Most Australians can look forward to a comfortable retirement. More than three in four retirees own their own home, most report feeling comfortable financially, and few suffer financial stress.
But our new Grattan Institute report paints a sobering picture for one group: retirees who rent in the private market. Two-thirds of this group live in poverty, including more than three in four single women who live alone.
Retirees who rent often have little in the way of retirement savings: more than half have less than A$25,000 stashed away. And a growing number of older Australians are at risk of becoming homeless.
But our research also shows just how much we’d need to boost Commonwealth Rent Assistance to make housing more affordable and ensure all renters are able to retire with dignity.
Today’s renters, tomorrow’s renting retirees
Home ownership is falling among poorer Australians who are approaching retirement.
Between 1981 and 2021, home ownership rates among the poorest 40% of 45–54-year-olds fell from 68% to just 54%. Today’s low-income renters are tomorrow’s renting retirees.
Age pensioners need at least $40,000 in savings to afford to spend $350 a week in rent, together with the Age Pension and Rent Assistance. That’s enough to afford the cheapest 25% of one-bedroom homes in capital cities.
But Australians who are renting as they approach retirement tend to have little in the way of retirement savings. 40% of renting households aged 55-64 have net financial wealth less than $40,000.
Rent assistance is too low
Our research shows that Commonwealth Rent Assistance, which supplements the Age Pension for poorer retirees who rent, is inadequate.
A single retiree needs at least $379 per week to afford non-housing essentials. marikun/Shutterstock
A typical single retiree needs at least $379 per week to afford essential non-housing costs such as food, transport and energy.
But we found a single pensioner who relies solely on income support can afford to rent just 4% of one-bedroom homes in Sydney, 13% in Brisbane, and 14% in Melbourne, after covering these basic living expenses.
With Rent Assistance indexed to inflation, rather than low-income earners’ housing costs, the maximum rate of the payment has increased by 136% since 2001, while the rents paid by recipients have increased by 193%.
A boost is needed
Our analysis suggests that to solve this problem, the federal government should increase the maximum rate of Rent Assistance by 50% for singles and 40% for couples.
The payment should also be indexed to changes in rents for the cheapest 25% of homes in our capital cities.
These increases would boost the maximum rate of Rent Assistance by $53 a week ($2,750 a year) for singles, and $40 a week ($2,080 a year) for couples.
This would ensure single retirees could afford to spend $350 a week on rent, enough to rent the cheapest 25% of one-bedroom homes across Australian capital cities, while still affording other essentials.
Similarly, retired couples would be able to afford to spend $390 a week on rent, enough to rent the cheapest 25% of all one- and two-bedroom homes.
Unlikely to push up rents
One common concern is that increasing Rent Assistance will just lead landlords to hike rents. But we find little evidence that this is the case.
International studies suggest that more than five in six dollars of any extra Rent Assistance paid would benefit renters, rather than landlords.
In Australia, there’s little evidence that recent increases in Rent Assistance have pushed up rents.
Our analysis of NSW rental bond lodgement data suggests areas with higher concentrations of Rent Assistance recipients did not see larger rent increases in the year after the payment was boosted.
That’s not surprising. Rent Assistance is paid to tenants, not landlords, which means tenants are likely to spend only a small portion of any extra income on housing.
Since rates of financial stress are even higher among younger renters, we propose that any increase to Rent Assistance should also apply to working-age households.
Boosting Rent Assistance for all recipients would cost about $2 billion a year, with about $500 million of this going to retirees.
Grattan Institute began with contributions to its endowment of $15 million from each of the federal and Victorian governments, $4 million from BHP Billiton, and $1 million from NAB. In order to safeguard its independence, Grattan Institute’s board controls this endowment. The funds are invested and contribute to funding Grattan Institute’s activities. Grattan Institute also receives funding from corporates, foundations, and individuals to support its general activities, as disclosed on its website.
Major new plans to modernise home buying and selling to save people time and money and further measures to improve the lives of leaseholders
Millions of people are set to benefit from improvements to the way homes are bought and sold, saving them both time and money by helping stop property transactions from falling through.
