donations the nonprofit obtained didn’t always rise. That is, we found that VISTA builds people power, but not necessarily fundraising revenue.
Findings like these indicate that AmeriCorps hasn’t just helped the people it serves or the people who volunteer through the program. It also strengthens nonprofits and increases engagement within local communities, reinforcing the civic fabric that knits communities together.
As members of Congress and the White House decide whether to preserve AmeriCorps, I hope they consider the evidence that demonstrates this worthwhile program’s positive impact.
Pamela Paxton has received funding from the Office of Research and Evaluation at AmeriCorps.
A few years ago, a student in my history of public health course asked why her mother couldn’t afford insulin without insurance, despite having a full-time job. I told her what I’ve come to believe: The U.S. health care system was deliberately built this way.
People often hear that health care in America is dysfunctional – too expensive, too complex and too inequitable. But dysfunction implies failure. What if the real problem is that the system is functioning exactly as it was designed to? Understanding this legacy is key to explaining not only why reform has failed repeatedly, but why change remains so difficult.
I am a historian of public health with experience researching oral health access and health care disparities in the Deep South. My work focuses on how historical policy choices continue to shape the systems we rely on today.
By tracing the roots of today’s system and all its problems, it’s easier to understand why American health care looks the way it does and what it will take to reform it into a system that provides high-quality, affordable care for all. Only by confronting how profit, politics and prejudice have shaped the current system can Americans imagine and demand something different.
Decades of compromise
My research and that of many others show that today’s high costs, deep inequities and fragmented care are predictable features developed from decades of policy choices that prioritized profit over people, entrenched racial and regional hierarchies, and treated health care as a commodity rather than a public good.
In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid programs greatly expanded public health infrastructure. Unfortunately, they also reinforced and deepened existing inequalities. Medicare, a federally administered program for people over 64, primarily benefited wealthier Americans who had access to stable, formal employment and employer-based insurance during their working years. Medicaid, designed by Congress as a joint federal-state program, is aimed at the poor, including many people with disabilities. The combination of federal and state oversight resulted in 50 different programs with widely variable eligibility, coverage and quality.
Southern lawmakers, in particular, fought for this decentralization. Fearing federal oversight of public health spending and civil rights enforcement, they sought to maintain control over who received benefits. Historians have shown that these efforts were primarily designed to restrict access to health care benefits along racial lines during the Jim Crow period of time.
Bloated bureaucracies, ‘creeping socialism’
Today, that legacy is painfully visible.
States that chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act are overwhelmingly located in the South and include several with large Black populations. Nearly 1 in 4 uninsured Black adults are uninsured because they fall into the coverage gap – unable to access affordable health insurance – they earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to receive subsidies through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace.
The system’s architecture also discourages care aimed at prevention. Because Medicaid’s scope is limited and inconsistent, preventive care screenings, dental cleanings and chronic disease management often fall through the cracks. That leads to costlier, later-stage care that further burdens hospitals and patients alike.
Meanwhile, cultural attitudes around concepts like “rugged individualism” and “freedom of choice” have long been deployed to resist public solutions. In the postwar decades, while European nations built national health care systems, the U.S. reinforced a market-driven approach.
Publicly funded systems were increasingly portrayed by American politicians and industry leaders as threats to individual freedom – often dismissed as “socialized medicine” or signs of creeping socialism. In 1961, for example, Ronald Reagan recorded a 10-minute LP titled “Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine,” which was distributed by the American Medical Association as part of a national effort to block Medicare.
The health care system’s administrative complexity ballooned beginning in the 1960s, driven by the rise of state-run Medicaid programs, private insurers and increasingly fragmented billing systems. Patients were expected to navigate opaque billing codes, networks and formularies, all while trying to treat, manage and prevent illness. In my view, and that of other scholars, this isn’t accidental but rather a form of profitable confusion built into the system to benefit insurers and intermediaries.
President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts would reduce Medicaid spending by about US$700 billion.
Coverage gaps, chronic disinvestment
Even well-meaning reforms have been built atop this structure. The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, expanded access to health insurance but preserved many of the system’s underlying inequities. And by subsidizing private insurers rather than creating a public option, the law reinforced the central role of private companies in the health care system.
The public option – a government-run insurance plan intended to compete with private insurers and expand coverage – was ultimately stripped from the Affordable Care Act during negotiations due to political opposition from both Republicans and moderate Democrats.
When the U.S. Supreme Court made it optional in 2012 for states to offer expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, it amplified the very inequalities that the ACA sought to reduce.
These decisions have consequences. In states like Alabama, an estimated 220,000 adults remain uninsured due to the Medicaid coverage gap – the most recent year for which reliable data is available – highlighting the ongoing impact of the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid.
Change is hard not because reformers haven’t tried before, but because the system serves the very interests it was designed to serve. Insurers profit from obscurity – networks that shift, formularies that confuse, billing codes that few can decipher. Providers profit from a fee-for-service model that rewards quantity over quality, procedure over prevention. Politicians reap campaign contributions and avoid blame through delegation, diffusion and plausible deniability.
This is not an accidental web of dysfunction. It is a system that transforms complexity into capital, bureaucracy into barriers.
Patients – especially the uninsured and underinsured – are left to make impossible choices: delay treatment or take on debt, ration medication or skip checkups, trust the health care system or go without. Meanwhile, I believe the rhetoric of choice and freedom disguises how constrained most people’s options really are.
Other countries show us that alternatives are possible. Systems in Germany, France and Canada vary widely in structure, but all prioritize universal access and transparency.
Understanding what the U.S. health care system is designed to do – rather than assuming it is failing unintentionally – is a necessary first step toward considering meaningful change.
Zachary W. Schulz 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.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CERO) (“CERo”), an innovative immunotherapy company seeking to advance the next generation of engineered T cell therapeutics that employ phagocytic mechanisms, announces that the Company has issued additional shares of its Series D Preferred Stock to certain institutional investors (the “Investors”) pursuant to the securities purchase agreement previously entered into by and between the Company and such Investors on April 22, 2025 with respect to the issuance of shares of Series D Preferred Stock for an aggregate purchase price of up to $8 million, including $5 million previously issued in April 2025 and up to $3 million issuable at the option of the Investors. The shares of Series D Preferred Stock are convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock.
“We welcome this vote of confidence and the continued support of our investors as we continue to show progress along our clinical timeline. The completion of our first-in-human dosing represents a significant clinical development milestone in AML for CER-1236, a novel autologous CAR-T therapeutic candidate targeting TIM 4L, and we will continue to communicate results as the data matures,” said Chris Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer.
The gross proceeds to CERo from today’s closing are expected to be approximately $750,000, with up to $2.25 million of cash that may be funded at one or more additional closings, at the election of the Investors. CERo intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to take advantage of the two recent FDA IND allowances in liquid and solid tumors and complete the previously announced site activation at MDACC, as well as bring other sites online quickly.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About CERo Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.
