Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
The webinar “The Impact of Mobile Devices on Human Well-Being” was conducted by neurologist, manual therapist of the Medical Scientific and Educational Center of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies of the Novosibirsk State University Alexey Tamchuk. He spoke about the consequences of improper use of smartphones and the mechanisms of influence of mobile gadgets on human health, and also explained how you can independently minimize their harmful effects on the body, and in which cases you cannot do without the help of specialists.
— Mobile phone use is a mass phenomenon. By 2024, there were about 4.88 billion mobile phone users in the world, which is 60.42% of all the planet’s inhabitants, including infants and the elderly. Accordingly, all the effects of mobile devices are of a mass nature. A person with a smartphone in his hands, scrolling through the news feed in every free minute, is a common phenomenon. But spending a long time in this position is, at the very least, unphysiological. Researchers do not consider the mobile phone itself as a direct cause of diseases, but it may well be a risk factor, adding its contribution to the “piggy bank” of negative effects on the body, which in total lead to various unpleasant consequences, — explained Alexey Tamchuk.
The first to suffer are vision, the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system and the psyche. The strain on the eyes is the most obvious. With excessive use of the phone, especially if you bring it too close to the eyes or too far from them, there is a strain on the visual apparatus, which causes a spasm of the ciliary muscles, which change the curvature of the lens. As a result, accommodation and convergence are disrupted. To be more precise, accommodation is the ability of the eye to focus on objects located at different distances, which ensures clear vision. This process allows light to refract correctly and form an image on the retina. And convergence is the reduction of the pupils to the bridge of the nose when examining an object close up or while reading. This function, like accommodation, is part of binocular vision. In both cases, when we finally look away from the smartphone, looking into the distance, we see a blurry picture.
It has been noted that when using a mobile phone, a person blinks twice less often than in everyday life. For this reason, the cornea of the eye dries out and there is a feeling as if there is sand in the eyes. This leads to reddening of the sclera and painful sensations.
The listed vision changes are reversible, they can disappear if you give your eyes a rest or choose glasses. If this rest is insufficient, such “fatigue” can precede the development of more serious conditions. For example, myopia (nearsightedness, when a person sees poorly in the distance, but sees well up close) or macular degeneration (a group of diseases in which the retina is affected and central vision is impaired). The latter can occur due to the accumulation of lipofuscin when blue light affects the retina, which leads to dystrophy of the middle part of the retina and accelerated aging of the visual organ as a whole. In this case, the perception of light and color is impaired, and visual acuity is significantly reduced. Rest and wearing glasses will not help here.
– The blue spectrum of light from the screen of the smartphone can be harmful not only because it leads to eye fatigue. Potential damage to the retina is also associated with it. The main source of blue light is the sun for us, but in nature we never look at the light source, and therefore we do not perceive it to the central department of the retina. At the same time, it is very important, since it regulates circus rhythms, that is, 24-hour cycles that control various biological processes in the body, including sleep, wakefulness, production of hormones, metabolism and other functions. When the blue light falls on the retina, the body is produced in the body, among which is serotonin. This happens in all animals, which, like a person, have a daily type of activity. At night, in the absence of daytime (and, therefore blue) light, a melatonin is produced, which is unofficially called the “hormone of sleep” due to its ability to immerse the body into an altered state of consciousness, providing a full rest. When you spend the clock in the dark or at night in the dark, peering into the smartphone monitor, the consumption of blue light becomes excessive and melatonin is not produced. As a result, sleep architecture is violated – the phases of sleep become shorter, more night awakenings are happening, which the person himself does not remember the next morning, although it later turns out that he not only woke up, but responded to reports on social networks. Such a dream is unproductive, since a number of important physiological processes do not occur. There is no restoration of the nervous and endocrine systems, a body weight set, hypertension develops, intraocular pressure does not decrease, which can be very harmful to people predisposed to hypertension, ”explained Alexei Tamchuk.
Smartphone addiction can lead not only to vision impairment. With prolonged forced position of the hands, the function of the median and ulnar nerves can be impaired. Numbness and pain in the fingers and then the wrists appear. Subsequently, motor symptoms, including weakness, can join the sensory symptoms. Long stay in the same non-physiological position leads to tension of the muscles of the cervical-collar region, which causes discomfort, can be combined with headaches, gradually this condition can be joined by symptoms of narrowing of the intervertebral canal – pain in the neck, lower back, arms and legs, numbness of the shins and feet, weakness and fatigue in the legs, burning, tingling and pressure in the legs, impaired sensitivity in the limbs, problems with balance. Excessive use of the smartphone also causes an increase in the level of situational anxiety, apathy and irritability. Quite often, a condition called phubbing occurs – when a person is distracted by their gadget during a live conversation, paying primary attention to it, while trying to maintain a conversation. At the same time, the person constantly checks the phone, texts, scrolls through social networks or views content, ignoring the presence and words of the interlocutor. In parallel with this, there is a decrease in academic performance, emotional-volitional disorders and a deterioration in general well-being.
Alexey Tamchuk told how to build the right relationship with a smartphone using a cognitive-behavioral approach. It is necessary to set a screen time counter. Time flies when you are browsing news feeds and communicating on social networks, so it is best to control it. It would also be useful to set up a “reading”, “book reading” or “eye protection mode” mode on your smartphone, where there is less blue light spectrum and warmer shades. The gadget should be held at a distance of 30-40 cm from the eyes, using comfortable stands if necessary.
— It is essential to split up your phone’s screen time — take 20-20-20 breaks: after every 20 minutes of focusing your gaze on the smartphone screen, look away for 20 seconds, at a distant object, and look into the distance. It is also recommended to blink more often while spending time with a smartphone, but it is quite difficult to develop such a habit by consciously ordering yourself to blink, — advised the webinar host.
To prevent insomnia, Alexey Tamchuk advised not to use a smartphone 2 hours before bedtime and generally put it away at night. You shouldn’t fall asleep with a gadget by your pillow, so as not to be tempted, while falling asleep, to check messages for the very last time or scroll through the news feed a little. Can’t fall asleep? Read a book. And better yet – not a detective story, but a serious one. As a rule, healthy sleep comes quickly from smart books.
Unfortunately, smartphone addiction is not a myth, but a reality, so the user cannot always cope with this problem. In some cases, the help of specialists is required. For example, with persistent disorders in the emotional sphere, the patient may need the help of a psychotherapist or even a psychiatrist. And if sensitivity disorders, pain in the musculoskeletal system, headaches, dizziness, memory impairment, or other incomprehensible symptoms occur, you should visit a neurologist to clarify the causes. Regular systematic examinations by an ophthalmologist should also be carried out. Alexey Tamchuk noted that the Medical Scientific and Educational Center of NSU has everything to solve such problems.
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.
VICTORIA, Seychelles, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has released its 2025 Anti-Scam Research Report in partnership with blockchain security firms SlowMist and Elliptic. The report reveals that global crypto scam losses surged to $4.6 billion in 2024, with deepfake technology and social engineering emerging as the dominant tactics behind high-value thefts. The publication marks the official launch of Bitget’s Anti-Scam Month, a month-long initiative dedicated to security education and ecosystem-wide awareness.
The report highlights how AI-powered scams have moved beyond phishing emails to include fake Zoom calls, synthetic videos of public figures, and Trojan-laced job offers. Among its key findings, the report identifies three primary scam categories—deepfake impersonation, social engineering schemes, and Ponzi-style projects cloaked in DeFi or NFT branding—as the leading causes of user loss. It also outlines how stolen funds are funneled through cross-chain bridges and obfuscation tools before reaching mixers or exchanges, complicating enforcement and recovery efforts.
Additional insights include case studies from major scam incidents in Hong Kong, the rising use of Telegram and X (Twitter) comment sections as phishing entry points, and the continued growth of professionally run fraud rings operating across borders.
“The biggest threat to crypto today isn’t volatility—it’s deception. That’s why Bitget has designated the entire month of June as Anti-Scam Month—an initiative to elevate industry standards and user awareness. This report is the flagship release within that effort. AI has made scams faster, cheaper, and harder to detect. At Bitget, we believe fighting back requires both technological rigor and ecosystem-wide collaboration. Our goal is to help users trade smarter, not just faster,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget.
The report also details how Bitget’s Anti-Scam Hub, innovative detection systems, and a $500M+ Protection Fund are being actively deployed to mitigate user risks. SlowMist provided detailed forensic insights into scam tactics, ranging from address poisoning to job offer Trojans, while Elliptic examined the laundering patterns of stolen cryptocurrency through cross-chain bridges and mixer platforms.
“Criminals are constantly evolving their methods of attack, using AI and finding new ways to scale their activities. This means that reciprocally, we are also working to scale our technology and blockchain capabilities to track and identify the new methods criminals are using. Our work with Bitget reflects a shared urgency to expose these evolving threats and give users the tools to protect themselves,” said Arda Akartuna, Lead Crypto Threat Researcher, Elliptic, APAC.
“This report reflects the real-world patterns we’re seeing on-chain every day. From phishing rings to fake staking dApps, the tactics may change—but the psychology is always the same. Users must be informed, skeptical, and security-minded at all times,” said Lisa, Security Operations Lead, SlowMist.
The report closes with actionable recommendations for both users and institutions, including scam red flag indicators and best practices for avoiding common traps in DeFi, NFT, and Web3 environments.
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform. Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Risk Warning:Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amalgamated Bank, a subsidiary of Amalgamated Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: AMAL), today announced the successful closing of a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (“C-PACE”) financing under the PACE Massachusetts Program using Allectrify’s FASTPACE Platform.
The C-PACE financing will fund a 205kW (kilowatts) DC (Direct current) solar PV (PhotoVoltaic) installation and associated roofing upgrades at an industrial building located in the Port of New Bedford. The property is owned and operated by Marder Seafood; a trusted leader in premium, sustainably sourced seafood in the area for more than 50 years.
Amalgamated Bank, which opened its downtown Boston Commercial Banking office in 2020, invests nearly 40% of its total lending portfolio in climate protection solutions. This financing further reflects the Bank’s climate leadership and focus on decarbonization and renewable energy.
The C-PACE closing showcases how clean energy and C-PACE financing can support key regional industries, drive investments in New England commercial building stock, and lower energy costs for industrial end-users. The project will drive over $1.9 million in lifetime energy cost savings at the property.
C-PACE financing supports long-term, competitive financing for commercial property improvements for energy efficiency, renewable energy, resiliency, and water conservation. The project represents the fourth financing closed to date under the Massachusetts C-PACE Program since its launch in 2020. Amalgamated Bank is a leader in deploying C-PACE capital, and its partnership with Allectrify enables efficient closing for projects of all sizes.
“With more than $1.2 billion in PACE assets in our investment portfolio, we are proud to lead the industry in providing solutions that empower borrowers to implement proven energy-savings strategies in commercial properties,” said Mark Walsh, New England Regional Manager & Senior Vice President at Amalgamated Bank. “Through our ongoing partnership with Allectrify, we look forward to executing even more C-PACE deals that drive sustainable progress in Boston and beyond.”
This $1.3 million C-PACE financing represents an innovative approach to green capital deployment. C-PACE makes capital available to a broader set of property owners who seek to make energy efficiency and other building energy improvements.
“This transaction is a prime example of Amalgamated Bank’s commitment to putting climate solutions into practice, in this case supporting a commercial solar project at an industrial property serving a classic New England industry,” said Colin Bishopp, Chief Executive Officer of Allectrify. “We are pleased to see this project closed on Allectrify’s FASTPACE platform which enables efficient C-PACE execution in programs across the country.”
About Amalgamated Bank:
Amalgamated Bank, the wholly owned banking subsidiary of Amalgamated Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: AMAL), is a mission-driven full-service commercial bank and a chartered trust company with a combined network branches in New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Boston. Amalgamated Bank provides commercial and retail banking products, investment management and trust and custody services, and lending services. Since their founding in 1923, Amalgamated Bank is diligent in fulfilling their mission to be America’s socially responsible bank, empowering organizations and individuals to advance positive change. The businesses that Amalgamated Bank focuses on are generally mission aligned with our core values, including sustainable companies, clean energy, nonprofits, and B Corporations. www.amalgamatedbank.com.
About Allectrify, PBC:
C-PACE made simple for lenders and borrowers. Allectrify’s FASTPACE platform enables banks, credit unions, CDFIs and non-bank lenders to offer C-PACE financing quickly and easily, at no cost to the lender and with reduced transaction costs for borrowers. Through Allectrify’s network of FASTPACE lenders, borrowers can access C-PACE financing for projects of all sizes. https://allectrify.com/.
We are in Nice on a mission – save the ocean, to save our future.
That was my message at the Conference opening yesterday, and it is the message I have carried through all my meetings.
The ocean is the lifeblood of our planet.
It produces half of the oxygen we breathe, nourishes billions of people, supports hundreds of millions of jobs, and underpins global trade.
For many, the ocean is more than a source of food and livelihood.
It shapes cultures…anchors identities… and feeds the soul.
Yet, we are treating it like a limitless resource – pretending it can absorb our abuse without consequence.
Every year, we see more troubling signs that our ocean is under siege.
Fish populations are collapsing due to reckless illegal fishing and overexploitation.
Climate change is driving ocean acidification and heating – destroying coral reefs, accelerating sea level rise, and threatening communities worldwide.
And plastic pollution is choking marine life and infesting our food chain – ultimately ending up in our blood and even our brains.
When we poison the ocean, we poison ourselves. Dear friends,
There’s a tipping point approaching – beyond which recovery may become impossible.
And let us be clear:
Powerful interests are pushing us towards the brink.
We are facing a hard battle, against a clear enemy.
Its name is greed.
Greed that sows doubt… denies science… distorts truth… rewards corruption… and destroys life for profit.
We cannot let greed dictate the fate of our planet.
That is why we are here this week: to stand in solidarity against those forces and reclaim what belongs to us all.
Governments, business leaders, fishers, scientists… everyone has a responsibility and a vital role to play.
Throughout my many engagements at the Conference, I have highlighted four priorities.
First – we must transform how we harvest the ocean’s bounty.
It is not about fishing, it’s about how we fish.
Sustainable fishing is not a choice – it is our only option.
This means stronger global cooperation, strict enforcement against illegal fishing, and expanded protected areas to rebuild stocks and safeguard marine life.
And it means delivering on the 30 by 30 target – to conserve and manage at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030.
We have a moral duty to ensure future generations inherit oceans swarming with life.
Second – we must confront the plague of plastic pollution.
This means phasing out single-use plastics, overhauling waste systems, and boosting recycling.
All countries must quickly finalize an ambitious, legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution. And we hope that this will happen this year.
Third – the fight against climate change must extend to the seas.
For decades, the ocean has been absorbing carbon emissions and taking the heat of a warming planet.
That comes at great cost.
As we prepare for COP30 in Brazil, countries must present ambitious national climate action plans.
These plans must align with limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius;
Cover all emissions and the whole economy;
And in line with the commitments countries have made to accelerate the global energy transition and seize the benefits of clean power.
Last year, for the first time, the annual global temperature was 1.5°C hotter than pre-industrial times.
Scientists are clear: that does not mean that the long-term global temperature rise limit to 1.5 degrees is out of reach.
It means we need to fight harder.
The ocean depends on it – and so do we.
I urge countries to champion ocean-based climate solutions – like protecting mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs.
We must also increase financial and technological support to developing countries – so that they can protect themselves from extreme weather and respond when disasters strike.
The survival of coastal communities and Small Island Developing States depends on it.
And fourth – we must implement the recent Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
The Agreement is a historic step towards protecting vast areas of our ocean.
I congratulate the 134 countries that have signed and the 49 and counting that have ratified the Agreement – including 18 new signatures and 18 ratifications yesterday alone.
The entry into force is within our sight.
And I call on all remaining nations to join swiftly.
We do not have a moment to lose.
Finally, on seabed mining, we have a collective responsibility to proceed with great caution.
I support the ongoing work of the International Seabed Authority on this important issue.
As I said yesterday, the deep sea cannot become the Wild West.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media,
The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated.
Ocean health is inseparable from human health, climate stability, and global prosperity.
But I leave Nice energized and encouraged by the many pledges already made.
Encouraged by island nations and Indigenous Peoples sharing their stories and expertise…
Encouraged by young activists demanding action and accountability…
Scientists developing innovative solutions for all…
Business leaders investing in the blue economy…
This is the global coalition we need.
I urge everyone to step forward with decisive commitments and tangible funding.
The ocean has given us so much.
It is time we returned the favor.
Our health, our climate, and our future depend on it.
Thank you. Je vous remercie.
Question: Secretary General, you warned against a wild west on deep sea mining. Beyond words, what specific actions would you like countries to take to either stop deep sea mining or put in place strong regulations?
Secretary-General: Well, as I mentioned, there is an institution that has a key role to play, and is playing it, and I trust that they will be doing what is necessary to avoid the Wild West that I mentioned. It is the International Seabed Authority, and I think it’s extremely important not to have any kind of initiative that is beyond whatever will be established by the International Seabed Authority.
Question: Mr. Secretary-General, you said we have to save the ocean. Are you happy with this conference? Do you think it will make a difference?
Secretary-General: I think it is making a difference. There is one aspect that is particularly evident. UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, took 12 years to enter into force. We are two years from the BBNJ, and we have already, as of today, 49 ratifications [Editor’s Note: 50 including the EU] with 15 commitments to do it soon, which means that it will, in the next few months, reach the entry into force. That is a record – a little bit more than two years. So, I see a momentum and an enthusiasm that was difficult to find in the past.
And the way this meeting was attended – not only by countries, but by civil society, by the business community, by indigenous communities, representing more than double those that came to the Lisbon conference that I attended two years ago – shows the very strong commitment made by countries in relation to enlarging the protection areas. All these shows a momentum that, to be honest, I had never witnessed in conferences of this type. Am I entirely happy? Of course not. I would like things to move much faster.
And let’s not forget that there is a clear link between biodiversity, climate and marine protection. And in that clear link, we still have some dramatic gaps. And one of the most worrying ones is, of course, the impact of climate change on the oceans – the fact that the rising of sea levels is accelerating; the fact that waters are more and more warmer with acidification. We see the impacts in coastal areas. We see the corals bleaching, and we see that climate change became an extremely dramatic threat to the lives of our oceans. And there, I have to say, we are moving slowly, and I hope the COP in Belém will be able to provide the necessary acceleration.
Question: You said that sustainable fishing was the only option left, but for small states like Sri Lanka that’s struggling with bottom trawling – a regional practice – and IUU fishing [Illegal, unreported and unregulated], we don’t have the capacity to enforce and control external actors like that. What can the UN do to assist small states to protect its fish stocks and marine ecology?
Secretary-General: I think we must develop forms, first of all, of accountability in relation to illegal fishing and in relation to the way fishing resources of developing countries are being exploited by a certain number of predators. So, there is a question of accountability, and we’ll be doing our best to increase the mechanisms of international accountability that for the moment – let us be clear – are extremely limited and inefficient.
Question: CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are a double problem for the ocean because of acidification, and they are hitting the atmosphere and the ocean. At the same time, there’s a lot of oil industry activity that happens in the ocean, which is a continuing risk. What message and agreements do you expect to hear from the countries in this conference regarding the fossil fuel industry or is this not a subject right now in this conference?
Secretary-General: I believe the energy transition will be more central in the COP meeting than in this meeting. But there are two things that, for me, are absolutely evident. First is that 85 per cent of the emissions correspond to fossil fuels. So the problem of climate change is essentially linked to fossil fuels. The second is that we are witnessing an energy transition that demonstrates that the cheapest way to produce energy is through renewables.
You might have heard what I said about greed. There is a dramatic effort from the fossil fuel industry to distort the reality. But one thing for me is inevitable – the fossil fuel age is coming to an end, and the renewable age will be there as the age of the future. The problem is, will that be done on time? And what we need is to accelerate that transition. And I hope that in the COP there will be a very strong message in this regard.
Question: I wanted to ask if you have concerns generally about the 1.5 target slipping out from policymakers’ speeches as people come to accept that it’s not likely to be met. Are you concerned that people are moving ahead and starting to talk about 2 degrees? How do you keep up the message around 1.5 when the science looks certain that it will be passed?
Secretary-General: I am concerned. Scientists are very clear when they tell us that the 1.5 degrees is still achievable as a limit to global warming. But they are also unanimous in saying that we are on the brink of a tipping point that might make it impossible. So there is a matter of urgency that is extremely important, and that is the reason of my concern. Until now, we have not seen enough urgency, enough speed in making things move fast, in energy transition and in other aspects that are essential to keep 1.5 degrees alive. A lot of progress is being seen, but not yet enough, and we must accelerate our transition. And this is, for me, the most important objective of the next COP, and of the pressure we are making at the present moment on countries to have Nationally Determined Contributions, the so-called national action plans, that are fully compatible with 1.5 degrees, which foresees until 2035 a dramatic reduction of emissions.
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LE SECRÉTAIRE GÉNÉRAL REMARQUES À LA PRESSE À LA CONFÉRENCE DES NATIONS UNIES POUR L’OCÉAN
Bonjour à tous,
Nous sommes à Nice en mission : sauver l’océan – pour sauver notre avenir.
C’était le message que j’ai porté à l’ouverture de la Conférence hier. Et c’est le message que j’ai répété à chacune de mes rencontres ici.
L’océan est le poumon de notre planète.
Il produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons… nourrit des milliards de personnes… soutient des centaines de millions d’emplois… et fait tourner le commerce mondial.
Mais pour beaucoup, l’océan est bien plus qu’une ressource.
Il façonne des cultures. Il ancre des identités. Il nourrit l’âme humaine.
Et pourtant, nous le traitons comme une ressource inépuisable – comme s’il pouvait absorber nos abus sans conséquences.
Chaque année, les signes de détresse se multiplient.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent sous l’effet de la pêche illégale et de la surexploitation.
Le dérèglement climatique provoque l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail, accélérant la montée des eaux, et mettant en péril des communautés entières.