Under major new plans, the government has announced today [February 9] it will modernise the way the process works to bring down current delays of almost five months. One of the key reasons the buying and selling process can be long and frustrating is a lack of digitalisation and join up in the sector, which is why the government is opening up key property information, ensuring this data can be shared between trusted professionals more easily, and driving forward plans for digital identity services to slash transaction times.
These reforms will make home buying fit for the 21st Century and give much-needed certainty to everyone involved in property transactions, with one million taking place in the UK every year. By making information available at people’s fingertips, it will be far less likely for surprises to be encountered later on in the process. This will make it easier for people to get onto the housing ladder, reduce the requirement to share ID in-person in the long-term, and decrease the number of transactions collapsing.
Currently, fall throughs – which impact one in three transactions – cost people around £400 million a year, on top of the four million working days lost by conveyancers and estate agents alone which is equivalent to £1 billion. By bringing the process into the digital age, and learning from success stories such as Norway where transactions complete in around one month, the government is putting more money into the pockets of hardworking people and delivering on our Plan for Change to grow the economy.
Meanwhile changes to improve the lives of leaseholders – who have already achieved the dream of homeownership but found it falls short of what they were promised – will also be introduced from next week, with secondary legislation for the Right to Manage measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 being laid tomorrow – ahead of the schedule the government committed to last year.
These changes, which will come into force on 3rd March, will empower more leaseholders to take control of their buildings more easily, giving them power over how their service charges are spent, and removing the requirement for leaseholders to cover the legal fees of their freeholder when making a Right to Manage claim – potentially saving them up to £3,000 for the most costly claims, and reducing the incentive for landlords to obstruct the process.
Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said:
“We are streamlining the cumbersome home buying process so that it is fit for the twenty-first century, helping homebuyers save money, gain time and reduce stress while also cutting the number of house sales that fall through.
“Our modernisation of the system sits alongside further reforms to improve the lives of leasehold homeowners across the country, allowing them to more easily and cheaply take control of the buildings they live in and clamp down on unreasonable or extortionate charges.
“These reforms build on the government’s Plan for Change to deliver higher living standards and 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament, and our ongoing efforts to protect leaseholders suffering from unfair and unreasonable practices as we work to end the feudal leasehold system for good.”
Currently, information such as building control and highways information is predominantly paper-based or recorded in non-machine-readable formats. On top of this, where data is available electronically, there are not established protocols for accessing, sharing and verifying that data which leads to more delays.
But under a fully digitalised home buying and selling process, the information key parties need – from mortgage companies to surveyors – will be within reach immediately, with the necessary identity checks carried out once. Clear information early on will mean there are no surprises late on in the transaction which might cause it to fall through, so instead the transaction is completed smoothly without unnecessary time, energy or money spent.
That’s why the department is working hand-in-hand with the property market, supported by HM Land Registry (HMLR), and is today announcing a 12-week project to identify the design and implementation of agreed rules on data for the sector, so that it can easily be shared between conveyancers, lenders and other parties involved in a transaction. HMLR will also build on its work in digitising property information and lead 10-month pilots with a number of councils to identify the best approach to opening up more of their data and making it digital, whilst the government pushes ahead with plans for digital identity verification services including in the property sector.
This will all be carried out in conjunction with the Digital Property Market Steering Group – a collection of industry and government experts committed to digitalising the home buying and selling process and delivering this change.
The government has already:
Launched a New Homes Accelerator to unblock thousands of homes stuck in the planning system.
Set up an independent New Towns Taskforce, as part of a long-term vision to create large-scale communities of at least 10,000 new homes each.
Awarded £68 million to 54 local councils to unlock housing on brownfield sites.
Awarded £47 million to seven councils to unlock homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules.
Announced an additional £3 billion in housing guarantees to help builders apply for more accessible loans from banks and lenders.
Extended the existing Home Building Fund for next year providing up to £700 million of vital support to SME housebuilders, delivering an additional 12,000 new homes.