CERo is an innovative immunotherapy company advancing the development of next generation engineered T cell therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Its proprietary approach to T cell engineering, which enables it to integrate certain desirable characteristics of both innate and adaptive immunity into a single therapeutic construct, is designed to engage the body’s full immune repertoire to achieve optimized cancer therapy. This novel cellular immunotherapy platform is expected to redirect patient-derived T cells to eliminate tumors by building in engulfment pathways that employ phagocytic mechanisms to destroy cancer cells, creating what CERo refers to as Chimeric Engulfment Receptor T cells (“CER-T”). CERo believes the differentiated activity of CER-T cells will afford them greater therapeutic application than currently approved chimeric antigen receptor (“CAR-T”) cell therapy, as the use of CER-T may potentially span both hematological malignancies and solid tumors. In April 2025, CERo initiated clinical trials for its lead product candidate, CER-1236,for hematological malignancies.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. This includes, without limitation, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations of CERo. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this communication, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “strive,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. When CERo discusses its strategies or plans, it is making projections, forecasts or forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on the beliefs of, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to, CERo’s management.
Actual results could differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this communication. Certain risks that could cause actual results to differ are set forth in CERo’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on April 15, 2025, and the documents incorporated by reference therein. The risks described in CERo’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are not exhaustive. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all such risk factors, nor can CERo assess the impact of all such risk factors on its business, or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements made by CERo or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. CERo undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Contact: Chris Ehrlich Chief Executive Officer chris@cero.bio
06 JUNE 2025 – Energy Perspectives 2025 presents four scenarios for the future world economy, international energy markets and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Long-term forecasts of the development in global energy markets are normally very difficult. As this year’s Energy Perspectives report is published, the task is even more complex, as global markets and geopolitics are undergoing massive shifts with unpredictable consequences in both the shorter and longer term. Political priorities affecting global energy markets are shifting further away from decarbonisation towards energy affordability and security of energy supply. On top of this, it is nearly impossible to gauge the short-term impact of trade conflicts and new rules in the geopolitics game.
“The geopolitical landscape and trade conflicts clearly illustrate that the global cooperation needed for a Paris-aligned energy transition is not present”, says SVP and Chief economist Eirik Wærness.
A global energy transition roughly in line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement has become severely delayed and more fragmented, and global greenhouse emissions continued to increase last year. Despite numerous positive developments, the macroeconomic, political and geopolitical realities are characterised by lack of trust, cooperation and burden-sharing, that are slowing down the pace of change foreseen in the Paris Agreement. A reversal of this development will take time, and its success is by no means guaranteed. With short-termism and local and regional priorities dominating policy making, the necessary global changes in the direction of truly sustainable development, balancing the different concerns in the energy trilemma, will be further delayed.
Energy Perspectives 2025 presents four scenarios for the future world economy, international energy markets and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. The scenarios are built to show how divergent drivers in the energy trilemma (energy security, affordability and decarbonisation) affect long-term developments. The scenarios are not predictions, but possible contrasting pathways, providing a platform for debate, strategic planning and decision making.
“The insights and analysis provided by Energy Perspectives help us navigate short-term uncertainties without losing sight of long-term tr
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Document
Resolution of May 31, 2025 No. 829
Commercial and government organizations may enter into agreements with regulatory authorities on the proper elimination of identified violations. From the moment the agreement is concluded, the order to eliminate the identified violation is suspended. The corresponding resolution was signed by the Government. This instrument is aimed at reducing the administrative burden on business as part of improving control and supervisory activities under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko.
The organizations that may apply for the conclusion of an agreement include government agencies, local government bodies, state and municipal institutions, as well as city-forming and strategic enterprises, defense industry organizations, enterprises in the housing and utilities sector, energy, communications, transport, agriculture, and pharmaceutical production.
Applications from organizations will be considered only for those types of supervision where the controlled entities are primarily organizations of strategic or high socio-economic importance. The effect of the resolution extends to eight types of control:
— federal state supervision in the field of industrial safety,
— Federal State Energy Supervision,
— federal state supervision in the field of safety of hydraulic structures,
— Federal State Mining Supervision,
— federal state environmental control (supervision),
— federal state geological control (supervision),
— federal state land control (supervision);
— federal state licensing control of activities related to the production of medicines.
“The mechanism of agreements will prevent situations when administrative liability for a detected violation may lead to a halt in production, staff reductions, or a reduction in the output of socially significant products. Control authorities must accommodate organizations and build partnerships with them. Especially if eliminating violations requires significant financial and time costs, or the allocation of additional budget funds,” commented Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko.
To conclude an agreement, organizations develop a draft program for eliminating the identified violations and provide documents confirming that significant time, material costs and capital investments are needed to eliminate the violations. This must be done within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the order.
The signed agreement is being coordinated with the prosecutor’s office.
If an agreement is concluded and comes into force, the order regarding the identified violations of mandatory requirements is suspended; after their elimination, the controlled person is not subject to administrative liability.
Applications can be submitted for violations identified since June 1, 2025. Applications will be denied for those that pose a direct threat to human life and health. For example, if we are talking about corrosion or partial destruction of power line supports, which can lead to collapse, line breakage and, as a result, mass power outages.
This resolution was developed by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia and adopted in pursuance of the amendments to the Federal Law “On State Control (Supervision) and Municipal Control in the Russian Federation” that came into force in 2025.
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: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a resolution approving the rules for preparing project documentation for repeated use (standard project documentation), which establishes, among other things, the specifics of the composition of its sections and the requirements for its content, as well as the specifics of the examination of such documentation.
“Standard design is an important tool for high-quality construction. The adoption of the relevant resolution will create an effective system for the development and use of standard design documentation. The use of standard designs allows us to reduce construction time by at least six months, since there is no need to develop design and working documentation from scratch. Thus, people receive the necessary schools, kindergartens, hospitals and other socially significant facilities faster. In addition, the use of proven solutions ensures cost savings, a high level of reliability of facilities, minimizes errors and simplifies the approval process. The development of a series of standard designs is planned to begin in 2026, and it will begin with schools. This will be the first step in a large-scale program for the typification of social infrastructure throughout the country,” said Marat Khusnullin.
The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that changes providing for the procedure for developing standard design documentation were introduced into the Urban Development Code in 2024.
Series of standard projects will provide up-to-date technical solutions that comply with all established sanitary-epidemiological, fire and other mandatory safety requirements, as well as the most advantageous in terms of functional, technical and economic indicators.
In addition, such series of standard projects of social facilities will be created for all climatic and seismic regions of the country.
“The standard design documentation provides for the most relevant technical solutions that allow achieving the functional, technical and economic indicators of capital construction projects at the lowest cost. The Ministry of Construction of Russia pays special attention to the development of this area as part of the implementation of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”, aimed at fulfilling the tasks of socio-economic development of Russia set by the President. The use of design solutions that have already passed the assessment of the state examination of design documentation helps to reduce the construction time of facilities, as well as reduce the financial costs of participants in the investment and construction process,” noted Minister of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities Irek Fayzullin.