La pollution plastique étouffe la vie marine et contamine notre alimentation – jusqu’à se retrouver dans notre sang… et même dans notre cerveau.
En empoisonnant l’océan, c’est nous-mêmes que nous empoisonnons.
Chers amis,
Nous approchons un point de bascule – au-delà duquel tout retour en arrière pourrait devenir impossible.
Soyons clairs : des intérêts puissants nous poussent dangereusement vers le précipice.
Nous livrons un combat difficile, contre un ennemi bien identifié.
Son nom, c’est la cupidité.
Une cupidité qui sème le doute… nie la science… déforme la vérité… récompense la corruption… et détruit la vie au nom du profit.
Nous ne pouvons pas laisser la cupidité dicter le sort de notre planète.
C’est pourquoi nous sommes ici cette semaine : pour faire front ensemble face à ces forces – et reprendre ce qui appartient à toutes et à tous.
Les gouvernements, les chefs d’entreprise, les pêcheurs, les scientifiques… chacun a une responsabilité, chacun a un rôle vital à jouer.
Tout au long de la Conférence, j’ai mis en avant quatre priorités.
Premièrement – nous devons transformer la manière dont nous récoltons les richesses de l’océan.
La question n’est pas de pêcher ou non — mais de savoir comment nous pêchons.
La pêche durable n’est pas une option – c’est notre seule voie possible.
Cela exige une coopération internationale renforcée, une lutte implacable contre la pêche illégale, et une extension des aires marines protégées pour reconstituer les stocks et préserver la vie marine.
Cela implique aussi de tenir l’objectif 30-30 : protéger et gérer au moins 30 % des zones marines et côtières d’ici 2030.
Nous avons le devoir moral de transmettre aux générations futures des océans pleins de vie.
Deuxièmement – nous devons combattre le fléau de la pollution plastique.
Cela signifie éliminer progressivement les plastiques à usage unique, réformer les systèmes de gestion des déchets, et renforcer le recyclage.
Tous les pays doivent conclure rapidement un traité mondial ambitieux et juridiquement contraignant pour mettre fin à la pollution plastique. Et nous espérons que cela se produira cette année.
Troisièmement – la lutte contre le changement climatique doit aussi se mener en mer.
Depuis des décennies, l’océan absorbe nos émissions de carbone et la chaleur d’une planète en surchauffe.
Cela a un prix.
À l’approche de la COP30 au Brésil, les pays doivent présenter des plans d’action climatique nationaux ambitieux.
Des plans compatibles avec l’objectif de limiter la hausse des températures à 1,5 °C ;
Qui couvrent toutes les émissions et l’ensemble de l’économie ;
Et conformément aux engagements des pays à accélérer la transition énergétique mondiale, en saisissant les opportunités offertes par les énergies propres.
L’an dernier, pour la première fois, la température mondiale annuelle a dépassé de 1,5 °C les niveaux préindustriels.
Les scientifiques sont clairs : cela ne signifie pas que la limite de 1,5 °C est hors de portée.
Cela signifie que nous devons redoubler d’efforts.
L’océan en dépend — et nous aussi.
J’appelle les pays à soutenir les solutions climatiques basées sur l’océan — comme la protection des mangroves, des herbiers marins et des récifs coralliens.
Nous devons aussi accroître le soutien financier et technologique aux pays en développement – pour qu’ils puissent se protéger face aux phénomènes climatiques extrêmes, et répondre rapidement quand les catastrophes frappent.
La survie des communautés côtières et des petits États insulaires en dépend.
Quatrièmement – nous devons mettre en œuvre l’Accord sur la biodiversité marine des zones situées au-delà des juridictions nationales.
L’ Accord est une avancée historique pour protéger d’immenses espaces marins.
Je félicite les 134 pays qui l’ont signé, et les 49 – et c’est pas fini – qui l’ont déjà ratifié, dont 18 signatures et 18 ratifications enregistrées hier seulement.
L’entrée en vigueur est à notre portée.
J’en appelle à tous les autres États pour de les rejoindre sans attendre.
Nous n’avons pas une minute à perdre.
Enfin, sur l’exploitation minière des fonds marins, nous avons une responsabilité collective d’agir avec une extrême prudence.
Je salue les travaux en cours de l’Autorité internationale des fonds marins sur cette question cruciale.
Comme je l’ai dit hier, les grands fonds ne peuvent devenir le Far West des temps modernes.
Mesdames et Messieurs les journalistes,
L’urgence de ce moment ne peut être exagérée.
La santé de l’océan est indissociable de la santé humaine, de la stabilité climatique et de la prospérité mondiale.
Mais je quitte Nice plein d’énergie et d’espoir, porté par les nombreux engagements déjà pris.
Porté par les récits et l’expertise des nations insulaires et des peuples autochtones…
Par la détermination des jeunes militants qui exigent des comptes…
Par les scientifiques qui inventent des solutions pour toutes et tous…
Et par les acteurs économiques qui investissent dans une économie bleue durable.
C’est cette coalition mondiale dont nous avons besoin.
J’en appelle à chacun : engagez-vous avec clarté, avec ambition, et avec des financements concrets.
L’océan nous a tant donné.
Il est temps de lui rendre la pareille.
Notre santé, notre climat et notre avenir en dépendent.
We are in Nice on a mission – save the ocean, to save our future.
That was my message at the Conference opening yesterday, and it is the message I have carried through all my meetings.
The ocean is the lifeblood of our planet.
It produces half of the oxygen we breathe, nourishes billions of people, supports hundreds of millions of jobs, and underpins global trade.
For many, the ocean is more than a source of food and livelihood.
It shapes cultures…anchors identities… and feeds the soul.
Yet, we are treating it like a limitless resource – pretending it can absorb our abuse without consequence.
Every year, we see more troubling signs that our ocean is under siege.
Fish populations are collapsing due to reckless illegal fishing and overexploitation.
Climate change is driving ocean acidification and heating – destroying coral reefs, accelerating sea level rise, and threatening communities worldwide.
And plastic pollution is choking marine life and infesting our food chain – ultimately ending up in our blood and even our brains.
When we poison the ocean, we poison ourselves.
Dear friends,
There’s a tipping point approaching – beyond which recovery may become impossible.
And let us be clear:
Powerful interests are pushing us towards the brink.
We are facing a hard battle, against a clear enemy.
Its name is greed.
Greed that sows doubt… denies science… distorts truth… rewards corruption… and destroys life for profit.
We cannot let greed dictate the fate of our planet.
That is why we are here this week: to stand in solidarity against those forces and reclaim what belongs to us all.
Governments, business leaders, fishers, scientists… everyone has a responsibility and a vital role to play.
Throughout my many engagements at the Conference, I have highlighted four priorities.
First – we must transform how we harvest the ocean’s bounty.
It is not about fishing, it’s about how we fish.
Sustainable fishing is not a choice – it is our only option.
This means stronger global cooperation, strict enforcement against illegal fishing, and expanded protected areas to rebuild stocks and safeguard marine life.
And it means delivering on the 30 by 30 target – to conserve and manage at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030.
We have a moral duty to ensure future generations inherit oceans swarming with life.
Second – we must confront the plague of plastic pollution.
This means phasing out single-use plastics, overhauling waste systems, and boosting recycling.
All countries must quickly finalize an ambitious, legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution. And we hope that this will happen this year.
Third – the fight against climate change must extend to the seas.
For decades, the ocean has been absorbing carbon emissions and taking the heat of a warming planet.
That comes at great cost.
As we prepare for COP30 in Brazil, countries must present ambitious national climate action plans.
These plans must align with limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius;
Cover all emissions and the whole economy;
And in line with the commitments countries have made to accelerate the global energy transition and seize the benefits of clean power.
Last year, for the first time, the annual global temperature was 1.5°C hotter than pre-industrial times.
Scientists are clear: that does not mean that the long-term global temperature rise limit to 1.5 degrees is out of reach.
It means we need to fight harder.
The ocean depends on it – and so do we.
I urge countries to champion ocean-based climate solutions – like protecting mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs.
We must also increase financial and technological support to developing countries – so that they can protect themselves from extreme weather and respond when disasters strike.
The survival of coastal communities and Small Island Developing States depends on it.
And fourth – we must implement the recent Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
The Agreement is a historic step towards protecting vast areas of our ocean.
I congratulate the 134 countries that have signed and the 49 and counting that have ratified the Agreement – including 18 new signatures and 18 ratifications yesterday alone.
The entry into force is within our sight.
And I call on all remaining nations to join swiftly.
We do not have a moment to lose.
Finally, on seabed mining, we have a collective responsibility to proceed with great caution.
I support the ongoing work of the International Seabed Authority on this important issue.
As I said yesterday, the deep sea cannot become the Wild West.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media,
The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated.
Ocean health is inseparable from human health, climate stability, and global prosperity.
But I leave Nice energized and encouraged by the many pledges already made.
Encouraged by island nations and Indigenous Peoples sharing their stories and expertise…
Encouraged by young activists demanding action and accountability…
Scientists developing innovative solutions for all…
Business leaders investing in the blue economy…
This is the global coalition we need.
I urge everyone to step forward with decisive commitments and tangible funding.
The ocean has given us so much.
It is time we returned the favor.
Our health, our climate, and our future depend on it.
Thank you. Je vous remercie.
****
Bonjour à tous,
Nous sommes à Nice en mission : sauver l’océan – pour sauver notre avenir.
C’était le message que j’ai porté à l’ouverture de la Conférence hier. Et c’est le message que j’ai répété à chacune de mes rencontres ici.
L’océan est le poumon de notre planète.
Il produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons… nourrit des milliards de personnes… soutient des centaines de millions d’emplois… et fait tourner le commerce mondial.
Mais pour beaucoup, l’océan est bien plus qu’une ressource.
Il façonne des cultures. Il ancre des identités. Il nourrit l’âme humaine.
Et pourtant, nous le traitons comme une ressource inépuisable – comme s’il pouvait absorber nos abus sans conséquences.
Chaque année, les signes de détresse se multiplient.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent sous l’effet de la pêche illégale et de la surexploitation.
Le dérèglement climatique provoque l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail, accélérant la montée des eaux, et mettant en péril des communautés entières.
La pollution plastique étouffe la vie marine et contamine notre alimentation – jusqu’à se retrouver dans notre sang… et même dans notre cerveau.
En empoisonnant l’océan, c’est nous-mêmes que nous empoisonnons.
Chers amis,
Nous approchons un point de bascule – au-delà duquel tout retour en arrière pourrait devenir impossible.
Soyons clairs : des intérêts puissants nous poussent dangereusement vers le précipice.
Nous livrons un combat difficile, contre un ennemi bien identifié.
Son nom, c’est la cupidité.
Une cupidité qui sème le doute… nie la science… déforme la vérité… récompense la corruption… et détruit la vie au nom du profit.
Nous ne pouvons pas laisser la cupidité dicter le sort de notre planète.
C’est pourquoi nous sommes ici cette semaine : pour faire front ensemble face à ces forces – et reprendre ce qui appartient à toutes et à tous.
Les gouvernements, les chefs d’entreprise, les pêcheurs, les scientifiques… chacun a une responsabilité, chacun a un rôle vital à jouer.
Tout au long de la Conférence, j’ai mis en avant quatre priorités.
Premièrement – nous devons transformer la manière dont nous récoltons les richesses de l’océan.
La question n’est pas de pêcher ou non — mais de savoir comment nous pêchons.
La pêche durable n’est pas une option – c’est notre seule voie possible.
Cela exige une coopération internationale renforcée, une lutte implacable contre la pêche illégale, et une extension des aires marines protégées pour reconstituer les stocks et préserver la vie marine.
Cela implique aussi de tenir l’objectif 30-30 : protéger et gérer au moins 30 % des zones marines et côtières d’ici 2030.
Nous avons le devoir moral de transmettre aux générations futures des océans pleins de vie.
Deuxièmement – nous devons combattre le fléau de la pollution plastique.
Cela signifie éliminer progressivement les plastiques à usage unique, réformer les systèmes de gestion des déchets, et renforcer le recyclage.
Tous les pays doivent conclure rapidement un traité mondial ambitieux et juridiquement contraignant pour mettre fin à la pollution plastique. Et nous espérons que cela se produira cette année.
Troisièmement – la lutte contre le changement climatique doit aussi se mener en mer.
Depuis des décennies, l’océan absorbe nos émissions de carbone et la chaleur d’une planète en surchauffe.
Cela a un prix.
À l’approche de la COP30 au Brésil, les pays doivent présenter des plans d’action climatique nationaux ambitieux.
Des plans compatibles avec l’objectif de limiter la hausse des températures à 1,5 °C ;
Qui couvrent toutes les émissions et l’ensemble de l’économie ;
Et conformément aux engagements des pays à accélérer la transition énergétique mondiale, en saisissant les opportunités offertes par les énergies propres.
L’an dernier, pour la première fois, la température mondiale annuelle a dépassé de 1,5 °C les niveaux préindustriels.
Les scientifiques sont clairs : cela ne signifie pas que la limite de 1,5 °C est hors de portée.
Cela signifie que nous devons redoubler d’efforts.
L’océan en dépend — et nous aussi.
J’appelle les pays à soutenir les solutions climatiques basées sur l’océan — comme la protection des mangroves, des herbiers marins et des récifs coralliens.
Nous devons aussi accroître le soutien financier et technologique aux pays en développement – pour qu’ils puissent se protéger face aux phénomènes climatiques extrêmes, et répondre rapidement quand les catastrophes frappent.
La survie des communautés côtières et des petits États insulaires en dépend.
Quatrièmement – nous devons mettre en œuvre l’Accord sur la biodiversité marine des zones situées au-delà des juridictions nationales.
L’ Accord est une avancée historique pour protéger d’immenses espaces marins.
Je félicite les 134 pays qui l’ont signé, et les 49 – et c’est pas fini – qui l’ont déjà ratifié, dont 18 signatures et 18 ratifications enregistrées hier seulement.
L’entrée en vigueur est à notre portée.
J’en appelle à tous les autres États pour de les rejoindre sans attendre.
Nous n’avons pas une minute à perdre.
Enfin, sur l’exploitation minière des fonds marins, nous avons une responsabilité collective d’agir avec une extrême prudence.
Je salue les travaux en cours de l’Autorité internationale des fonds marins sur cette question cruciale.
Comme je l’ai dit hier, les grands fonds ne peuvent devenir le Far West des temps modernes.
Mesdames et Messieurs les journalistes,
L’urgence de ce moment ne peut être exagérée.
La santé de l’océan est indissociable de la santé humaine, de la stabilité climatique et de la prospérité mondiale.
Mais je quitte Nice plein d’énergie et d’espoir, porté par les nombreux engagements déjà pris.
Porté par les récits et l’expertise des nations insulaires et des peuples autochtones…
Par la détermination des jeunes militants qui exigent des comptes…
Par les scientifiques qui inventent des solutions pour toutes et tous…
Et par les acteurs économiques qui investissent dans une économie bleue durable.
C’est cette coalition mondiale dont nous avons besoin.
J’en appelle à chacun : engagez-vous avec clarté, avec ambition, et avec des financements concrets.
L’océan nous a tant donné.
Il est temps de lui rendre la pareille.
Notre santé, notre climat et notre avenir en dépendent.
6th Pacific-France Summit Intervention by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rt Hon Winston Peters Nice, France, Tuesday 10 June 2025 Thank you, President Macron, for convening this meeting today, the sixth Pacific-France Summit. We were privileged to have also been at the second Pacific-France Summit, during the Presidency of Jacques Chirac, in Paris in 2006. Many of the issues raised two decades ago have been raised again today. Our region faces unique threats to its security and stability. Humanitarian and environmental challenges and increasing geostrategic competition are bringing heightened complexity and risk. In this environment, it is important that we come together to share experiences and perspectives, and to find the best way forward as a region. Working alongside likeminded partners like France is important and we recognise France’s long-standing commitment to the Pacific and the contribution it makes to regional stability. This includes the unique role France plays supporting the economic development and security of French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna. We value working with France on humanitarian assistance and disaster response through the FRANZ mechanism, most recently used after the Vanuatu earthquake. We also welcome France joining New Zealand and Australia in supporting the Pacific Humanitarian Warehouse Programme, an important Pacific priority. It is important that partners’ engagement with our region advances our region’s priorities, is consistent with established regional practices, and supports Pacific institutions – including the Forum as the preeminent regional body. This is the best way to support regional stability in the Pacific. Over 60 percent of New Zealand’s development support goes toward Pacific priorities. This includes a pledge of NZ$20 million to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF). This initiative is a clear priority for Pacific leaders. We encourage France to support the PRF and our officials would be entirely happy to share our thinking. We welcome the important steps we, as a Forum, have taken this year to improve how our region engages with Forum Dialogue Partners. We hope these reforms, which will tier Partners according to their support for Pacific priorities, will be in place by the time leaders meet in Honiara, leading to even more productive exchanges with important partners such as France. As partners engage with our region, it is important that they do so in a manner that is transparent and supportive of good governance. Not all partners take this approach. Some ask Pacific partners not to publish agreements or avoid the Forum Secretariat when organising regional engagements. As we face external pushes into our region to coerce, cajole and constrain, we must stand together as a region – always remembering that we are strongest when we act collectively to confront security and strategic challenges. The Forum plays a critical role in helping us to form a cohesive approach, resolve differences, bolster regional development and security, and use our collective voice to hold bigger countries to account. We welcome France’s efforts to engage with the full Forum and Secretariat. Notwithstanding the longstanding Forum membership agreement that we engage as a complete group, not all partners have followed this model in recent meetings. We encourage all to follow France’s example. Our ability to come together in our uniquely Pacific way is one of our greatest assets. We welcome France’s engagement with the Forum Secretariat to organise this important meeting today. Thank you.
Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco
Monaco, 7 June 2025
It is a pleasure to speak at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum.
In his 1857 poem “Man and the Sea”, Charles Baudelaire explored the deep kinship between the ocean and humanity.[1] For Baudelaire, they were two forces drawn together by awe, fascination, and even conflict.
Today, that dynamic has taken on a new and troubling dimension. We rely on the ocean for climate stability and economic prosperity, yet we are fuelling a climate crisis that threatens to undermine the very system we depend on. We cannot let that happen.
Baudelaire described the sea as a “mirror” to the human soul. We now need to take a hard look in that mirror and ask ourselves: what can we do to stem the tide of this crisis, to safeguard our ocean and economy?
This morning’s two panel discussions will go a long way towards answering that question. But I would like to take this opportunity to open the plenary session with a few thoughts – about what is at stake, and what stakeholders can do about it.
The ocean’s importance for our climate and economy
The ocean is home to 95% of the planet’s biosphere.[2] It spans environments as varied as sunlit coral reefs and pitch-black abyssal plains. And it supports an immense range of life, from countless microscopic organisms to the world’s largest animal, the blue whale.
Given the ocean’s richness, it is worth preserving in its own right. But its value does not end there – the ocean also benefits humanity in two vital ways.
First, it is one of the planet’s most powerful allies in the fight against climate change.
The ocean helps to regulate global temperatures by absorbing vast amounts of heat and redistributing it through major currents like the Gulf Stream. It is also the world’s largest carbon sink, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and helping to slow global warming.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds that the ocean has absorbed over 90% of the excess heat trapped in the earth’s system, as well as a third of the carbon dioxide that humans have emitted since the Industrial Revolution.[3]
Second, a sustainable ocean serves as an important pillar supporting the global economy, providing for food security and economic opportunities.
Marine ecosystems support over three billion people who rely on fish for at least 20% of their animal protein intake. Indeed, this dependency is more pronounced in some of the least-developed countries, where seafood provides most of the animal protein consumed.[4]
These ecosystems also help sustain employment opportunities. More than 150 million jobs depend on the production, trade and consumption of ocean-based goods and services, according to the United Nations.[5] The ocean is also home to key natural resources, such as medicines and biofuels, which are vital for ongoing advances in healthcare and clean energy sectors.
So, there is a great deal at stake in preserving the ocean’s health.
The threat of climate change
But today we are placing the sustainability of our ocean under extraordinary stress, with serious implications for both our climate and economy.
Without the ocean’s capacity to absorb heat and carbon, we would have had to contend with a faster, even more dangerous pace of global warming. Yet there are now signs that this capacity is becoming strained.
The last ten years were the ocean’s warmest on record. Warmer oceans are driving more frequent marine heatwaves, which damage ecosystems, and have been a major contributor to rising sea levels due to the thermal expansion of seawater. The rate at which the global mean sea level is rising has more than doubled over the past three decades.[6]
On top of this, the ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide is driving acidification.
Combined with ocean warming, acidification is contributing to the bleaching and death of coral reefs, which are vital for supporting fisheries and protecting coastlines from storms. Since 2023 over 80% of the world’s coral reefs have been affected by bleaching.[7]
We find ourselves in dangerous waters. Together, these changes could have profound consequences for the global economy.
Food security may be undermined, potentially leading to more volatile prices, which is a concern for central banks tasked with safeguarding price stability. And if coastal areas become unliveable due to rising sea levels or frequent flooding, people may be forced to move. More than 600 million people around the world live in coastal areas that are less than ten metres above sea level.[8]
Stemming the tide
So, what can we do to stem the tide of these troubling developments? We may not be able to fully reverse the damage done, but we can work towards slowing its momentum, potentially even stopping it, by acting on two important fronts.
First, we need to protect. That means cutting greenhouse gas emissions decisively and keeping the goals of the Paris Agreement within reach.
If we succeed in doing so, we could limit sea level rise to around half a metre by the end of the century. That might not sound reassuring. But every tenth of a degree we avoid is a piece of coastline preserved, a reef protected or a storm surge weakened.
We also need to protect the natural systems that shield us from floods. Nature-based solutions – for instance, restoring mangroves, marshes and coral reefs – offer powerful, cost-effective defences against extreme weather. Coral reefs alone can reduce wave energy by an average of 97% while supporting fisheries, tourism and coastal livelihoods.[9]
The second front is just as important: we need to prepare.