Notes to editors:
More than 300,000 property transactions fall through in the UK every year at a cost to sellers of £400 million, according to a survey commissioned by the HomeOwners Alliance (HOA) and online homebuyer IMMO.co.uk in 2018.
Almost a third of adults surveyed by the Homeowners Alliance in 2024, when asked how the conveyancing process could be improved, said it should be faster.
MHCLG has recently taken over the chairing of the Digital Property Market Steering Group. The group consists of organisations that represent the various professions involved in the buying and selling process and is committed to driving digitalisation of the home buying and selling system.
Right to Manage is the only way for leaseholders to take back control over extortionate fees and mismanagement of their homes, without being forced to buy the freehold.
The Right to Manage Statutory Instrument will be laid in parliament on Monday, and will come in to effect from 3rd March 2025
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Henning Melber, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria
Sam Nujoma was an outstanding Namibian leader who personified more than anybody else the country’s liberation struggle history and independence. His death at the age of 95 marks the end of an era. But his legacy will live on.
Together with Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, he was central in the foundation of the national liberation movement, South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo).
Samuel (Sam) Shafishuna (“lightning”) Daniel Nujoma was born on 12 May 1929 at Etunda near Okahao in northern Namibia in today’s Omusati region, the eldest of 11 children. His childhood was devoted to helping care for his siblings, the family cattle and cultivating the land. From 1937 to 1943 he completed primary school at the Finnish Missionary School at Okahao.
Namibia was then South West Africa, a former German colony, administered by apartheid South Africa since December 1920. Aged 17, he became a contract worker in the harbour town of Walvis Bay. From 1949 he worked as a cleaner at South African Railways in Windhoek. For most of his age group, contract labour in the settler economy was the only way out of subsistence agriculture.
In 1959 Nujoma co-founded the Ovamboland People’s Organisation, marking a new chapter of organised resistance against settler-colonial rule. At the time, African residents in the capital Windhoek lived mainly in the so-called Old Location. It was close to the centre of town, while contract workers were accommodated in a separate compound.
Their residents were supposed to relocate to a distant new township, Katutura. Protests against the forced removal escalated on 10 December 1959. Police opened fire, killing 11 and seriously wounding 44.
This was a turning point in the organised resistance. Political activists faced increased repression. Nujoma left for exile in February 1960 to campaign internationally, not least at the United Nations in New York.
In April 1960 the Ovamboland People’s Organisation became Swapo and Nujoma its first president. He remained in office until 2007. In 1967, Swapo resorted to armed resistance against the South African occupation.
The organisation became the family and Nujoma its patriarch. As Raymond Suttner, a scholar and political analyst, observed:
Any involvement in a revolution has an impact on conceptions of the personal.
A warfare of more than 20 years cost thousands of lives. The military component played a big role in Swapo’s struggle history. This is illustrated in the movement’s official narrative To Be Born A Nation.
While never trained for combat, Nujoma liked to pose as the military leader. Testimony to this is the dominant statue of the “unknown soldier” at the Heroes Acre, modelled as Nujoma.
Just as enlightening is Nujoma’s autobiography, ending with independence on 21 March 1990. Its title Where Others Wavered is from one of his statements in the late 1970s:
When the history of a free and independent Namibia is written one day, Swapo will go down as having stood firm where others have wavered: that it sacrificed for the sacred cause of liberation where others have compromised.
(Nujoma’s account) brings into sharp relief the career of a formidable political activist who displayed enormous courage, determination and will to survive against considerable odds.
Heading the state
Nujoma was appointed Namibia’s first head of state by the Constituent Assembly. His initial term (1990-1995) was characterised by efforts to build the nation and foster reconciliation in a deeply divided settler colonial society.
He accepted a constitutionally enshrined status quo when it came to the privileges of the white minority. Continued socioeconomic disparities under political majority rule signified a process in which political power was traded and transferred while fundamental social inequalities were guarded by the protection of existing property relations.
In August 1999 Nujoma declared a first state of emergency when a failed secession in what was then called the Caprivi Strip came as a shock attack. The subsequent treatment of the suspected secessionists was anything but reconciliatory. It resulted in the country’s only political refugees so far.