In addition, the Government has defined federal executive bodies and their subordinate institutions authorized to develop standard design documentation. These are the Ministry of Construction of Russia (Federal Autonomous Institution “FCS”), the Ministry of Transport of Russia (Federal State Institution “Rostransmodernizatsiya”, Federal State Institution “Rosgranstroy”), the Ministry of Defense of Russia, and the Federal Protective Service of Russia.
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.
Leeds City Council has underlined its commitment to fairness and opportunity for all by making some impressive new additions to its fleet of accessible minibuses.
The council has taken delivery of 22 Treka Mobility+ vehicles, which are now being used on a daily basis to transport people with special educational needs and disabilities to and from learning, day care and other community settings.
The minibuses are designed to offer maximum flexibility and comfort, with features requested by the council – including glider doors, detachable seating and lift access for wheelchairs – ensuring they fully meet a whole range of individual requirements and provide an enjoyable journey experience.
The investment aligns with the council’s Best City Ambition, which aims to make sure that Leeds is a place where people – whatever their background or personal circumstances – can lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
The community-focused modernisation of this part of the local authority’s passenger transport fleet will also, it is anticipated, bring long-term financial benefits by reducing ad-hoc maintenance costs and delivering more efficient levels of fuel consumption.
The council has worked closely with Treka for a number of years, with the reliability and quality of the Yorkshire-based vehicle manufacturer’s aftercare service and support playing a key role in the enduring success of the relationship between the two.
Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for resources, said:
“The accessibility, flexibility and comfort offered by these minibuses will mean easier and more enjoyable journeys for everyone who uses them.
“In challenging financial times I’m pleased and proud that we have been able to fund this investment to provide high-quality transport for our residents which will make a really positive difference to their lives.
“I’d like to thank our drivers and the many other council staff who keep our vital passenger transport services on the road day in, day out, they really are helping to change people’s lives.”
Treka secured the contract to supply the minibuses following an open and transparent tender process conducted through the council’s approved third party framework for vehicle purchases.
More details about the range of support provided by the council’s passenger transport service can be found here. The addition of the minibuses means the service now has 219 full-sized welfare vehicles at its disposal.
Click here for further information about the Best City Ambition – the council’s vision for the future of Leeds – and how it aims to improve local people’s lives up to 2030 and beyond.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, June 6 (Xinhua) — Belarusbank was approved as a full member of the Interbank Association of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (IBA) following the 21st meeting of the Council.
Speaking at the meeting held at the China Development Bank headquarters in Beijing on Thursday, participants expressed their willingness to provide high-quality financial services to jointly build a more beautiful SCO common home.
As an important platform for regional financial cooperation, the SCO IBC should further intensify cooperation between its member banks in the areas of infrastructure connectivity, scientific and technological innovation, industrial modernization, green and low-carbon development, and digital economy, continuously deepen humanitarian exchanges, and strengthen mutual trust and understanding, the meeting participants said.
The SCO Interbank Association was established in October 2005. Its activities are aimed at supporting economic cooperation in the SCO region. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ULAN BATOR, June 6 (Xinhua) — Mongolia received a record 66,360 foreign tourists in May 2025, local media reported on Friday, citing data from the country’s Professional Tourism Association.
This figure increased by 5,462 people compared to the same period of the previous year.
Currently, Mongolia’s economy relies heavily on mineral resource exports. Tourism promotion is considered a priority for diversifying the country’s economy and increasing the competitiveness of its tourism sector in the global competitive environment.
By 2028, Mongolia plans to welcome a total of 2 million foreign tourists as part of its policy to support the tourism sector under the official slogan “Go Mongolia”.
According to the country’s National Statistical Committee, more than 727.4 thousand foreign tourists visited Mongolia in 2024. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — The 9th China-South Asia Expo will be held from June 19 to 24 in Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, an official with China’s Ministry of Commerce announced Friday.
Jointly organized by the aforementioned department and the people’s government of Yunnan Province, the exhibition will be one of the most important events this year in the field of economic and trade exchanges between China and South Asian countries, Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong said at a press conference.
According to him, in 2024, trade turnover between China and South Asian countries will approach US$200 billion, doubling over the past decade.
He noted that investment cooperation had also yielded fruitful results, noting that flagship projects had become the main drivers of regional growth.
China will work closely with South Asian countries to align development strategies, expand cooperation in new areas such as the digital economy, low-carbon development and smart manufacturing, and support the region’s industrialization.
Li Chaowei, director of the Yunnan Provincial Bureau of Commerce, said this year’s expo will be more international, professional and market-oriented, adding that more than 1,400 enterprises from 54 countries and regions have confirmed their participation.
The expo will feature 11 themed pavilions covering key industries such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy and modern agriculture. About 1,000 professional buyers are expected to attend the event, Li Chaowei added. -0-
The decision paves the way for broader digital asset adoption in the UK
London, 6 June 2025 – 21Shares, one of the world’s leading issuers of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) and the first to list crypto ETNs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), welcomes the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) announcement today proposing to lift the ban on offering crypto exchange-traded notes (cETNs) to UK retail investors.
The proposal aims to support innovation and competitiveness in the UK’s digital asset sector while ensuring robust investor protection. Crypto ETNs are already widely accessible to retail investors in other major jurisdictions across Europe, and this change would bring the UK into alignment with global best practice.
“This is a landmark moment for the UK digital asset market,” said Russell Barlow, CEO of 21Shares. “We fully support the FCA’s move to provide regulated access to crypto ETNs for retail investors. Retail investors in the UK deserve cost effective, efficient and regulated access to the digital asset economy. This consultation represents real progress towards that goal and affirms the FCA’s commitment to balancing innovation with investor protection as well as the UK’s position as a leading global financial centre.”
In 2024, 21Shares listed the first physically-backed crypto ETNs on the London Stock Exchange, providing professional investors in the UK with regulated access to digital assets. Today’s announcement, which marks a reversal of the FCA’s initial 2021 ban on retail access to crypto derivatives and ETNs, paves the way for retail investors to participate via the same trusted, transparent instruments.
21Shares looks forward to engaging constructively with the FCA and market stakeholders throughout the consultation process. The firm stands ready to support the expansion of regulated crypto access to retail investors with its comprehensive suite of physically backed ETPs, which includes exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Notes to editors
About 21Shares
21Shares is one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange traded product providers and offers the largest suite of crypto ETPs in the market. The company was founded to make cryptocurrency more accessible to investors, and to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. 21Shares listed the world’s first physically-backed crypto ETP in 2018, building a seven-year track record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds that are listed on some of the biggest, most liquid securities exchanges globally. Backed by a specialized research team, proprietary technology, and deep capital markets expertise, 21Shares delivers innovative, simple and cost-efficient investment solutions.
21Shares is a member of 21.co, a global leader in decentralized finance. For more information, please visit www.21Shares.com
This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever or for any other purpose in any jurisdiction. Nothing in this document should be considered investment advice.
This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful.
This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States has approved or disapproved of an investment in the securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this presentation. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.
Within the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer’s website underwww.21Shares.com.
The approval of the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.
