It’s a little pill with big responsibilities. But despite its primary role to prevent pregnancy, the contraceptive pill (or ‘the Pill’) could also help reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, according to new research from the University of South Australia.
Screening for risk factors of ovarian cancer using artificial intelligence, UniSA researchers found that the oral contraceptive pill reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 26% among women who had ever used the Pill, and by 43% for women who had used the Pill after the age of 45.
The study also identified some biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer risk, including several characteristics of red blood cells and certain liver enzymes in the blood, with lower body weight and shorter stature associating with a lower risk of ovarian cancer.
Researchers also found that women who had given birth to two or more children had a 39% reduced risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to those who had not had children.
Ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February, the findings have potential to support early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
“In this research, we found that women who had used the oral contraceptive pill had a lower risk of ovarian cancer. And those who had last used the Pill in their mid-40s, had an even lower level of risk.
“This poses the question as to whether interventions that reduce the number of ovulations could be used as a potential target for prevention strategies for ovarian cancer.”
Supported by the MRFF, the study used artificial intelligence to assess the data of 221,732 females (aged 37-73 at baseline) in the UK Biobank.
Machine learning specialist, UniSA’s Dr Iqbal Madakkatel, says the study shows how artificial intelligence can help to identify risk factors that may otherwise have gone undetected.
“We included information from almost 3000 diverse characteristics related to health, medication use, diet and lifestyle, physical measures, metabolic, and hormonal factors, each measured at the start of the study,” Dr Madakkatel says.
“It was particularly interesting that some blood measures – which were measured on average 12.6 years before diagnoses – were predictive of ovarian cancer risk, because it suggests we may be able to develop tests to identify women at risk at a very early stage.”
Project Lead, Professor Elina Hyppönen, says that identifying risk factors for ovarian cancer could help to improve survival rates through prevention and earlier detection.
“It is exciting that our data-driven analyses have uncovered key risk factors for ovarian cancer that can be acted upon,” Prof Hyppönen says.
“It is possible that by using the contraceptive pill to reduce ovulations or by reducing harmful adiposity, we may be able to lower to risk of ovarian cancer. But more research is needed to establish the best approaches to prevention, as well as the ways in which we can identify women most at risk.”
At 9.30pm on Friday 31 January 2025, emergency services were called to a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle on Abbotsfield Road, Claremont.A 40 year old male was transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital with minor injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery.Investigations are continuing into circumstances around the incident. Police would like to speak to anyone who may have seen a silver 1996 Toyota Camry in the area of Abbotsfield Road at the time.Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
This vaccine is designed to protect young infants from severe RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). It does so by generating the production of antibodies against RSV in the mother, which then travel across the placenta to the baby.
While the RSV vaccine is a new addition to the National Immunisation Program, it’s one of three vaccines provided free for pregnant women under the program, alongside ones for influenza and whooping cough. Each offers important protection for newborn babies.
The RSV vaccine
RSV is the most common cause of lower respiratory infections (bronchiolitis and pneumonia) in infants. It’s estimated that of every 100 infants born in Australia each year, at least two will be hospitalised with RSV by six months of age.
RSV infection is most common roughly between March and August in the southern hemisphere, but infection can occur year-round, especially in tropical areas.
The vaccine works by conferring passive immunity (from the mother) as opposed to active immunity (the baby’s own immune response). By the time the baby is born, their antibodies are sufficient to protect them during the first months of life when they are most vulnerable to severe RSV disease.
The RSV vaccine registered for use in pregnant women in Australia, Abrysvo, has been used since 2023 in the Americas and Europe. Real-world experience there shows it’s working well.
For example, over the 2024 RSV season in Argentina, it was found to prevent 72.7% of lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV and requiring hospitalisation in infants aged 0–3 months, and 68% among those aged 0–6 months. This research noted three deaths from RSV, all in infants whose mothers did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy.
This was similar to protection seen in a large multinational clinical trial that compared babies born to mothers who received this RSV vaccine with babies born to mothers who received a placebo. This study found the vaccine prevented 82.4% of severe cases of RSV in infants aged under three months, and 70% under six months, and that the vaccine was safe.
In addition to the maternal vaccine, nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, provides effective protection against severe RSV disease. It’s delivered to the baby by an intramuscular injection, usually in the thigh.
Nirsevimab is recommended for babies born to women who did not receive an RSV vaccine during pregnancy, or who are born within two weeks of their mother having received the shot (most likely if they’re born prematurely). It may also be recommended for babies who are at higher risk of RSV due to a medical condition, even if their mother was vaccinated.
But now we have a safe and effective RSV vaccine for pregnancy, all pregnant women should be encouraged to receive it as the first line of prevention. This will maximise the number of babies protected during their first months of life.
Flu and whooping cough
It’s also important pregnant women continue to receive flu and whooping cough vaccines in 2025. Like the RSV vaccine, these protect infants by passing antibodies from mother to baby.
The whooping cough vaccine, given in combination with diphtheria and tetanus, prevents more than 90% of whooping cough cases in babies too young to receive their first whooping cough vaccine dose.
Similarly, influenza can be deadly in young babies, and maternal flu vaccination substantially reduces hospital visits associated with influenza for babies under six months. Flu can also be serious for pregnant women, so the vaccine offers important protection for the mother as well.
The RSV vaccine is now available for pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program. Olga Rolenko/Shutterstock
We know vaccination rates have declined in a variety of groups since the pandemic, and there’s evidence emerging that suggests this trend has occurred in pregnant women too.
A recent preprint (a study yet to be peer-reviewed) found a decrease of nearly ten percentage points in flu vaccine coverage among pregnant women in New South Wales, from 58.8% in 2020 to 49.1% in 2022. The research showed a smaller drop of 1.4 percentage points for whooping cough, from 79% in 2020 to 77.6% in 2022.
It’s important to work to improve vaccination rates during pregnancy to give babies the best protection in their first months of life.
We know pregnant women would like to receive information about new and routine maternal vaccines early in pregnancy. In particular, many pregnant women want to understand how vaccines are tested for safety, and their effectiveness, which was evident during COVID.
GPs and midwives are trusted sources of information on vaccines in pregnancy. There’s also information available online on Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation, a collaboration led by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.
Archana Koirala is the chair of the Vaccination Special Interest Group and an executive member of the Australia and New Zealand Paediatric Infectious Diseases group of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases. She has received funding to her institution from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care and NSW government for her research activities.
Bianca Middleton is a member of Vaccination Special Interest Group of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases. She is an investigator on several research studies funded by NHMRC/ MRFF, and also an investigator on an industry-sponsored clinical vaccine trial. She does not receive any direct funding from industry.
Prof Margie Danchin receives funding from NHMRC, MRFF, Victorian and Commonwealth government and DFAT and WHO. She is a member of Vaccination Special Interest Group of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases (ASID), Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
Peter McIntyre receives funding from the Health Research Council (New Zealand) and the Otago Medical Research Foundation and until the end of 2024 was a member of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts for immunisation
Rebecca Doyle 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.
Government of Yukon invests $2.3 million in Planet Youth pilot project to address youth substance use jlutz
The Government of Yukon is investing $2.3 million for four Yukon First Nations to participate in a five-year Planet Youth pilot project addressing youth substance use. The First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, working with both Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation and Selkirk First Nation, and Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation will each implement Planet Youth’s evidence-based Icelandic Prevention Model to address various issues affecting youth in their communities including substance use, mental health, social integration and resilience building.
As a key prevention action under the Substance Use Health Emergency Strategy, this initiative focuses on community-driven, data-informed strategies to reduce youth substance use and foster healthier environments. The two selected applications demonstrate a clear understanding of the Planet Youth model’s values and propose robust plans for diverse community coalitions to support its implementation.
The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation’s application highlights the model’s potential to help identify local needs and encourage youth and community engagement through data-driven efforts.
Similarly, the application submitted by First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation and Selkirk First Nation emphasizes how the model aligns with their cultural traditions of collective responsibility and community-driven action. The three First Nations’ coalition approach incorporates the involvement of Elders, Knowledge Keepers and representatives across their communities to design and execute prevention strategies tailored to local challenges and opportunities.
In 2025, the pilot project will start with planning and developing educational modules in collaboration with the Planet Youth team. Comprehensive data collection and action implementation will follow in 2026–27.
This milestone is a significant step in the Yukon’s Substance Use Health Emergency Strategy, aiming to reduce substance use and improve the overall health and wellbeing among Yukon youth.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep alarm over relentless attacks on populated areas in Ukraine and their devastating impact on children.
“I’m devastated by the ongoing attacks hitting heavily populated areas and killing and injuring many people, including children,” said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine, in a statement on Saturday.
In Poltava, a missile strike on a residential building reportedly injured three children, while at least four others were reportedly wounded in Kramatorsk, Sumy and Synelnykove in recent days.
The violence has left children not only with physical wounds but also deep psychological scars.
“These brutal attacks do not only cause physical and mental harm but strike at the holistic development of children,” Mr. Mammadzade stressed.
Schools damaged
The attacks are also taking a devastating toll on education.
In Odesa, two schools were reportedly damaged – one of which had received shatter-resistant film from UNICEF, preventing major interior damage. Two other schools in Nikopol and Zaporizhzhia also suffered damage.
UNICEF reiterated its call for the protection of children and the infrastructure they rely on such as schools, health facilities, social services and energy systems.
“Hitting heavily populated areas with explosive weapons must be avoided for the sake of every child, every civilian,” Mr. Mammadzade urged.
He also emphasised the need for a sustained peace, one in which children can recover from war, regain their education and rebuild their futures.
Health system under strain
The violence has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation, amid widespread destruction of homes, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.
Fighting has intensified along the Donetsk and Kharkiv frontlines, leading to mass displacement. In the first two weeks of January alone, over 1,600 people, including children, fled their homes, with mandatory evacuations ordered for families in high-risk areas, according to the Health Cluster.
Authorities reported the evacuation of 132 people, including 12 children, from Donetsk oblast on 11 January, while on 23 January, 267 children were evacuated from high-risk areas in Kharkiv oblast.
Responding to the situation, Health Cluster partners, in collaboration with local authorities, continue to deploy mobile medical teams to provide essential healthcare services and mental health and psychosocial support.
In January alone, teams delivered essential health services to 578 people in two designated transit centers in Kharkiv and Dnipro oblasts.
Led by UN World Health Organization (WHO), the Health Cluster coordinates the efforts of over 900 partners globally to address health needs in humanitarian emergencies, providing expertise, capacity-building and technical guidance to ensure effective and life-saving responses in crisis-affected regions.
Shapiro Administration Hosts Maternal Healthcare Roundtable with Pennsylvanians Affected by Substance Use Disorder to Inform Strategic Plan to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes
Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, along with leadership from the departments of Human Services (DHS) and Health (DOH), joined substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers, those with lived experience, local government and judicial officials, and others for a roundtable discussion to seek feedback on the development of Commonwealth’s Maternal Health Strategic Plan specific to the SUD-related care for pregnant and postpartum women.
At the roundtable, Shapiro Administration leaders learned firsthand what barriers Pennsylvanians experience when trying to access SUD maternal health care and heard about the role stigma plays in accessing care.
“The Shapiro Administration understands the impact of substance use disorders on pregnant and postpartum women and their children,” said Secretary Davis-Jones. “DDAP and our sister agencies are committed to implementing a comprehensive plan to ensure that pregnant women don’t just survive before, during, and after pregnancy-but truly thrive.”