Whether we like it or not, climate-related risks are materialising. We need to adapt our infrastructure and economies to a more volatile world. That includes building sea walls and surge barriers and budgeting for resilience rather than reacting after disaster strikes.
Make no mistake: adaptation will be costly. According to UN assessments, costs could run into the hundreds of billions of dollars globally each year by mid-century.[10] But the cost of inaction would be far higher. One study estimates that failing to keep global temperatures below two degrees above pre-industrial levels could lead to USD 14 trillion in global annual flood costs by 2100.[11]
To meet this challenge, we need to catalyse finance for marine and coastal conservation – for instance, through innovative approaches that convert natural capital into financial capital.[12]
This can be especially impactful for vulnerable countries with limited fiscal space. Above all, we must listen to the communities affected, treating their needs as a basis for our actions rather than an afterthought.
Let me conclude.
Baudelaire reminds us that the sea is a mirror of our own nature, which can either heal or harm.
So, let us choose to heal. That means nurturing the ocean’s rich diversity and facilitating finance to support innovative adaptation measures that build more resilient communities and a stronger global economy.
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
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Highlights:
– Secretary-General/Ocean Conference
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Lebanon
– Security Council
– Nigeria
SECRETARY-GENERAL/OCEAN CONFERENCE
The Secretary-General delivered remarks this morning at the opening of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, which is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. In his remarks, the Secretary-General said that although the sea that has sustained life for millennia, we are failing to protect the ocean – thanks to overfishing, plastic pollution and rising temperatures.
He urged all countries that have not yet ratified the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction to do so. He also issued a strong call to all countries to agree on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution this year.
Underscoring his support for the work of the International Seabed Authority, the Secretary-General said the deep sea cannot become the Wild West.
Mr. Guterres urged Member States to advance progress on Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is unfortunately one of the least funded SDGs. He encouraged the conference participants to be bold in all their efforts, saying, “The ocean of our ancestors – teeming with life and diversity – can be more than legend. It can be our legacy.”
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General spoke at the Africa for the Ocean event, co-hosted by Morocco and France. In his remarks, the Secretary-General said that with over 30,000 kilometres of coastline and 38 coastal states, Africa is a maritime powerhouse. “Its future is also written in its waters,” he said, adding that this blue wealth is too often undervalued and overexploited. He said that investments have too often bypassed Africa, even as its marine resources were exploited by others.
Also this afternoon, the Secretary-General had a productive meeting with civil society representatives from around the world active in ocean action. He highlighted the current paradox: despite major breakthroughs —such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction— the crisis facing the oceans is worsening.
The Secretary-General noted similar dynamics in climate action: while renewable energy is expanding rapidly, emissions continue to rise. The ocean-climate connection, he warned, is deteriorating —marked by rising temperatures, accelerating sea-level rise, glacier melt, coral bleaching, and growing plastic pollution. He also pointed to the threat of mass displacement from vulnerable river deltas.
He emphasized the importance of civil society perspectives, momentum, and insights to accelerate progress and increase global attention on ocean, climate, and biodiversity action.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Secretary-General held a number of bilateral meetings.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said that the crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels of despair as people continue to go hungry across Gaza. Many are forced to risk their lives in search of food, as we receive more reports of people being killed and injured near non-UN distribution sites.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, just this morning, 29 casualties arrived at the ICRC field hospital in west Rafah, eight of whom were dead. Almost all had explosive trauma wounds, with two others admitted with gunshot wounds. The UN reiterates that civilians must always be protected. No person, anywhere, should be forced to choose between risking one’s life and feeding one’s family.
Fuel stocks in Gaza are critically low – putting further strain on critical services and humanitarian operations. Over the weekend, some 260,000 litres of fuel were looted in northern Gaza. Prior to this, the UN had repeatedly attempted to reach these stocks to retrieve them, but these attempts were denied by the Israeli authorities.
Since 15 May, the missions to retrieve this fuel were denied by the Israeli authorities 14 times. The UN attempts to reach fuel supplies in Rafah, in the south of Gaza, also continue to be denied. The UN warns that unless a solution is found in the coming days, the entire aid operation could come to a standstill.
Since the Israeli authorities allowed limited amounts of aid to enter Gaza on 19 May, the UN and its partners have only been able to collect about 4,600 metric tonnes of wheat flour from the Kerem Shalom crossing. Most of it was taken by desperate, starving people before the supplies reached their destinations. In some cases, the supplies were looted by armed gangs.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=09%20June%202025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
CNPA Board bids farewell to Board members
The CNPA Board bids farewell to long-serving members, Sir Craig Mackey and Sue Scane.
Sir Craig Mackey QPM, Susan Johnson OBE, Simon Chesterman OBE QPM and Sue Scane.
Two independent members of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) Board were presented with Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) service plaques at the end of their final Board meeting last week.
Sir Craig Mackey and Sue Scane both completed the maximum service – two terms of three years. Sir Craig served as interim chair in 2021/22 and Sue as chair of the Audit, Risk and Finance Committee (ARFC).
Reflecting on his time in the role, Sir Craig said: “I first worked closely with CNC when I was the Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary. Ten years later and having retired from the Metropolitan Police, the board posts were advertised, and I jumped at the chance.
“I consider myself very lucky to have got the role and have been fortunate to work with a range of industry members and independent members who all want CNC to be the best it can be. This, combined with the quality and commitment of people across CNC, getting to meet them at sites across the UK, hear about their achievements at Awards ceremonies and fully appreciate the complexity and risks that people are managing day-to-day, has made it a real privilege to be part of.”
The people and the places were also the source of stand-out moments for Sue, for whom visiting sites and meeting officers and staff was both interesting and inspirational: “In all the locations we’ve visited, we have had the opportunity to speak with the officers and understand the organisation from their perspective. This has always brought the work in the Board room to life,” she said.
“Not that many people are able to see inside a nuclear power station – whether operational, under decommissioning, or under construction, but seeing each of these stages has also been really memorable, and makes you appreciate the complexity inherent in each site.”
Looking back on what has been achieved during her time with the CNPA, Sue is pleased with the progress she has been part of: “I have always worked in areas where my job has been to ensure that the Governance of the organisation was embedded in the way people worked – whether they realised it or not – so it has been rewarding for me to see the improvements over the last six years. Improved financial systems, the programme management which now delivers on time and within budget, and a costed medium-term plan which allows management to plan for the future.”
The Chair of the CNPA, Susan Johnson, thanked them both, saying: “On behalf of the CNPA, I want to acknowledge the time that Sue and Craig have dedicated to the CNC and thank them for their service. During the six years they’ve been in post, they have brought significant knowledge and expertise to the work of the Board and helped to navigate the organisation through some challenging and exciting times. Sue and Craig have provided wise counsel to our executive team whilst challenging the team in a constructive and supportive way to drive continuous improvement.
“Sue’s leadership of the Audit Risk and Finance Committee has strengthened the assurance to the Board that risks are effectively managed and that we are delivering an efficient and effective service to our Site Licence Companies. Craig supported the organisation through a difficult period when he took on the role of interim Chair and he has also been the Board lead on professional standards, supporting the executive through peer review. Craig’s extensive experience in Home Office policing has contributed positively to bring greater alignment of CNC pay, reward and pension conditions with those of Home Office forces.
“I would like to recognise the sterling support they have both provided and wish them the very best with whatever they do next. Thank you for your work, on behalf of us all at the CNPA.”
Police are appealing for information after an unattended kayak was found on Lake Te Anau late Tuesday afternoon (10 June).
The red and white kayak was located floating upside down, with paddle, a stainless-steel flask and some fishing tackle nearby.
Police hope the kayaker made it ashore and returned home without alerting anyone of their mishap.
Police urge anyone who recognises the kayak or has failed to return home from fishing on Lake Te Anau today to contact Police, quote event number P062824240.
Real Police officers are warning Kiwis to be vigilant of cold callers posing as Police officers, as a pesky scam rears its head.
In the past year, Police have worked quickly to warn the public as these scam calls emerged.
Waitematā CIB’s acting Detective Senior Sergeant Ben Bergin says, “unsuspecting victims are essentially being called out of the blue under a ruse”.
“The story changes slightly, but it will usually involve some sort of investigation and this ‘officer’ will report having located a valuable item of yours, such as a passport.
“He will need your help or ask for your personal information.
“The caller speaks with an English accent and provides a bogus ID number to the victim.”
If you receive a phone call such as this, Police advise the public to be extremely cautious.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Bergin says previous iterations of this scam has involved scammers asking people to withdraw cash as part of ‘an investigation’ or handing over bank details.
“From time-to-time, Police officers may contact you as part of their genuine duties.
“It can be a bit surprising to receive a call unexpectantly, so stop and think if you get a far-fetched story shared down the telephone line.”
In the past week, Police have received reports from Kiwis on both islands, including: Warkworth, Riverhead, Royal Oak, Ngaruawahia and in the Clutha and Queenstown-Lakes districts.
“Fortunately, at this stage we are not aware of any victims losing money,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Bergin says.
“Those recipients have done the right thing and ended the call and reported it to the real Police.”
– Police will never ask for your bank details, pin numbers or banking log in. – Police do not offer prize money – Police will never ask you to go to a bank and withdraw your own cash – Stop and think: If the call seems off, hang up and call 105 to verify the officer’s identity, or request a callback.
Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry
I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement today that Jenny Wilkinson will serve as the next Secretary to the Treasury and I thank him for the way he has involved and included Katy Gallagher and me in his decision.
I am really excited by this opportunity to work even more closely with Jenny, whose contribution as the Secretary of the Department of Finance has been instrumental to our first four budgets and so much of the broader work of our government.
I’m so grateful to Steven Kennedy for our very close and effective partnership over the past three years, for his friendship over a much longer period, for his service to my predecessor as well, and for the chance to work with him now in his new role.
It was such a valued opportunity to work with him at Treasury.
Steven and Jenny are the best of the best. Outstanding public servants and even better people. I’m really happy for them both and they should be very proud.
Australia was incredibly fortunate to have someone of Steven’s calibre leading the Treasury, and is just as fortunate having him now lead the Australian Public Service.
I pay tribute again to outgoing Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary Glyn Davis, another friend, and thank him for his friendship and service.
Jenny will make history as the first woman to lead the Treasury. Under our government women now lead the Treasury, Reserve Bank and Productivity Commission all for the first time.
Jenny is one of Australia’s most distinguished and experienced economists and public servants and has served with distinction under governments of both political persuasions.
I am really pleased that someone with her skills and experience will guide and lead the department, as we continue to develop and implement our economic agenda.
Jenny holds a Masters Degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University, a Bachelors Degree in Economics (with Honours) from the Australian National University, and was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2021.
Thank you Steven and Jenny for agreeing to serve and to the Prime Minister for appointing them to these key roles at such an important time.
Ahead of this week’s crucial United Nations ocean conference, federal Environment Minister Murray Watt promised that by 2030, 30% of Australian waters would be “highly protected”.
This is a telling pledge. After all, 52% of Australian waters are now protected following years of rapid expansion. But many are “paper parks” – lines on a map with very little real protection.
Watt is proposing to expand the area under gold-standard protection, meaning fishing, mining and drilling would be banned inside the parks. This is welcome. But it must be done strategically, protecting ecologically representative and high biodiversity areas.
If Watt is serious, he must ensure these upgraded marine parks cover poorly protected habitats important for biodiversity. These include shallow coastal zones, submarine canyons, seamounts and rocky reefs on the continental shelf. It’s not just about protecting 30% of the seas – marine parks must protect the full range of species and habitats in Australia.
Bottom trawling and other fishing practices can do great damage to underwater ecosystems. mjstudio.lt/Shutterstock
Impressive on paper
Australia’s waters cover all five of the world’s climate zones, from the coral reefs of the tropics to the icy shores of Antarctica. At least 33,000 marine species are found in the nation’s marine boundaries – the most on Earth. Australia also has the most endemic marine species.
For more than 30 years, successive federal and state governments in Australia have claimed global leadership roles in conserving ocean areas. Just last year, the Albanese government claimed the latest expansion meant Australia now protected “more ocean than any other country on earth”.
When 196 countries committed to the goal of “30% by 2030” – the effective protection and management of at least 30% of the world’s coastal and marine areas by decade’s end – Australia was already well past that in terms of the size of areas considered marine protected areas.
About 45% of marine waters were protected in 2022, up from 7% in 2002. Now that figure is 52%.
Job done? Not even close. Even as Australia’s marine protected areas have rapidly expanded, marine species populations have shrunk while entire ecosystems hover on the brink.
More than half of Australia’s marine parks allow commercial fishing and mining. The latest large protection around the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands doesn’t give strong protection to species-rich areas such as seamounts and undersea canyons.
Losses everywhere
Tasmania’s giant kelp forests once ringed the island state. At least 95% have vanished since the 1990s, wiped out by warmer waters and voracious sea urchins.
Half the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover died between 1995 and 2017 – a period with only two mass bleaching events. Bleaching has become more regular and more severe since then.
Many marine species are in serious trouble. The most comprehensive assessment to date found populations of 57% of species living on coral, rocky and kelp reefs had fallen between 2011 and 2021. In 2020, a Tasmanian endemic species, the smooth handfish, became the first marine fish officially listed as extinct on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
As the oceans get hotter, coral reefs are forecast to be wiped out. Poor marine water quality is drowning coastal species and ecosystems in sediments, nutrients, chemicals, and pathogens, including in The Great Barrier Reef.
That’s not to say marine park expansion and other government efforts have been worthless. Far from it.
Some whales have rebounded strongly due to the moratorium on commercial whaling. Good management of the southern bluefin tuna led to its removal from the threatened species list last year.
But these wins don’t offset an overall rapid decline.
Action needed on climate and improving marine parks
Giving Australia’s marine parks better protection won’t solve the problem of hotter, more acidic oceans due to climate change.
Australia’s current emission target is consistent with a 2°C warming pathway. That level of warming would mean the loss of 99% of the world’s coral reefs.
Australia is one of the world’s biggest producers of coal and liquefied natural gas and still has one of the world’s highest rates of land clearing, accounting for up to 12% of the country’s total emissions in some years.
Protecting life in the seas means Australia must dramatically reduce emissions, end widespread land clearing and halt the approval of new coal and gas projects.
Better protection inside marine parks will stop other major threats, such as seabed mining, gas and oil exploration and fishing.
To date, Australia’s marine parks with high levels of protection are typically in remote areas with minimal human activity threatening biodiversity.
From paper parks to real conservation leadership
For decades, Australian leaders have touted their efforts to protect the seas. It’s now abundantly clear that paper protection isn’t enough.
To arrest the steep decline in marine life, Australia must properly protect its marine areas by preventing fishing and mining in areas important for all marine species, while expanding its highly protected marine parks to save unprotected ecosystems.
Minister Watt’s pledge is welcome. But it must actually prevent damaging human activities such as fishing and oil and gas extraction which are major contributors to the extinction crisis.
Leaders must also focus on sustainable production and consumption of seafood and ramp up their ambition to tackle climate change and marine pollution.
If Australia continues to expand paper parks without doing the hard work of genuine protection, it will set a dangerous precedent.
Carissa Klein receives funding from the Australian Research Council
James Watson has received funding from the Australian Research Council, National Environmental Science Program, South Australia’s Department of Environment and Water, Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as well as from Bush Heritage Australia, Queensland Conservation Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society and Birdlife Australia. He serves on the scientific committee of BirdLife Australia and has a long-term scientific relationship with Bush Heritage Australia and Wildlife Conservation Society. He serves on the Queensland government’s Land Restoration Fund’s Investment Panel as the Deputy Chair.
Amelia Wenger 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.
otre Altesse Royale, Princesse Lalla Hasnaa du Royaume du Maroc, Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron, Excellences, Chers amis,
Je vous remercie d’organiser ce sommet afin de réaffirmer un message clair :
Les destins de l’Afrique et de l’océan sont profondément liés.
Pour des millions de personnes à travers le continent, l’océan est source de vie, d’identité, de promesses.
Avec plus de 30 000 kilomètres de littoral et 38 États côtiers, l’Afrique est une puissance maritime.
Son avenir s’écrit aussi dans ses eaux.
Mais cette richesse bleue est trop souvent sous-évaluée et surexploitée.
L’insécurité maritime menace la paix.
La pollution empoisonne les côtes et les écosystèmes.
Et la crise climatique – dont l’Afrique n’est pourtant pas responsable – ravage ses rivages.
Face à ces défis, l’Afrique propose, innove, agit.
Elle forge des solutions qui inspirent bien au-delà du continent.
Nous le voyons dans des projets ambitieux de coopération régionale – ou encore la Stratégie intégrée de l’Union africaine pour les mers et les océans à l’horizon 2050.
Et nous le voyons dans les négociations internationales, où l’Afrique fait entendre sa voix avec force.
L’Accord sur la diversité biologique marine des zones ne relevant pas de la juridiction nationale – l’Accord BBNJ – en est un exemple.
Le Groupe africain a été un acteur central des négociations, obtenant des engagements sur le partage équitable des avantages, le renforcement des capacités et le transfert de technologies marines.
À ce jour, 28 États africains ont signé l’Accord. Trois l’ont déjà ratifié. Peut-être que ces chiffres sont déjà surpassés par les chiffres que le Président de la République a annoncé ce matin.
Et plusieurs autres prévoient de le faire aujourd’hui, lors de la cérémonie spéciale sur les traités pour l’Accord BBNJ.
C’est un signal fort : l’Afrique est au cœur de l’action pour les océans.
Mais pour libérer pleinement ce potentiel, il faut un sursaut politique et financier.
Cela commence par renforcer la sécurité maritime face aux menaces transnationales – piraterie, trafic d’armes et d’êtres humains et crime organisé.
Les Nations Unies continueront de soutenir les efforts africains, notamment à travers l’Architecture de Yaoundé, qui a contribué à une baisse significative des actes de piraterie dans le golfe de Guinée.
Cela passe également par une gouvernance océanique fondée sur la science et la coopération.
Il faut lutter contre la pollution et la pêche illicite, non déclarée et non réglementée, renforcer les capacités de collecte et de partage des données océanographiques, et protéger la biodiversité.
Nous devons valoriser les énergies marines renouvelables, l’aquaculture et le tourisme durable, autant de sources d’emplois décents – notamment pour les jeunes et les femmes.
Mais ces efforts ne porteront pleinement leurs fruits que si l’Afrique est connectée – dans ses territoires et avec le reste du monde.
Les océans africains doivent devenir de véritables corridors d’intégration – reliant pays côtiers et enclavés, au service d’une croissance partagée.
Cela suppose des investissements concrets dans les infrastructures maritimes et portuaires : des ports interconnectés, résilients face au changement climatique, capables de répondre aux besoins d’un commerce en croissance.
Les États sans littoral doivent être reliés aux chaînes de valeur mondiales.
Aucun pays ne doit rester à quai.
Mais pour que cette transformation soit durable et équitable, nous devons mettre fin aux injustices historiques.
Ces injustices se traduisent aussi dans l’océan : les investissements ont trop souvent contourné l’Afrique, alors même que ses ressources marines étaient exploitées par d’autres.
Le Pacte pour l’Avenir, adopté en septembre dernier, appelle à une réforme profond des institutions financières mondiales – afin qu’elles soient au service de tous.
Il est temps que les pays en développement soient équitablement représentés dans ces institutions. D’ailleurs, comme au Conseil de Sécurité des Nations-Unies.
Nous avons besoin d’un système qui reflète les réalités du XXIème siècle – un système plus juste, plus solidaire et plus efficace.
C’est pourquoi j’appelle les institutions financières, les bailleurs bilatéraux et multilatéraux, les banques de développement et le secteur privé à répondre présent – y compris lors de la quatrième Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement à Séville.
Chers amis,
De Dakar à Djibouti, du Cap à Casablanca, l’Afrique prouve qu’on peut conjuguer prospérité et préservation.
Le monde a besoin de l’Afrique pour répondre aux défis de l’océan.
Et l’océan a besoin d’une Afrique qui trace sa voie et navigue résolument vers l’avenir.
Je vous remercie.
*** [All-English]
Your Royal Highness, Princess Lalla Hasnaa of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. President of the French Republic, Dear Emmanuel Macron, Excellencies, Dear friends,
Thank you for organizing this summit to reaffirm a clear message:
The destinies of Africa and the ocean are deeply linked.
For millions of people across the continent, the ocean is a source of life, identity and promise.
With over 30,000 kilometers of coastline and 38 coastal states, Africa is a maritime powerhouse.
Its future is also written in its waters.
But this blue wealth is too often undervalued and overexploited.
Maritime insecurity threatens peace.
Pollution poisons coasts and ecosystems.
And the climate crisis – that Africa did little to cause – is ravaging its shores.
In the face of these challenges, Africa is proposing, innovating, taking action.
It is forging solutions that inspire far beyond the continent.
We see this in ambitious regional cooperation projects – and in the African Union’s 2050 Integrated Maritime Strategy for the Seas and Oceans to 2050.
And we see it in international negotiations, where Africa is making its voice heard loud and clear.
The Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction – the BBNJ Agreement – is one example.
The African Group was a key player in the negotiations, securing commitments on equitable benefit sharing, capacity building and marine technology transfer.
To date, 28 African states have signed the Agreement. Three have already ratified it. These numbers have increased with the news that President Macron shared with us earlier today.
And several more are planning to do so today, at the special treaty ceremony for the BBNJ Agreement.
This is a strong signal: Africa is at the heart of ocean action.
But to fully unleash this potential, we need a political and financial surge.
This begins by strengthening maritime security in the face of transnational threats – piracy, arms and human trafficking and organized crime.
The United Nations will continue to support African efforts, notably through the Yaoundé Architecture, which has contributed to a significant decline in acts of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
This also requires ocean governance based on science and cooperation.