To allow Nujoma a third term in office (2000-2005), the National Assembly adopted a first constitutional amendment in late 1998. The justification was that his initial appointment was not based on a direct vote by the electorate. The clause was restricted to Nujoma.
Handing over the torch
There were doubts if Nujoma would vacate office. In 2004 he declared:
One cannot ignore the call by the people, because the people are the ones who make the final decision.
This fuelled speculations that he might be tempted to opt for a referendum, banking on an anticipated majority willing to grant him another term.
Facing internal Swapo opposition, Nujoma opted for the party’s unity and announced his retirement at the end of his term. This paved the way for three candidates competing for his replacement.
But, he was adamant that his long-time confidante Hifikepunye Pohamba would become his successor. A heavy-handed approach to bulldoze him through resulted in a break-away new party.
In such a context retirement is a foreign word. One can leave office but remain a leader. Nujoma’s word and view counted in policy implementation – both at party and national government levels. Although his direct impact gradually subsided, he remained an iconic influencer.
Achievements despite the limits to liberation
Many leaders of African countries were shaped by resistance to colonial oppression. This was no romantic picnic, but required perseverance and tough decisions. It came at a cost. Military mindsets and strict hierarchies were fostering authoritarian tendencies.
These are not the best ingredients for civilian rule. But achieving sovereignty elevated the struggle to new levels. Since the end of white minority rule and South African occupation, Namibian people are governed by those they elected democratically.
Nujoma was on the commanding heights of Namibia’s liberation struggle for over half a century. He decided to retire as captain in time. Namibians owe it to him and others for paving the way for a democratic state guided by the rule of law.
This is adequately symbolised in his statue erected at Windhoek’s Independence Museum. Dressed in civilian clothes, Nujoma proudly holds up the Namibian constitution. It might be the best visual recognition of all of his ultimate contribution to Namibian society.
Since independence, the struggle for more equality continues by civil means. Tatekulu (big man) Sam Nujoma deserves credit for his role in this remarkably peaceful transition towards a multi-party democracy in which politically motivated violence rarely occurs. He will always have centre stage in Namibia’s hall of fame.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Henning Melber, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria
Sam Nujoma was an outstanding Namibian leader who personified more than anybody else the country’s liberation struggle history and independence. His death at the age of 95 marks the end of an era. But his legacy will live on.
Together with Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, he was central in the foundation of the national liberation movement, South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo).
Samuel (Sam) Shafishuna (“lightning”) Daniel Nujoma was born on 12 May 1929 at Etunda near Okahao in northern Namibia in today’s Omusati region, the eldest of 11 children. His childhood was devoted to helping care for his siblings, the family cattle and cultivating the land. From 1937 to 1943 he completed primary school at the Finnish Missionary School at Okahao.
Namibia was then South West Africa, a former German colony, administered by apartheid South Africa since December 1920. Aged 17, he became a contract worker in the harbour town of Walvis Bay. From 1949 he worked as a cleaner at South African Railways in Windhoek. For most of his age group, contract labour in the settler economy was the only way out of subsistence agriculture.
In 1959 Nujoma co-founded the Ovamboland People’s Organisation, marking a new chapter of organised resistance against settler-colonial rule. At the time, African residents in the capital Windhoek lived mainly in the so-called Old Location. It was close to the centre of town, while contract workers were accommodated in a separate compound.
Their residents were supposed to relocate to a distant new township, Katutura. Protests against the forced removal escalated on 10 December 1959. Police opened fire, killing 11 and seriously wounding 44.
This was a turning point in the organised resistance. Political activists faced increased repression. Nujoma left for exile in February 1960 to campaign internationally, not least at the United Nations in New York.
In April 1960 the Ovamboland People’s Organisation became Swapo and Nujoma its first president. He remained in office until 2007. In 1967, Swapo resorted to armed resistance against the South African occupation.
The organisation became the family and Nujoma its patriarch. As Raymond Suttner, a scholar and political analyst, observed:
Any involvement in a revolution has an impact on conceptions of the personal.