Interviews Include: Dr. Latika Davis-Jones – Secretary, PA Dept. of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Dr. Debra Bogen – Secretary, PA Dept. of Health Dr. Val Arkoosh – Secretary, PA Dept. of Human Services CJ – Client, West Chester Sommer – Client, Coatesville Jamie Johnson – Exec. Dir. of Chester County Drug & Alcohol
. Gov. Kelly Announces Winners of 2nd Annual New Venture Competition
LINCOLN, NE – Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly awarded prizes to three teams of aspiring college entrepreneurs through the 2nd Annual Nebraska Governor’s New Venture Competition. Awardees were announced during Thursday’s Nebraska Business Hall of Fame banquet at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel. Ten teams were selected as semi-finalists. The winners, prize amounts and a description of each project follow:
First Place: Golden Garden Compost, UNO, $20,000 prize
Golden Garden Compost creates premium organic compost for home gardeners using efficient production and innovative marketing to maximize profits.
Second Place: brAIn Rot, UNL, $15,000 prize
brAIn Rot is an educational platform that helps developers enhance their coding skills by solving real world puzzles and competing in coding contests.
Third Place: IndoFilm, UNL, $10,000 prize
InfoFilm helps share the impactful stories within the agriculture industry through videography, product photography, branding photography and social media management.
“This program is a great opportunity to publicize and support Nebraska-based ideas with world-changing potential,” said Lt. Gov. Kelly. “This year’s pool of finalists brought a variety of ideas to impact education, healthcare, agriculture, AI and other significant areas. They are risk takers willing to put in the long hours for the potential rewards of starting a new venture and watching it blossom.”
Governor Jim Pillen created the competition in 2023 to showcase and encourage student-led entrepreneurship. The competition is designed for contemplated and pre-seed businesses. Applicants must designate how their business falls into one of nine industry tracks: Agtech, Fintech/Insurtech, Cleantech, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotech/Healthtech, Emerging Media Arts, Sportstech, General Tech and the Bioeconomy. Submissions must have been received by Dec. 15, 2024.
This year, 15 teams – including undergraduate and graduate students – submitted proposals. Participating teams hailed from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), University of Nebraska – Omaha (UNO), University of Nebraska – Kearney (UNK) and Metro Community College (MCC). The 15 teams made their initial pitch virtually to a panel of judges representing Flyover Capital, Nebraska Innovation Labs, Nelnet Ventures, Redbud VC and Tech Nebraska. Judges evaluated each project and whittled the group to 10 semi-finalists.
“Starting a business is hard enough but starting a business while also attending college is extremely challenging due to time constraints and academic obligations,” said Dan Hoffman, CEO of Invest Nebraska. “Nebraska’s entrepreneurial ecosystem of startup founders, funders, and service providers are excited to mentor and support these young teams as they begin their entrepreneurial journey.”
Semi-finalist teams were mentored leading up to their final project presentation yesterday during the Nebraska State Chamber of Commerce annual meeting. The judges, from Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, MOVE Venture Capital, Nelnet, Nave Analytics, Nebraska Public Power District andWorkshop, selected the awardees.
“I appreciate that Governor Pillen is prioritizing entrepreneurship as a key economic development strategy,” said Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) Director K.C. Belitz. “The New Venture Competition is a great way to showcase and encourage the inventiveness of Nebraska’s rising generation. Across the state, we’re building an entrepreneurial ecosystem to support young Nebraskans in turning their ideas into successful businesses.”
“Congratulations to the 15 teams of students who shared their ideas for pursuing an entrepreneurial opportunity and competed in the New Venture Competition,” added Nebraska Chamber President Bryan Slone. “We’re always excited to support the next generation of Nebraska business professionals and it was exciting to watch these young entrepreneurs reach new heights.”
Sponsors for the New Venture Competition include the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), Invest Nebraska, Nebraska Diplomats, Nebraska Economic Developers Association (NEDA) and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED).
For more information about the Governor’s New Venture Competition, visit the contest’s website: https://negovnewventure.com.
First Place Team Golden Garden Compost of the University of Nebraska – Omaha
Second Place Team brAIn Rot of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Third Place Team InfoFilm of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Topics: NDIS; Foundational Supports; The Budget, Antisemitism; Nature Positive bill; Peter Dutton’s proposed investor visa.
ANDREW CLENNELL, HOST: Joining me live is the new NDIS Minister. She replaced Bill Shorten about a month ago, Amanda Rishworth, thanks for your time. Let me start with this news I’ve just revealed. Can you tell us what is the nature of the one-year deal being offered by the PM on Foundational Support money for the NDIS and why is it being tied to the hospital agreement?
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR THE NATIONAL DISABILTY INSURANCE SCHEME: Firstly, I would say it’s not new that we are working with the states and territories to develop Foundational Supports. In fact, I have been working with my counterparts to work out the design of Foundational Supports, what they might look like and how we might go forward on that in terms of the agreements with states and territories. There are a lot of agreements with states and territories that our government is progressing. Certainly, the health reform is one of those. NDIS reform is another one. So, there is a lot of agreements to land with states and territories and what I’ve been doing is working very hard to put some meat on the bones about what we would be funding with Foundational Supports.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Well, you say it’s not new. The fact it’s a one-year deal is new, isn’t it, that you’re looking at?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: We’ve been working towards Foundational Supports for a long time. I’m not privy to the First Ministers negotiations, but I’ve been working very much with the idea of how we stand up supports outside the NDIS that are there to support people that may not need the intensity that the NDIS provides. So, the First Ministers will continue to have their discussions, but I’m certainly working on what Foundational Support looks like. How do we roll those out and how do we make a difference outside side of the scheme so that there are supports available.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Do you expect states to be providing these Foundational Supports by mid-year as envisioned? Are the states fair dinkum about this or could the deal just collapse?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: It’s never been expected that all the Foundational Supports would be stood up this year. Indeed, as the review outlined, they will have to be rolled out in a progressive way. But we’ve had good cooperation with states and territories. Just one example of a system change that we have with South Australia, for example, is what’s called the Inklings program. And the idea of that is to provide intervention before there is a diagnosis to ensure that children are put on a strong developmental pathway and don’t need the NDIS. There is already work being done around what these systems look like outside the NDIS. But we’ll keep working with the states and territories to start sending these supports up.
ANDREW CLENNELL: What money are you proposing to give the states to deliver these services which can act as a NDIS substitute? Is there a danger of just cost shifting from the NDIS or are there going to be real savings here?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Let’s be clear. The NDIS is a joint endeavour by states and territories and the Commonwealth, and they co-govern. But what we’re talking about, and the review made it clear, is that for some people, for some children as well, that may have developmental delay, they might be served outside of the scheme with lower intensity supports. So, they don’t require the full individualised plan that is provided by the NDIS. And just in the nature of the way the supports will be delivered, they will be a lower cost. But I have to say, Andrew, when it comes to sustainability of the NDIS, Foundational Supports are not the only element that goes to sustainability. There is a lot of work we’ve been doing and will continue to do to improve the sustainability of the scheme and to hit that 8 per cent growth target which we are on track for.
ANDREW CLENNELL: I’m told, in terms of saving money through the Foundational Support one example is the Federal Government would want schools to have a staff speech pathologist, for example, rather than have say 10 private speech pathologists visit schools to see students one on one. Is that a good example of what you’re trying to achieve here?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I don’t want to be so prescriptive because we’re still working through it, but a good example would be if a child might have some fine motor delay. Rather than an individualised plan that has a range of different supports they might be serviced with, for example, some adaptive technology like some specialised cutlery that helps them with their fine motor skills and perhaps some periodic OT input rather than a full individualised plan that gets reassessed and re put in place every single year. So, they are the types of things that we are looking at. How do you provide much more targeted, much more often episodic or periodic interventions that do not require this sort of individualised plan. I don’t think anyone accepted that for children with developmental delay that they would have an individualised plan for a lifetime. That certainly was not the vision for the scheme which is for significant and permanent impairment. So, we’ve got to work and identify these. Things look different in different states and that’s why systems are different in different states, and we will be working with each state and territory about what that looks like and how it might be delivered.
ANDREW CLENNELL: How did we get to the point where something like 35 per cent of people on this scheme have autism? Could there be closer scrutiny of who gets this support? When this scheme was set up, it was for people with significant and permanent disability. There was even an ANU study in 2023 which suggested there were more autism diagnoses in this country and that could be linked to accessing the NDIS.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: What the review said, Andrew, was that with the NDIS the only level of support, I think the review said is the only lifeboat in the ocean. Of course it has led to people gravitate to get support. That is partly what I said Foundational Supports are about. It’s also partly that there are two pathways in the NDIS. Firstly, the permanent and significant pathway and then there’s the early intervention pathway. And for me, I want to make sure that the early intervention pathway is making a difference, that it is evidence based and that we are seeing interventions that improve the developmental trajectory of a child, so that they don’t need to, on an ongoing basis, actually rely on the NDIS. The NDIS was never designed that it would be diagnosis driven. It was about functional capacity and what supports you need. We need to get back to having a focus on that and also make sure for those that may need a lower intensity of support, that it’s out there in the broader community through different service systems. And that’s what we’re working to. And quite frankly it’s been really left to drift under the previous government. There wasn’t the sustained focus. Now Former Minister Shorten had a sustained focus on this and I will continue that.
ANDREW CLENNELL: When Julia Gillard rose in the Parliament to announce this scheme, she said there were more than 400,000 people living with significant and permanent disabilities. And then 13 years later, we have 650,000 participants of the scheme. How many people do you envisage in say three to five years being on this scheme?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I don’t have those projections, but I have to say what’s driving the scheme is or the costs in the scheme is not only the number of participants on the Scheme. It has been identified that intra-plan inflation also has an impact on the fiscal elements of the Scheme. So, while numbers are important, we’ve got to make sure that eligibility is correct and that it’s significant and permanent. And the supports put in place are about supporting people with supports that are reasonable and necessary. It is not just the numbers that are driving the cost. Here we had a situation where we’ve put some new rules in place to be clear about what’s funded and what’s not. There were grey areas about what is funded, what was not, and so we were seeing some confusion around that. We’ve put very clear guidelines now about what should be funded and what shouldn’t be funded. We’ve also put some clear guidelines about how people manage their budgets and their plans, and also make sure, for example, that there isn’t service providers gouging participants. It’s taken a lot of work to look at how we bring these costs down. Just to give you an example, 2021-22, when the previous government was in charge, there was a 23 per cent growth in the cost of the scheme. 2024-25 we have been able to bring that down to about 12 per cent.