This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and the Swiss Financial Services Act (the “FinSA”) and not a prospectus. The 2024 Base Prospectus of 21Shares AG has been deposited pursuant to article 54(2) FinSA with BX Swiss AG in its function as Swiss prospectus review body within the meaning of article 52 FinSA. The 2024 Base Prospectus and the key information document for any products may be obtained at 21Shares AG’s website (https://21shares.com/ir/prospectusorhttps://21shares.com/ir/kids).
TALLINN, Estonia, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the early days of crypto, mining was reserved for the technically elite. Specialized rigs, high electricity bills, and complex setups created a wall between everyday people and the wealth being generated behind blockchain technology. Fast forward to 2025, and Bitcoin Solaris is tearing down that wall, placing the power of crypto mining directly into the palm of your hand.
This isn’t just another blockchain project promising change. Bitcoin Solaris (BTC-S) is delivering it through innovation, accessibility, and mobile-first scalability. BTC-S is powered by a dual-layered, dual-consensus system—combining Proof-of-Work (PoW) with Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) to ensure both security and efficiency. This architecture allows BTC-S to achieve lightning-fast 10,000+ transactions per second while keeping its network highly decentralized and secure.
But the real revolution is in how it’s mined—and who can mine it.
Your Phone Is Now a Mining Rig
At the core of this disruption is the upcoming Solaris Nova App—an intuitive, cross-platform mining tool that lets anyone start earning from their smartphone, desktop, or even a browser. Mining has never been this simple:
Cross-device compatibility: Supports ASICs, GPUs, laptops, and smartphones.
One-click setup: No coding, no wallet configuration—just tap and go.
Real-time wallet rewards: Earnings are visible immediately.
Adaptive algorithms: Optimizes based on device specs for peak performance.
Energy efficiency: Consumes 99.95% less energy than traditional mining.
Even more impressive? Bitcoin Solaris has baked in end-to-end encryption, biometric logins, remote wipe capabilities, and gamified features like achievements and leaderboards, making it secure, fun, and inclusive.
Build Wealth, Stake, and Grow with Liquid Staking
Bitcoin Solaris doesn’t stop at mining. It also enables liquid staking, allowing users to earn passive income without locking up their assets. When users stake BTC-S, it’s instantly converted into sBTC-S at a 1:1 ratio.
That means you can:
Trade your staked tokens freely.
Use them in DeFi protocols like lending or liquidity pools.
Participate in governance without losing yield.
Best of all, liquid staking is fully integrated into the Solaris Nova App. Validator selection is automated, the UI is beginner-friendly, and the security framework ensures peace of mind.
BTC-S’s model improves both decentralization and capital efficiency, letting your assets work for you from day one.
With mobile mining and staking at the center of its offering, it’s no surprise that over 11,000 users have joined the presale so far. And with just around 8 weeks left in the sale, interest is only accelerating.
Current Price: $6
Next Phase: $7
Launch Price: $20
Bonus: 10%
It’s not just retail investors taking notice. Crypto Royal recently published a detailed review of Bitcoin Solaris, praising the project’s smart tech and accessibility. As more influencers weigh in, the momentum continues to build.
Security Backed by Real Audits and Transparency
What sets Bitcoin Solaris apart from many crypto projects is its commitment to trust and transparency. It’s passed not one, but two major audits—by Cyberscope and Freshcoins. Plus, the team has completed full KYC verification, further proving it’s here to stay.
And as excitement continues to spread, you can track updates, join discussions, and be part of the movement on the project’s Telegram and X channels.
Conclusion: Crypto Wealth Isn’t Reserved for the Elite Anymore
Bitcoin Solaris is more than a token—it’s a technology shift. It brings together power, speed, and inclusivity in a way the industry has never seen before. Through the exciting release of the Solaris Nova App, anyone—from students to working professionals—can mine, stake, and grow their wealth without needing expensive rigs or deep technical knowledge.
If you ever felt like you were late to Bitcoin, this is your second chance—but built for the mobile era. And this time, all it takes is the phone in your pocket.
Disclaimer:This is a paid post and is provided byBitcoin Solaris. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented.We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article.This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital.It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose.Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.
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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
NEW YORK, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Neo Performance Materials Inc (TSX: NEO; OTCQX: NOPMF), a manufacturer of the building blocks of many modern technologies that enhance efficiency and sustainability, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Neo Performance Materials Inc upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink® market.
Neo Performance Materials Inc begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “NOPMF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.
Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.
Neo’s CEO, Rahim Suleman, said: “We are pleased to begin trading on OTCQX, which enhances Neo’s visibility and accessibility for U.S. investors. As a global leader in advanced rare earth materials, with a strong balance sheet and a growing magnetics business in Europe, we are well-positioned to support the accelerating demand for critical materials in electrification and other modern technologies. Trading on OTCQX provides an additional platform to broaden our shareholder base as we continue to execute on our strategic priorities and drive long-term value.”
About Neo Performance Materials Inc Neo manufactures the building blocks of many modern technologies that enhance efficiency and sustainability. Neo’s advanced industrial materials – magnetic powders, rare earth magnets, magnetic assemblies, specialty chemicals, metals, and alloys – are critical to the performance of many everyday products and emerging technologies. Neo’s products fast-forward technologies for the net-zero transition. The business of Neo is organized along three segments: Magnequench, Chemicals & Oxides and Rare Metals. Neo is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; with corporate offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, United States; Singapore; and Beijing, China. Neo has a global platform that includes manufacturing facilities located in China, Germany, Canada, Estonia, Thailand and the United Kingdom, as well as one dedicated research and development centre in Singapore.
About OTC Markets Group Inc.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, and Pink® Open Market.
Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.
OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS™ are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.
To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.
SHENZHEN, China, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MoonFox Data, China’s leading provider of all-scenario data insights and analytics services, was recently invited to deliver a keynote address at the Neudata Hong Kong Data Summit 2025, held at the Hong Kong Cordis Hotel.
Senior Analyst Max Ma presented “Navigating China’s Market Pulse in 2025: Data-Driven Strategic Investment Insights,” offering global investment institutions and enterprise clients an in-depth analysis of the latest trends in China’s macroeconomy and key industry sectors.
As global investors increasingly focus on the Chinese market, data-driven market insights have become a critical foundation for institutional decision-making and corporate strategic planning. Against the backdrop of a complex, evolving macroeconomic environment and industrial structural transformation, accurately deciphering the pulse of the Chinese market using high-quality data has emerged as a central concern for global capital and enterprises.
About Neudata: The Global Alternative Data Authority
Neudata, headquartered in London, UK, is one of the world’s most influential independent data intelligence platforms in the alternative data domain. The platform specializes in identifying cutting-edge alternative data sources, providing market trend insights, and offering data procurement consulting services for global financial institutions such as asset managers, hedge funds, and quantitative investment firms. Leveraging its extensive supplier network and professional research team, Neudata empowers global investors to efficiently discover, evaluate, and apply various types of alternative data, enhancing the foresight and scientific rigor of investment decisions. The Neudata Data Summit convenes top global asset managers, data technology companies, and industry experts, serving as a vital international platform for exploring data innovation and collaboration.