A warfare of more than 20 years cost thousands of lives. The military component played a big role in Swapo’s struggle history. This is illustrated in the movement’s official narrative To Be Born A Nation.
Nujoma, centre, as the historic 1989 elections were announced. With him: Hage Geingob, left, Hidipo Hamutenya, Theo Ben Gurirab Moses Garoeb and a bodyguard.HENNING MELBER
While never trained for combat, Nujoma liked to pose as the military leader. Testimony to this is the dominant statue of the “unknown soldier” at the Heroes Acre, modelled as Nujoma.
Just as enlightening is Nujoma’s autobiography, ending with independence on 21 March 1990. Its title Where Others Wavered is from one of his statements in the late 1970s:
When the history of a free and independent Namibia is written one day, Swapo will go down as having stood firm where others have wavered: that it sacrificed for the sacred cause of liberation where others have compromised.
(Nujoma’s account) brings into sharp relief the career of a formidable political activist who displayed enormous courage, determination and will to survive against considerable odds.
Heading the state
Nujoma was appointed Namibia’s first head of state by the Constituent Assembly. His initial term (1990-1995) was characterised by efforts to build the nation and foster reconciliation in a deeply divided settler colonial society.
He accepted a constitutionally enshrined status quo when it came to the privileges of the white minority. Continued socioeconomic disparities under political majority rule signified a process in which political power was traded and transferred while fundamental social inequalities were guarded by the protection of existing property relations.
In August 1999 Nujoma declared a first state of emergency when a failed secession in what was then called the Caprivi Strip came as a shock attack. The subsequent treatment of the suspected secessionists was anything but reconciliatory. It resulted in the country’s only political refugees so far.
To allow Nujoma a third term in office (2000-2005), the National Assembly adopted a first constitutional amendment in late 1998. The justification was that his initial appointment was not based on a direct vote by the electorate. The clause was restricted to Nujoma.
Handing over the torch
There were doubts if Nujoma would vacate office. In 2004 he declared:
One cannot ignore the call by the people, because the people are the ones who make the final decision.
This fuelled speculations that he might be tempted to opt for a referendum, banking on an anticipated majority willing to grant him another term.
Statue of the unknown soldier modelled on Sam Nujoma.Henning Melber
Facing internal Swapo opposition, Nujoma opted for the party’s unity and announced his retirement at the end of his term. This paved the way for three candidates competing for his replacement.
But, he was adamant that his long-time confidante Hifikepunye Pohamba would become his successor. A heavy-handed approach to bulldoze him through resulted in a break-away new party.
In such a context retirement is a foreign word. One can leave office but remain a leader. Nujoma’s word and view counted in policy implementation – both at party and national government levels. Although his direct impact gradually subsided, he remained an iconic influencer.
Achievements despite the limits to liberation
Many leaders of African countries were shaped by resistance to colonial oppression. This was no romantic picnic, but required perseverance and tough decisions. It came at a cost. Military mindsets and strict hierarchies were fostering authoritarian tendencies.
These are not the best ingredients for civilian rule. But achieving sovereignty elevated the struggle to new levels. Since the end of white minority rule and South African occupation, Namibian people are governed by those they elected democratically.
Nujoma was on the commanding heights of Namibia’s liberation struggle for over half a century. He decided to retire as captain in time. Namibians owe it to him and others for paving the way for a democratic state guided by the rule of law.
This is adequately symbolised in his statue erected at Windhoek’s Independence Museum. Dressed in civilian clothes, Nujoma proudly holds up the Namibian constitution. It might be the best visual recognition of all of his ultimate contribution to Namibian society.
Since independence, the struggle for more equality continues by civil means. Tatekulu (big man) Sam Nujoma deserves credit for his role in this remarkably peaceful transition towards a multi-party democracy in which politically motivated violence rarely occurs. He will always have centre stage in Namibia’s hall of fame.
Hamba Kahle (go well), tate Sam.