ANDREW CLENNELL: It’s still 12 per cent. Your target’s eight per cent. Let me ask you this, I appreciate your point on the numbers, but Julia Gillard spoke about 400,000. We’ve now got 650,000. Could you envisage a million Australians being on the NDIS? Because it looks like we’re headed that way.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I don’t think that’s right to characterise the trajectory. I’ll just give you an example. Recently, the numbers were revised of the number of Australians living with disability in this country, and it’s 5.5 million people. So, if we look at the numbers that are on the NDIS, it is certainly not all people living with disability in Australia. And of course, that 5.5 million had been revised, up from over 4.5 million. So, we are seeing the trajectory of people reporting disability increase in this country across the board. Not all of them are on the NDIS. In fact, only a small proportion of people are getting support from the NDIS. And that’s why we’ve got to be continuing to work hard to look at what other supports we can give people to make sure that they don’t need necessarily the NDIS but can get support elsewhere.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Peter Dutton’s spoken about cutting 36,000 public servants. Your predecessor, Bill Shorten, won the budget support to hire another 1,000 public servants in a bid to get the NDIS under control. In particular to look at eligibility for the scheme, what progress have they so far made and what sort of people are now being rejected from the scheme that were being accepted?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I need to be clear in terms of the early intervention pathway, there has always been a reassessment at six years of age and nine years of age, because we’re hoping, of course, that the early interventions has made a difference and those children do not require the scheme anymore. Thee work that’s been undertaken is to make sure that those reassessments have happened. When Peter Dutton talks about cutting public servants, what he’s saying is he doesn’t want those reassessments to happen. He doesn’t want to make sure that plans are done efficiently, effectively and quickly. Is he planning to cut the Fraud Fusion Task Force? Because there was no focus on fraud in the NDIS previously. That requires people from across agencies to make sure that taxpayers money is spent correctly and is not gouged. When it comes to my other hat as Social Services Minister, is he talking about pensioners waiting on the phone for longer? These are frontline public servants that are making a difference. But importantly, when it comes to the NDIS, paying attention to all these elements that the previous government dropped, whether it’s fraud, whether it’s reassessment, whether it’s proper efficient planning, whether it’s responsiveness when people have a query, they are the public servants that Peter Dutton is talking about.
ANDREW CLENNELL: I just want to get through a couple more things. When it comes to a possible budget, we don’t know if it’s happening or during the election campaign the PM, Treasurer and Finance Minister have flagged more cost-of-living assistance. I ask you, in your social services portfolio, do you expect to be promising more in terms of rental assistance or in terms of welfare benefits or pension payments?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: We’ve been working through the budget process and Andrew; you’ll be not surprised. I won’t be announcing what will be in the budget here today, but when it comes to supporting people with cost of living, it’s clear. Two rent assistance increases that have led to the largest rent assistance in over 30 years. Of course we’ve increased other payments, we’ve improved arrangements for the pension, supporting pensioners with cost of living, we’ve supported more pensioners onto the concession card, helping them with cost doctors. Of course, there’s been medicines and a range of other cost of living measures. So, we’ve got a strong record when it comes to supporting people right across the board, including our tax cuts. Look, I’m going to say watch out on budget night. I know you’re an avid watcher of the budget and all will be revealed on budget night.
ANDREW CLENNELL: It sounds like you think there is a budget, Amanda Rishworth. I’m not so confident we’ll see in good time. I wanted to ask now about but this issue of the anti-Semitic attacks and the criticism of the Prime Minister in terms of either he didn’t get briefings, and he should investigate it. That’s what Peter Dutton and the opposition say. Or another version I’ve heard is he’s hearing things but not broadcasting them. There Is a fine balance here, isn’t there? Could it be politically detrimental for the Government if he doesn’t look on top of it? The Prime Minister?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I think this is a ridiculous criticism from Peter Dutton and just shows that all he wants to do is play politics with what is a really serious issue. It is unacceptable that there are people of Jewish faith feeling unsafe in this country. But for the Government it is about being responsible in making sure people are actually safe, not playing politics. And I have to say, ensuring police and security agencies, can do their job and keep the community safe should be, in my view, the number one outcome we all want to see. So, if the leader of the Opposition just wants to play politics with this then he should be condemned, quite frankly, because it is about what leads to safety in our community. That should be a priority of every member of Parliament.
ANDREW CLENNELL: Health Minister Mark Butler made an announcement Friday concerning the establishment of an inquiry into the use of gender changing medicine. Is this a bid to head off Peter Dutton doing a Donald Trump on this issue this year?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: These guidelines have not been reviewed since 2018. It is timely that the guidelines be reviewed with the most up to date evidence, particularly when we’re talking about children. As a mum I would like to know that the guidelines are absolutely up to date, we’ve got proper medical evidence on the table and that young people in this country are getting the best possible medical care. So, it is timely that the evidence is looked at, that the input from research is added and that we have the most up to date medical guidelines in this country.
ANDREW CLENNELL: The Nature Positive bill, it looks dead in this term of Parliament. The Prime Minister is going to pull it. I understand?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I think it’s clear that The Greens keep making more and more extreme demands. Peter Dutton has been incredibly oppositional to this will not even engage. This is despite the Samuel review identifying that both businesses wanted faster approvals, and we needed stronger protections for our environment. But with this type of opposition and people not willing to have discussions and make compromises, I think it’s clear that we won’t be able to pursue this piece of legislation in the Parliament.
ANDREW CLENNELL: What do you make of these comments by Peter Dutton at a fundraiser that he might reintroduce this significant investor visa and him trying to re-establish relations with the Chinese Australian community?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I would say when it comes to migration, it just shows Peter Dutton likes to talk a lot of political game. But when it comes down to taking action, he failed to support our legislation to put a cap on international students. After being lobbied against that, he has now signalled that he will bring back a visa that we abolished. It really does show that he’s not serious when it comes to tackling our migration system. But we shouldn’t be surprised because he left it in a complete mess when he was in charge. And of course, you know, we’re getting down to the political season. You know, there’ll be a lot of political statements made clearly in the leader of the opposition’s case, it is contradictory from one day to the other, but that’s politics and that’s an election season.
ANDREW CLENNELL: We’ll have plenty more of it. Amanda Rishworth, thanks so much for your time.
A new ‘Blueprint for Growth’ to supercharge Liverpool’s knowledge sector over the next 15 years is set to create more than a million sq ft of new laboratory and workspace in the city.
Knowledge Quarter Liverpool’s urban innovation district and placemaking organisation has pledged to help create a range of inclusive innovation opportunities and inspire future generations by focussing on skills development, community engagement, collaboration and inward investment.
KQ Liverpool’s new 2040 vision has been created following consultation with more than fifty local stakeholders and is underpinned by three core principles; to Convene and Collaborate, Amplify and Attract, Invent and Innovate.
As Liverpool and the wider city region continue to suffer from serious inequalities around issues such as health, education and deprivation, tackling those will be crucial to KQ Liverpool’s future plans, alongside support for the essential community work carried out by its partners.
This will involve expansion of its existing KQ Futures programme, enabled through the Liverpool City Region Health and Life Sciences Innovation Zone, to engage and inspire local young people about the various career opportunities that exist in their home city in specialist sectors. In 2024, KQ Liverpool hosted hundreds of students at its innovation sites and published an illustrated children’s book, Animates: Learning in Liverpool, which was delivered to every primary school in the city region.
It will also seek to boost business growth, job creation and investment into the area while promoting the city region’s high-growth priorities around health and life sciences, materials innovation, AI and robotics. This includes supporting scale-up as well as start-up businesses and simplifying the business support and funding landscape to encourage more innovation-led organisations to start, relocate and stay.
The physical development of the innovation district itself is another key element of the new vision.
KQ Liverpool will work with developers and investors including Sciontec to create more than a million sq ft of new laboratory and workspace.
It will play an important role in unlocking the potential of development sites such as Paddington South, Mount Pleasant and Copperas Hill and shaping transport and connectivity improvements across the district, thus making it more accessible and recognisable to residents, businesses and visitors.
There will also be fresh focus on the collective influence of KQ Liverpool and its partners around important national and international issues and challenges, rather than the physical boundary of the district itself, helping to attract inward investment and showcase the strengths of its innovation ecosystem.
Speaking on behalf of the wide range of partners engaged in KQ Liverpool, its chair Andrew Lewis, who is also Liverpool City Council’s Chief Executive, said: “Our 2040 vision is about improving the lives of those who live and work here, for years to come. We want to create an innovation generation, supporting new skills in our local communities, highlighting the many incredible innovations that happen here in KQ Liverpool, and encouraging future generations of science and technology pioneers to call Liverpool their home.
“We can be proud of the innovation ecosystem and partnerships we have created here in Liverpool, bringing high quality jobs and investment into the city centre, through spin-outs, SMEs, multinationals and global investors who see the enormous potential of KQ Liverpool as a place to do business and create long-term opportunities.”
Colin Sinclair, chief executive of KQ Liverpool, said: “The foundation of our success to date has been the strength of our partnership, exceeding expectations by challenging the norm and refusing to accept anything average or ordinary.
“Going forward, our 2040 vision amplifies that ambition. As a partnership, we will do everything in our power to make this place and peoples’ lives better.”
For further information about KQ Liverpool or the new KQ Liverpool 2040 : A Blueprint for Growth, please click here.
Liverpool will play host to the prestigious 2025 British Chess Championships alongside a wider chess festival this summer as organisers hope to put on the strongest event in its 121-year history.
Britain’s top chess players will converge on Liverpool from July 31 to August 10 as the English Chess Federation’s flagship annual event comes to the city for only the second time, it was announced on Friday.
It will culminate in new British champions being named at all age groups.
A series of tournaments featuring the cream of Britain’s chess talent, including the Open and Women’s championships, will be held in Liverpool’s landmark St George’s Hall. A weekend congress for amateurs will also be held at the nearby Liverpool Holiday Inn in Lime Street.
Alongside the competitive events, Liverpool will host a festival and programme of social and cultural activities organised in association with the city’s historic Liverpool Chess Club.
This will be the 111th British Chess Championships—a series that has run almost unbroken since 1904.
The last two British Chess Championships, held in Leicester and Hull, have seen record numbers competing. Continuing growth is expected this year.
UK chess has also been experiencing a boom in participation among amateurs and success at the top level. In 2024, two new English grandmasters were named: teenage sensation Shreyas Royal and England’s newest grandmaster Ameet Ghasi.
The event is being put on by the English Chess Federation in partnership with Liverpool City Council and St George’s Hall, with support from the Chess Trust and the John Robinson Chess Trust.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “Liverpool has a long and rich connection with chess and it’s a hugely popular activity in schools and communities so we are delighted to be hosting the British Chess Championships later this summer.
“St George’s Hall, with its incredible architecture and acoustics, will offer the perfect backdrop, lending itself perfectly to quiet, focused gameplay, which is sure to result in a thrilling competition for contestants and spectators alike.
“This is yet another coup for Liverpool, as we continue to position ourselves as a versatile events city, and we look forward to working closely with the English Chess Federation and Chess In Schools and Communities to give a warm Liverpool welcome to the best of the best from the chess world.”
It is a welcome return to Liverpool, a city steeped in chess culture. Liverpool boasts a thriving local league and, in Liverpool Chess Club, one of the oldest chess clubs in the world founded in 1837. Atticus Chess Club, based in the Cross Keys Pub in Earle Street, is also a former winner of the national club championships.
Chess was also a key theme as the city hosted the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest for Ukraine with school children encouraged to learn the game to honour the link with Liverpool’s sister city, Odesa. Schools were tasked with producing Eurovision-themed chess pieces and a unique chess event featuring players from Liverpool and Ukraine was held at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church.
Liverpool last hosted the British in 2008, the year the city was named the European Capital of Culture. That year, Grandmaster Stuart Conquest emerged victorious as the 2008 Open champion while International Master Jovanka Houska won the first of her nine Women’s titles.
Nigel Towers, the English Chess Federation’s Director for Home Chess, said: “2008 was recognised as a strong event with many titled players. However, we expect the return visit in 2025 to provide an even more competitive championship and one of the strongest British tournaments ever given the increasing numbers of active British grandmasters and international masters and the current generation of top-level juniors.”
Amos Burn, one of the world’ strongest chess players in the 19th century, was a member of the Liverpool Chess Club from 1867 until his death in 1925, serving as its president for many years.