Spotlight on Market Dynamics under Easing Policies
In his address, Max Ma highlighted that under the guidance of mildly easing policies in the first half of 2025, the Chinese market is undergoing structural transformation. Key sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), e-commerce, consumer goods, and automotive are exhibiting distinct evolutionary characteristics. Based on MoonFox Data’s proprietary data product matrix, the team distilled three core insights through multi-dimensional dynamic monitoring and deep analysis:
Quantifying Industry Evolution
Brand Competition Analysis
Actionable Investment Guidance
“Data-driven insights are the core tool for navigating market uncertainty,” emphasized Max Ma. “MoonFox Data is committed to helping global clients precisely identify incremental opportunities in the Chinese market through objective, real-time, and in-depth data capabilities.”
Exhibition Spotlight: AI and Alternative Data Products Draw Wide Attention
Within the summit’s exhibition area, MoonFox Data’s AI and alternative data solutions became a focal point, attracting significant attention from numerous domestic and international industry experts, investment institutions, and corporate representatives. The innovation capabilities and real-world application scenarios of the flagship products, MoonFox iApp and MoonFox iBrand, garnered high recognition from attendees.
About MoonFox Data As a sub-brand of Aurora Mobile (NASDQ: JG), MoonFox Data is a leading expert in data insights and analysis services across all scenarios. With a comprehensive, stable, secure and compliant mobile big data foundation, as well as professional and precise data analysis technology and AI algorithms, MoonFox Data has launched iAPP, iBrand, iMarketing, Alternative Data and professional research and consulting services of MoonFox Research, aiming to help companies gain insights into market growth and make accurate business decisions.
SAN DIEGO, CA, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RYVYL Inc. (NASDAQ: RVYL) (“RYVYL” or the “Company”), a leading innovator of payment transaction solutions leveraging electronic payment technology, announced the securityholder of its remaining 8% Senior Convertible Note (“Note”), has converted the entire outstanding principal balance of $4.0 million and accrued interest of $136,000 into 7.1 million shares of common stock.
“We’ve pursued an anti-dilutive strategy to restructure our balance sheet, and this final debt to equity conversion successfully completes that process,” said George Oliva, CFO of RYVYL. “In January 2025, we redeemed our Series B Convertible Preferred Stock with a liquidation value of $53.1 million and $14.3 million of the Note for a payment of $13.0 million, which avoided over 90 million shares of potential dilution and converted over $50 million of additional paid in capital from Preferred Stock to Common shareholders.”
About RYVYL
RYVYL Inc. (NASDAQ: RVYL) was born from a passion for empowering a new way to conduct business-to-business, consumer-to-business, and peer-to-peer payment transactions around the globe. By leveraging electronic payment technology for diverse international markets, RYVYL is a leading innovator of payment transaction solutions reinventing the future of financial transactions. Since its founding as GreenBox POS in 2017 in San Diego, RYVYL has developed applications enabling an end-to-end suite of turnkey financial products with enhanced security and data privacy, world-class identity theft protection, and rapid speed to settlement. As a result, the platform can log immense volumes of immutable transactional records at the speed of the internet for first-tier partners, merchants, and consumers around the globe. www.ryvyl.com
This press release includes information that constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs, assumptions and expectations regarding future events, which in turn are based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements include statements that are characterized by future or conditional words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate” and “continue” or similar words. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss future expectations and plans, which contain projections of future results of operations or financial condition or state other forward-looking information.
By their nature, forward-looking statements address matters that are subject to risks and uncertainties. A variety of factors could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors affecting the Company are discussed in detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable laws.
This report is provided by Earth Negotiations Bulletin/International Institute for Sustainable Development. View the original reporthere.
Finance is critical to implementation of the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), but investments have not kept pace with rising demands, and aid budgets are shrinking worldwide. In many sessions through the day, delegates focused attention on financing a wide range of needs, including school safety, measures to deal with extreme heat, and nature-based solutions (NbS).
High-level dialogue
What will it take to scale DRR financing solutions at the national and local level?
Journalist Mayowa Adegoke moderated the session.
Stine Renate Håheim, State Secretary to Minister of International Development, Norway, emphasized DRR financing as a high priority, saying, “it is better to prevent than repair afterwards.” She noted that one in three people globally-most in cities or highly vulnerable areas-are not covered by Early Warning Systems (EWS).
Hans Sy, CEO, SM Prime Holdings, explained his company’s investment in resilient building construction, such as building on concrete pillars to allow free flow of floodwaters. He stressed that risk-informed decisions based on science and technology “makes good business sense.”
Fatima Yasmin, Asian Development Bank (ADB), said the Bank regards DRR as a critical priority investment, particularly through supporting policy making, planning, advising on innovative investments, and incentivizing preparedness. On scaling DRR investments, she said financing should be fast, flexible and forward-looking.
Rob Wesseling, CEO, Co-operators Group, said no path to net zero emissions is possible without investment in both prevention and recovery. He encouraged governments to utilize the risk information gathered by insurance companies over decades to assist with decision making.
On mobilizing private sector investment, Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South Africa, stressed that every cent invested in resilience and preparedness saves lives and livelihoods.
View of the panel during the Multi-Stakeholder Plenary. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Ministerial roundtable
Inclusive comprehensive school safety-strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards
The event, which convened 36 ministries, was co-chaired by Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head, UNDRR, and Paul Steffen, Deputy Director, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland.
In opening remarks, Kishore encouraged delegates to endorse the Comprehensive School Safety Framework 2017 (CSSF), noting only 80 countries have done so, and for countries to make schools heat-resilient.
On school safety policies, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Saint Lucia recognized the CSSF. Portugal highlighted its DRR working group on children and youth. Brunei Darussalam, Kenya, and Portugal recognized the fundamental rights of children to safe school environments. Colombia highlighted its Law on Teaching for Sustainability, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management. Republic of Korea described its 2020 Child Safety Management Act.
Many countries identified education programming as fundamental to reducing risk and developing children as agents of change in their homes and communities. Malaysia, Uganda, Russia, Algeria and others described homegrown examples of such programmes, for example, student leadership groups and First Aid skills training.
Leaders from around the globe express their shared commitment to making schools safer and more resilient to disasters. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Several countries, including Greece, Kenya and Cuba, recognized the importance of social support to children experiencing disaster and loss, and the ensuing mental and emotional health impacts. The Holy See flagged the need for spiritual care of those “who have seen whole lives swept away.”
Most countries discussed sustainable and resilient school infrastructure, including standards for new or retrofitted buildings. Belgium, Republic of Moldova, and Singapore highlighted energy efficiency and climate resilience. On heat stress in schools, Singapore flagged cooling strategies and energy-efficient fans. Tunisia described its sustainable school network that integrates climate change, disaster risk, and biodiversity objectives. Spain said new schools need to be “climate shelters.” Bangladesh noted the construction of more than 5,000 cyclone-resistant schools.
Multistakeholder plenary
Investments in reducing risk and building resilience to accelerate investments in sustainable development
Kishore introduced the session, which was co-chaired by Paul Steffen, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, and Paola Albrito, UNDRR. Kishore noted less than 1% of national budgets is allocated to DRR.