– Sam Nujoma personified Namibia’s struggle for freedom – https://theconversation.com/sam-nujoma-personified-namibias-struggle-for-freedom-158904
Changes to investor visa settings will make New Zealand more attractive as an investment destination, says BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich.
We welcome the next move in the government’s foreign investment strategy to attract high net wealth individuals and their families. Investors bring international business networks, unique skills and expertise as well as capital to our country, says Mrs Rich.
A broader range of investment opportunities and internationally comparable settings will open the doors for investors that want to call New Zealand home. There is an opportunity for New Zealand businesses to leverage these networks for investment and international trade. We welcome these visa changes and look forward to continued efforts by the government to attract foreign investment and expertise.
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
February 08, 2025
[CHICAGO, IL] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton visited the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago (IVHC) to reaffirm their unwavering support for our state’s Veterans. After visiting with residents, Duckworth, Pritzker and Stratton held a roundtable discussion with leadership from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) to talk about their shared goals for the facility as well as some of the ways we can better ensure our Veterans receive quality, timely care. Photos from today’s visit are available on the Senator’s website.
“It was a pleasure to be back at the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago—a dream of mine that I’m proud to have helped establish to care for our brave heroes,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m thankful for the IDVA’s tireless work to help ensure the Veterans who reside here receive the high-quality support they’ve earned through their service, and I will continue to do everything I can at the federal level to assist in these efforts. Today, my message alongside Governor Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Stratton was clear: We will always have our Veterans’ backs.”
“I was proud to join a hero of our state Senator Tammy Duckworth and my partner-in-governing Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton to thank the veterans and staff of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As we visit the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago, I continued to be inspired by the patriotism and sacrifice of Illinois veterans who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Taking care of our veterans is one our most important duties in public service and we will continue standing up for those who have always stood up for America.”
“Our veterans answered the call to serve and brought safety, comfort and prosperity to so many,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “The very essence of duty is to put the needs of others before your own. For that, they deserve nothing less than the very best and in Illinois, we will continue to do everything possible to prioritize the care and support they receive.”
“IDVA and Veterans across Illinois are grateful for the continued support of Senator Duckworth, Governor Pritzker, and Lt. Governor Stratton and for their commitment to Illinois Veterans,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “The investment in the Chicago Home and our homes in Anna, LaSalle, Manteno, and Quincy demonstrate the state’s gratitude and respect for Veterans’ service to our nation and our promise to protect them as they have protected us through their service.”
Throughout her tenure in Congress, Duckworth has been a fierce supporter of and an effective legislator for our Veterans. During the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee’s confirmation hearing for President Trump’s VA Secretary nominee Doug Collins last month, Duckworth pressed Collins to oppose any effort to privatize VA health care, which would place many Veterans at risk of receiving less effective and less cost-efficient care. In her remarks, Duckworth underscored that VA health care professionals are better positioned to provide the best care possible for our Veterans due to specialized training that informs providers with a unique understanding of Veterans’ experiences and comprehensive medical needs—something that is not replicated in the civilian health care system.
In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA) that was signed into law, Duckworth secured several important provisions that support our servicemembers and their families, enhance strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, improve logistics to bolster readiness and energy resiliency as well as continue to restore American competitiveness.