Among the top players Liverpool has produced are four-time British Women’s champion Sheila Jackson, the 15th Correspondence World Championship winner John Carleton and International Masters Gary Quillan and Malcolm Pein, a former British junior champion. Nearby Southport has also produced two grandmasters in Nigel Davies and Stuart Haslinger.
On the morning of 1 February, an RSF explosive hit a market in Omdurman, Khartoum state, causing a scene of devastation at the MSF supported Al Nao hospital as patients, dead bodies and family members arrived at the hospital.
The Ministry of Health said the attack killed 54 people and injured 158. Medics working in Al Nao hospital described a dreadful scene with men and women, young and old, being brought in for treatment.
MSF General Secretary Chris Lockyear was in Al Nao hospital as patients started arriving after this atrocious attack.
“I can see the lives of men, women and children torn apart with injured people lying in every possible space in the emergency room as medics do what they can. There are dozens and dozens of people with devastating injuries, the morgue is full of dead bodies. What I see in front of me is a scene of utter carnage, yet another tragic example of this relentless war on people.”
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Why has any discussion about Israel, its violations of international law, and the international legal expectations for third party states to hold IDF soldiers accountable not been addressed in Aotearoa New Zealand?
ANALYSIS:By Katrina Mitchell-Kouttab
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa national chair John Minto’s campaign to identify Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers in New Zealand and then call a PSNA number hotline has come under intense criticism from the likes of Winston Peters, Stephen Rainbow, the Jewish Council and NZ media outlets. Accusations of antisemitism have been made.
Despite making it clear that holding IDF soldiers accountable for potential war crimes is his goal, not banning all Israelis or targeting Jewish people, there are many just concerns regarding Minto’s campaign. He is clear that his focus remains on justice, not on creating divisions or fostering discrimination, but he has failed to provide strict criteria to distinguish between individuals directly involved in human rights violations and those who are innocent, or to ground the campaign in legal frameworks and due process.
Any allegations of participation in war crimes should be submitted through proper legal channels, not through the PSNA. Broader advocacy could have been used to address concerns of accountability and to minimise any risk that the campaign could lead to profiling based on religion, ethnicity, or language.
While there are many concerns that need to be addressed with PSNA’s campaign, why has the conversation stopped there? Why has the core issue of this campaign been ignored? Namely, that IDF soldiers who have committed war crimes in Gaza have been allowed into New Zealand?
PSNA’s controversial Gaza “genocide hotline” . . . why has the conversation stopped there? Why has the core issue about war crimes been ignored? Image: PSNA screenshot APR
Why has any discussion about Israel, its violations of international law, and the international legal expectations for third party states to hold IDF soldiers accountable not been addressed? Why is criticism of Israel being conflated with racism, even though many Jewish people oppose Israel’s war crimes, and what about Palestinians, what does this mean for a people experiencing genocide?
Concerns should be discussed but they must not be used to protect possible war criminals and shield Israel’s crimes.
It is true that PSNA’s campaign may possibly target individuals, including targeting individuals solely based on their nationality, religion, or language. This is not acceptable. But it has also uncovered the exceptionally biased, racist, and unjust views towards Palestinians.
Racism against Palestinians ignored Palestinians have been dehumanised by Israel for decades, but real racism against Palestinians is being ignored. As a Christian Palestinian I know all too well what it is like to be targeted.
In fact, it was only recently at a New Zealand First State of the Nation gathering last year that Winston Peter’s followers called me a terrorist for being Palestinian and told me that all Muslims were Hamas lovers and were criminals.
The question that has been ignored in this very public debate is simple: are Israeli soldiers who have participated in war crimes in Aotearoa, if so, why, and what does this mean for the New Zealand Palestinian population and the upholding of international law?
By refusing to address concerns of IDF soldiers the focus is deliberately shifted away from the actual genocide happening in Gaza. If IDF soldiers have engaged in rape, extrajudicial executions, torture, destruction of homes, or killing of civilians, they should be investigated and held accountable.
Countries have a legal and moral duty to prevent war criminals from using their nations as safe havens.
Since 1948, Palestinians have been subjected to systematic oppression, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, violence and now, genocide. From its creation and currently with Israel’s illegal occupation, Palestinian massacres have been frequent and unrelenting.
This includes the execution of my great grandmother on the steps of our Katamon home in Jerusalem. Land has been stolen from Palestinians over the decades, including well over 42 percent of the West Bank. Palestinians have been denied the right to return to their country, the right to justice, accountability, and self-determination.
Living under illegal military law We are still forced to live under illegal military law, face mass arrests and torture, and our history, identity, culture and heritage are targeted.
Almost 10 children lose one or both of their legs every day in Gaza according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA). 2.2 million people are starving because Israel refuses them access to food. 95 percent of Gaza’s population have been forced onto the streets, with only 25 percent of Gaza’s shelters needs being met, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
One out of 20 people in Gaza have been injured and 18,000 children have been murdered. 6500 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were taken hostage by Israel who also stole 2300 bodies from numerous cemeteries. 87,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on all regions in the Gaza Strip.
Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a British Palestinian reconstructive surgeon who worked in Al Shifa and Al Ahly Baptist hospital and who is part of Medicine Sans Frontiers, estimates as many as 300,000 Palestinian civilians, most of them children, have been murdered by Israel.
This is because official numbers do not include those bodies that cannot be recognised or are blown to a pulp, those buried under the rubble and those expected to die and have died of disease, starvation and lack of medicine — denied by Israel to those with chronic illnesses.
‘A Genocidal Project’: real death toll closer to 300,000. Video: Democracy Now!
As a signatory to the Geneva Convention, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and UN resolutions, New Zealand is expected to investigate, prosecute and deport any individual accused of these serious crimes. This government has an obligation to deny entry to any individual suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.
IDF has turned war crimes into entertainment Israel has violated all of these, its IDF soldiers filming themselves committing such atrocities and de-humanising Palestinians over the last 15 months on social media.
IDF soldiers have posted TikTok videos mocking their Palestinian victims, celebrating destruction, and making jokes about killing civilians, displaying a disturbing level of dehumanisation and cruelty. They have filmed themselves looting Palestinian homes, vandalising property, humiliating detainees, and posing with dead bodies.
They have turned war crimes into entertainment while Palestinian families suffer and mourn. Israel has deliberately targeted civilians, bombing schools, hospitals, refugee camps, and even designated safe zones, then lied about their operations, showing complete disregard for human life.
Israel and the IDF’s global reputation among ordinary people are not positive. Out on the streets over 15 months, millions have been demonstrating against Israel. They do not like what its army has done, and rightly so. Many want to see justice and Israel and its army held accountable, something this government has ignored.
Israel’s state forced conscription or imprisonment, enforced military service that contributes to the occupation, ethnic cleansing, systematic oppression of a people, war crimes and genocide is fascism on display. Israel is a totalitarian, apartheid, military state, but this government sees no problems with that.
The UN and human rights organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly condemned Israeli military operations, including the indiscriminate killing of civilians, the use of white phosphorus, and sexual violence by Israeli forces.
While not all IDF soldiers may have committed direct atrocities, those serving in occupied Palestinian territories are complicit in enforcing illegal occupation, which itself is a violation of international law.
Following orders not an excuse The precedent set by international tribunals, such as Nuremberg, establishes that following orders is not an excuse for war crimes — meaning IDF soldiers who have participated in military actions in occupied areas should be subject to scrutiny.
This government has a duty to protect Palestinian communities from further harm, this includes preventing known perpetrators of ethnic cleansing from entering New Zealand. The presence of IDF soldiers in New Zealand is a direct threat to the safety, dignity, and well-being of our communities.
Many Palestinian New Zealanders have lost family members, homes, and entire communities due to the IDF’s actions. Seeing known war criminals walking freely in New Zealand re-traumatises those who have suffered from Israel’s illegal military brutality.
Survivors of ethnic cleansing should not have to live in fear of encountering the very people responsible for their suffering. This was not acceptable after the Second World War, throughout modern history, and is not acceptable now.
IDF soldiers are also trained in brutal tactics, including arbitrary arrests, sexual violence, and the assassination of Palestinian civilians. The presence of war criminals in any society creates a climate of fear and intimidation.
Given their history, there is a concern within New Zealand that these soldiers will engage in racist abuse, Islamophobia, or Zionist hate crimes not only against Palestinians and Arabs, but other communities of colour.
New Zealand society should be scrutinising not just this government’s response to the genocide against Palestinians, but also our political parties.
Moral bankruptcy and xenophobia This moral bankruptcy and neutral stance in the face of genocide and racism has been clearly demonstrated this week in Parliament with both Shane Jones and Peter’s xenophobic remarks, and responses to the PSNA’s campaign.
Winston Peter’s tepid response to Israel’s behaviour and its violations is a staggering display of double standards and hypocrisy. Racism it seems, is clearly selective.
His comments about Mexicans in Parliament this week were xenophobic and violate the principles of responsible governance by promoting discrimination. Peters’ comments that immigrants should be grateful creates a hierarchy of worthiness.
Similarly, Shane Jones calling for Mexicans to go home does not uphold diplomatic and professional standards, reinforces harmful racial stereotypes and discriminates based on one’s nationality. Mexicans, Māori, and Palestinians are not on equal standing as others when it comes to human rights.
Why is there a defence of foreign soldiers who may have participated in genocide or war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, but then migrants and refugees are attacked?
“John Minto’s call to identify people from Israel . . . is an outrageous show of fascism, racism, and encouragement of violence and vigilantism. New Zealand should never accept this kind of extreme totalitarian behaviour in our country”. Why has Winston Peter’s never condemned the actual racism Palestinians are facing — including ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and apartheid?
Why has he never used such strong language and outrage to condemn Israel’s actions despite evidence of violations of international law? Instead, he directs outrage at a human rights activist who is pointing out the shortcomings of the government’s response to Israels violations.
IDF soldiers’ documented atrocities ignored Peters has completely ignored IDF soldiers’ documented atrocities and distorted the campaign’s purpose for legal accountability to that of violence.
There has been no mention of Palestinian suffering associated with the IDF and Israel, nor has the government been transparent in admitting that there are no security measures in place when it comes to Israel.
For Peters, killing Palestinians in their thousands is not racist but an activist wanting to prevent war criminals from entering New Zealand is?
Recently, Simon Court of the ACT party in response to Minto wrote: “Undisguised antisemitic behaviour is not acceptable . . . military service is compulsory for Israeli citizens . . . any Israeli holidaying, visiting family or doing business in New Zealand could be targeted . . . it is intimidation towards Jewish visitors . . . and should be condemned by parties across Parliament.”
This comment is misleading, and hypocritical.
PSNA’s campaign is not targeting Jewish people, something the Jewish Council has also misrepresented. It is about identifying Israeli soldiers who have actively participated in human rights violations and war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
It intentionally blurs the lines between Israeli soldiers and Jewish civilians, as the lines between Palestinian civilians and Hamas have been blurred.
Erases distinction between civilians and a militant group Even MFAT cannot use the word “Palestinian” but identifies us all as “Hamas” on its website. This erases the distinction between civilians and a militant group, and conflates Israeli military personnel with Jewish civilians, which is both deceptive and dangerous.
The MFAT website states the genocide in Gaza is an “Israel-Hamas” conflict, denying the intentional targeting of Palestinian civilians and erasing our humanity.
Israel’s assault has purposely killed thousands of children, women and men, all innocent civilians. Israel has not provided any evidence of any of its claims that it is targeting “Hamas” and has even been caught out lying about the “mass rapes and burned babies”, the tunnels under the hospitals and militants hiding behind Palestinian toddlers and whole generations of families.