We must combat pollution and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, strengthen capacities for collecting and sharing oceanographic data, and protect biodiversity.
We must promote renewable marine energies, sustainable aquaculture and tourism – all of which create decent jobs, in particular for young people and women.
But these efforts will only bear fruit if Africa is connected — within its territories and with the rest of the world.
Africa’s oceans must become integration corridors – linking coastal and landlocked countries, for a shared growth.
This calls for concrete investments in maritime infrastructures – interconnected ports, resilient to climate change, capable of meeting the needs of growing trade.
Landlocked states must be connected to global value chains.
No country should be left behind.
But for this transformation to be sustainable and equitable, we must put an end to historical injustices.
These injustices are also reflected in the ocean: investments have too often bypassed Africa, even as its marine resources were exploited by others.
The Pact for the Future, adopted last September, calls for deep reforms of global financial institutions – so that they serve everyone.
It is time for developing countries to be fairly represented in these institutions.
We need a system that reflects the realities of the 21st century – a system that is more just, more supportive, and more effective. As is the the case with the United Nations Security Council.
That is why I call on financial institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, development banks and the private sector to step up – including at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville.
Dear friends,
From Dakar to Djibouti, from Cape Town to Casablanca, Africa is proving that prosperity and preservation can go hand in hand.
The world needs Africa to meet the ocean’s challenges.
And the ocean needs an Africa that charts its own course and navigates decisively toward the future.
onsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron Señor Presidente de la República de Costa Rica, Estimado Rodrigo Chaves Robles
Excellences, chers amis, Dear President of the French Republic, Dear Emmanuel Macron Mr. President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Dear Rodrigo Chaves Robles Excellencies, dear friends,
Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier nos hôtes, les gouvernements de la France et du Costa Rica, d’avoir organisé cette conférence. Let me begin by thanking our hosts, the Governments of France and Costa Rica, for convening this conference.
Et merci à tous d’être là, à Nissa la bella – ville à la mer d’azur et au ciel pur. And thank you all for being here, in “Nissa la bella” – city of azure seas and clear skies.
Nous voici réunis sur les rives de la Méditerranée, carrefour de continents, de cultures et de commerce. We gather beside the Mediterranean – a crossroads of continents, cultures, and commerce.
Une mer qui, depuis des millénaires, est source de vie – et qui nous rappelle notre profonde dépendance à l’égard de l’océan. A sea that has sustained life for millennia –reminding us of our deep dependence on the ocean.
L’océan produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons. The ocean generates half of the oxygen we breathe.
Il nourrit 3 milliards de personnes et fait vivre 600 millions d’autres. It feeds 3 billion people and sustains 600 million livelihoods.
L’économie des océans a plus que doublé en 30 ans – et elle continue de croître. The ocean economy has more than doubled in 30 years – and keeps growing.
Le transport maritime assure, à lui seul, plus de 80 % du commerce mondial. Maritime transport alone moves over 80 per cent of global trade.
L’océan est notre bien commun par excellence. The ocean is the ultimate shared resource.
Pourtant, nous sommes en train de le piller. But we are failing it.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent. Fish stocks are collapsing.
La surconsommation et la pêche illégale poussent des espèces au bord de l’extinction. Over-consumption and illegal fishing are pushing marine life to the brink.
Chaque année, 23 millions de tonnes de plastique sont déversées dans les eaux et asphyxient les écosystèmes. Plastic pollution is choking ecosystems – with 23 million tonnes of waste entering waters every year.
Les émissions de carbone provoquent l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail et accélérant la montée des eaux. Carbon emissions are driving ocean acidification and heating – destroying coral reefs and accelerating sea level rise.
Si on ne change pas de cap, cette acceleration va submerger les deltas, detruire les récoltes et engloutir les littoraux, menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles. If we do not change course, this rise will submerge deltas, destroy crops, and swallow coastlines – threatening many islands’ survival.
L’océan absorbe désormais 90 % de l’excédent de chaleur piégé par les gaz à effet de serre. The ocean now stores 90 per cent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
Autant de symptômes d’un système en crise… et qui s’auto-alimente. These are symptoms of a system in crisis – and they are feeding off each other.
Brisant les chaînes alimentaires… Anéantissant les moyens de subsistance… Augmentant l’insécurité. Unravelling food chains. Destroying livelihoods. Deepening insecurity.
Cette insécurité est exacerbée par la criminalité : piraterie, trafic d’êtres humains, réseaux organisés et pillage des ressources volent des vies, freinent le développement et privent les communautés côtières de leurs droits. And insecurity is rising not only from natural forces – but from criminal ones. Piracy, organized crime, human trafficking, and the looting of natural resources are threatening lives, undermining development, and robbing coastal communities of their rights.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since the last UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, we have seen progress.
We have also seen a growing awareness of the deep interconnection between preserving biodiversity and marine ecosystems, combatting climate change, and stopping pollution.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set a bold pledge:
To conserve and manage at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030.
Member States also adopted the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction – a historic breakthrough.
I urge all delegations to ratify it – and welcome good news delivered by President Macron and the momentum this Conference is generating toward its swift entry into force.
I also call on all countries to agree on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution – this year.
It is essential to successfully conclude the agreement on fisheries currently discussed at World Trade Organization.
The International Maritime Organization committed to reach net-zero emissions from shipping by 2050.
And last year’s General Assembly Meeting on Sea Level Rise underscored that statehood and sovereignty cannot be undermined by rising seas.
This proves multilateralism works – but only if we match words with action.
By developing concrete national plans aligned with global targets;
By harnessing science, driving innovation, and ensuring fair access to technology;
By empowering fishers, Indigenous peoples, and youth;
And above all, by investing.
SDG 14 on life below water remains one of the least funded Sustainable Development Goals.
This must change – through increased public finance, greater support from development banks, and bold models to unlock private capital.
I urge all countries to come forward with bold pledges.
Small Island Developing States need support to build resilience and thrive in the blue economy.
Many struggle to access healthy, affordable food – underscoring the urgent need to restore local fisheries and strengthen ocean-based food systems.
We must also strengthen maritime security as a pillar of sustainable development.
And we must embed ocean priorities across climate, food systems and sustainable finance.
Because without a healthy ocean, there can be no healthy planet.
Finally, nations are also navigating new waters on seabed mining:
I support the ongoing work of the International Seabed Authority on this important issue.
The deep sea cannot become the Wild West.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We live in an age of turmoil, but the resolve I see here gives me hope.
Hope that we can turn the tide.
That we can move from plunder to protection.
From exclusion to equity.
From short-term exploitation to long-term stewardship.
We know it’s possible.
When we reached a global moratorium on commercial whaling, whale populations recovered.
When we protect marine areas, life returns.
Today, we have the opportunity to restore marine abundance.
What was lost in a generation can return in a generation.
The ocean of our ancestors – teeming with life and diversity – can be more than legend.
It can be our legacy.
I wish you a successful conference.
Thank you.
****
[All-French]
Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron Monsieur le Président de la République du Costa Rica, Cher Rodrigo Chaves Robles
Excellences, chers amis,
Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier nos hôtes, les gouvernements de la France et du Costa Rica, d’avoir organisé cette conférence.
Et merci à tous d’être là, à Nissa la bella – ville à la mer d’azur et au ciel pur.
Nous voici réunis sur les rives de la Méditerranée, carrefour de continents, de cultures et de commerce.
Une mer qui, depuis des millénaires, est source de vie – et qui nous rappelle notre profonde dépendance à l’égard de l’océan.
L’océan produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons.
Il nourrit 3 milliards de personnes et fait vivre 600 millions d’autres.
L’économie des océans a plus que doublé en 30 ans – et elle continue de croître.
Le transport maritime assure, à lui seul, plus de 80 % du commerce mondial.
L’océan est notre bien commun par excellence.
Pourtant, nous sommes en train de le piller.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent.
La surconsommation et la pêche illégale poussent des espèces au bord de l’extinction.
Chaque année, 23 millions de tonnes de plastique sont déversées dans les eaux et asphyxient les écosystèmes.
Les émissions de carbone provoquent l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail et accélérant la montée des eaux.
Si on ne change pas de cap, cette accélération va submerger les deltas, détruire les récoltes et engloutir les littoraux – menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles.
L’océan absorbe désormais 90 % de l’excédent de chaleur piégé par les gaz à effet de serre.
Autant de symptômes d’un système en crise… et qui s’auto-alimente.
La montée des eaux submerge les deltas, détruit les récoltes et engloutit les littoraux, menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles.
L’océan est pris au piège d’un cercle vicieux – victime et accélérateur du changement climatique.
Brisant les chaînes alimentaires… Anéantissant les moyens de subsistance… Augmentant l’insécurité.
Cette insécurité est exacerbée par la criminalité : piraterie, trafic d’êtres humains, réseaux organisés et pillage des ressources volent des vies, freinent le développement et privent les communautés côtières de leurs droits.
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Depuis la dernière Conférence des Nations Unies sur l’océan, qui s’est tenue à Lisbonne, des progrès ont été accomplis.
Nous avons également vu une prise de conscience croissante des liens profonds entre la préservation de la biodiversité et des écosystèmes marins, la lutte contre le changement climatique et l’arrêt de la pollution.
Le Cadre mondial de la biodiversité de Kunming-Montréal contient un engagement audacieux :
Conserver et gérer au moins 30 % des zones marines et côtières d’ici à 2030.
Les États Membres ont également adopté l’Accord portant sur la diversité biologique marine des zones ne relevant pas de la juridiction nationale, qui marque une avancée historique.
J’exhorte toutes les délégations à ratifier cet accord et je me félicite des bonnes nouvelles partagées par le President Macron et de l’impulsion donnée par la Conférence pour en favoriser l’entrée en vigueur rapide.
Par ailleurs, j’appelle tous les pays à s’entendre cette année sur un traité ambitieux et juridiquement contraignant sur la pollution plastique.
Il est également essentiel de conclure avec succès l’accord sur la pêche actuellement discuté à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce.
L’Organisation maritime internationale est résolue à faire en sorte que, d’ici à 2025, le transport maritime ne produise plus aucune émission nette.
L’année dernière, durant la réunion de l’Assemblée générale sur l’élévation du niveau de la mer, il a été dit avec force que la montée des eaux ne saurait porter atteinte à la souveraineté et à l’intégrité des États.
Toutes ces initiatives montrent que le multilatéralisme fonctionne, mais seulement si nous traduisons nos paroles en actes.
En développant des plans nationaux concrets alignés sur les objectifs mondiaux.
En exploitant la science, en stimulant l’innovation, et en garantissant un accès équitable à la technologie.
En donnant des moyens d’action aux pêcheurs, aux populations autochtones, aux scientifiques et aux jeunes.
Et, par-dessus tout, en investissant.
L’objectif de développement durable no 14 relatif à la vie aquatique demeure l’un des objectifs de développement durable les moins bien financés.
Les choses doivent changer. Pour cela, il faut augmenter les financements publics, accroître l’appui apporté par les banques de développement et favoriser l’afflux de capitaux privés grâce à des modèles de financement audacieux.
J’exhorte tous les pays à prendre des engagements ambitieux [et je remercie ceux qui l’ont déjà fait].
Les petits États insulaires en développement ont besoin d’aide pour renforcer leur résilience et prospérer dans l’économie bleue.
Nombreux sont ceux qui peinent à se procurer une alimentation saine à un coût abordable, ce qui montre combien il est urgent de restaurer les pêches locales et de renforcer les systèmes alimentaires basés sur l’océan.
Nous devons également renforcer la sécurité maritime qui est l’un des piliers du développement durable.
Nous devons intégrer les priorités liées à l’océan dans toutes nos activités touchant le climat, les systèmes alimentaires et la finance durable.
Car sans un océan en bonne santé, il ne peut y avoir de planète en bonne santé.
Enfin, l’exploitation minière des fonds marins pose aux pays de nouveaux défis.
Je soutiens les travaux en cours de l’Autorité internationale des fonds marins sur cet enjeu important.
Les grands fonds ne peuvent pas devenir un Far West.
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Nous vivons une époque de troubles, mais la détermination que je constate ici me donne de l’espoir.
J’espère que nous pourrons redresser la situation.
Que nous pourrons remplacer le pillage par la protection.
L’exclusion par l’équité.
La surexploitation à court terme par la bonne gestion à long terme.
Nous savons que c’est possible.
Lorsque nous sommes parvenus à un moratoire mondial sur la chasse commerciale à la baleine, les populations de baleines se sont reconstituées.
Lorsque nous protégeons des aires marines, la vie revient.
Aujourd’hui, nous avons la possibilité de redonner à l’océan son abondance.
Ce qui a été perdu en l’espace d’une génération peut renaître en l’espace d’une autre.
L’océan qu’ont connu nos ancêtres, qui regorgeait de vie et de diversité, peut être davantage qu’une légende.
The stage is covered in stars that fill the depth of the space. When the 18 dancers slowly gather, they move through a night sky.
This sky, and the scenes that unfold in Bangarra’s Illume are tied to the Goolarrgon clan of the Bardi Jawi people, the First Peoples of the Dampier Peninsula on the west coast of the Kimberley. Choreographer Frances Rings chose as her primary collaborator visual artist Darrell Sibosado who brings his cultural knowledge of that Country to the work, alongside cultural consultants Trevor Sampi and Audrey (Pippi) Bin Swani, also from Bardi Country.
The 70-minute work moves through 11 sections, and over three phases. A short synopsis for each in the program guides visitors through this manifestation of Country.
The opening segments are immersive, integrated worlds where the dancers move at one with the design elements.
In Niman Aarl (Many Fish), a thrilling whirlpool of tiny light fish spiral around a giant conch shell. The dancers spiral among them with flowing, fluid movements.
The central section, Light Pollution, interrupts the flow, representing the displacement caused by settler invasion. The dancers carry brown blocks, simply and effectively introducing inorganic and uniform shapes into this natural environment. They are suggestive of bricks, burdens and baggage. Movements depict trauma and a burning crucifix-like form that brings religious movements (as if seated at prayer) and music themes (church bells) to a dramatic climax.
Brown blocks are suggestive of bricks, burdens and baggage. Bangarra/Daniel Boud
The final sections return us to the sea and land. The work culminates with a beautifully crafted kaleidoscope of mother of pearl opalescence that washes over the front scrim.
Bringing remote cultures to broad audiences
Coinciding with Sydney’s Vivid light festival, the difference could not be starker between the tired, candy-coloured neon display spilling across Sydney Harbour and the immersive, detailed and sometimes breathtaking light (designed by Damien Cooper) and video design (from Craig Wilkinson) that gives this work its name.
The stage floor shimmers: Charles Davis’ set is a reflective surface that amplifies the stunning light work. Upstage left, poles cluster like a stand of trees and occasionally pulse with light in time with the score from Brendon Boney.
On the back scrim, lights twinkle and constellate. Many images emerge, including what seem to be fragments of a stuttering calligraphy.
The stage floor shimmers. Bangarra/Daniel Boud
In the final moments of the work, the lights consolidate into an intriguing set of symbols. These echo previous work of Sibosado, such as Galalan at Gumiri featured at the 2024 Biennale of Sydney.
Blocky, maze-like, and recalling Aztec or Indonesian patterns, these designs appear like a collision of more familiar Indigenous pattern work, south-east Asian influences, and contemporary abstraction.
Sibosado works primarily with Bardi Jawi riji – pearl shell carving designs from his Country Lullmardinard/Lombadina. He enlarges the small pearl carvings in scale and fabricates them using contemporary materials such as metal and light.
Designs appear like a collision of Indigenous pattern work, south-east Asian influences, and contemporary abstraction. Bangarra/Daniel Boud
Sibosado is an alumnus of NAISDA, Australia’s National Indigenous dance college and feeder program for the Bangarra company. He has described how he brings story elements usually held in dance and song into his visual art, demonstrating an integration of the creative disciplines characteristic of many NAISDA graduates’ work.
NAISDA’s practice of working with Indigenous communities from across the country makes the College a living repository of ephemeral and material culture.
This approach to First Peoples’ culture continues at Bangarra. Bangarra’s deep dive into the traditional knowledges of the Bardi Jawi people through the creative practice of Sibosado, alongside cultural consultants Trevor Sampi and Audrey (Pippi) Bin Swani, brings remote cultures to broad audiences.
Ambitious, smart and timely
Watching the show from the dress circle, the impact of all the elements was clear but it was difficult to distinguish individual dancers. The large company was well rehearsed with some stellar performances throughout. However, the choreographic detail was largely absorbed into the overall effects of the work.
Rings demonstrates her finely tuned attention to movement language specific to each section. From the snaking arms forming the branches of the Manawan or Wollybutt trees, to the south-east Asian inflections in the Mother of Pearl (Guan) sections referencing the pearl divers from that region who were part of the local industry (sometimes against their will), Rings’ choreographic vision is clear – if not always given space and focus among the design.
Rings demonstrates her finely tuned attention to movement language. Bangarra/Daniel Boud
Rings’ ability to lead a collaborative vision is made possible through the creative team she has gathered. Rings’ and Sibosado’s vision is supported by the set, lighting and video design. Costume designer Elizabeth Gadsby, working with emerging costumer Rika Hamaguchi, has produced unique looks for each section of the work. Boney’s compositions strike a balance between ancient sounds and rhythms and a synthetic sheen that parallels the glossy production elements.
Illume is ambitious, smart and timely, with its powerful combination of visual and choreographic arts and stories from the ecologically precious and precarious Kimberley region.
Bangarra is our leading Indigenous performing arts company whose work extends from a rich education and outreach program to their stellar track in international touring. With this work, Bangarra is giving Australia’s other major performing arts companies an object lesson in spectacle with heart and spirit.
Illume is at the Sydney Opera House until June 14, then touring nationally.
Erin Brannigan 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.
A persistent cough can be embarrassing, especially if people think you have COVID.
Coughing frequently can also make you physically tired, interfere with sleep and trigger urinary incontinence. As a GP, I have even treated patients whose repetitive forceful coughing has caused stress fractures in their ribs.
So, why do some coughs linger so long? Here are some of the most common causes – and signs you should get checked for something more serious.
Why do we cough?
The cough reflex is an important protective mechanism. Forcefully expelling air helps clear our lungs and keep them safe from irritants, infections and the risk of choking.
Some people who have long-term conditions, such as chronic bronchitis or bronchiectasis, have to cough frequently. This is because the lung’s cilia – tiny hair-like structures that move mucus, debris and germs – no longer work to clear the lungs.
A wet or “productive” cough means coughing up a lot of mucus.
A cough can also be dry or “unproductive”. This happens when the cough receptors in the airways, throat and upper oesophagus have become overly sensitised, triggering a cough even when there’s no mucus to clear.
post-nasal drip (where mucus drips from the back of the nose into the throat)
asthma
acid reflux from the stomach.
These often go together. One study found 23% of people with chronic cough had two of these conditions, and 3% had all three.
This makes sense – people prone to airway allergies are more likely to develop both asthma and hayfever (allergic rhinitis). Hayfever is probably the main cause of persistent post-nasal drip.
Meanwhile, prolonged, vigorous coughing can also cause reflux, possibly triggering further coughing.
Chronic cough is the primary symptom of two other conditions, although these can be more challenging to diagnose: cough-variant asthma and eosinophilic bronchitis. Both conditions inflame the airways. However, they don’t rapidly improve with ventolin (the standard clinic test to diagnose asthma).
Allergies can cause inflammation that triggers a chronic cough. Kmpzzz/Shutterstock
Coughs after respiratory infections
Coughs can also persist long after a viral or bacterial infection. In children with colds, one systematic review found it took 25 days for more than 90% to be free of their cough.
After an infection, cough hypersensitivity may develop thanks to inflamed airways and over-responsive cough receptors. Even minor irritants will then trigger the coughing reflex.
The body’s response to infection makes the mucus more sticky – and more difficult for the overworked, recovering cilia to clear. Allergens in the air can also more easily penetrate the upper airway’s damaged lining.
This can trigger an unhelpful feedback loop that slows the body’s recovery after an infection. Excessive and unhelpful coughing tends to further fatigue the recovering cilia and irritate the airway lining.
Could I still have an infection?
When a cough persists, a common concern is whether a secondary bacterial infection has followed the first viral infection, requiring antibiotics.
Simply coughing up yellow or green phlegm is not enough to tell.
To diagnose a serious chest infection, your doctor will consider the whole picture of your symptoms. For example, whether you also have shortness of breath, worsening fever or your lungs make abnormal sounds through a stethoscope.
The possibility you have undiagnosed asthma or allergies should also be considered.
People with a persistent cough who are otherwise healthy may request and be prescribed antibiotics. But these rarely shorten how long your cough lasts, as irritation – not infection – is the primary cause of cough.
The most effective treatments for shifting sticky mucus from the airways are simple ones: saline nose sprays and washes, steam inhalation and medicated sore throat sprays.
Honey has also been shown to reduce throat irritation and the need to cough.
The effectiveness of cough syrup is less clear. As these mixtures have potential side effects, they should be used with care.
The most effective treatments are simple ones, including steam inhalation. New Africa/Shutterstock
Signs of something more serious
Sometimes, a cough that won’t go away could be the sign of a serious condition, including lung cancer or unusual infections. Fortunately, these aren’t common.
To rule them out, Australia’s chronic cough guidelines recommend a chest x-ray and spirometry (which tests lung volume and flow) for anyone presenting to their doctor with a chronic cough.
are very short of breath, especially when resting or at night
have difficulty swallowing
lose weight or have a fever
have recurring pneumonia
are a smoker older than 45, with a new or changed cough.
What if there’s no clear cause?
Very occasionally, despite thorough testing and treatment, a cough persists. This is called refractory chronic cough.
When no cause can be identified, it’s known as unexplained chronic cough. In the past, unexplained cough may have been diagnosed as a “psychogenic” or “habit” cough, a term which has fallen from favour.