Countries presented their national commitments, such as Australia’s Disaster-Ready Fund, which is providing up to AUD 1 billion (USD 648 million) over five years for locally-identified needs, and Switzerland’s DRR commitment of more than CHF 2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) annually. Many expressed appreciation for international support, including for Moldova’s local adaptation plans in 38 communities, and Samoa’s community-based disaster risk management activities. Peru highlighted its introduction of budget flexibility for regional and local authorities, enabling rapid response to imminent hazards.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) reported that only 3% of all development assistance is allocated to agricultural DRR measures, even while these deliver significant returns in ensuring food security. Swiss Re highlighted the role of insurance in informing risk and mitigation measures, noting the availaility of parametric insurance, for example, against extreme heat events and flooding. The Resilience Action Fund showcased the work of the International Finance Corporation in developing the Building Resilience Index as a world-first metric for assessing the safety and risk of buildings for insurers and construction developers. The Latin America and the Caribbean Development Bank (CAF), India, and the UK welcomed innovative initiatives, such as a new center on extreme events, establishment of risk pools, and the use of AI to identify flood threats.
Delegates affirmed regional solidarity, demonstrated in Tunisia’s hosting of the Africa-Arab Platform for DRR in 2023, and Iran’s hosting of three regional organizations, including a Regional Center for Urban Water Management. Albania welcomed its responsibilities under the EU Civil Protection Code for cooperation among EU countries and other partners, which, he noted, enables access to advanced DRR solutions.
The International Organization for Migration highlighted its 2024 launch of Climate Mobility Innovation Labs for the Africa and Asia regions to develop solutions to climate-related mobility.
Steffen urged all present to accelerate investment in DRR, and to engage the private sector as key partners.
Moderator, Juli Trtanj, Co-Chair, Gobal Heat Health Information Network, opened the session. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), called heat a “silent killer” because it is the least managed of all climate hazards. She said 50% of countries have heat warning systems in place but only 26 have dedicated Heat Health EWS. She identified three priorities: integrating heat risk into climate and DRR governance, heat EWS, and implementation using risk information and data.
In his keynote, Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, India, said heat threatened public health, economic stability, and the ecological resilience of cities and communities. He underscored UNDRR’s Common Framework on Extreme Heat Risk Governance and drew attention to India’s national guidelines on heat wave management, which decentralized more than 250 heat action plans in 23 states. He called for scaling hospital and primary health care preparedness and resilience and noted India is adopting a long-term heat wave mitigation strategy, including roof-cooling technologies, passive cooling centers, revival of traditional water bodies, and improved thermal comfort and livability of informal settlements.
In a panel discussion, Benoît Faraco, Ambassador, Climate Negotiations for Decarbonized Energies and for the Prevention of Climate Risks, France, urged being modest since we are still discovering impacts and avoiding maladaptation. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General, African Center for Meteorological Application for Development, stressed the links between heat waves, energy crises, and health care demand. Rosa Galvez, Senator, Canada, spoke about lived experience saying, “We cannot adapt forever – we must work on the causes.” Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said extreme heat is a humanitarian crisis. On involving the financial sector, Mia Seppo, Assistant Director General, International Labour Organization, discussed climate risk insurance, just transition principles, and access to essential services. Mishra advised that industry protect labor from heat risk.
Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Special session
Comprehensive approaches to reduce loss and damage-bridging climate action and DRR
Fatou Jeng, Former Climate Advisor to the UN Secretary-General and Member of the Early Warnings for All Advisory Panel, moderated the session.
Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change, Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo Hazards, Energy, Environment and Disaster Management, Vanuatu, appreciated the support from the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and the Santiago Network, which combined forces to launch the inaugural integrated loss and damage and DRR initiative in Vanuatu.
Kishore noted that, while many DRR practices are now in place, these need to be updated to deal with climate system changes and the associated risks, uncertainty, and volatility.
Benoît Faraco, argued that the distinction between loss and damage, and DRR, is theoretical, and remains irrelevant to people on the ground who want response, prevention, action, and solidarity to alleviate their situation.
Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director, FRLD, emphasized the need to look at how interventions can be most impactful, stressing that solutions must be country-led, and recognize Indigenous groups and civil society participants. He expressed awareness that the FRLD must be “nimble, accessible, flexible and built on partnerships, always ensuring no one is left behind.”
Carolina Fuentes Castellanos, Director, Santiago Network Secretariat, elaborated on how the network is supporting countries to accelerate loss and damage, using Vanuatu’s experience to demonstrate how the Network can accelerate fund distribution and support with bold and transformative support.
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, IFRC, cautioned that the terms loss and damage represent different meanings to communities, but the bottom line is to ensure the funds really reach the local level.
Thematic Sessions
Catalyzing governance solutions for disaster and climate-related displacement
Irwin Loy, The New Humanitarian, moderated this session.
John Mussington, activist and displaced person, Antigua & Barbuda, described his work of founding the community network, Stronger Caribbean Together, with others displaced by “disaster capitalism”, as storm-damaged sites are cleared for tourism development.
Sakiasi Ditoka, Minister of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Fiji, highlighted the 2023 Pacific Regional Mobility Framework and Fiji’s own planned relocation guidelines.
Zahra Abdi Mohamed, Director-General, National Center for Rural Development and Durable Solutions, Somalia, described Somalia’s National Transformation Plan that prioritizes anticipatory action and climate-smart livelihoods, responding to the needs of long-term displaced communities.
Fatimah Zannah Mustapha, community representative, Nigeria, called for centering the voices of local women in decision making by removing barriers, “whether digital, linguistic, or cultural.” Claudinne Ogaldes Cruz, Executive Secretary, National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Guatemala, noted that many Guatemalan households are women-led and have the knowledge to inform decision making.
Robert Piper, former UN Secretary-General’s Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement, said line ministries responsible for decisions on land use and building codes-“those who are responsible for dealing with the failure to prevent”-must become deeply involved in the governance of disaster displacement.
Leveraging Values of Nature for Resilience: Moderated by Cecilia Aipira, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the session addressed the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in DRR.
In his keynote, Mohammed-Yahya Lafdal, General Director, National Environment and Coastline Observatory, Mauritania, highlighted the increase in tree cover through reforestation and restoration, taking into account Indigenous knowledge and solutions, and the development of barrier systems for water distribution and management in desert areas. He emphasized how addressing land degradation and rehabilitation has been Mauritania’s best solution for increasing resilience.
Rodrigo Hernández Escobar, Representative of the Latin American and Caribbean Indigenous Knowledge & DRR Network, highlighted political will and respect for Indigenous cosmovision and territories as key elements for leveraging traditional knowledge into programmes supporting NbS. Isaac Luwaga Mugumbule, Head of Landscaping, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda, stated that NbS are context-specific and require community involvement to be sustained.