Despite this, MFAT had not condemned Israeli war crimes. This is not a just war. It is a genocide against Palestinians which is also being perpetrated in the West Bank. There is no Hamas in the West Bank.
The ACT Party has been silent or outright supportive of Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, despite overwhelming evidence of war crimes. If they were truly concerned about targeting individuals as they are with Minto’s campaign, then they would have called for an end to Israel’s assaults against Palestinians, sanctioned Israel for its war crimes, and called for investigations into Israeli soldiers for mass killings, sexual violence and starving the Palestinian people.
What is clear from Court and Seymour (who has also openly supported Israel alongside members of the Zionist Federation), is that Palestinian lives are irrelevant, we should silently accept our genocide, and that we do not deserve justice. That Israeli IDF soldiers should be given impunity and should be able to spend time in New Zealand with no consequences for their crimes.
This is simply xenophobic, dangerous and “not acceptable in a liberal democracy like New Zealand”.
New Zealand cartoonist Malcolm Evans with two of his anti-Zionism placards at yesterday’s “march for the martyrs” in Auckland . . . politicians’ silence on Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law fails to comply with legal norms and expectations. Image: Asia Pacific Report
Erased the voice of Jewish critics ACT, alongside Peters, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Labour leader Chris Hipkins, and the Jewish council have erased the voice of Jewish people who oppose Israel and its crimes and who do not associate being Jewish with being Israeli.
There is a clear distinction, something Alternative Jewish Voices, Jewish Voices for Peace, Holocaust survivors and Dayenu have clearly reiterated. Equating Zionism with Judaism, and identifying Israeli military actions with Jewish identity, is dangerously antisemitic.
By failing to distinguish Judaism from Zionism, politicians and the Jewish Council are in danger of fuelling the false narrative that all Jewish people support Israel’s actions, which ultimately harms Jewish communities by increasing resentment and misunderstanding.
Antisemitism should never be weaponised or used to silence criticism of Israel or justify Israel’s impunity. This is harmful to both Palestinians and Jews.
Seymour’s upcoming tenure as deputy prime minister should also be questioned due to his unwavering support and active defence of a regime committing mass atrocities. This directly contradicts New Zealand’s values of justice and accountability demonstrating a complete disregard for human rights and international law.
His silence on Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law fails to comply with legal norms and expectations. He has positioned himself away from representing all New Zealanders.
While we focus on Minto, let’s be fair and ensure Palestinians are also being protected from discrimination and targeting in New Zealand. Are the Zionist Federation, the New Zealand Jewish Council, and the Holocaust Centre supporting Israel economically or culturally, aiding and abetting its illegal occupation, and do they support the genocide?
Canada investigated funds linked to illegal settlements Canada recently investigated the Jewish National Fund (JNF) of Canada for potentially violating charitable tax laws by funding projects linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which are illegal under international law.
In August 2024, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revoked the Jewish National Fund of Canada’s (JNF Canada) charitable status after a comprehensive audit revealed significant non-compliance with Canadian tax laws.
On the 31 January 2025, Haaretz reported that Israel had recruited the Jewish National Fund to illegally secretly buy Palestinian land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. What does that mean for the New Zealand branch of the Jewish National Fund?
None of these organisations should be funnelling resources to illegal settlements or supporting Israel’s war machine. A full investigation into their financial and political activities is necessary to ensure any money coming from New Zealand is not supporting genocide, land theft or apartheid.
The government has already investigated Palestinians sending money to relatives in Gaza, the same needs to be done to organisations supporting Israel. Are any of these groups supporting war crimes under the guise of charity?
While Jewish communities and Palestinians have rallied together and supported each other these last 15 months, we have received no support from the Jewish Council or the Holocaust Centre, who have remained silent or have supported Israel’s actions. Dayenu, and Alternative Jewish voices have vocally opposed Israel’s genocide in Gaza and reached out to us. As Jews dedicated to human rights, justice, and the prevention of genocide because of their own history, they unequivocally condemn Israel’s actions.
Given the Holocaust, you would expect the Holocaust Centre and the Jewish Council to oppose any acts of violence, especially that on such an industrial scale. You would expect them to oppose apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and the dehumanisation of Palestinians as the other Jewish organisations are doing.
Genocide, war crimes must not be normalised War crimes and genocide must never be normalised. Israel must not be shielded and the suffering and dehumanisation of Palestinians supported.
We must ensure that all New Zealanders, whether Jewish, Israeli or Palestinian are not targeted, and are protected from discrimination, racism, violence and dehumanisation. All organisations are subject to scrutiny, but only some have been.
Instead of just focusing on John Minto, the ACT Party, NZ First, National, and Labour should be answering why Israeli soldiers who may have committed atrocities, are allowed into New Zealand in the first place.
Israel and its war criminals should not be treated any differently to any other country.
We must shift the focus back to Israel’s genocide, apartheid, and impunity, while exposing the hypocrisy of those who defend Israel but attack Palestinian solidarity.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Black History Month:
“Today marks the beginning of Black History Month – an opportunity to honour the culture, resilience, and achievements of Black Canadians.
“In communities across Canada, Black leaders, scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and activists have shaped our country’s history and continue to inspire its future. From the Underground Railroad, which brought freedom seekers to Canada, to trailblazers like Jean Augustine and Lincoln Alexander, Black Canadians have led the way in the fight for justice, innovation, and progress.
“This year’s theme, ‘Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations’, reminds us that the stories of Black Canadians keep being written every day. The advocate pushing for racial equity, the entrepreneur building a thriving business, the artist using their voice to drive change – these contributions continue to shape Canada for the better.
“Black Canadians have faced – and continue to face – too many barriers. That is why, last year, the Government of Canada extended its efforts under the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent until 2028 and welcomed the adoption of a second International Decade, which spans from January 2025 to December 2034. This extension allows us to further invest in Black-led programs, advance racial justice, and create opportunities for Black Canadians.
“To date, we have committed over one billion dollars to Black-focused initiatives, including the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, which has supported over 2,700 projects to grow Black-led, Black-focused, and Black-serving charities and non-profit organizations. We developed Canada’s Black Justice Strategy to address systemic barriers and injustices by ending the overrepresentation of Black communities in the justice system. Through the Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund, we are supporting Black Canadians to develop more culturally focused knowledge, capacity, and programs to improve mental health in their communities. And through the Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund and the Black Entrepreneurship Program, we are helping improve the social and economic outcomes of Black communities and helping Black-owned businesses grow and succeed now and into the future.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I encourage everyone to learn more about Black Canadian history and reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of Black Canadians. Let us recommit to building a country where every Canadian can succeed and have their voices heard.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and 17 of their Senate colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense—U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)—in releasing the following statement on the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) rescission of policy that allowed service members to get reimbursed for travel and transportation for non-covered reproductive care. Earlier this week, DoD updated its Joint Travel Regulations to rescind this policy.
“This decision strips away service members’ ability to access the reproductive care they need, which is nothing short of abhorrent. It runs contrary to a core goal of the Department of Defense – to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our service members so that our force remains ready at all times to protect Americans and keep this nation safe.
“U.S. service members have no control over where they are stationed and what state laws may govern their bodies. The policy that the Department of Defense took away from our servicewomen and military families provided them the ability to travel to another state to seek out the care they need. Rescinding that does nothing to enhance military readiness.
“At a time when we are already facing military recruitment and retention challenges, we should do all we can to assure those who answer the call to serve America that we will do everything in our power to support them and their families. Instead, this extreme action does the opposite and sends a message to servicewomen—who make up more than 17 percent of our military’s active duty—that they are not as valuable as their male counterparts.
“We will do everything in our power to mitigate the impact that this extreme decision will have on members of our military and ensure their health and safety comes first.”
Last Congress, Murray, Shaheen, and others introduced the Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Health Care Act—legislation that would codify the DoD’s February 16, 2023 policy to ensure service members and their families can access non-covered reproductive health care, including abortion services, regardless of the state in which they are stationed.
The interconnectivity of all health concerns could offer food and beverages brands innovation opportunities in 2025 by addressing multiple wellness concerns at once.
Several key trends are set to influence consumer purchasing behavior in 2025, including personalized health and wellness with a focus on women, health longevity, personalized products and experiences, and sustainability solutions aided by new technologies. GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, highlights four food and beverages trends that are set to offer consumer packaged goods brands innovation opportunities in 2025:
Personalized Health and Wellness: Women’s Health
Women’s health has long been under-researched, presenting an opportunity for brands to create new products and new marketing initiatives to meet women’s unique health needs.
In the supplements market, product ranges catering to reproductive and hormonal health concerns are now expanding into women’s fitness, digestion, and sleep – all of which require different supplements to men. Brands like Women Best recognize this and solely target women, providing them with supplements to support their dietary needs with functional benefits such as energy, focus, and stress relief. Unilever’s SmartyPants Vitamins range also offers multivitamins and pre and probiotic supplements that cater specifically to women’s health needs. In line with this, the women’s supplement market has seen double-digit value growth over the last two years, according to GlobalData Market Analyzers.
Fahima Omer, Food Consultant and analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Whilst the health benefits of supplements are harnessed in products such as vitamins and protein bars, consumer packaged goods manufacturers could explore opportunities to develop new food and beverages products using supplement ingredients. One such opportunity is to recognize the interconnectivity of all health concerns and release more products aimed at addressing multiple wellness concerns at once.”
Sustainability solutions based on new technologies
Cell-based foods first emerged in 2013 when a scientist in the Netherlands managed to cultivate a burger patty. With new technological advancements and the use of molecular biology, brands such as GoodMeat create meat simply by feeding cells in a sterile environment. Widespread adoption of cell-based meat products has been slow thus far, but this developing technology offers the potential to produce meat products at scale in a more sustainable way. This is becoming increasingly important as The Food and Agricultural Organization at the United Nations* revealed in its 2017 report, “Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock”, that livestock is a significant contributor to climate change with emissions estimated at 7.1 gigatonnes CO2, representing 14.5% of human-induced GHG emissions.
According to GlobalData’s consumer survey (Q3 2024), this kind of sustainability initiative resonates with 74% of global consumers who say that ‘sustainable/environmentally friendly’ is an ‘essential’ or ‘nice to have’ feature when deciding to make a product purchase.
Cell-based foods could also address food insecurity. In a UN/WHO** joint report from 2022, the organization estimated that 11% of people globally suffer from undernourishment despite the planet being able to produce enough food.
Health Longevity: An aging population and the rise of personalization
With 22% of the world’s population expected to be over 60 years old by 2050, according to WHO***, there will be growing demand for food and beverage products that support this cohort’s desire for a long, healthy, and active life. Meal kits with claims around health management have grown in value by 67% during 2016-23, according to GlobalData Market Analysers’ health and wellness data on prepared meals.
As older adults become more proactive about their health, they are choosing products that align with their wellness goals, including dietary supplements and foods rich in vitamins and nutrients that support longevity. Food manufacturer Chin Huay has responded to this demand with a selection of snacks formulated with probiotics, which support senior consumers’ dietary needs, and coffee brand UDA infuses several longevity-centric supplements to help fight aging. These include NMN, which increases metabolism and aids DNA repair; cognitive enhancer L-Theanine; quercetin, an anti-senescence and anti-inflammatory; and ashwagandha, to reduce fatigue and stress.
This trend reflects a broader societal shift towards preventative health measures and lifestyle improvements, which have gained traction following the pandemic. Personalized health and wellness solutions from companies that provide health advice from the analysis of personal health data are growing in popularity. Everlywell provide at-home test kits that check age and gender-related conditions with the aim of providing consumers with specific lifestyle recommendations.