We now understand that cough hypersensitivity makes a person cough out of proportion to the trigger, and that both the peripheral and central nervous systems play a role in this. But our understanding of the relationship between hypersensitivity and chronic cough remains incomplete.
There are a class of new medications in the pipeline that block cough receptors, and seem promising for persisting, troublesome coughs.
I was on the team that updated the chronic cough guidelines for the Lung foundation (CICADA position statement 2022). I received no payment for this work, and I’m not a member or currently associated with the Lung Foundation.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Kustoff (TN-08)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner titled, “The ‘one big, beautiful bill’ will restore the American dream.” In the op-ed, Congressman Kustoff highlights the historic tax cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and lays out how they will jumpstart the economy. He urges the Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible.
The ‘one big, beautiful bill’ will restore the American dream By: Congressman David Kustoff
When President Donald Trump was elected in November, he made a series of promises to the people. One of those promises was to reinvigorate our economy and create more opportunities for families, farms, and small businesses across the nation.
Republicans in Congress have worked in lockstep with Trump to deliver on that promise. The key to jumpstarting our economy is for Congress to extend the successful provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 through a wonky legislative process known as reconciliation. Reconciliation allows lawmakers to expedite legislation and enact policy quickly. Trump has dubbed this the “one big, beautiful bill.”
Passed in 2017, TCJA was one of the hallmarks of the first Trump administration and was the first major reform to the federal tax code in over 30 years. It lowered individual income rates, reduced the corporate tax rate, changed rules for estate and retirement planning, and minimized taxes for small businesses. Essentially, it cut taxes across the board.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ignited a red-hot economy that lit an economic fire across our nation. After its passage, businesses were expanding, and families had more money in their pockets.
Unfortunately, if Congress does not act, many of the provisions in TCJA will expire at the end of the year. If that happens, the average family in my district of West Tennessee will face a nearly 26% tax hike. A child inheriting the family farm could pay such steep estate taxes that he is forced to sell it. And a small business owner competing with larger corporations could see her taxes nearly double.
These are not just numbers on a chart in Washington. These provisions affect each and every one of us. If they expire, the American dream could be unachievable for many of our citizens.
While Democrats were spending tax dollars over the past few years like our economy was a game of Monopoly, the House Ways and Means Committee was preparing for this moment.
As the chief tax writing committee in Congress, we held hearings across the nation to hear directly from individuals, business owners, manufacturers, and farmers. The number one thing they told us was that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act worked, and we cannot let its important provisions expire.
If we want to revitalize our economy, we must ensure that workers and businesses have the support they need from our tax code. My colleagues and I took what the public told us and crafted a tax bill that benefits both businesses and workers, incentivizes innovation, and creates more opportunities from coast to coast.
This tax bill prioritizes pocketbooks by solidifying and increasing the doubled standard deduction, boosting the doubled child tax credit, expanding the small business deduction, and making the doubled death tax exemption permanent for family-owned farms. It even goes a step further and incorporates Trump’s priorities of no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and tax relief for seniors.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be the cornerstone of Trump’s “America First” agenda. I am proud that the House of Representatives did its part and passed this historic legislation to ensure families and businesses are not forced to give more of their hard-earned money to Uncle Sam.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is once-in-a-generation, nation-building legislation that will drive economic growth, create jobs, and prioritize American families and businesses. Time is of the essence. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill that will safeguard the American dream for all.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)
WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Republicans today released their 2026 Defense funding bill, which will be considered by the Defense subcommittee tomorrow. Instead of working with House Democrats to strengthen our national security and prioritize the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families, the bill undermines democracy at home and abroad and includes harmful and divisive policy riders that would hurt military readiness.
For fiscal year 2026, the bill provides $831.5 billion, which is equal to current funding levels and $1.3 billion above the Administration’s fiscal year 2026 request.
Republicans have included language directing the Department of Defense to determine $7.75 billion in cuts to amounts listed in the bill. This jeopardizes every program other than intelligence activities. If made uniformly, it would reduce everything by approximately 1 percent, which would mean cuts of almost $2 billion for troop pay, over $2 billion for troop readiness, $409 million for health programs, $5 million each for Israel and Jordan, and over $2 billion for the procurement and modernization of weapons systems. At a time when the Trump Administration is already illegally stealing from American communities by refusing to spend funds, it is unfathomable that the Appropriations Committee would allow the administration to unilaterally make nearly $8 billion in cuts to defense investments.
The legislation:
Weakens Ukraine and empowers Russia by eliminating support for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
Undermines democracy at home and abroad by allowing disinformation and extremist views to flourish.
Limits women’s access to abortion by preventing service personnel from traveling to seek reproductive health care
Harms our military readiness with divisive provisions that undermine morale and fail to support our service personnel, by:
Continuing DOGE and the Administration’s cuts to vital civilian positions;
Attacking the LGBTQ+ community with hateful policies; and
Banning funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
“It disappoints me that I’m unable to support this bill as written, and we find ourselves in this position because the Trump administration has failed to get us the information we need in time to produce a complete budget request. The nation’s defense programs require a detailed annual review. But without the President’s budget request, this committee is unable to complete its work in a thoughtful and timely manner,” Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) said. “The president proposes, Congress disposes – that’s the way our system works. There are consequences to the taxpayer and to our military’s readiness when this process is not adhered to. It is deeply unfortunate that the Trump administration has put the Committee in this position. I look forward to working with the committee to improve the bill as it goes through the process in the subcommittee, in full committee, on the floor, and in conference. Our national security and strategic defense priorities are too important to risk getting it wrong.”
“Our allies and our adversaries are watching as House Republicans propose a Defense funding bill that will empower Russia, impair our own military readiness and national security, and put politics above our own servicemembers,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “This is not a bill meant to responsibly fund our nation’s defense and promote and protect democracy. Instead, this bill advances and acquiesces to Elon Musk’s and President Trump’s reckless purging of critical civilian personnel, their equivocation on support for Ukraine, and their relentless politicizing of our troops. It is deeply regrettable that the conflicts our military must confront abroad, the issues we must confront within the Department of Defense, and the quality of life for our servicemembers and military families are not priorities of President Trump and House Republicans.”
A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Defense bill is here. A fact sheet of the bill is here. The full text of the bill ishere.
The ocean powers life on Earth. It covers 70% of the planet, produces half our oxygen, and holds 80% of global biodiversity. But it’s at a tipping point.
To protect this vital resource while unlocking its full potential, the EU launched the European Ocean Pact, a unified strategy to shape the future of ocean governance.
From fisheries to offshore wind. From biodiversity to marine research. From local communities to global cooperation. One Ocean, One strategy. #EUOceanPact
On 9 June, 2025, at the UN Ocean Conference, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presents the European Ocean Pact:
“We want to build a strong global alliance for the Ocean, because the fight to promote and protect our Ocean is a global challenge. As the declaration from this Conference makes clear, there is a funding shortfall to support ocean conservation, science and sustainable fishing. So I am delighted to announce today that:
Europe is investing EUR 1 billion in 50 projects around the world. We will invest in those who make a living from the sea, and we will invest in scientists and conservationists who seek to protect it. We will help to promote sustainable fishing in Tanzania, regenerate mangrove forests and their natural supply chains in Guyana and protect the coral and seagrass which sustain 20% of global fish stocks. Knowledge is one of the most powerful tools for ocean conservation, so one-third of the EUR 1 billion in funding announced today is targeted for research and scientific projects.”
Read the full speech here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_25_1457
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is correcting a misunderstanding that reopening some waters to fishing somehow may have caused the seabed mining issue. In fact, the two executive orders by the President are separate, and he already had the authority to issue a seabed order before the fishery decision.
“To be clear, the fisheries decision did not open Pacific waters to seabed mining. I understand the confusion because of the timing of the two separate decisions,” said Congresswoman Amata. “While both decisions have U.S. and Pacific long term security implications in preventing China’s dominance, one decision did not cause the other, nor did it have any bearing on the legality or authority of the critical minerals order.”
“The fisheries order is a success I’ve been working for throughout my entire time in Congress, to help secure our fishing and local economy.”
“On the other hand, the critical minerals order is not something I called for at any time, nor did I endorse or advocate for it. Instead, I have many questions, and our people have many concerns and even fears. As your representative, I am calling for the DOI to sit down with ASG and answer all the many questions, as well as the public comment period that the law will require. I stand with our people, and I am actively listening in multiple town hall and round table discussions. I will continue hearing from you, reporting back to you, and representing your concerns to the administration.”
Headline: Everything announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2025
And there were a lot of games on show, with players getting a look at just some of the games they can look forward to this year. From our first-party studios, we saw a world premiere for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, an unexpected Obsidian double-bill in the form of The Outer Worlds 2 and Grounded 2, a world premiere of Double Fine’s otherworldly Keeper,a first look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Order of the Giants DLC, and got new gameplay from Ninja Gaiden 4, and Gears of War: Reloaded. Looking further ahead, we also saw extended gameplay for Clockwork Revolution, showing us more from inXile’s most ambitious game yet.
And from our partners, there’s even more to look forward to. New studio Quarter Up brought us a wonderful surprise in the form of Invincible VS, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XVI arrives for Xbox today – with Final Fantasy Remake Intergradeto come later this year – and Atlus introduced us to Persona 4 Revival.
We also saw follow-ups to indie hits like Super Meat Boy 3D, High on Life 2, and Planet of Lana II as well as world premieres and new looks at some incredibly exciting new ideas, including The Blood of Dawnwalker, Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation, and At Fate’s End, the new game from the creators of the beloved Spiritfarer – among many others.
And after a huge 2025 filled with games from today’s double feature, there’s so much more to come. Phil Spencer closed the show by speaking about the upcoming 25th anniversary of Xbox, with the exciting proclamation that, in 2026, Xbox players will celebrate a quarter-century of Xbox with a new Fable, the next Forza, Gears of War E-Day, and, “The return of a classic that’s been with us since the beginning…”
And the fun only continued in The Outer Worlds 2& Grounded 2 Direct, which followed immediately after Xbox Games Showcase concluded. Presented by the developers at Obsidian Entertainment, the show offered brand new information and gameplay for the sequel to the award-winning RPG, and also offered up some details on a whole other game arriving this year after the surprise announcement of Grounded 2. Make sure to check back for full rundowns on what was announced in the second part of our enormous double feature.
Want to catch up on everything from the show? Read on for every single announcement and reveal from the Xbox Games Showcase 2025:
Introducing the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X Handhelds
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The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are two new handhelds that combine the power of Xbox with the freedom you expect from Windows. Both launch holiday 2025 in select markets, with availability to follow for other markets where ROG Ally series are sold today.
Together with ASUS, we’ve combined our strengths and technical expertise to provide a premium gaming experience that travels with players wherever they go. With the Xbox Ally, it’s never been easier to access your favorite games – from Xbox, Battle.net, and other leading third-party PC storefronts – all from a single device.
Find out more about both handhelds – including specs, features, the new Xbox full screen experience, and more – in our dedicated Xbox Wire article. Pricing, pre-orders and more will follow in the coming months.
Welcome to 2035 — Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Brings the Most Mind-Bending Action to Date
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
For the first time in Call of Duty history, developers Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players Black Ops titles back-to-back with the confirmation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by conflict and psychological warfare following the narrative events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. With cutting-edge technology in hand, the Black Ops team led by David Mason must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else.
Squad up with friends or play solo in the innovative Co-op Campaign, harness near-future weaponry in the signature Multiplayer mode packed with brand-new maps, and descend into the next twisted chapter of Round-Based Zombies in the heart of the Dark Aether.
This tease is just the beginning. Don’t miss the official reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 this summer.
Extended Look at Steampunk RPG, Clockwork Revolution in New Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day on with Game Pass – also available on Steam
Clockwork Revolution—the time-bending RPG from inXile entertainment – debuted a new trailer, revealing the grittier side of the steampunk city of Avalon. This is where the downtrodden steal to survive, gangs prey on the weak, and where our hero Morgan calls home. After discovering that history has been carefully crafted by the city’s ruler, Lady Ironwood, you’ll use a time travel device to go into the past and set things straight – in whatever way you see fit.
We have an exclusive interview from inXile on what makes the game tick, from reactive storytelling to weapon crafting, and why this is their most ambitious project yet.
Gears of War: Reloaded – New Trailer Revealed, Multiplayer Beta Announced
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
Gears of War is coming to more players than ever before with the upcoming release of Gears of War: Reloaded on August 26, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam and PlayStation 5.
An all-new trailer showcases the iconic gameplay and cinematics that changed gaming forever, now lovingly remastered. This is the definitive release, optimized for each platform, featuring 4K textures, 60 FPS in Campaign, 120 FPS in Multiplayer, cross-play, cross-progression and more.
Additionally, a two-weekend Multiplayer Beta begins June 13, taking place across all platforms, for Game Pass Ultimate/Game Pass PC members, owners of the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and those with Gears of War: Reloaded preorders.
Be sure to check out our Xbox Wire feature, which includes an Official Xbox Podcast interview with The Coalition, as well as details of how to participate in the Beta.
Grounded 2 Heads to Game Preview and Steam Early Access July 29
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Xbox Game Preview with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam Early Access
Grounded 2 steps out of the backyard and into the suburban wilderness—new bugs, new biomes, same tiny chaos. Set in the all-new Brookhollow Park and featuring the return of our teen heroes, this continuation brings major quality-of-life upgrades like the all-in-one Omni-Tool and delivers on one of the community’s most requested features: rideable Buggies. It’s not just a sequel—it’s the follow-up fans were hoping for, packed with sharper tools, weirder bugs, and enough callbacks to make you wonder if we’ve been lurking in your forum threads (spoiler: we have).
Built in partnership with Eidos-Montréal and launching into Game Preview on July 29, Grounded 2 brings more story, systems, and surprises from the very beginning—shaped by over 25 million players and counting. Whether you’re returning or just jumping in, wishlist today on Xbox and Steam, and get ready to ride together, survive together, and help shape this world with us.
For a full breakdown of new features, Buggies, story details, and what to expect in Game Preview, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.
Keeper: A Beautiful, Otherworldly Adventure from Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Arrives October 17
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam
Keeper – the beautiful, otherworldly third-person adventure from Double Fine Productions – was announced during the show with a somewhat psychedelic and mysterious first trailer. And we don’t have long to wait – it arrives on October 17.
We encountered a Lighthouse that, after eons of standing dormant, falls to the ground, breaking into heaps of rubble, but then reassembles and stands up again on newly formed legs. It has awakened.
Yes folks that’s right, in Keeper you play a walking Lighthouse, able to shine a beam of bright light that affects the world around it, with a spirited seabird companion coming along for the ride. The trailer takes us on an epic adventure into a strange unknowable island, joining the Lighthouse on a journey toward the center of the island.
Find out more about the story in the game, and the story behind the game, in our Xbox Wire article.
The Path to Master Ninja Begins: Ninja Gaiden 4 Emerges from the Shadows October 21
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
The legendary ninja action franchise returns in Ninja Gaiden 4, a high-octane fusion of Team Ninja’s signature combat and PlatinumGames’ dynamic flair. The trailer that debuted during the show provides a deeper look at Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy, and an array of new weapons at his disposal as he battles through hordes of enemies.
From seamless weapon switching and obliteration techniques to the explosive return of Bloodbind Ninjutsu and Ninpo arts, the trailer teases a brutal, stylish evolution of the series. With a sneak peek at new characters like Seori, massive boss battles, the mysterious connection to the legendary Ryu Hayabusa, and a near-future Tokyo struggling in the grips of an overwhelming evil, Ninja Gaiden 4 is set to deliver a legacy reborn when it launches October 21. We went hands-on with the game for the first time and interviewed its director – find out much more in our article.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gets a New Trailer and a Huge Deep-Dive
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5
The Outer Worlds 2 pulls you into Arcadia – a colony isolated from the rest of the system, fought over by power-hungry factions, and on the brink of near to mid-term collapse by rifts forming in the space around it. With the future up for grabs, survival might depend on your choices, your alliances… and maybe a few well-placed deals along the way. Featured in the Xbox Games Showcase and expanded in today’s The Outer Worlds 2 Direct, this bigger, bolder sequel builds on everything fans loved about the original: deeper RPG systems, sharper satire, and wildly reactive storytelling. With new companions, enhanced movement and combat, science weapons and armor, and full character customization, The Outer Worlds 2 puts you at the center of a chaotic struggle for Arcadia’s future. Launching October 29, 2025, it hands you the chaos and asks: what are you going to do with it? The world needs a hero. You’ll have to do.
For a full breakdown of factions, features, editions, and pre-order details, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4: Foundry Demo Out Today!
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4. Foundry demo not available on Nintendo Switch platforms
The Birdman returns along with a host of legendary and new parks, skaters, tricks, and more with the upcoming release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 on July 11. The remake brings a robust Career mode across two tours, Single Sessions and Speedruns, and Free Skate to help nail those tricky combos without the heat of a timer.
Play the Foundry Demo now with a pre-order (see available platforms here), PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate and shred across the Foundry and College parks as Tony Hawk and Rayssa Leal. Digital Deluxe Edition purchasers will exclusively have access to skate as The Doom Slayer! For the latest news, visit tonyhawkthegame.com.
Aniimo Is a Beautiful New Creature Collecting Action-RPG
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Revealed for the first time today, Aniimo is a ground-breaking open-world ARPG where players are invited to join in the exploration of a living and dynamic world, and meet the magical Aniimo that inhabit it. Instead of waiting for someone else to create their dream game, the Aniimo team did it themselves. Travel across a beautiful new world, meeting, learning about, and capturing the Aniimo that inhabit it. Battle Aniimo in real-time, or use the Twining system to become an Aniimo, and experience the game in a whole new way. Aniimo will arrive in 2026, but a closed beta begins for PC players later this year – find out how to join in here.
Aphelion Is a Sci-Fi Adventure Grounded in Real-World Science
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Aphelion is a third-person sci-fi adventure from Don’t Nod (Life Is Strange, Jusant). After crash-landing on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane must navigate brutal terrain and shifting realities to rescue her injured partner, Thomas. Blending exploration, traversal, and tense stealth gameplay, Aphelion delivers a cinematic, emotionally charged journey through an uncharted world. Play as both characters to understand the mystery of the planet Persephone in a story grounded in real-world science, and made in partnership with the European Space Agency. Aphelion arrives in 2026.
At Fate’s End Is the Captivating New Game from the Spiritfarer Team
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Thunder Lotus proudly revealed At Fate’s End, an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love. Wield the legendary God Sword Aesus as Shan, the deft young heiress of the Hemlock clan. Solve intricate narrative puzzles, uncover painful truths, and hone both your blade skills and knowledge to face your estranged siblings in intense, emotional duels – and ultimately decide your family’s fate. From the award-winning team behind Spiritfarer, At Fate’s End weaves tight, visceral action with rich narrative depth, exploring the complicated bonds between brothers and sisters in a world where swords clash and family wounds run deep.
Game Freak & Fictions Reveal Beast of Reincarnation
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
The show revealed the first trailer for Beast of Reincarnation, a new action-RPG from revered developer Game Freak. Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, the world has become consumed by corruption and overtaken by formidable beasts. Play as Emma, a cursed outcast, and her loyal dog Koo as they journey through a dangerous, ever-shifting world that demands precision and mastery of technical combat. Uncover what it means to be human at the edge of extinction in Beast of Reincarnation.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Reveals its First Gameplay Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
From Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco Entertainment, comes a brand new dark fantasy role playing saga: The Blood of Dawnwalker. You play as Coen, a young man turned into a Dawnwalker: half-man, half-vampire, forever treading the line between the world of day and the realm of night. Fight for your humanity or embrace the cursed powers to save your family. Whatever your choice, the question stands: is your soul worth the lives of those you love? Coming in 2026, wishlist now on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox on PC.
Cronos: The New Dawn – New Survival Horror from Bloober Team Arrives This Fall
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Get ready to embark on a haunting journey this fall as Cronos: The New Dawn arrives. In this gripping third-person survival horror, step into the shoes of the Traveler, an agent of the mysterious Collective, whose mission is to salvage what remains of humanity. In the time-warped nightmare of the future, monsters known as Orphans stalk the land. Emerging from the downfall of mankind, these grotesque creatures can fuse together to create even deadlier foes.
In the gameplay trailer, we witnessed the Traveler descending into an Orphan nest, confronting the twisted creatures that inhabit its depths. The corpses of fallen Travelers tell a grim tale, yet their final recordings offer crucial warnings. Can you succeed where others have failed?
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Is Coming to Xbox
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The beloved, expanded remake of the genre-defining Final Fantasy VII is on its way to Xbox this Winter. Relive the first act of the iconic 1997 game as Cloud Strife, the legendary hero, meets unforgettable allies and explores the dystopian city of Midgar. Culminating in a dramatic escape, this pivotal chapter sets the stage for one of gaming’s most legendary stories.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade includes both the base game and Intermission—a story episode starring Yuffie Kisaragi, the spirited ninja from Wutai. Her episode offers a different perspective on the events of the main game, expanding the world and deepening the lore. Relive one of gaming’s greatest stories on Xbox.
Final Fantasy XVI Comes to Xbox Today
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Surprise! Final Fantasy XVI, the iconic (or should that be Eikonic?) action-RPG comes to Xbox platforms today. With an enormous medieval fantasy world, a dramatic, mature storyline, and lightning-fast action combat, this is a true gaming epic. Its release means that every mainline single player Final Fantasy game is now playable with Xbox.
Fans can purchase either the Standard or Complete Edition, with the latter boasting all expansions and DLC. Plus, as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, one purchase lets you play across all Xbox platforms, with full cross-save. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article.
High On Life 2 Comes to Game Pass This Winter!
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
High On Life returns, as you and your beloved rag-tag team of alien misfits shoot, stab, and skate your way through weird alien worlds across the galaxy to blow up an evil pharmaceutical conglomerate hell-bent on putting a price tag on human life!