Professor Satoru Nishikawa, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), stressed the need for scientific numerical quantification, analysis, and testing on the strengths and durability of NbS. Swenja Surminski, London School of Economics, noting that NbS “are not silver bullets,” stressed the need to work with nature, drawing attention to NbS co-benefits. Oliver Schelske, Swiss Re Institute, noting the absence of standardized values for nature, emphasized that even if “not everything is insurable,” investing in nature makes sense from an insurance perspective, as it reduces risks to the asset being insured.
On the prerequisites for NbS to be viable, speakers mentioned common sense, co-benefit considerations, identifying the number of protected lives, and conducting independent auditing.
Thematic Sessions as visual summaries capturing key messages and insights. Source: IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
Side event
Inclusive comprehensive school safety—Strengthening resilience for children and youth in all hazards
This side event, organized and facilitated by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), showcased school safety and resilience programmes from Central Asia, the Pacific region and the Caribbean.
Anja Nielsen, Co-Chair, GADRRRES, gave an overview of CSSF, noting the all-hazards, all-risks approach that includes environmental, climate change, and biological health risks, technical threats, and other everyday risks. She elaborated on the global school safety survey, representing 350 million school-aged children, and highlighted, among other concerns, that significant infrastructure investment is needed to better protect children and teachers from natural hazards, with most suffering from funding constraints.
Education administrators from Saint Lucia, Tonga, and Kyrgyzstan described CSSF activities and outcomes from their regions, and emphasized: involving the children actively in school safety is a game changer; collaboration is the essence of resilience, requiring whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches; and building capacity at all levels, particularly teachers, for comprehensive school safety is key.
IISD’s summary
The summary report of the meeting will be available on Monday, 9 June 2025, here.
The impacts of disasters are woven into all aspects of life.
Impacts send shockwaves across all systems – essential services, infrastructure, health, education and economic. They interact with climate change, conflict, economic fragility, and inequality – amplifying risks across systems.
However, even though disaster costs are rising, financing for disaster risk reduction (DRR) is largely fragmented, short-term, and reactive.
“Let us be clear: financing disaster risk reduction is not a cost – it is an investment, with benefits across different agendas: from protecting development, to reducing humanitarian needs, and achieving climate and environmental goals.”
Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
To protect development gains from being eroded by a spiral of deepening crises, countries must systematically embed risk reduction in national budget processes – across all levels of government. This will require a raft of innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships and novel inclusive approaches to ensure that investments provide benefits to those who need them most.
At a ministerial roundtable session at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction, ministers from 43 countries, together with the World Bank and UNDP, discussed the challenges and opportunities they face when financing resilience building; their experiences, successes and solutions; and concrete proposal for inclusive and equitable financing strategies.
The ministers acknowledged that there is a deficit in global financing for disaster preparedness. The Philippines, South Sudan, Fiji, Barbados, and members of the African Union, amongst others, drew connections between financial planning for disaster risk and broader climate financing, noting the important role of resources like the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the Loss and Damage Fund.
Financing resilience is public investment
Too often, public budgets only respond after disaster strikes. The consequence is mounting human and economic losses, especially in vulnerable countries.
“The root causes of disaster risk – inequality, misaligned financial incentives, insufficient risk governance – remain unaddressed in many development models.”
– UNDRR’s 2025 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2025)
To address this will require a fundamental rethink, positioning disaster risk reduction firmly in development finance.
“We must support developing countries in establishing national disaster risk reduction financing systems that are tailored to their development priorities.”
– Kamal Kishore at the ministerial roundtable.
These systems must be pro-active, not reactive, and aligned with each country’s unique development goals, while integrating a firm understanding of systemic and cascading risks.
India, for example, is taking a rule-based approach with pre-determined allocations that flow from national to district levels. Japan and Norway noted that they are both mainstreaming DRR into private sector practice, with Norway advocating for legal requirements for DRR in corporate strategies.
The GAR 2025 findings reinforce this more holistic approach, recommending that countries reconfigure their financial and economic governance to create more favourable conditions for DRR investments, especially by shifting public spending “away from short-term consumption and toward resilience-building.”
Integrating disaster risk financing into budgets
Resilient budgets require more than a single DRR line item.
Mr. Kishore highlighted the need to embed risk considerations throughout public financial planning: “This includes exploring ways of embedding resilience into budget planning at every level.”
That means sectoral ministries, infrastructure agencies, local governments, and fiscal authorities must all adopt risk-informed budget planning. This shift is not just about earmarking funds, but about transforming how development priorities are selected, financed, and measured.
Countries including Brazil are calling for a global task force on effective DRR financing, while the Philippines proposed a global financing mechanism to support disaster resilience efforts, recognising the need to anchor DRR in fiscal systems.
In a conversation with Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, Mr Kishore noted that we need a coordinated, global system making the appropriate mechanisms accessible to those who need them most:
“We have the tools to assess risk and see how much investment will lead to what kind of reduction in risk. We really need to make it a comprehensive system – where national budgets, whether countries have high income or low income – take into account the kind of disaster risk they face and systematically invest in it.”
Ms. Mohammed noted the need to develop more innovative financing mechanisms as a key priority during the Global Platform.
“We need to get to a space where we have more tools accessible to us to do it, and that again is a big challenge for this week.”
Tackling systemic challenges
For many countries, even those with the political will to invest in reducing disaster risk, systemic barriers stand in their way. These include:
Weak institutional frameworks for DRR investment planning.
Limited understanding of how DRR links to fiscal risk.
Inadequate incentives to prioritise risk reduction in capital budgeting.
DRR financing also needs to penetrate to local levels, enabling resources to reach the communities that need them most. Without fiscal devolution, even the most risk-informed national strategies will fall short in implementation.
Incentives for private sector investment
Initiatives to finance resilience must move away from reliance on public coffers.
This involves building stronger partnerships with the private sector, and cultivating greater awareness of the benefits of such investments and the dangers of neglecting them.
“We must enhance partnerships with the private sector, as it is a major source of financing that is often not guided by an understanding of disaster risks,” Kamal Kishore said.
The financial sector can play a catalytic role by developing innovative instruments, such as resilience bonds, blended finance structures, and a broad spectrum of insurance solutions. Several countries are already putting such innovations into practice:
China described its rollout of agricultural insurance, and its investment of $154 billion in property insurance.
Kiribati described its community-based insurance for drought programme providing payouts to farmers and fishers.
Norway highlighted parametric insurance schemes.
The Bahamas explained how they use their disaster-related expenditures tracking tool to map pre-disaster investments and post-disaster costs.
To mainstream such approaches, updated regulatory frameworks, disclosure standards, and fiscal incentives are needed to guide private capital toward risk reduction and embed DRR into national financial systems.
Risk-aware international finance
The global community must step up to encourage investors, both public and private, to prioritize DRR financing.
“We must rally the international community to prioritize investment in disaster risk reduction. This includes dedicating a larger portion of assistance funding to disaster risk reduction and ensuring all development funding is risk informed.”
– Kamal Kishore
Official development assistance (ODA) and climate finance must be structured and delivered accordingly. Risk-blind development projects, even when well-intentioned, can inadvertently amplify vulnerability.