Flavor expansion in Foods and Foodservice
The ubiquity of foreign travel and the rise in social media usage have exposed consumers to global cuisines and flavors, which they have embraced, providing companies with the opportunity to expand their product and flavor choices beyond core brands and gain awareness for them through social media.
According to GlobalData’s Consumer Survey (Q1 2024), 56% of 25-34-year-olds, globally, use social media to discover products and new flavors. A further 51% of the same age group agree with the statement ‘when I find a product in a new flavor I like, I enjoy sharing this knowledge on social media’.
Foodservice operators such as UK-based Los Mochis have been successful in merging Japanese and Mexican cuisines using ingredients such as chipotle and kombu broth to create a chipotle miso soup, exposing their customers to bold new flavor choices.
Omer adds: “Food and beverages trends in 2025 will reflect a complex interplay of functional health & wellness, sustainability, digitalization, and flavor choice. Innovation will not only cater to consumers’ immediate health needs but also prioritize health longevity. There could be a renewed focus on lab-grown meat which has the potential to address food insecurity whilst also combatting climate change. These trends will also present opportunities for brands to sell more value-added and premium products to meet the evolving expectations of consumers in a rapidly changing marketplace.”
GlobalData Consumer Custom Solutions offers sector-level expertise in the Consumer Packaged Goods, Food, Beverages, Foodservice, Retail, Apparel, Packaging,Agribusiness, and Automotiveindustries. We use our unique data, insights and analytics to answer your bespoke questions with a tailored approach and deliverables. To learn more about this press release or have a chat, please drop us an email consulting@globaldata.com or contact us here and we’ll get in touch!
The Rafah crossing, the only channel linking Egypt with the Gaza Strip, is open and will start receiving patients from Gaza, Governor of Egypt’s North Sinai Governorate Khaled Megawer said on Friday.
“The opening of the crossing was announced earlier today. We will start receiving patients,” the governor said on social media platform X, without mentioning the exact time of the passage of Gazan patients through the crossing.
The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed that the first group of sick and injured individuals will be allowed to leave the Palestinian enclave through the Rafah crossing on Saturday.
In a press statement, the ministry called the move part of urgent humanitarian efforts to provide critically ill and wounded people with medical treatment outside the besieged territory.
“The departure of these patients will be coordinated under the supervision of the World Health Organization and other relevant authorities,” the ministry added.
According to health officials, the selected patients and their companions are scheduled to gather at the Al-Shifa and Nasser medical complexes in Gaza before being transported to the crossing.
Saturday will also witness another round of hostage swap between Israel and Hamas under a ceasefire agreement between the two sides.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced on Friday that it will release three Israeli hostages on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners Club said in a press statement that Israeli authorities will in turn release 90 Palestinian prisoners.
Also on Friday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said Israel has received the list of three Israeli civilian hostages expected to be released from Hamas captivity on Saturday. On the list are Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon, 54, Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, 65, and Israeli civilian Yarden Bibas, 35.
Under the ongoing ceasefire deal that halted more than 15 months of fighting, 33 hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza are to be freed in the first six weeks of the truce in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Since the implementation of the ceasefire deal on January 19, 15 captives, including five Thai workers, have been released by Hamas, while 400 Palestinian detainees have so far been exchanged.
Israel agreed on Thursday to release 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 minors, reversing an earlier decision to delay the exchange. The move followed the release of three Israeli and five Thai hostages by Hamas under the ongoing Gaza ceasefire.
The decision came despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s initial suspension of the prisoner release, citing security concerns during a chaotic handover of hostages in southern Gaza.
Mediation efforts helped salvage the third round of hostage-prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hamas.
The day’s exchange began with the release of Agam Berger, a 20-year-old Israeli soldier captured during Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on the Nahal Oz base. Footage showed her in a khaki uniform emerging from damaged buildings in Jabalia, northern Gaza, before being transferred to Israeli custody.
In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Hamas released two more Israelis — Arbel Yahoud, 29, and Gadi Mozes, 80 — along with five Thai agricultural workers. The Thai hostages, identified as Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Rumnao Surasak, had been working in southern Israel when they were taken captive.
Scenes of chaos unfolded as hundreds of Gazans gathered, and militants struggled to control the crowd. Netanyahu condemned the “shocking scenes” and urged international mediators to ensure safe hostage transfers.
Following the hostages’ release, Netanyahu’s office initially delayed the Palestinian prisoner release, demanding guarantees for the safety of future releases. Israeli media reported that buses carrying Palestinian prisoners were ordered to turn back. However, about an hour later, Israel resumed the exchange after mediators secured assurances.
At Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, where weekly protests call for a ceasefire-for-hostages deal, crowds celebrated the latest releases while displaying photos of those still held in Gaza. Some hostages, including those believed to be dead, are expected to be freed in later phases of the agreement.
Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, who is in Israel for talks with Netanyahu and other officials, visited the Hostage Square and spoke with families of the captives. He expressed optimism about the deal’s continuation and suggested an American-Israeli hostage might be released Friday, ahead of the next scheduled exchange on Saturday.
This was the third exchange since the Gaza ceasefire began on Jan. 19. Netanyahu remains under pressure from far-right coalition partner Bezalel Smotrich to resume military operations before the deal is completed.
All released hostages underwent medical evaluations in Israel. Mozes, kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was reported in good condition at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, while Berger was taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva.
More than 60 Israeli hostages and 290 Palestinian prisoners have been exchanged under the truce. Israel insists the ceasefire will not derail its broader campaign against Hamas, while mediators push to extend the pause in fighting. Thursday’s events underscored the fragility of the deal as both sides navigate distrust and competing demands.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced that he will serve as the top Democrat on three Senate subcommittees during the 119th Congress.
Booker will be the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade, and the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health.
“On the Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, I will continue my work to reduce consolidation and increase competition in our markets to lower prices for everyday Americans, empower workers, support small businesses, and make our economy work for everyone. This is an opportunity to show Americans how strong and well-enforced antitrust laws can be a solution for kitchen table issues.
“On the Subcommittee on Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade, I look forward to continuing my work to make sure our farm crop insurance and disaster programs are effective for small farmers and farmers growing fruits and vegetables. I also hope to work in a bipartisan matter to ensure our financial markets are safe, robust, and fair for farmers and ranchers, crypto users, and for everyday Americans concerned about the price of gas and groceries. I also hope we can work together to further clarify and strengthen the regulation of our financial system and improve oversight of digital commodities.
“I look forward to continuing my work on the subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy. We must continue to engage our African partners to work together and boost trade, protect human rights, strengthen democracy, and promote global health initiatives across the continent. I look forward to working in a bipartisan fashion on these vital priorities so we can ensure a healthier, safer, and more prosperous future for the United States and Africa.”
The subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights oversees: Antitrust law and competition policy, including the Sherman, Clayton and Federal Trade Commission Acts; Oversight of antitrust enforcement and competition policy at the Justice Department; Oversight of antitrust enforcement and competition policy at the Federal Trade Commission; Oversight of competition policy at other federal agencies. Booker was appointed to the Senate Judiciary Committee in January 2018.
The subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy deals with all matters concerning: U.S. relations with countries in Africa (except those, like the countries of North Africa, specifically covered by other subcommittees), as well as regional intergovernmental organizations like the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. This subcommittee’s regional responsibilities include matters relating to: terrorism and non-proliferation; crime and illicit narcotics; U.S. foreign assistance programs; and the promotion of U.S. trade and exports. In addition, this subcommittee has global responsibility for health-related policy, including disease outbreak and response. Booker was appointed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2017.
The subcommittee on Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade oversees: commodity programs, derivatives and digital assets, crop insurance, and agricultural trade. Booker was appointed to the Senate Agriculture Committee in January 2021.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Coons (D-DE), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, issued the following statement:
“The M23 must immediately cease its occupation of Goma and its advance on Bukavu, stop attacking and killing UN peacekeepers, and allow humanitarian aid to reach the millions affected by their violent campaign. Since M23’s advance on Goma, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and find themselves in a severe and worsening humanitarian crisis, including having to flee for their safety. Rwanda’s support for and participation in M23’s ongoing territorial offensive is destabilizing. It is essential that the Rwandan government withdraw its military from DRC territory, use its influence to halt M23’s advances, and return to the negotiating table. The DRC must also put an end to any and all military cooperation with the FDLR and other UN-sanctioned armed groups. De-escalation by all sides is critical.
“Furthermore, President Trump’s decision to block all foreign assistance, including to vulnerable areas in eastern DRC, has cut off brave organizations on the ground that are working tirelessly to save the lives of innocent civilians in the region, including women and children. These humanitarian workers deserve immediate and unwavering support and I urge the Trump administration to immediately rescind their blanket freeze on foreign assistance.”
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) are urging the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) to support their Drug-price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act. The bipartisan bill would require price disclosures on prescription drug advertisements to empower consumer choice and reduce patients’ bloated spending on medications.
“The United States is one of only two developed countries in the world that permits such pharmaceutical commercials. President Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary has expressed interest in outright banning this practice. It would be wise for drug companies to adopt commonsense solutions to address the concerns that have been raised about DTC prescription drug advertising,” the senators wrote.
“The United States Senate previously voted unanimously to pass our measure to require that pharmaceutical companies disclose their list prices in DTC ads, and it is our hope that this policy will become law this Congress… In addition to President Trump’s previous support, our bill in the 118th Congress was cosponsored by Vice President Vance. Given PhRMA’s stated support for pharmacy benefit manager transparency, it is only reasonable to have transparency across the pharmaceutical supply chain,” they continued.
Read the senators’ letter HERE and below.
Stephen J. Ubl
President and CEO of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Dear Mr. Ubl:
Drug manufacturers in the United States spend approximately $6 billion annually in direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements, with approximately one-third of all commercial time across evening news programs being consumed with these pharmaceutical promotions. It is a similar story when consumers stream their favorite show or scroll through social media. Yet consumers learn nothing from these advertisements about the cost of the prescription drug. This must change.
A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that more than two-thirds of drugs advertised on television were considered “low therapeutic value”. This creates concern for taxpayers, as a review we requested from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found prescription drugs advertised on television accounted for 58 percent of Medicare’s overall spending on prescription drugs between 2016-2018. In 2022, the two most-advertised drugs on television alone accounted for $1.7 billion in Medicare spending.
The United States is one of only two developed countries in the world that permits such pharmaceutical commercials. President Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary has expressed interest in outright banning this practice. It would be wise for drug companies to adopt commonsense solutions to address the concerns that have been raised about DTC prescription drug advertising.
As you are aware, the United States Senate previously voted unanimously to pass our measure to require that pharmaceutical companies disclose their list prices in DTC ads, and it is our hope that this policy will become law this Congress. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that when patients are bombarded with information about the newest wonder drug, the price is not kept secret. President Trump previously has issued regulations to advance this policy.
There is a lot of value in knowing a prescription drug’s list price, the most accessible and standardized price of a drug, which is set by the manufacturer itself. This is especially important for consumers with high-deductible health insurance plans, those who are underinsured, or have no health insurance coverage at all—particularly as efforts are underway to reform the rebate structure used by pharmacy benefit managers.