Wreak havoc at the galaxy’s biggest convention, an alien zoo for humans, and a luxury futuristic cruise liner on your cosmic quest to take down big pharma. And stay tuned for an exclusive trailer breakdown with Squanch Games on the Xbox YouTube channel.
Invincible VS: Quarter Up Reveals 3v3 Tag Fighting Game – Coming in 2026
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud,Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Quarter Up, Skybound’s first in-house gaming development studio, revealed Invincible VS. The trailer reveals a brutal, tournament-quality superhero 3v3 tag fighting game set in the award-winning Invincible Universe. It also showcases: fan-favorite superheroes Mark (Invincible), Thula, Bulletproof and Atom Eve; iconic arenas; the high-stakes of bloody superhero battles; and an authentic depiction of battle damage and bloody combat fans know and love. Invincible VS will launch in 2026.
Mudang: Two Hearts Is a Cinematic Tactical Action-Adventure Arriving in 2026
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Mudang: Two Hearts is a third-person tactical action adventure set on the Korean Peninsula after reunification. Revealed for the first time today, it blends stealth, close-quarters combat, and emotionally driven storytelling into a seamless cinematic experience.
Players experience the story through two distinct perspectives: Ji Jeongtae, a North Korean special forces operative dispatched to the South, and GAVI, a K-pop idol whose past holds a dangerous secret. As a new wave of terrorist attacks fractures the fragile illusion of peace, the two become entangled with an enigmatic militant group known as Byeolmuban.
Built in Unreal Engine 5 and using our proprietary performance capture pipeline, Mudang delivers a deeply immersive combat system rooted in authentic special forces tactics and is set to launch in 2026.
The Midnight Channel Returns: Persona 4 Revival Officially Announced
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
A remake of the modern classic JRPG, Persona 4 Revival received a debut trailer, showing off the game’s gorgeous updated visuals within the rural town of Inaba. Arriving as a transfer student, you’ll experience an unforgettable year with new friends you meet along the way. However, rumors of bizarre murders and a mysterious TV channel quickly disrupt your peaceful everyday life. A door to another world opens, awakening your Persona abilities: it is time to fight alongside your trusted allies to uncover the truth.
Planet of Lana II Revealed – Double the Size, and Deeper than Ever
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Revealed today, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is an ambitious cinematic puzzle adventure that doubles the size and scope of the original. Launching in 2026 and day one with Game Pass, this highly anticipated sequel revisits Lana and Mui’s profound bond as they navigate a changed world after the robot invasion of the first game.
With new and improved mechanics for Lana and Mui, as well as brand new abilities to control the creatures and robots around you, prepare to unravel a deeper, longer sci-fi story where Lana confronts her own demons and unveils the planet’s darkest secrets, as a new threat puts their unbreakable bond to the ultimate test.
Wishlist Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf today on the Xbox Store and follow @PlanetOfLana on social media to stay up to date!
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Expands the Universe in New Ways
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
This new game from Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment expands the universe of A Plague Tale with an original story set 15 years before the events of the last game, A Plague Tale: Requiem. With a new action-adventure approach, players are invited to dive into Sophia’s past and journey with her to the Minotaur’s Island, outsmart deadly foes, unravel ancient secrets, and confront the creature at the heart of a devastating curse. Her sword in one hand and light in the other, Sophia will plunge into the myth of the macula, until she understands why it resonates so intimately with her.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy will be released in 2026 – you can wishlist the game today on the Xbox Store.
Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive Transforms the Hit Webtoon into an Action-RPG
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The global phenomenon Solo Leveling makes its debut on Xbox! Based on the hit webtoon, ARISE OVERDRIVE is an action-RPG that lets you experience overwhelming power and thrilling combat. Master a dynamic action system, block deadly attacks, and counter with perfect parries. Unleash the Monarch’s Awakening to transcend limits and dominate the battlefield. Feel the intensity as you wipe out enemies in style. Team up with friends in multiplayer mode to conquer powerful stages and enjoy the thrill of true growth and cooperation. It’s time to rise, fight, and prove your strength. The Xbox PC version arrives fall 2025, with Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud versions to follow in 2026.
Super Meat Boy 3D Revealed with a New Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Xbox Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Gaming’s most iconic chunk of meat is back! Today’s Showcase revealed Super Meat Boy 3D from Sluggerfly and Headup Games, who are taking Team Meat’s indie darling into the third dimension. The game arrives in early 2026.
Super Meat Boy 3D is exactly what you love about the series: a challenging platformer where you guide a cube of meat on a mission to rescue his bandage-made girlfriend from a villainous fetus in a jar—now in 3D! You’ll wall-jump through buzzsaws, collapsing caves, and fiery forests, dying countless times along the way. With old-school difficulty, fast-paced gameplay, tough bosses, and plenty of secrets, it’s a new dimension for Meat Boy. Wishlist Super Meat Boy 3D today on the Xbox Store and get ready to die again and again and again when you play it day one on Game Pass.
There Are No Ghosts at The Grand: Become Decorator by Day and Ghost Hunter by Night in a Cozy, Spooky Musical Mystery
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Inherit a crumbling English hotel and restore it by day while battling ghosts by night in There Are No Ghosts at The Grand. With a sardonic cat, a talking power tool, and a twisting supernatural plot, this is a spooky, cozy, musical mystery unlike any other. You have exactly 30 days and 30 nights to restore the crumbling hotel and explore the surrounding seaside village for eerie supernatural secrets. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2026, and available on Game Pass… just don’t believe them when they tell you that There are No Ghosts at the Grand.
Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear Brings the Japanese Pantheon, Coming Fall 2025
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5
Age of Mythology: Retold will make room for more gods, more heroes and more legends this Fall with the Heavenly Spear expansion. An all-new Japanese pantheon introduces 12 new gods with unique powers, divine technologies and myth units drawn from centuries of legend. Players can embark on a 12-mission campaign following Yasuko, a humble farmer’s daughter who discovers a magical spear and is swept into a mythic war. Wishlist now! Already own the Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition? Heavenly Spear is yours at no additional cost – jump in and play on day one!
The Elder Scrolls Online Shows Us the Return of the Worm Cult
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud – also available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Mac
ZeniMax Online Studios premiered a gameplay trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online,revealing the adventures to be found in Western Solstice during Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1, a continuation of ESO’s main quest storyline from over 10 years ago. Releasing in tandem, the Update 46 base-game patch adds character Subclassing, the Hero’s Return system for returning players, and many more quality-of-life updates. The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 and Update 46 are available now on PC and Mac, andwill arrive for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18.
Fallout 76 Shows Off its Fin-tastic Fishing Update
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Bethesda Game Studios unveiled the launch trailer for Fallout 76’s latest update, Gone Fission. This fin-tastic update introduces fishing to the Wasteland, revealing a cozier side of Appalachia away from the guns and ghouls. Players can experiment with bait, weather conditions, rods, and locations to catch a variety of fish, – including prized Axolotls that change each month – and Local Legends. Gone Fission is available across all platforms for free, letting every Fallout 76 player enjoy the relaxing summer pastime. Find out more about fishing in the Wasteland on Xbox Wire.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC Launches September 4
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
The latest Indiana Jones adventure is getting a DLC chapter in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of the Giants! Indy’s new journey will take him deep into unexplored territory as he dives beneath the bustling streets of Rome to investigate a dark and twisted new mystery.
This DLC is set during the main game and expands on the story of the Nephilim Order. Face off against old threats and new foes, navigate Rome beyond the walls of Vatican City, and uncover the legend of a colossal beast. Maybe some ancient secrets are better left undisturbed…
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants will be available on September 4, 2025. For those who purchased the Premium Edition, Premium Upgrade or Collector’s Edition, the DLC is included. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article about The Order of Giants.
Sea of Thieves: Season 17 Sets Sail on a Smugglers’ Tide
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5
A new gang of nefarious troublemakers have infiltrated the Sea of Thieves! Known as The Smuggler’s League, they’re recruiting pirates willing to deal with dangers others are afraid to handle, including weapons and some of the most powerful explosives ever seen on the seas. Crews that think they’re up to the challenge can embark on new Smuggler’s Voyages to salvage — or steal — these hot properties and see them safely into the wrong hands, but one false move could spell disaster. Sparks are sure to fly when Season 17: Smugglers’ Tide launches in August, free for all players.
More people believe misinformation about electric vehicles than disagree with it and even EV owners tend to believe the myths, our new research shows.
We investigated the prevalence of misinformation about EVs in four countries – Australia, the United States, Germany and Austria. Unfortunately, we found substantial agreement with misinformation across all countries.
People who endorsed false claims about EVs were, not surprisingly, significantly less likely to consider buying one.
Electric vehicles are vital in the fight against climate change. But pervasive misinformation is a significant challenge to the technology’s uptake and has serious implications for the shift away from fossil fuels.
Widespread agreement with false EV claims
We conducted a survey of 4,200 people across the four countries who did not own an electric vehicle. We measured the extent to which they agreed with these nine misleading claims about electric vehicles:
What we found
The most widely believed myth was that electric vehicles are more likely to catch fire than petrol cars. Some 43–56% of people agreed with the statement, depending on the country.
To tally the results, we looked at participants’ responses for all nine misinformation statements – more than 36,000 responses in all. We then calculated how many of these responses indicated agreement or disagreement.
Of the 36,000 responses, 36% were in agreement with a statement and 23% were in disagreement. A further 24% were undecided and 17% did not know.
Misinformation agreement was highest in Germany and lowest in the US, but the differences between nations were small.
Agreement with misinformation was strongly correlated with a lack of support for electric vehicle policies and a lack of intention to buy an EV in future.
A separate part of the research involved 2,100 people in the US, about half of whom owned an electric vehicle. Surprisingly, EV owners did not significantly differ in their agreement with misinformation compared to non-owners. This underscores how embedded the problem has become.
Agreement with misinformation was strongly correlated with a lack of buying intention. Photo by Sebastian Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
It’s not about education
We also examined the factors that make individuals more susceptible to EV misinformation.
The strongest predictor was people who scored highly on a “conspiracy mentality” – in other words, they believed conspiracies were common in society, they saw the world through a lens of corruption and secret agendas, and distrusted institutions.
People with progressive political and environmental views were less likely to endorse misinformation about EVs.
A person’s scientific knowledge or level of education was not a predictor. This finding aligns with previous research, and suggests the pervasive endorsement of misinformation stems from distrust in institutions and expertise rather than from a lack of education.
People with progressive political views were less likely to endorse EV misinformation. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Grounds for optimism
We tested whether misinformation could be reduced with two interventions among a different sample of US participants. One group was asked to converse with ChatGPT about their views on EV misinformation. The second was asked to read a traditional EV fact sheet from the US Department of Energy. On a third “control” group, no intervention was tested.
Participants who engaged with either ChatGPT or the fact sheet before we surveyed them showed significantly lower endorsement of EV misinformation compared to the control group. This persisted at a follow-up session ten days after the survey.
Notably, ChatGPT did not produce any misinformation about EVs. These results build upon existing research demonstrating ChatGPT’s potential to reduce endorsement of conspiracy theories.
Misinformation about EVs poses significant challenges to uptake of the technology. Florian Wiegand/Getty Images
How to tackle EV misinformation
Our findings show misinformation about electric vehicles has a substantial foothold in Western nations. Susceptibility is not a matter of education or knowledge, but rather stems from distrust of established institutions and expertise.
We also found people who engage with facts about electric vehicles are less likely to endorse misinformation.
This suggests a dual strategy is needed to reduce misinformation about EVs. First, those who deliberately spread misinformation should be held accountable. And second, evidence-based information, including accessible AI tools, can be used to build public resilience against false claims.
Matthew Hornsey receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Christian Bretter and Samuel Pearson do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Sunday, 8 June, 2025–Australia’s leading environmental groups have called on the Australian Government to announce strong action for ocean protection at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, this week. A coalition of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, WWF-Australia, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, and the Save Our Marine Life alliance has issued a statement this World Ocean Day, calling for four key commitments from the Australian Government.
World leaders, Ministers, First Nations peoples, scientists and other stakeholders will meet at the conference from tomorrow (9th – 13th June), to decide on an action plan to protect the world’s oceans. It comes at a critical time for global ocean protection, and echoes calls in David Attenborough’s new documentary, “Ocean” – released online today – that “if we save the sea, we save our world.”
Joint Statement:
Our oceans support all life on Earth, but without protection, they face collapse. The Albanese Government has an opportunity to demonstrate strong leadership by protecting oceans in our region from the escalating pressures of industrial fishing, deep sea mining, plastic pollution and global heating.
First Nations peoples are the world leaders in protecting oceans and have done so since time immemorial. The Australian Government needs to follow their leadership and step up to deliver bold action.
We call on the Australian Government to announce the following:
Commit to achieving 30% ocean sanctuary protection in Australian waters within this term of government. Australia has made a good start on protecting our domestic waters but there is more to do. While 52% of our waters are now formally within marine parks, only 24% of this is properly protected from extractive industries. This protection disproportionately covers abyssal zones (very deep) and the most critical areas for marine life are under-represented. Protection must increase to at least 30% within this term of government, improving protection of areas critical for biodiversity.
Commit to ratifying the Global Ocean Treaty by September 2025 and championing high seas ocean sanctuaries in our region. Australia signed the Global Ocean Treaty in 2023 but has yet to formally ratify it, which requires an Act of Parliament. To maintain global momentum, Australia must urgently ratify the treaty and commence work developing proposals under the treaty for high seas ocean sanctuaries in our region. This includes the Tasman Sea as a priority area.
Commit to supporting a global moratorium on deep sea mining. Deep sea mining is a major emerging threat to our oceans. There is a growing chorus raising the alarm about this industry, including 33 nations and UN Ocean Conference host nation, France. Australia should join this chorus by backing a global moratorium.
Commit to stepping up Australia’saction on global heating to protect our oceans. Global heating continues to increase temperatures in our oceans at an alarming rate, putting many ecosystems like coral reefs and kelp forests at existential risk. Action on ocean protection must involve science-aligned action on climate change domestically, including no new coal and gas approvals and winding down existing extraction early.
Quotes from organisations:
Glenn Walker, Head of Nature Program for Greenpeace Australia Pacific:
“Centuries of industrial fishing, pollution, oil and gas drilling and much more have plunged the oceans into crisis. Factory fishing ships bulldoze deep sea habitats and kill ocean wildlife at an industrial scale while deep sea mining looms large as a new threat.
“The time is now for the Albanese Government to step up as a leader on ocean protection, including through creating and championing large marine sanctuaries in our region and opposing deep sea mining.”
Rachel Sapery-James, Coral Reef Rescue Initiative Lead at WWF-Australia (at UNOC):
“In the ocean, everything is connected and exists in delicate balance. This knowledge has sat with First Nations people since time immemorial, and is also supported by scientific data. But unprecedented levels of unsustainable exploitation and extraction are putting all of this at risk – we must urgently change our course.”
“It’s time for the Albanese Government to step up and heed calls from First Nations peoples and Pacific Island governments and communities to take bold action on nature and climate protection. The UN Ocean Conference is a pivotal moment to drive lasting change and secure a future where our oceans thrive.”
Paul Gamblin, Chief Executive, Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) (at UNOC): “Australia’s oceans are at a tipping point, facing rising threats from climate change, habitat loss and industrialisation. The Albanese Government was elected on promises of progress — now is the time to deliver.
“With coral bleaching on both coasts and marine heatwaves intensifying, we need bold action: tackle the root causes of ocean decline by taking a clear stand against fossil fuel expansion, expand marine sanctuaries where they are most needed, and ratify the High Seas Treaty.
“Australians expect leadership. With the world watching in Nice, Australia must rise to the moment.”
—ENDS—
Greenpeace Australia Pacific media team: +61 407 581 404 or [email protected]
Headline: Everything announced at Xbox Games Showcase 2025
And there were a lot of games on show, with players getting a look at just some of the games they can look forward to this year. From our first-party studios, we saw a world premiere for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, an unexpected Obsidian double-bill in the form of The Outer Worlds 2 and Grounded 2, a world premiere of Double Fine’s otherworldly Keeper,a first look at Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Order of the Giants DLC, and got new gameplay from Ninja Gaiden 4, and Gears of War: Reloaded. Looking further ahead, we also saw extended gameplay for Clockwork Revolution, showing us more from inXile’s most ambitious game yet.
And from our partners, there’s even more to look forward to. New studio Quarter Up brought us a wonderful surprise in the form of Invincible VS, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XVI arrives for Xbox today – with Final Fantasy Remake Intergradeto come later this year – and Atlus introduced us to Persona 4 Revival.
We also saw follow-ups to indie hits like Super Meat Boy 3D, High on Life 2, and Planet of Lana II as well as world premieres and new looks at some incredibly exciting new ideas, including The Blood of Dawnwalker, Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation, and At Fate’s End, the new game from the creators of the beloved Spiritfarer – among many others.
And after a huge 2025 filled with games from today’s double feature, there’s so much more to come. Phil Spencer closed the show by speaking about the upcoming 25th anniversary of Xbox, with the exciting proclamation that, in 2026, Xbox players will celebrate a quarter-century of Xbox with a new Fable, the next Forza, Gears of War E-Day, and, “The return of a classic that’s been with us since the beginning…”
And the fun only continued in The Outer Worlds 2& Grounded 2 Direct, which followed immediately after Xbox Games Showcase concluded. Presented by the developers at Obsidian Entertainment, the show offered brand new information and gameplay for the sequel to the award-winning RPG, and also offered up some details on a whole other game arriving this year after the surprise announcement of Grounded 2. Make sure to check back for full rundowns on what was announced in the second part of our enormous double feature.
Want to catch up on everything from the show? Read on for every single announcement and reveal from the Xbox Games Showcase 2025:
Introducing the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X Handhelds
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The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are two new handhelds that combine the power of Xbox with the freedom you expect from Windows. Both launch holiday 2025 in select markets, with availability to follow for other markets where ROG Ally series are sold today.
Together with ASUS, we’ve combined our strengths and technical expertise to provide a premium gaming experience that travels with players wherever they go. With the Xbox Ally, it’s never been easier to access your favorite games – from Xbox, Battle.net, and other leading third-party PC storefronts – all from a single device.
Find out more about both handhelds – including specs, features, the new Xbox full screen experience, and more – in our dedicated Xbox Wire article. Pricing, pre-orders and more will follow in the coming months.
Welcome to 2035 — Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Brings the Most Mind-Bending Action to Date
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
For the first time in Call of Duty history, developers Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players Black Ops titles back-to-back with the confirmation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by conflict and psychological warfare following the narrative events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. With cutting-edge technology in hand, the Black Ops team led by David Mason must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else.
Squad up with friends or play solo in the innovative Co-op Campaign, harness near-future weaponry in the signature Multiplayer mode packed with brand-new maps, and descend into the next twisted chapter of Round-Based Zombies in the heart of the Dark Aether.
This tease is just the beginning. Don’t miss the official reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 this summer.
Extended Look at Steampunk RPG, Clockwork Revolution in New Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day on with Game Pass – also available on Steam
Clockwork Revolution—the time-bending RPG from inXile entertainment – debuted a new trailer, revealing the grittier side of the steampunk city of Avalon. This is where the downtrodden steal to survive, gangs prey on the weak, and where our hero Morgan calls home. After discovering that history has been carefully crafted by the city’s ruler, Lady Ironwood, you’ll use a time travel device to go into the past and set things straight – in whatever way you see fit.
We have an exclusive interview from inXile on what makes the game tick, from reactive storytelling to weapon crafting, and why this is their most ambitious project yet.
Gears of War: Reloaded – New Trailer Revealed, Multiplayer Beta Announced
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
Gears of War is coming to more players than ever before with the upcoming release of Gears of War: Reloaded on August 26, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam and PlayStation 5.
An all-new trailer showcases the iconic gameplay and cinematics that changed gaming forever, now lovingly remastered. This is the definitive release, optimized for each platform, featuring 4K textures, 60 FPS in Campaign, 120 FPS in Multiplayer, cross-play, cross-progression and more.
Additionally, a two-weekend Multiplayer Beta begins June 13, taking place across all platforms, for Game Pass Ultimate/Game Pass PC members, owners of the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, and those with Gears of War: Reloaded preorders.
Be sure to check out our Xbox Wire feature, which includes an Official Xbox Podcast interview with The Coalition, as well as details of how to participate in the Beta.
Grounded 2 Heads to Game Preview and Steam Early Access July 29
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Xbox Game Preview with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam Early Access
Grounded 2 steps out of the backyard and into the suburban wilderness—new bugs, new biomes, same tiny chaos. Set in the all-new Brookhollow Park and featuring the return of our teen heroes, this continuation brings major quality-of-life upgrades like the all-in-one Omni-Tool and delivers on one of the community’s most requested features: rideable Buggies. It’s not just a sequel—it’s the follow-up fans were hoping for, packed with sharper tools, weirder bugs, and enough callbacks to make you wonder if we’ve been lurking in your forum threads (spoiler: we have).
Built in partnership with Eidos-Montréal and launching into Game Preview on July 29, Grounded 2 brings more story, systems, and surprises from the very beginning—shaped by over 25 million players and counting. Whether you’re returning or just jumping in, wishlist today on Xbox and Steam, and get ready to ride together, survive together, and help shape this world with us.
For a full breakdown of new features, Buggies, story details, and what to expect in Game Preview, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.
Keeper: A Beautiful, Otherworldly Adventure from Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Arrives October 17
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam
Keeper – the beautiful, otherworldly third-person adventure from Double Fine Productions – was announced during the show with a somewhat psychedelic and mysterious first trailer. And we don’t have long to wait – it arrives on October 17.
We encountered a Lighthouse that, after eons of standing dormant, falls to the ground, breaking into heaps of rubble, but then reassembles and stands up again on newly formed legs. It has awakened.
Yes folks that’s right, in Keeper you play a walking Lighthouse, able to shine a beam of bright light that affects the world around it, with a spirited seabird companion coming along for the ride. The trailer takes us on an epic adventure into a strange unknowable island, joining the Lighthouse on a journey toward the center of the island.