Several countries at the roundtable – including Cambodia, Paraguay, and Montenegro – highlighted the importance of integrating DRR into social investment strategies, including gender-responsive financing, elderly-focused social protection, and health system resilience. Czechia called for embedding DRR funding across the humanitarian-development nexus.
“The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development presents a critical opportunity to advance all these priorities to ensure all development is safe from disasters.”
– Kamal Kishore
The shift toward DRR financing within national budgets is technically feasible, economically wise, and morally urgent. As extreme weather events, pandemics, and conflict interact in increasingly complex ways, the costs of inaction grow exponentially.
By embedding DRR in national budgets, governments protect long-term development investments, and communities gain tools and funding for local resilience.
Additionally, the private sector becomes a co-architect of safety, increasing its stake in resilience building efforts, and international aid transitions from offering band-aids to repeated crises to providing a backbone for lasting stability.
“We must acknowledge that resilience is a long-term economic necessity, and it does have the best return on investment.”
Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 4 in Phelps County
Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 4 in Phelps County
Cape Girardeau – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open tomorrow, June 4 in Phelps County to assist Missourians who sustained damage to their primary residence, personal property, or have emergency needs due to the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and wildfires on March 14-15, 2025
Those with disaster-related damage in Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St
Louis, Wayne, Webster, and Wright counties may be eligible for assistance by registering with FEMA
At the center, affected individuals can get help applying for disaster assistance, speak to state or federal representatives, receive updates on their FEMA application, and more
The center will open Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 8:00 a
m
CDT
See locations and hours below:Phelps County Courthouse Community Room200 N
Main StreetRolla, MO 65401Hours of operation – Mon – Sat: 8 a
m
to 7 p
m
(Closed Sundays)FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other underinsured/uninsured, disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral, or dental expenses
It is not necessary to go to a DRC to apply for FEMA assistance
The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance
gov or via the FEMA app
You may also call 1-800-621-3362
If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone, or other service, notify FEMA by calling 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) or 1-800- 621-3362 (VRS)
Affected individuals who register for FEMA assistance will receive a decision letter by mail or on their DisasterAssistance
gov account
If the letter says you are “not approved” for some categories of assistance, it does not mean you have been denied assistance
It is important to read the letter carefully as it will explain your application status and advise what you need to do to continue the process
Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information or referrals, or would like to volunteer are urged to call 211 or 1-800-427-4626
Multilingual services are available, and the 211 service is available throughout Missouri
For out-of-state access: 314-421-0700
The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and FEMA advise individuals and businesses impacted by the disaster to report damage to their local emergency management officials
Local officials can connect survivors to resources being provided by state departments and non-governmental organizations assisting with unmet needs
If you have questions about your FEMA letter, visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362
Kris Jenner’s “new” face sparked myriad headlines about how she can look so good at 69 years old. While she’s not confirmed what sort of procedures she’s undergone, speculation abounds.
As a US reality TV personality, socialite and Kardashian matriarch, Jenner has long curated her on-screen identity. Her fame and fortune are intimately tied to a multinational cosmetics industry that has, for centuries, bartered in the illusion of timeless beauty.
The pursuit of cosmetic enhancement can be traced back as far as Ancient Egypt, reminding us the desire to look younger is hardly new.
But while many women try in vain to battle the ageing process, Jenner is an example of someone who’s actually succeeded, at least visually. What does that mean for the rest of us?
Decades of surgeries
Modern cosmetic plastic surgery has its roots in compassion. It was developed to help disfigured first world war soldiers rebuild their faces and identities.
But this origin story has been sidelined. Today, aesthetic procedures are overwhelmingly pursued by women and marketed as lifestyle enhancements rather than medical interventions.
Advancements in reconstructive surgery were made after both world wars with treatments on wounded soldiers. AFP/Getty Images
Plastic surgery, once considered extreme or shameful, began to gain popularity in the 1960s, and is now widespread.
Hollywood has long played a role in shaping these standards. During its Golden Age, stars like Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne are reported to have undergone cosmetic surgeries – rhinoplasty (nose jobs), chin implants, facelifts – to preserve their screen personas.
Even before Instagram, before-and-after images were a cultural obsession, often used to shame or expose.
From taboo to trend
The digital age has further normalised cosmetic enhancements, with social media influencers and celebrities promoting procedures alongside beauty products.
It’s estimated Jenner spent upwards of US$130,000 (around A$200,000) on cosmetic interventions, resulting in a look that some media outlets suggest places her in her 30s.
On Jenner, social media users are split. Some offer aspirational praise (“If I had the money, I’d get it all done!”), while others criticise her rejection of “ageing gracefully”.
Yet many stars, including Courtney Cox, Ariana Grande, and Mickey Rourke, have spoken openly about regrets and the psychological toll of these procedures. Even with agency, the pressure remains immense.
Youth as a cultural ideal
This obsession with agelessness reflects a deeper societal discomfort with visible ageing, particularly in women.
Celebrities, with access to elite medical professionals and procedures, seem to cheat time.
Yet the outcome of is often disorienting: when Jenner appears younger than her children, the generational lines blur.
This erasure of age difference entrenches youth as an end in itself. It also destabilises how we perceive kinship and mortality.
Supermodel Bella Hadid has said she regrets getting a rhinoplasty as a teenager. Of Palestinian descent, she said “I wish I’d kept the nose of my ancestors”.
In my own research, I’ve argued cosmetic enhancement is tied to a cultural denial of death.
The ageing isn’t the problem – it’s our refusal to accept it.
The desperate clinging to youth reflects a collective resistance to change. Celebrity culture and consumer capitalism exploit this vulnerability, making age a problem to be solved rather than a life stage to be honoured.
We should mourn our ageing, not erase it. In another world, we could witness it, share it, and celebrate its quiet, powerful beauty.
So what about us?
But that’s not the world many live in, and the pressure extends beyond Hollywood.
With filters, apps, and social media platforms, ordinary people also curate and enhance their images, playing their part in a fantasy of perfection.
A recent study looked at the way young Australians use selfie editing tools. It found the widespread use of such apps have a significant effect on the body image of young people.
The line between self-care and self-deception has never been blurrier. We all want to present the best version of ourselves, even if reality slips into illusion.
So while women have long tried to outrun visible ageing, whether that be through anti-wrinkle creams or more invasive means, Jenner is an example of something relatively rare: a woman who’s actually managed to do it.
In doing so, she and her celebrity counterparts set a new youthful beauty standard in what ageing should (or shouldn’t) look like.
And while that standard may be felt by a variety of women, few will be able to achieve it.
Extremely wealthy beauty moguls like Kris Jenner can afford elite treatments, while most people face growing financial pressure and a cost-of-living crisis. The divide isn’t just aesthetic – it’s economic.
Beauty, in this context, is both a product and a privilege.
And of course, judgement of women’s appearances remains a powerful force for discrediting their political, social, and moral worth. For every bit of praise there is for Jenner’s “youthful” appearance, there are videos claiming she’s “ruined her face” and questioning of whether she should spend so much money on such a cause.
As long as gender inequality persists and beauty remains a currency of value, the pressure to conform will endure.
Margaret Gibson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