Some of your member companies previously disclosed drug list prices in advertisements, and PhRMA previously has wanted to be more transparent with the American public about price information for advertised medications. We appreciate that 35 drug manufacturers voluntarily have certified to follow PhRMA’s “Guiding Principles on Direct-to-Consumer Advertisements,” which includes directing patients to find information about the cost of medicine, including the list price, on the company’s website. We are glad that drug companies agree that consumers should know the price of a prescription drug before purchasing it. But in instances where manufacturers currently do opt to provide pricing information (e.g., “pay as little as $0 per dose”), they can understate or obscure a patient’s out-of-pocket liability.
Studies show that patients are better able to approximate their out-of-pocket expenses when provided with the list price. When voluntarily choosing to promote medications over the airwaves, manufacturers already are required to disclose safety, side effects, and contraindication information. Yet, for many patients, price plays a primary role in clinical adherence.
Recently, we reintroduced our bipartisan legislation (S.229) to bring price transparency to DTC prescription drug ads. In addition to President Trump’s previous support, our bill in the 118th Congress was cosponsored by Vice President Vance. Given PhRMA’s stated support for pharmacy benefit manager transparency, it is only reasonable to have transparency across the pharmaceutical supply chain.
We urge you to take the reasonable, minimal step of embracing our bipartisan legislation to empower patients and providers and commit to voluntarily disclosing list prices in DTC advertisements. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Summary
Company Announcement Date:
FDA Publish Date:
Product Type:
Food & Beverages Foodborne Illness
Reason for Announcement:
Recall Reason Description
Potential choking hazard for babies and young children
Company Name:
Gerber Products Company
Brand Name:
Brand Name(s)
Gerber
Product Description:
Product Description
Gerber® Soothe N Chew® Teething Sticks
Company Announcement
ARLINGTON, VA., January 31, 2025 — Gerber Products Company is initiating a recall and discontinuation of all batches of GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS due to a potential choking hazard for babies and young children.
GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS were distributed nationwide via the internet and to distribution centers and retail stores in the following states and territories: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI and Puerto Rico.
Recalled products can be identified as follows:
GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04618 7, all lot codes
GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04608 8, all lot codes
GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 1.59 Oz (45g), with UPC 0 15000 01015 7, all lot codes
This recall and discontinuation is isolated to GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE and GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA.
The recall was initiated after receiving consumer complaints of choking incidents. To date, one emergency room visit has been reported to the firm.
Consumers who may have purchased GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS should not feed this product to their child and can return the product to the retailer where it was purchased for a refund. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider. For any additional support needed, Gerber is available 24/7 at 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237).
We are working with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on this recall and will cooperate with them fully.
We sincerely apologize for any concern or inconvenience this action represents to parents, caregivers and retail customers.
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced a $1 million investment from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help address gun violence in communities across Michigan. The funding is being awarded to the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) and will be used to assess the impact of community intervention programs that aim to reduce cyclical and retaliatory gun violence in targeted urban cities.
“Michiganders continue to feel the impacts of gun violence in their own communities, and we must do more to promote safety in our neighborhoods,” said Senator Peters. “This innovative program will help inform best strategies to address gun violence while helping to curb the cycle of gun-related offenses.”
As part of the project, MPHI will engage at least 100 individuals in three urban areas across Michigan who have active firearm offenses. Once identified, MPHI will provide them with evidence-based programming aimed at reducing gun violence – including street outreach, mentoring, life skills training and opportunities for employment. During the 18-month program, participants will be compared against a control group from the same three urban areas to determine the effectiveness of programming aimed at reducing gun violence.
The funding for this project comes from the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance program, which supports new and innovative strategies for preventing and reducing crime, improving community safety, and strengthening criminal justice system outcomes. You can read more about the program here.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
January 31, 2025
HARTFORD—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 17 of their Senate colleagues in releasing the following statement on the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) rescission of a policy that allowed service members to get reimbursed for travel and transportation for non-covered reproductive care. A memo that updates the Joint Travel Regulations to rescind this policy was issued earlier this week.
“This decision strips away service members’ ability to access the reproductive care they need, which is nothing short of abhorrent. It runs contrary to a core goal of the Department of Defense – to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our service members so that our force remains ready at all times to protect Americans and keep this nation safe.
“U.S. service members have no control over where they are stationed and what state laws may govern their bodies. The policy that the Department of Defense took away from our servicewomen and military families provided them the ability to travel to another state to seek out the care they need. Rescinding that does nothing to enhance military readiness.
“At a time when we are already facing military recruitment and retention challenges, we should do all we can to assure those who answer the call to serve America that we will do everything in our power to support them and their families. Instead, this extreme action does the opposite and sends a message to servicewomen—who make up more than 17 percent of our military’s active duty—that they are not as valuable as their male counterparts.
“We will do everything in our power to mitigate the impact that this extreme decision will have on members of our military and ensure their health and safety comes first.”
The statement was led by U.S. Senator Shaheen (D-NH) and also joined by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).
An Arizona couple pleaded guilty for causing over $1.2 billion of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare and other health insurance programs for expensive, medically unnecessary wound grafts that were applied to elderly and terminally ill patients.
According to court documents, Alexandra Gehrke, 39, and her husband, Jeffrey King, 46, both of Phoenix, conspired with others to orchestrate the massive scheme. Gehrke ran two companies, Apex Medical LLC and Viking Medical Consultants LLC, that contracted with medically untrained “sales representatives” to locate elderly patients, including hospice patients, who had wounds at any stage and order amniotic wound grafts from a specific graft distributor. Gehrke instructed and financially incentivized the sales representatives to order grafts only in sizes 4×6 centimeters or larger, even if the wound was much smaller, to maximize health insurance reimbursement. Gehrke, through companies she owned and controlled, received over $279 million in illegal kickbacks from the distributor of the grafts in exchange for the orders. Gehrke in turn paid the sales representatives tens of millions of dollars in unlawful kickbacks. Gehrke then referred the patients to a company co-owned by King, which contracted with nurse practitioners to apply the grafts. King’s company fraudulently billed Medicare, TRICARE (the health care program for U.S. service members and their families), CHAMPVA (the health care program for spouses and children of permanently disabled veterans), and commercial insurance plans for the grafts. Gehrke and King, who had no medical training, directed the nurse practitioners to suspend their own medical judgment and apply all grafts ordered by the sales representatives, even when medically unreasonable and unnecessary, which resulted in the application of grafts to infected wounds, wounds that had already healed, and wounds that were not responding to the grafts.
From November 2022 through May 2024, Gehrke, King, and others, through companies they owned, operated, and controlled, submitted $1,212,005,778 in false and fraudulent claims to health insurance plans. This included over $960 million in false and fraudulent claims to the federal health care programs — Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA. The federal and private health care insurers paid $614,990,420 based on the false and fraudulent claims.
In their plea agreements, Gehrke and King agreed to pay restitution in the amounts of $614,990,420 and $605,690,110, respectively. They also agreed collectively to forfeit over $410 million in funds that they obtained from the fraud. To date, the government has seized nearly $100 million in assets that Gehrke and King accumulated from the scheme, including bank account balances exceeding $68 million, four luxury vehicles valued over $980,000, $22 million of life insurance annuities, and jewelry and precious metals.
Gehrke pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2024, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. King pleaded guilty on Jan. 31 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona; Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office; Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Director Kelly Mayo of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, DCIS, and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An Arizona couple pleaded guilty for causing over $1.2 billion of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare and other health insurance programs for expensive, medically unnecessary wound grafts that were applied to elderly and terminally ill patients.
According to court documents, Alexandra Gehrke, 39, and her husband, Jeffrey King, 46, both of Phoenix, conspired with others to orchestrate the massive scheme. Gehrke ran two companies, Apex Medical LLC and Viking Medical Consultants LLC, that contracted with medically untrained “sales representatives” to locate elderly patients, including hospice patients, who had wounds at any stage and order amniotic wound grafts from a specific graft distributor. Gehrke instructed and financially incentivized the sales representatives to order grafts only in sizes 4×6 centimeters or larger, even if the wound was much smaller, to maximize health insurance reimbursement. Gehrke, through companies she owned and controlled, received over $279 million in illegal kickbacks from the distributor of the grafts in exchange for the orders. Gehrke in turn paid the sales representatives tens of millions of dollars in unlawful kickbacks. Gehrke then referred the patients to a company co-owned by King, which contracted with nurse practitioners to apply the grafts. King’s company fraudulently billed Medicare, TRICARE (the health care program for U.S. service members and their families), CHAMPVA (the health care program for spouses and children of permanently disabled veterans), and commercial insurance plans for the grafts. Gehrke and King, who had no medical training, directed the nurse practitioners to suspend their own medical judgment and apply all grafts ordered by the sales representatives, even when medically unreasonable and unnecessary, which resulted in the application of grafts to infected wounds, wounds that had already healed, and wounds that were not responding to the grafts.
From November 2022 through May 2024, Gehrke, King, and others, through companies they owned, operated, and controlled, submitted $1,212,005,778 in false and fraudulent claims to health insurance plans. This included over $960 million in false and fraudulent claims to the federal health care programs — Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA. The federal and private health care insurers paid $614,990,420 based on the false and fraudulent claims.
In their plea agreements, Gehrke and King agreed to pay restitution in the amounts of $614,990,420 and $605,690,110, respectively. They also agreed collectively to forfeit over $410 million in funds that they obtained from the fraud. To date, the government has seized nearly $100 million in assets that Gehrke and King accumulated from the scheme, including bank account balances exceeding $68 million, four luxury vehicles valued over $980,000, $22 million of life insurance annuities, and jewelry and precious metals.
Gehrke pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2024, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. King pleaded guilty on Jan. 31 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona; Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office; Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Director Kelly Mayo of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, DCIS, and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Following Noncommittal Answer in Committee and Statement by CMS, Finance Democrats Press for Commitment to Continuing Medicare Drug Price Negotiation on Schedule
Washington, D.C. – Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and all 12 Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee sent a letter to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pressing him to answer nearly a dozen questions regarding his views on Medicare drug price negotiation and confirm he will not pause negotiations, as CEOs representing the largest pharmaceutical companies have requested.
“As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed without a single Republican vote, Medicare drug price negotiation is a powerful tool available right now to President Trump to make good on his long-standing promise to stand up to Big Pharma,” the senators wrote. “On behalf of the tens of millions of Americans who count on Medicare, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee want to know whether the Trump Administration will follow through on negotiating with Big Pharma to deliver the lower costs promised to the American people.”
The letter, sent to Kennedy in his capacity as the nominee to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), asks whether he will follow the Inflation Reduction Act’s statutory requirements related to Medicare drug price negotiation, whether the Trump administration will continue to defend the law in court against attacks by Big Pharma, and other questions. Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the list of the next set of drugs that will be negotiated by Medicare. Yesterday the agency, now run by the Trump administration, released a concerning statement that appeared to open the door to Big Pharma’s requests for changes in negotiations.
“Contrary to what you suggested in today’s hearing, the Trump Administration’s statement is far from an embrace of drug price negotiation and appears to be opening the door to changes that could undermine Medicare’s ability to get the best price possible on drugs,” the senators continued.
The full letter can be found here.
Senator Cortez Masto has worked to lower drug costs for Americans. She passed legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and cap the cost of insulin at $35-a-month for Medicare recipients through the Inflation Reduction Act. She has introduced bipartisan legislation to improve transparency of Medicare Advantage plans and has pushed pharmacy benefit managers to help continue to lower prescription drug costs.
The Georgia General Assembly is back in session and it is a privilege to return to work under the Gold Dome, where I remain steadfast in my commitment to addressing the issues that matter most to Georgians across our great state.