Find out more about the story in the game, and the story behind the game, in our Xbox Wire article.
The Path to Master Ninja Begins: Ninja Gaiden 4 Emerges from the Shadows October 21
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
The legendary ninja action franchise returns in Ninja Gaiden 4, a high-octane fusion of Team Ninja’s signature combat and PlatinumGames’ dynamic flair. The trailer that debuted during the show provides a deeper look at Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy, and an array of new weapons at his disposal as he battles through hordes of enemies.
From seamless weapon switching and obliteration techniques to the explosive return of Bloodbind Ninjutsu and Ninpo arts, the trailer teases a brutal, stylish evolution of the series. With a sneak peek at new characters like Seori, massive boss battles, the mysterious connection to the legendary Ryu Hayabusa, and a near-future Tokyo struggling in the grips of an overwhelming evil, Ninja Gaiden 4 is set to deliver a legacy reborn when it launches October 21. We went hands-on with the game for the first time and interviewed its director – find out much more in our article.
The Outer Worlds 2 Gets a New Trailer and a Huge Deep-Dive
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5
The Outer Worlds 2 pulls you into Arcadia – a colony isolated from the rest of the system, fought over by power-hungry factions, and on the brink of near to mid-term collapse by rifts forming in the space around it. With the future up for grabs, survival might depend on your choices, your alliances… and maybe a few well-placed deals along the way. Featured in the Xbox Games Showcase and expanded in today’s The Outer Worlds 2 Direct, this bigger, bolder sequel builds on everything fans loved about the original: deeper RPG systems, sharper satire, and wildly reactive storytelling. With new companions, enhanced movement and combat, science weapons and armor, and full character customization, The Outer Worlds 2 puts you at the center of a chaotic struggle for Arcadia’s future. Launching October 29, 2025, it hands you the chaos and asks: what are you going to do with it? The world needs a hero. You’ll have to do.
For a full breakdown of factions, features, editions, and pre-order details, check out the complete Xbox Wire post here.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4: Foundry Demo Out Today!
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one on Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4. Foundry demo not available on Nintendo Switch platforms
The Birdman returns along with a host of legendary and new parks, skaters, tricks, and more with the upcoming release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 on July 11. The remake brings a robust Career mode across two tours, Single Sessions and Speedruns, and Free Skate to help nail those tricky combos without the heat of a timer.
Play the Foundry Demo now with a pre-order (see available platforms here), PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate and shred across the Foundry and College parks as Tony Hawk and Rayssa Leal. Digital Deluxe Edition purchasers will exclusively have access to skate as The Doom Slayer! For the latest news, visit tonyhawkthegame.com.
Aniimo Is a Beautiful New Creature Collecting Action-RPG
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Revealed for the first time today, Aniimo is a ground-breaking open-world ARPG where players are invited to join in the exploration of a living and dynamic world, and meet the magical Aniimo that inhabit it. Instead of waiting for someone else to create their dream game, the Aniimo team did it themselves. Travel across a beautiful new world, meeting, learning about, and capturing the Aniimo that inhabit it. Battle Aniimo in real-time, or use the Twining system to become an Aniimo, and experience the game in a whole new way. Aniimo will arrive in 2026, but a closed beta begins for PC players later this year – find out how to join in here.
Aphelion Is a Sci-Fi Adventure Grounded in Real-World Science
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Aphelion is a third-person sci-fi adventure from Don’t Nod (Life Is Strange, Jusant). After crash-landing on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane must navigate brutal terrain and shifting realities to rescue her injured partner, Thomas. Blending exploration, traversal, and tense stealth gameplay, Aphelion delivers a cinematic, emotionally charged journey through an uncharted world. Play as both characters to understand the mystery of the planet Persephone in a story grounded in real-world science, and made in partnership with the European Space Agency. Aphelion arrives in 2026.
At Fate’s End Is the Captivating New Game from the Spiritfarer Team
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Thunder Lotus proudly revealed At Fate’s End, an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love. Wield the legendary God Sword Aesus as Shan, the deft young heiress of the Hemlock clan. Solve intricate narrative puzzles, uncover painful truths, and hone both your blade skills and knowledge to face your estranged siblings in intense, emotional duels – and ultimately decide your family’s fate. From the award-winning team behind Spiritfarer, At Fate’s End weaves tight, visceral action with rich narrative depth, exploring the complicated bonds between brothers and sisters in a world where swords clash and family wounds run deep.
Game Freak & Fictions Reveal Beast of Reincarnation
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
The show revealed the first trailer for Beast of Reincarnation, a new action-RPG from revered developer Game Freak. Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, the world has become consumed by corruption and overtaken by formidable beasts. Play as Emma, a cursed outcast, and her loyal dog Koo as they journey through a dangerous, ever-shifting world that demands precision and mastery of technical combat. Uncover what it means to be human at the edge of extinction in Beast of Reincarnation.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Reveals its First Gameplay Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
From Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco Entertainment, comes a brand new dark fantasy role playing saga: The Blood of Dawnwalker. You play as Coen, a young man turned into a Dawnwalker: half-man, half-vampire, forever treading the line between the world of day and the realm of night. Fight for your humanity or embrace the cursed powers to save your family. Whatever your choice, the question stands: is your soul worth the lives of those you love? Coming in 2026, wishlist now on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox on PC.
Cronos: The New Dawn – New Survival Horror from Bloober Team Arrives This Fall
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Get ready to embark on a haunting journey this fall as Cronos: The New Dawn arrives. In this gripping third-person survival horror, step into the shoes of the Traveler, an agent of the mysterious Collective, whose mission is to salvage what remains of humanity. In the time-warped nightmare of the future, monsters known as Orphans stalk the land. Emerging from the downfall of mankind, these grotesque creatures can fuse together to create even deadlier foes.
In the gameplay trailer, we witnessed the Traveler descending into an Orphan nest, confronting the twisted creatures that inhabit its depths. The corpses of fallen Travelers tell a grim tale, yet their final recordings offer crucial warnings. Can you succeed where others have failed?
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Is Coming to Xbox
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The beloved, expanded remake of the genre-defining Final Fantasy VII is on its way to Xbox this Winter. Relive the first act of the iconic 1997 game as Cloud Strife, the legendary hero, meets unforgettable allies and explores the dystopian city of Midgar. Culminating in a dramatic escape, this pivotal chapter sets the stage for one of gaming’s most legendary stories.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade includes both the base game and Intermission—a story episode starring Yuffie Kisaragi, the spirited ninja from Wutai. Her episode offers a different perspective on the events of the main game, expanding the world and deepening the lore. Relive one of gaming’s greatest stories on Xbox.
Final Fantasy XVI Comes to Xbox Today
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Surprise! Final Fantasy XVI, the iconic (or should that be Eikonic?) action-RPG comes to Xbox platforms today. With an enormous medieval fantasy world, a dramatic, mature storyline, and lightning-fast action combat, this is a true gaming epic. Its release means that every mainline single player Final Fantasy game is now playable with Xbox.
Fans can purchase either the Standard or Complete Edition, with the latter boasting all expansions and DLC. Plus, as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, one purchase lets you play across all Xbox platforms, with full cross-save. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article.
High On Life 2 Comes to Game Pass This Winter!
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
High On Life returns, as you and your beloved rag-tag team of alien misfits shoot, stab, and skate your way through weird alien worlds across the galaxy to blow up an evil pharmaceutical conglomerate hell-bent on putting a price tag on human life!
Wreak havoc at the galaxy’s biggest convention, an alien zoo for humans, and a luxury futuristic cruise liner on your cosmic quest to take down big pharma. And stay tuned for an exclusive trailer breakdown with Squanch Games on the Xbox YouTube channel.
Invincible VS: Quarter Up Reveals 3v3 Tag Fighting Game – Coming in 2026
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud,Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Quarter Up, Skybound’s first in-house gaming development studio, revealed Invincible VS. The trailer reveals a brutal, tournament-quality superhero 3v3 tag fighting game set in the award-winning Invincible Universe. It also showcases: fan-favorite superheroes Mark (Invincible), Thula, Bulletproof and Atom Eve; iconic arenas; the high-stakes of bloody superhero battles; and an authentic depiction of battle damage and bloody combat fans know and love. Invincible VS will launch in 2026.
Mudang: Two Hearts Is a Cinematic Tactical Action-Adventure Arriving in 2026
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
Mudang: Two Hearts is a third-person tactical action adventure set on the Korean Peninsula after reunification. Revealed for the first time today, it blends stealth, close-quarters combat, and emotionally driven storytelling into a seamless cinematic experience.
Players experience the story through two distinct perspectives: Ji Jeongtae, a North Korean special forces operative dispatched to the South, and GAVI, a K-pop idol whose past holds a dangerous secret. As a new wave of terrorist attacks fractures the fragile illusion of peace, the two become entangled with an enigmatic militant group known as Byeolmuban.
Built in Unreal Engine 5 and using our proprietary performance capture pipeline, Mudang delivers a deeply immersive combat system rooted in authentic special forces tactics and is set to launch in 2026.
The Midnight Channel Returns: Persona 4 Revival Officially Announced
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
A remake of the modern classic JRPG, Persona 4 Revival received a debut trailer, showing off the game’s gorgeous updated visuals within the rural town of Inaba. Arriving as a transfer student, you’ll experience an unforgettable year with new friends you meet along the way. However, rumors of bizarre murders and a mysterious TV channel quickly disrupt your peaceful everyday life. A door to another world opens, awakening your Persona abilities: it is time to fight alongside your trusted allies to uncover the truth.
Planet of Lana II Revealed – Double the Size, and Deeper than Ever
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Revealed today, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is an ambitious cinematic puzzle adventure that doubles the size and scope of the original. Launching in 2026 and day one with Game Pass, this highly anticipated sequel revisits Lana and Mui’s profound bond as they navigate a changed world after the robot invasion of the first game.
With new and improved mechanics for Lana and Mui, as well as brand new abilities to control the creatures and robots around you, prepare to unravel a deeper, longer sci-fi story where Lana confronts her own demons and unveils the planet’s darkest secrets, as a new threat puts their unbreakable bond to the ultimate test.
Wishlist Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf today on the Xbox Store and follow @PlanetOfLana on social media to stay up to date!
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Expands the Universe in New Ways
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
This new game from Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment expands the universe of A Plague Tale with an original story set 15 years before the events of the last game, A Plague Tale: Requiem. With a new action-adventure approach, players are invited to dive into Sophia’s past and journey with her to the Minotaur’s Island, outsmart deadly foes, unravel ancient secrets, and confront the creature at the heart of a devastating curse. Her sword in one hand and light in the other, Sophia will plunge into the myth of the macula, until she understands why it resonates so intimately with her.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy will be released in 2026 – you can wishlist the game today on the Xbox Store.
Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive Transforms the Hit Webtoon into an Action-RPG
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – see developer website for other platforms
The global phenomenon Solo Leveling makes its debut on Xbox! Based on the hit webtoon, ARISE OVERDRIVE is an action-RPG that lets you experience overwhelming power and thrilling combat. Master a dynamic action system, block deadly attacks, and counter with perfect parries. Unleash the Monarch’s Awakening to transcend limits and dominate the battlefield. Feel the intensity as you wipe out enemies in style. Team up with friends in multiplayer mode to conquer powerful stages and enjoy the thrill of true growth and cooperation. It’s time to rise, fight, and prove your strength. The Xbox PC version arrives fall 2025, with Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud versions to follow in 2026.
Super Meat Boy 3D Revealed with a New Trailer
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Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Xbox Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Gaming’s most iconic chunk of meat is back! Today’s Showcase revealed Super Meat Boy 3D from Sluggerfly and Headup Games, who are taking Team Meat’s indie darling into the third dimension. The game arrives in early 2026.
Super Meat Boy 3D is exactly what you love about the series: a challenging platformer where you guide a cube of meat on a mission to rescue his bandage-made girlfriend from a villainous fetus in a jar—now in 3D! You’ll wall-jump through buzzsaws, collapsing caves, and fiery forests, dying countless times along the way. With old-school difficulty, fast-paced gameplay, tough bosses, and plenty of secrets, it’s a new dimension for Meat Boy. Wishlist Super Meat Boy 3D today on the Xbox Store and get ready to die again and again and again when you play it day one on Game Pass.
There Are No Ghosts at The Grand: Become Decorator by Day and Ghost Hunter by Night in a Cozy, Spooky Musical Mystery
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, or play it day one with Game Pass – see developer website for other platforms
Inherit a crumbling English hotel and restore it by day while battling ghosts by night in There Are No Ghosts at The Grand. With a sardonic cat, a talking power tool, and a twisting supernatural plot, this is a spooky, cozy, musical mystery unlike any other. You have exactly 30 days and 30 nights to restore the crumbling hotel and explore the surrounding seaside village for eerie supernatural secrets. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2026, and available on Game Pass… just don’t believe them when they tell you that There are No Ghosts at the Grand.
Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear Brings the Japanese Pantheon, Coming Fall 2025
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5
Age of Mythology: Retold will make room for more gods, more heroes and more legends this Fall with the Heavenly Spear expansion. An all-new Japanese pantheon introduces 12 new gods with unique powers, divine technologies and myth units drawn from centuries of legend. Players can embark on a 12-mission campaign following Yasuko, a humble farmer’s daughter who discovers a magical spear and is swept into a mythic war. Wishlist now! Already own the Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition? Heavenly Spear is yours at no additional cost – jump in and play on day one!
The Elder Scrolls Online Shows Us the Return of the Worm Cult
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud – also available on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Mac
ZeniMax Online Studios premiered a gameplay trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online,revealing the adventures to be found in Western Solstice during Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1, a continuation of ESO’s main quest storyline from over 10 years ago. Releasing in tandem, the Update 46 base-game patch adds character Subclassing, the Hero’s Return system for returning players, and many more quality-of-life updates. The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 and Update 46 are available now on PC and Mac, andwill arrive for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18.
Fallout 76 Shows Off its Fin-tastic Fishing Update
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Game Pass – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Bethesda Game Studios unveiled the launch trailer for Fallout 76’s latest update, Gone Fission. This fin-tastic update introduces fishing to the Wasteland, revealing a cozier side of Appalachia away from the guns and ghouls. Players can experiment with bait, weather conditions, rods, and locations to catch a variety of fish, – including prized Axolotls that change each month – and Local Legends. Gone Fission is available across all platforms for free, letting every Fallout 76 player enjoy the relaxing summer pastime. Find out more about fishing in the Wasteland on Xbox Wire.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC Launches September 4
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam, PlayStation 5
The latest Indiana Jones adventure is getting a DLC chapter in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of the Giants! Indy’s new journey will take him deep into unexplored territory as he dives beneath the bustling streets of Rome to investigate a dark and twisted new mystery.
This DLC is set during the main game and expands on the story of the Nephilim Order. Face off against old threats and new foes, navigate Rome beyond the walls of Vatican City, and uncover the legend of a colossal beast. Maybe some ancient secrets are better left undisturbed…
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants will be available on September 4, 2025. For those who purchased the Premium Edition, Premium Upgrade or Collector’s Edition, the DLC is included. Find out more in our Xbox Wire article about The Order of Giants.
Sea of Thieves: Season 17 Sets Sail on a Smugglers’ Tide
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Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass – also available on Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5
A new gang of nefarious troublemakers have infiltrated the Sea of Thieves! Known as The Smuggler’s League, they’re recruiting pirates willing to deal with dangers others are afraid to handle, including weapons and some of the most powerful explosives ever seen on the seas. Crews that think they’re up to the challenge can embark on new Smuggler’s Voyages to salvage — or steal — these hot properties and see them safely into the wrong hands, but one false move could spell disaster. Sparks are sure to fly when Season 17: Smugglers’ Tide launches in August, free for all players.
I am delighted to be here in Singapore once again, to speak to you in my capacity as New Zealand’s Minister for Resources and Associate Minister for Energy.
If you haven’t heard of me before today, I’m proud to declare myself the champion of New Zealand’s petroleum and minerals sector.
I want to thank the Energy Council for asking me to speak with you today on the significant changes that have happened in my country and what is still changing now.
I’d also like to take a moment to acknowledge some of our growing oil and gas producers here today, such as Wai-Lid Wong from Matahio, who can attest to the positive changes I’m going to talk to you about this morning. And we also have Richard Beament from Horizon Oil here with long-term joint venture investments in our gas fields.
Thank you gentlemen for the part you are playing in continuing to grow this sector in New Zealand.
The coalition Government I am a part of is injecting life back into New Zealand’s economy through increased foreign investment, trade, regional development, and energy security.
The strategic and responsible development of New Zealand’s oil and gas resources presents us with a significant opportunity.
A productive oil and gas sector is critical to ensuring enough gas to keep our lights on, the economy growing, and keep de-industrialisation at bay. As a food bowl for Asia, I believe we need to keep investing in gas for all its uses.
New Zealand has a well-established, innovative and highly skilled oil and gas sector on the West of our North Island in the Taranaki region and we wish to keep it that way.
Our Government sees reliable ongoing gas production contributing to our national self-sufficiency and domestic resilience and a critical part of our export-led recovery.
Our gas reserves data tells us a concerning story, but introduces opportunity for the sector. I intend to leave no stone unturned to ensure all our current and future energy sector participants have the confidence and see the right market incentives to keep our businesses operating and growing.
I’ll be the first to reflect and acknowledge that confidence in our gas sector took a significant hit when the petroleum exploration ban was introduced in 2018. The ban impacted investment in our producing fields and barred new exploration.
As a country we have seen the impact of this. We have listened, we have heard, and we are changing it now.
This is why I am advancing two critical policies in legislation right now – to help secure our short and mid-term energy future as we transition towards more renewable energy forms.
I am reversing the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, and changing settings to make sure we are balancing Crown risk in decommissioning, while not disincentivising ongoing investment in our existing fields.
As part of this we are giving the oil and gas exploration market a new Open Market Application process meaning all acreage is open for application, and you’re not restricted to block offers.
I am pleased to tell you today that the Government has set aside $NZ200 million to become a cornerstone investor in new gas projects. These will be business case-based with a likely government stake of up to 15 per cent for each successful project.
This will make our Government a contracted partner in the project.
Having skin in the game as a cornerstone investor demonstrates our own commitment to meeting our future gas needs. If we really want to address the current reality that we rely on imported coal, not domestic gas, to get through winter, we must be prepared to stand alongside our petroleum sector as a co-investor.
We see this as a strong signal to make it clear to foreign investors, explorers, and producers, that New Zealand is leaving the past behind and wants investment in new petroleum opportunities.
But, although there is still much to do on the West Coast, we don’t want you to constrain your thinking to just that part of our beautiful country. New Zealand has frontier offshore basins off the east coast of both Islands. We have the East Coast basin, Canterbury basin, and the Great South Basin. For these there are existing open geodata sets with our regulators and companies such as SLB, here with us, who have still confidential commercial exploration data available to you.
As well as the $NZ200m, the Government has announced a raft of other changes that will get New Zealand back on track and open for business.
What we have seen peak interest around the world is our innovative Fast-track Approvals Act passed last year. This provides an approvals pathway for cutting red tape, but not cutting corners, and projects of regional or national significance to be approved in months, not years.
In our recent Budget, we announced Investment Boost – a 20 percent first-year capital depreciation policy, this is in addition to normal accounting depreciation standards and is in effect now.
This supports our already attractive tax expense claim, depreciation, and royalty rebate regime settings supporting you run your business, and contributing to the cost of decommissioning at project end of life.
We are overhauling our Overseas Investment Act. The reforms shift the Act’s focus to emphasise economic benefits, replacing the presumption that foreign investment is a privilege. Most applications—excluding residential land, farmland, and fishing quota—will now be processed within 15 days.
We are in the process of entirely rewriting our Resource Management legislation. Introduced in 1991 it was world-leading for the time in managing our natural and physical resources and replaced over 50 previous pieces of legislation. However, after 34 years this legislation is no longer fit for purpose and we appreciate how it’s holding back investment and development in every sector, including residential building. We will see this reform completed in this term of government, and until then the Fast Track Approvals Act supports projects get started today.
I am also interested in maximising the potential of our geothermal and natural hydrogen resources.
New Zealand has long been a user of geothermal energy. It currently makes up nearly 20 percent of our electricity generation. But we see so much more potential with new technology in super-critical and other next-generation geothermal.
We have ringfenced $NZ60 million for pre-feasibility of next generation geothermal and we expect to see exploratory drilling next year.
Unlike many renewable energy sources, geothermal energy provides critical continuous baseload energy and electricity generation. This is particularly important in the context of our energy security challenges.
We will have a geothermal strategy completed by the end of this year.
We are blessed with a geology permissive to the production of induced Orange Hydrogen, as well as natural ‘White’ Hydrogen prospects. Right now, regulators are undertaking public consultation on our country’s hydrogen policy settings, and we expect to see considerations for Cabinet later this year.
So, as you’ve heard the changes our Government has introduced or that are passing through Parliament right now will:
reverse the oil and gas exploration ban entirely
start a new open market application process for any acreage you see as prospective
address petroleum decommissioning requirements to align us with best practice
share risk through government co-investment through our $NZ200m fund
make for fast project consent approvals through our Fast-track Approvals process
give overseas investors certainty, whenever there is an investment that invokes the Overseas Investment Act, a decision being made in weeks.
Travelling with me I have officials from New Zealand and our chief exploration and production geologist, and for those of you I’m not already scheduled to see I’d encourage you to introduce yourselves or talk with my team.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced legislation to prohibit men from participating in women’s athletic programs or activities at U.S. military service academies. This is the next step in Senator Tuberville’s years-long fight to protect women’s sports and preserve Title IX, which came under attack during the Biden administration. Earlier this year, Senator Tuberville’s Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act came to the Senate floor for a vote and every single Democrat voted against it.
As Alabama’s representative on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Chairman of the SASC Personnel Subcommittee, Senator Tuberville has been a fierce advocate for getting woke politics out of the military.