This legislative session is already off to a strong start. Governor Kemp has laid out a bold vision, focusing on initiatives that include increasing funding for school safety, enhancing our skilled workforce, announcing 100,000 million dollars in relief for families and businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene, and continuing to expand access to affordable healthcare for hardworking Georgians. By investing in high-demand, high-skill, and high-wage career opportunities, we are taking critical steps to secure Georgia’s economic future.
After an uneventful week due to the snowfall in Atlanta and South Georgia, this week concludes the third week of the 2025 Legislative Session, and we’re staying focused on passing commonsense legislation that puts Georgia families, businesses and communities first.
Last week’s snowstorm may have delayed budget hearings for a few days, but it didn’t slow us down. The General Assembly has been hard at work in joint sessions, carefully reviewing budget requests to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. Passing a balanced budget is not only our constitutional duty—it’s the foundation of a responsible government that serves its people.
One of the most crucial budget proposals this session is Governor Brian P. Kemp’s plan to return $1 billion in surplus funds directly to taxpayers. Thanks to years of conservative budgeting and fiscal responsibility, we’re in a position to give back to the hardworking Georgians who keep our state running. This is just part of the $2.2 billion in statewide allocations designed to benefit families, businesses and communities across Georgia. I’m proud to support Gov. Kemp’s efforts to strengthen our economy by putting more money back in your pockets.
Another key priority is ensuring communities hit hardest by Hurricane Helene have the resources they need to rebuild. Gov. Kemp has proposed $614.72 million in recovery funding, including $150 million for the Governor’s Emergency Fund to help with debris removal and housing assistance. Another $300 million will go to the Georgia Department of Transportation to restore roads and infrastructure. Many rural counties are still reeling from this storm, and we’re committed to making sure they get the support they need to recover and move forward.
Back at the Capitol, we hit the ground running this week, advancing legislation that reflects our values and priorities. I’m especially proud to sponsor Senate Bill 34. I introduced Senate Bill 34 in anticipation of technology companies building AI databases in Georgia. AI databases use exorbitant amounts of electricity, and I have introduced this bill to prevent electric providers from including the electric fees of these databases in typical Georgia consumer rates.
I am honored to be re-appointed as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Ex-Officio of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, in addition to serving as a member on the Senate Committees on Health and Human Services, Higher Education and Rules. I thank Lt. Governor Jones for these appointments, and I look forward to serving District 52 and Georgia on these committees
Finally, I encourage students ages 12 to 18 to apply for the Senate Page Program. This is an excellent way for young people to see firsthand how the General Assembly works. If you know a student who might be interested, they can apply on the Senate website here.
As always, I’m here to listen. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas about our work at the Capitol, please don’t hesitate to reach out. It’s an honor to serve you, and I appreciate your trust as we work together throughout the remainder of the 2025 legislative session.
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Sen. Chuck Hufstetler serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. He represents the 52nd Senate District which includes portions of Bartow, Floyd, and Gordon counties. He can be reached at (404) 656-0034 or via email atchuck.hufstetler@senate.ga.gov. For all media inquiries, please reach out toSenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
TheUN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, hasvoiced deep alarmover reports of summary executions of civilians allegedly carried out by fighters and militias allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the city of Khartoum North, calling for an immediate halt to the killings.
Government forces and a rival military – the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – have been battling for control of the country since April 2023 in what Mr. Türk called a “senseless war”, which has recently taken an “even more dangerous turn for civilians” as reports of people brutally killed in ethnically targeted attacks mount.
In a statement released on Friday, the High Commissioner reported that at least 18 civilians, including one woman, were killed in seven separate incidents after SAF forces regained control of the area around Khartoum North – Sudan’s third largest city – on 25 January, according to verified information from the rights chief’s office (OHCHR).
Many of the victims were originally from the Darfur and Kordofan regions, raising concerns about targeted violence.
“These reports of summary executions, following similar incidents earlier this month in Al Jazirah State, are deeply disturbing,” said Mr. Türk.
“Such killings must not become normalised. Deliberately taking the life of a civilian or anyone not or no longer directly taking part in hostilities is a war crime,” he emphasised.
Disturbing threats circulate online
OHCHR is also investigating disturbing video footage that surfaced on 30 January, in which men in SAF uniforms and members of the Al Baraa Bin Malik Brigade in Khartoum North appear to read out a list of alleged RSF collaborators, saying “Zaili,” which is Arabic for “killed”, after each name.
Meanwhile, further threats of violence have emerged, with a video showing a member of the same brigade threatening to slaughter residents of El Hadj Yusif in East Nile, another area of Khartoum North mainly inhabited by people from Darfur and Kordofan.
Mr. Türk urged all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian and human rights law.
“Independent investigations must be held into these incidents in line with relevant international standards,” he underscored.
Civilians under fire
Meanwhile, attacks on civilians by the RSF continue across Sudan.
In El Fasher, North Darfur, the Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) was shelled again on 29 January, killing nine civilians, including two women and a child, and injuring at least 12 others.
Hospitals have also been targeted. On 24 January, a drone attack attributed to the RSF killed at least 67 people and injured 19 at Al-Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher. The attack severely damaged the emergency unit, rendering it inoperable.
The hospital – the only facility providing specialised maternal care in the area – has now been struck twice this month and was shelled at least 13 times in 2024.
“Deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects are abhorrent,” Mr. Türk stated. “They must end immediately and so must incitement to violence against civilians,” he emphasised.
As violence escalates, Mr. Türk reiterated the urgent need for all parties to uphold their legal obligations and ensure the protection of civilians.
The 2025 Legislative Session is officially underway! On Monday, January 13, the Georgia General Assembly reconvened under the Gold Dome, marking the start of this year’s legislative session and the beginning of a new biennium. Over the next 40 legislative days, I’m committed to fighting for policies that create a more equitable and inclusive Georgia for all its residents.
I am honored to continue serving on the Senate Committees on Government Oversight, Health and Human Services, Insurance and Labor, Natural Resources and the Environments and Urban Affairs where we will address pressing issues such as healthcare reform, firearm violence, and increasing literacy.
As we enter the heart of the legislative session this week, the work under the Gold Dome is moving full speed ahead. Even as ice and snow swept across South Georgia and Atlanta last week, our commitment to serving the people of Georgia never wavered.
When we returned to the Capitol this past Monday, we hit the ground running. Some highlights included Chamber of Commerce Day. I want to thank the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce for joining Tuesday’s General Assembly at the Capitol. I appreciate all the Chamber does for Gwinnett County’s economy, small businesses, and emerging business leaders and entrepreneurs. These events are always exciting, and it’s refreshing to see so many Georgians getting involved in our state government.
As budget hearings for the next fiscal year continue over the remainder of the legislative session in the form of committee meetings, we have a critical opportunity to shape investments that will directly impact our communities. Governor Brian Kemp’s proposed budget includes $50 million in security grants for individual schools—an essential step toward keeping students safe. However, proper school safety goes beyond physical security; it requires a commitment to addressing the broader issues affecting student well-being. I will continue advocating for a budget that supports working families, invests in underserved communities, and ensures every Georgian has the opportunity to succeed at every turn.
My fellow Senators and I recognize that our constituents and families deserve to send their children to school without fear, and that is why we are introducing legislation to tackle school gun violence in Georgia. I am proud to co-sponsor SB 49, introduced by Sen. Elena Parent, which aims to address gun violence by making it a punishable offense in Georgia to allow children access to firearms. This legislation would require parents to take greater responsibility for securely storing their firearms, reducing children’s exposure to guns and helping keep our schools safe.
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats announced several key legislative priorities for this session. We introduced SB 50, a bipartisan effort to close health insurance gaps, expand access to mental health and maternal care and ensure working families can afford quality healthcare. Too many Georgians rely on emergency rooms for primary care because they lack affordable insurance. We believe every Georgian deserves reliable, accessible healthcare, and we will continue pushing for solutions that lower costs and expand coverage. In the coming weeks, we will introduce bills to raise the state minimum wage, improve public schools, and expand access to affordable childcare. Our focus remains on legislation that puts people first, and I am proud to sponsor legislation that does just that.
I encourage students between the ages of 12 and 18 to apply to spend a day as a Senate Page. This program allows students to participate actively in the legislative process at our State Capitol for a day during the legislative session. This program is an invaluable experience, and I encourage my younger constituents to participate. Interested students may apply for the program here.
The weeks ahead will be eventful, with key debates and legislation shaping Georgia’s future. I’m committed to keeping you informed and ensuring your voice is heard. Thank you for your trust—I encourage you to stay engaged as we work toward a stronger, fairer Georgia.
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Sen. Nikki Merritt represents the 9th Senate District which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She may be reached at (404) 463-2260 or via email atnikki.merritt@senate.ga.gov
For all media inquiries, please reach out toSenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Oklahoma (NDOK) collected $4,029,804.93 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $2,572,450.48 was collected in criminal actions, and $1,457,354.45 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the NDOK worked with partner agencies and divisions to collect $1,726,442 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024.
“The Asset Recovery Unit and Asset Forfeiture teams consist of federal prosecutors, investigators, and professional support staff. In 2024, they collected more than $4 million on behalf of victims and collected nearly $2 million in assets, said U.S. Attorney, Clint Johnson. “Both teams diligently work to recover court ordered restitution to victims and process court ordered forfeiture. This funding not only impacts the Crime Victims Fund, but also goes towards law enforcement programs.”
Examples of Asset Recovery… In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $106,994.94 in U.S. v. Shane Hannaford, 21-CR-111. A veteran of the U.S. Marines, Hannaford devised a fraudulent investment scheme, defrauding fellow veterans he had served with in Iraq. Hannaford pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered him to pay $806,607.14 in restitution to his victims. The Northern District captured a significant payment towards restitution by intercepting proceeds from Hannaford’s sale of his home.
In September 2024, the Northern District recovered $287,521.53 in U.S. v. Keven Ellis Partin, 19-CR-121. Partin pled guilty to Offering or Paying Healthcare Kickbacks. The Court ordered him to pay $338,805 in restitution to Department of Labor, TRICARE, Department of Veteran Affairs, and Medicare. Through liens and other enforcement tools, the Northern District recovered full restitution for these federal agencies.
In May 2024, the Northern District of Oklahoma recovered $62,000 in U.S. v. Leslie Ellen Mansfield, 23-CR-170. Mansfield, an attorney, oversaw special needs trust accounts for intellectually challenged adults. Mansfield pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered her to pay $137,240.95 in restitution. The Northern District recovered full restitution for the living victims.
Examples of Asset Forfeiture… In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $35,000 in U.S. v. Jesus Salazar-Lares, et al., 22-CR-339. In Aug. 2024, Salazar-Lares and others, traveled from Chicago to Tulsa and delivered more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Salazar-Lares pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. The court authorized the seizure of $35,000 in cash.
In April 2024, the Northern District recovered $84,788.42 in U.S. v. Melvin Brown, 22-CR-419. From July 2020 through May 2021, Brown conspired with others to distribute cocaine. Romero pled guilty to drug conspiracy. The court authorized the seizure of Romero’s bank account that had approximately $84,788.42.
In June 2024, the Northern District recovered $620,000 in U.S. v. Jose Romero, et al., 22-CR-339. From Oct. 2019 through Oct. 2022, Romero conducted financial transactions with funds received through drug trafficking. Romero pled guilty to 18 counts of money laundering. The court authorized the forfeiture of $20,297 in cash, 18 vehicles, one firearm, approximately $50,076.31 from seized bank accounts, and four real estate properties.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.