“Our service academies should be focused on preparing the next generation of leaders, not woke indoctrination,” said Senator Tuberville. “Unfortunately, under Joe Biden and radical Democrats, the woke mind virus made its way into our great military. Thankfully, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have refocused the Pentagon on lethality. Allowing men to compete against women in sports at any level is wrong—and it’s especially wrong to use taxpayer dollars to pay for it at our service academies. As a proud grandfather to Rosie Grace, this is personal for me. I won’t stop fighting until the rights of females in this country to enjoy safe, fair competition are protected.”
Read the bill text here.
BACKGROUND: As a former educator, mentor, and coach for more than 40 years, Senator Tuberville is concerned about the future of girls’ and women’s sports. Senator Tuberville has been leading the fight to protect Title IX in the Senate since he was first sworn in, over four years ago. Earlier this year, President Trump signed an Executive Order protecting women’s sports. But unfortunately, Executive Orders can be reversed in future administrations.
In January 2025, Senator Tuberville re-introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in SportsAct, to preserve Title IX protections for female athletes. It was brought to the Senate floor for a vote, but every single Democrat voted against it.
In February 2025, Senator Tuberville re-introduced the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act to prohibit any governing body recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee from allowing men to participate in any athletic event intended for females. This bill comes ahead of the U.S. hosting the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
MORE:
ICYMI: Tuberville in OutKick: Defending and Protecting Women and Girls’ Sports
Tuberville Thanks President Trump for Signing Executive Order Protecting Women’s Sports, Urges Senate to Bring Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to the Floor for a Vote
Tuberville Discusses Importance of Protecting Women’s Sports, Boosting School Choice
Tuberville, Risch Send Letter Urging Governors to Comply with President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Women’s Sports
Tuberville Sends Letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom Urging Him to Protect Women’s Sports in California Ahead of 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
Tuberville: “Every Republican Voted to Protect Women, Every Democrat Voted Against It”
Tuberville Continues Fight to Protect Women’s Sports and Female Athletics, Applauds House Passage of his Hallmark Title IX Legislation
Tuberville Introduces Hallmark Legislation to Preserve Title IX, Protect Women’s Sports
Tuberville Sponsors Resolution to Overturn Biden’s Attack on Title IX, Save Women’s Sports
Tuberville Demands Answers on Biden Administration’s Radical Rewrite of Title IX
Tuberville Demands Answers From NCAA, Dept of Ed on Title IX
Tuberville Leads Roundtable on Protecting Title IX and Saving Women’s Sports
ICYMI: Tuberville Recognizes 51st Anniversary of Title IX with Op-Ed in 1819 News
Tuberville Op-ed in 1819 News: Title IX must be Protected to Keep Female Athletes on the Winning Side
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron Señor Presidente de la República de Costa Rica, Estimado Rodrigo Chaves Robles
Excellences, chers amis, Dear President of the French Republic, Dear Emmanuel Macron Mr. President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Dear Rodrigo Chaves Robles Excellencies, dear friends,
Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier nos hôtes, les gouvernements de la France et du Costa Rica, d’avoir organisé cette conférence. Let me begin by thanking our hosts, the Governments of France and Costa Rica, for convening this conference.
Et merci à tous d’être là, à Nissa la bella – ville à la mer d’azur et au ciel pur. And thank you all for being here, in “Nissa la bella” – city of azure seas and clear skies.
Nous voici réunis sur les rives de la Méditerranée, carrefour de continents, de cultures et de commerce. We gather beside the Mediterranean – a crossroads of continents, cultures, and commerce.
Une mer qui, depuis des millénaires, est source de vie – et qui nous rappelle notre profonde dépendance à l’égard de l’océan. A sea that has sustained life for millennia –reminding us of our deep dependence on the ocean.
L’océan produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons. The ocean generates half of the oxygen we breathe.
Il nourrit 3 milliards de personnes et fait vivre 600 millions d’autres. It feeds 3 billion people and sustains 600 million livelihoods.
L’économie des océans a plus que doublé en 30 ans – et elle continue de croître. The ocean economy has more than doubled in 30 years – and keeps growing.
Le transport maritime assure, à lui seul, plus de 80 % du commerce mondial. Maritime transport alone moves over 80 per cent of global trade.
L’océan est notre bien commun par excellence. The ocean is the ultimate shared resource.
Pourtant, nous sommes en train de le piller. But we are failing it.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent. Fish stocks are collapsing.
La surconsommation et la pêche illégale poussent des espèces au bord de l’extinction. Over-consumption and illegal fishing are pushing marine life to the brink.
Chaque année, 23 millions de tonnes de plastique sont déversées dans les eaux et asphyxient les écosystèmes. Plastic pollution is choking ecosystems – with 23 million tonnes of waste entering waters every year.
Les émissions de carbone provoquent l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail et accélérant la montée des eaux. Carbon emissions are driving ocean acidification and heating – destroying coral reefs and accelerating sea level rise.
Si on ne change pas de cap, cette acceleration va submerger les deltas, detruire les récoltes et engloutir les littoraux, menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles. If we do not change course, this rise will submerge deltas, destroy crops, and swallow coastlines – threatening many islands’ survival.
L’océan absorbe désormais 90 % de l’excédent de chaleur piégé par les gaz à effet de serre. The ocean now stores 90 per cent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
Autant de symptômes d’un système en crise… et qui s’auto-alimente. These are symptoms of a system in crisis – and they are feeding off each other.
Brisant les chaînes alimentaires… Anéantissant les moyens de subsistance… Augmentant l’insécurité. Unravelling food chains. Destroying livelihoods. Deepening insecurity.
Cette insécurité est exacerbée par la criminalité : piraterie, trafic d’êtres humains, réseaux organisés et pillage des ressources volent des vies, freinent le développement et privent les communautés côtières de leurs droits. And insecurity is rising not only from natural forces – but from criminal ones. Piracy, organized crime, human trafficking, and the looting of natural resources are threatening lives, undermining development, and robbing coastal communities of their rights.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since the last UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, we have seen progress.
We have also seen a growing awareness of the deep interconnection between preserving biodiversity and marine ecosystems, combatting climate change, and stopping pollution.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set a bold pledge:
To conserve and manage at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030.
Member States also adopted the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction – a historic breakthrough.
I urge all delegations to ratify it – and welcome good news delivered by President Macron and the momentum this Conference is generating toward its swift entry into force.
I also call on all countries to agree on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution – this year.
It is essential to successfully conclude the agreement on fisheries currently discussed at World Trade Organization.
The International Maritime Organization committed to reach net-zero emissions from shipping by 2050.
And last year’s General Assembly Meeting on Sea Level Rise underscored that statehood and sovereignty cannot be undermined by rising seas.
This proves multilateralism works – but only if we match words with action.
By developing concrete national plans aligned with global targets;
By harnessing science, driving innovation, and ensuring fair access to technology;
By empowering fishers, Indigenous peoples, and youth;
And above all, by investing.
SDG 14 on life below water remains one of the least funded Sustainable Development Goals.
This must change – through increased public finance, greater support from development banks, and bold models to unlock private capital.
I urge all countries to come forward with bold pledges.
Small Island Developing States need support to build resilience and thrive in the blue economy.
Many struggle to access healthy, affordable food – underscoring the urgent need to restore local fisheries and strengthen ocean-based food systems.
We must also strengthen maritime security as a pillar of sustainable development.
And we must embed ocean priorities across climate, food systems and sustainable finance.
Because without a healthy ocean, there can be no healthy planet.
Finally, nations are also navigating new waters on seabed mining:
I support the ongoing work of the International Seabed Authority on this important issue.
The deep sea cannot become the Wild West.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We live in an age of turmoil, but the resolve I see here gives me hope.
Hope that we can turn the tide.
That we can move from plunder to protection.
From exclusion to equity.
From short-term exploitation to long-term stewardship.
We know it’s possible.
When we reached a global moratorium on commercial whaling, whale populations recovered.
When we protect marine areas, life returns.
Today, we have the opportunity to restore marine abundance.
What was lost in a generation can return in a generation.
The ocean of our ancestors – teeming with life and diversity – can be more than legend.
It can be our legacy.
I wish you a successful conference.
Thank you.
****
[All-French]
Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron Monsieur le Président de la République du Costa Rica, Cher Rodrigo Chaves Robles
Excellences, chers amis,
Permettez-moi tout d’abord de remercier nos hôtes, les gouvernements de la France et du Costa Rica, d’avoir organisé cette conférence.
Et merci à tous d’être là, à Nissa la bella – ville à la mer d’azur et au ciel pur.
Nous voici réunis sur les rives de la Méditerranée, carrefour de continents, de cultures et de commerce.
Une mer qui, depuis des millénaires, est source de vie – et qui nous rappelle notre profonde dépendance à l’égard de l’océan.
L’océan produit la moitié de l’oxygène que nous respirons.
Il nourrit 3 milliards de personnes et fait vivre 600 millions d’autres.
L’économie des océans a plus que doublé en 30 ans – et elle continue de croître.
Le transport maritime assure, à lui seul, plus de 80 % du commerce mondial.
L’océan est notre bien commun par excellence.
Pourtant, nous sommes en train de le piller.
Les stocks de poissons s’effondrent.
La surconsommation et la pêche illégale poussent des espèces au bord de l’extinction.
Chaque année, 23 millions de tonnes de plastique sont déversées dans les eaux et asphyxient les écosystèmes.
Les émissions de carbone provoquent l’acidification et le réchauffement des océans – détruisant les récifs de corail et accélérant la montée des eaux.
Si on ne change pas de cap, cette accélération va submerger les deltas, détruire les récoltes et engloutir les littoraux – menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles.
L’océan absorbe désormais 90 % de l’excédent de chaleur piégé par les gaz à effet de serre.
Autant de symptômes d’un système en crise… et qui s’auto-alimente.
La montée des eaux submerge les deltas, détruit les récoltes et engloutit les littoraux, menaçant la survie même de nombreuses îles.
L’océan est pris au piège d’un cercle vicieux – victime et accélérateur du changement climatique.
Brisant les chaînes alimentaires… Anéantissant les moyens de subsistance… Augmentant l’insécurité.
Cette insécurité est exacerbée par la criminalité : piraterie, trafic d’êtres humains, réseaux organisés et pillage des ressources volent des vies, freinent le développement et privent les communautés côtières de leurs droits.
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Depuis la dernière Conférence des Nations Unies sur l’océan, qui s’est tenue à Lisbonne, des progrès ont été accomplis.
Nous avons également vu une prise de conscience croissante des liens profonds entre la préservation de la biodiversité et des écosystèmes marins, la lutte contre le changement climatique et l’arrêt de la pollution.
Le Cadre mondial de la biodiversité de Kunming-Montréal contient un engagement audacieux :
Conserver et gérer au moins 30 % des zones marines et côtières d’ici à 2030.
Les États Membres ont également adopté l’Accord portant sur la diversité biologique marine des zones ne relevant pas de la juridiction nationale, qui marque une avancée historique.
J’exhorte toutes les délégations à ratifier cet accord et je me félicite des bonnes nouvelles partagées par le President Macron et de l’impulsion donnée par la Conférence pour en favoriser l’entrée en vigueur rapide.
Par ailleurs, j’appelle tous les pays à s’entendre cette année sur un traité ambitieux et juridiquement contraignant sur la pollution plastique.
Il est également essentiel de conclure avec succès l’accord sur la pêche actuellement discuté à l’Organisation mondiale du commerce.
L’Organisation maritime internationale est résolue à faire en sorte que, d’ici à 2025, le transport maritime ne produise plus aucune émission nette.
L’année dernière, durant la réunion de l’Assemblée générale sur l’élévation du niveau de la mer, il a été dit avec force que la montée des eaux ne saurait porter atteinte à la souveraineté et à l’intégrité des États.
Toutes ces initiatives montrent que le multilatéralisme fonctionne, mais seulement si nous traduisons nos paroles en actes.
En développant des plans nationaux concrets alignés sur les objectifs mondiaux.
En exploitant la science, en stimulant l’innovation, et en garantissant un accès équitable à la technologie.
En donnant des moyens d’action aux pêcheurs, aux populations autochtones, aux scientifiques et aux jeunes.
Et, par-dessus tout, en investissant.
L’objectif de développement durable no 14 relatif à la vie aquatique demeure l’un des objectifs de développement durable les moins bien financés.
Les choses doivent changer. Pour cela, il faut augmenter les financements publics, accroître l’appui apporté par les banques de développement et favoriser l’afflux de capitaux privés grâce à des modèles de financement audacieux.
J’exhorte tous les pays à prendre des engagements ambitieux [et je remercie ceux qui l’ont déjà fait].
Les petits États insulaires en développement ont besoin d’aide pour renforcer leur résilience et prospérer dans l’économie bleue.
Nombreux sont ceux qui peinent à se procurer une alimentation saine à un coût abordable, ce qui montre combien il est urgent de restaurer les pêches locales et de renforcer les systèmes alimentaires basés sur l’océan.
Nous devons également renforcer la sécurité maritime qui est l’un des piliers du développement durable.
Nous devons intégrer les priorités liées à l’océan dans toutes nos activités touchant le climat, les systèmes alimentaires et la finance durable.
Car sans un océan en bonne santé, il ne peut y avoir de planète en bonne santé.
Enfin, l’exploitation minière des fonds marins pose aux pays de nouveaux défis.
Je soutiens les travaux en cours de l’Autorité internationale des fonds marins sur cet enjeu important.
Les grands fonds ne peuvent pas devenir un Far West.
Mesdames et Messieurs,
Nous vivons une époque de troubles, mais la détermination que je constate ici me donne de l’espoir.
J’espère que nous pourrons redresser la situation.
Que nous pourrons remplacer le pillage par la protection.
L’exclusion par l’équité.
La surexploitation à court terme par la bonne gestion à long terme.
Nous savons que c’est possible.
Lorsque nous sommes parvenus à un moratoire mondial sur la chasse commerciale à la baleine, les populations de baleines se sont reconstituées.
Lorsque nous protégeons des aires marines, la vie revient.
Aujourd’hui, nous avons la possibilité de redonner à l’océan son abondance.
Ce qui a été perdu en l’espace d’une génération peut renaître en l’espace d’une autre.
L’océan qu’ont connu nos ancêtres, qui regorgeait de vie et de diversité, peut être davantage qu’une légende.
Votre Altesse Royale, Princesse Lalla Hasnaa du Royaume du Maroc, Monsieur le Président de la République française, Cher Emmanuel Macron, Excellences, Chers amis,
Je vous remercie d’organiser ce sommet afin de réaffirmer un message clair :
Les destins de l’Afrique et de l’océan sont profondément liés.
Pour des millions de personnes à travers le continent, l’océan est source de vie, d’identité, de promesses.
Avec plus de 30 000 kilomètres de littoral et 38 États côtiers, l’Afrique est une puissance maritime.
Son avenir s’écrit aussi dans ses eaux.
Mais cette richesse bleue est trop souvent sous-évaluée et surexploitée.
L’insécurité maritime menace la paix.
La pollution empoisonne les côtes et les écosystèmes.
Et la crise climatique – dont l’Afrique n’est pourtant pas responsable – ravage ses rivages.
Face à ces défis, l’Afrique propose, innove, agit.
Elle forge des solutions qui inspirent bien au-delà du continent.
Nous le voyons dans des projets ambitieux de coopération régionale – ou encore la Stratégie intégrée de l’Union africaine pour les mers et les océans à l’horizon 2050.
Et nous le voyons dans les négociations internationales, où l’Afrique fait entendre sa voix avec force.
L’Accord sur la diversité biologique marine des zones ne relevant pas de la juridiction nationale – l’Accord BBNJ – en est un exemple.
Le Groupe africain a été un acteur central des négociations, obtenant des engagements sur le partage équitable des avantages, le renforcement des capacités et le transfert de technologies marines.
À ce jour, 28 États africains ont signé l’Accord. Trois l’ont déjà ratifié. Peut-être que ces chiffres sont déjà surpassés par les chiffres que le Président de la République a annoncé ce matin.
Et plusieurs autres prévoient de le faire aujourd’hui, lors de la cérémonie spéciale sur les traités pour l’Accord BBNJ.
C’est un signal fort : l’Afrique est au cœur de l’action pour les océans.
Mais pour libérer pleinement ce potentiel, il faut un sursaut politique et financier.
Cela commence par renforcer la sécurité maritime face aux menaces transnationales – piraterie, trafic d’armes et d’êtres humains et crime organisé.
Les Nations Unies continueront de soutenir les efforts africains, notamment à travers l’Architecture de Yaoundé, qui a contribué à une baisse significative des actes de piraterie dans le golfe de Guinée.
Cela passe également par une gouvernance océanique fondée sur la science et la coopération.
Il faut lutter contre la pollution et la pêche illicite, non déclarée et non réglementée, renforcer les capacités de collecte et de partage des données océanographiques, et protéger la biodiversité.
Nous devons valoriser les énergies marines renouvelables, l’aquaculture et le tourisme durable, autant de sources d’emplois décents – notamment pour les jeunes et les femmes.
Mais ces efforts ne porteront pleinement leurs fruits que si l’Afrique est connectée – dans ses territoires et avec le reste du monde.
Les océans africains doivent devenir de véritables corridors d’intégration – reliant pays côtiers et enclavés, au service d’une croissance partagée.
Cela suppose des investissements concrets dans les infrastructures maritimes et portuaires : des ports interconnectés, résilients face au changement climatique, capables de répondre aux besoins d’un commerce en croissance.
Les États sans littoral doivent être reliés aux chaînes de valeur mondiales.
Aucun pays ne doit rester à quai.
Mais pour que cette transformation soit durable et équitable, nous devons mettre fin aux injustices historiques.
Ces injustices se traduisent aussi dans l’océan : les investissements ont trop souvent contourné l’Afrique, alors même que ses ressources marines étaient exploitées par d’autres.
Le Pacte pour l’Avenir, adopté en septembre dernier, appelle à une réforme profond des institutions financières mondiales – afin qu’elles soient au service de tous.
Il est temps que les pays en développement soient équitablement représentés dans ces institutions. D’ailleurs, comme au Conseil de Sécurité des Nations-Unies.
Nous avons besoin d’un système qui reflète les réalités du XXIème siècle – un système plus juste, plus solidaire et plus efficace.
C’est pourquoi j’appelle les institutions financières, les bailleurs bilatéraux et multilatéraux, les banques de développement et le secteur privé à répondre présent – y compris lors de la quatrième Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement à Séville.
Chers amis,
De Dakar à Djibouti, du Cap à Casablanca, l’Afrique prouve qu’on peut conjuguer prospérité et préservation.
Le monde a besoin de l’Afrique pour répondre aux défis de l’océan.
Et l’océan a besoin d’une Afrique qui trace sa voie et navigue résolument vers l’avenir.
Je vous remercie.
*** [All-English]
Your Royal Highness, Princess Lalla Hasnaa of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. President of the French Republic, Dear Emmanuel Macron, Excellencies, Dear friends,
Thank you for organizing this summit to reaffirm a clear message:
The destinies of Africa and the ocean are deeply linked.
For millions of people across the continent, the ocean is a source of life, identity and promise.
With over 30,000 kilometers of coastline and 38 coastal states, Africa is a maritime powerhouse.
Its future is also written in its waters.
But this blue wealth is too often undervalued and overexploited.
Maritime insecurity threatens peace.
Pollution poisons coasts and ecosystems.
And the climate crisis – that Africa did little to cause – is ravaging its shores.
In the face of these challenges, Africa is proposing, innovating, taking action.
It is forging solutions that inspire far beyond the continent.
We see this in ambitious regional cooperation projects – and in the African Union’s 2050 Integrated Maritime Strategy for the Seas and Oceans to 2050.
And we see it in international negotiations, where Africa is making its voice heard loud and clear.
The Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction – the BBNJ Agreement – is one example.
The African Group was a key player in the negotiations, securing commitments on equitable benefit sharing, capacity building and marine technology transfer.
To date, 28 African states have signed the Agreement. Three have already ratified it. These numbers have increased with the news that President Macron shared with us earlier today.
And several more are planning to do so today, at the special treaty ceremony for the BBNJ Agreement.
This is a strong signal: Africa is at the heart of ocean action.
But to fully unleash this potential, we need a political and financial surge.
This begins by strengthening maritime security in the face of transnational threats – piracy, arms and human trafficking and organized crime.
The United Nations will continue to support African efforts, notably through the Yaoundé Architecture, which has contributed to a significant decline in acts of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
This also requires ocean governance based on science and cooperation.
We must combat pollution and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, strengthen capacities for collecting and sharing oceanographic data, and protect biodiversity.
We must promote renewable marine energies, sustainable aquaculture and tourism – all of which create decent jobs, in particular for young people and women.
But these efforts will only bear fruit if Africa is connected — within its territories and with the rest of the world.
Africa’s oceans must become integration corridors – linking coastal and landlocked countries, for a shared growth.
This calls for concrete investments in maritime infrastructures – interconnected ports, resilient to climate change, capable of meeting the needs of growing trade.
Landlocked states must be connected to global value chains.
No country should be left behind.
But for this transformation to be sustainable and equitable, we must put an end to historical injustices.
These injustices are also reflected in the ocean: investments have too often bypassed Africa, even as its marine resources were exploited by others.
The Pact for the Future, adopted last September, calls for deep reforms of global financial institutions – so that they serve everyone.
It is time for developing countries to be fairly represented in these institutions.
We need a system that reflects the realities of the 21st century – a system that is more just, more supportive, and more effective. As is the the case with the United Nations Security Council.
That is why I call on financial institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, development banks and the private sector to step up – including at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville.
Dear friends,
From Dakar to Djibouti, from Cape Town to Casablanca, Africa is proving that prosperity and preservation can go hand in hand.
The world needs Africa to meet the ocean’s challenges.
And the ocean needs an Africa that charts its own course and navigates decisively toward the future.