The IDVA founded the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Chicago in 2022, the first of its kind in Chicago by the IDVA and only one of five total in Illinois. This is a Long-Term Care Facility specifically for Veterans. Illinois Veterans and eligible spouses seeking skilled and domiciliary care are offered five Veterans’ homes located across Illinois: Anna, Chicago, LaSalle, Manteno and Quincy.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DANTE FRAZIER (“FRAZIER”), age 45, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 188 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, along with a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to an emergency call and found FRAZIER passed out in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. After becoming aware of NOPD’s presence, FRAZIER drove onto the Saint Claude Avenue neutral ground, struck a median, and then drove into a gas station parking lot before fleeing on foot. While fleeing, FRAZIER fired five shots from a Mossberg International Model 715P, .22 caliber handgun, at NOPD, before hiding beneath a nearby house. Soon after the pursuit, NOPD officers located FRAZIER, and his vehicle containing over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 14 grams of cocaine, that FRAZIER intended to distribute. Before this shooting incident, FRAZIER had been convicted of three counts of armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
China’s public security authorities have made significant strides in enforcing check-in requirements for hotel operators accommodating minors to ensure their safety, the Ministry of Public Security said on Saturday. Hotel operators are required to verify the identity of minors, inquire about guardian information, and record details of accompanying persons when accommodating minors to prevent crimes such as child trafficking. In 2024, hotels nationwide reported over 42 million minor check-ins, and public security authorities conducted 522,000 checks on suspicious activities, according to the ministry. The ministry released several typical cases regarding information checks of minors at hotel receptions. In one case from September 2024 in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, three adults attempted to check in with an infant but failed to provide valid identification for the child. The hotel staff immediately reported the situation to the police. Subsequent investigations revealed that the baby had been abducted, ultimately leading to the resolution of a child trafficking case. In another case from June 2024 at a hotel in Shanghai, two underage boys refused to provide their guardians’ contact information. The hotel staff promptly notified the police, who later discovered that the boys had run away from home after arguments with their parents. Authorities then ensured their safe return.
Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in the fifth prisoner-for-hostage swap under the ongoing ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Feb. 8, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
Abdullah al-Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, said the released prisoners, transported by buses of the International Committee of the Red Cross, had arrived in Ramallah. TV footage showed the released Palestinians being greeted by a large crowd at a square in the city.
Of the freed prisoners, 42 were from the West Bank, three from Jerusalem, and 27 from the Gaza Strip, all serving life sentences or lengthy terms. Additionally, 111 prisoners were arrested in the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs said in a press statement.
Seven of the freed prisoners would be deported outside the Palestinian territories, according to the statement.
Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses said that Israeli vehicles stormed Beitunia, a Palestinian city west of Ramallah, immediately after the bus carrying Palestinian prisoners left Ofer Prison, to prevent any celebratory demonstrations by their families.
Israeli forces also raided the homes of some prisoners in the West Bank and warned their families against organizing celebrations to mark their release, according to the sources.
Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released three Israeli hostages it had been holding in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Israeli hostages had crossed the border into Israel.
This release marks the fifth hostage-prisoner swap under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, brokered by Egypt and Qatar with support from the United States.
According to a report by the Times of Israel last month, Israel demanded that Palestinians convicted of the most serious crimes not be released to the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
As Secretary Rubio said: My number one job as Secretary of State is determining what is in the best interest of the United States, ensuring our diplomacy takes actions in line with President Trump’s America First policy.
With that in mind, he traveled to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic on his first international trip since taking office.
“We’ve seen that the more prosperous and safer these countries are, the more prosperous and safer it makes us. I reinforced this truth in my visit to the region this week, as I talked with senior officials and business leaders about ways we can promote regional cooperation on our shared interests: stopping illegal and large-scale migration, fighting the scourge of transnational criminal organizations and drug traffickers, countering China, and deepening economic partnerships to enhance prosperity in our hemisphere. In each of these countries, we value our allies, and we look forward to continuing to deepen and strengthen our partnerships.”
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
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As people travel back home from the Burt Munro Challenge, we remind motorists that our highways are not racetracks and there is no prize for getting home first.
Thousands of people are leaving the Invercargill region in the coming days, prompting our reminder to drive safely so you reach your destinations safely.
Ensure you plan your journey ahead and allow plenty of travel time in case of delays. With a significant increase in traffic heading out of the region, it is crucial to keep your cool all times.
Please drive to the conditions, obey all speed limits and restrictions, don’t drive impaired and keep your phone away. If you are feeling fatigued, pull over or have somebody else drive.
If you are on a motorcycle, wear all the appropriate safety gear and check your bike is road safe before setting off.
We hope everyone enjoyed the events in our region, and if you’re on the road, expect to see us out and about, making sure everyone’s safe.
A national Palestine advocacy group has hit back at critics of its “genocide hotline” campaign against soldiers involved in Israel’s war against Gaza, saying New Zealand should be actively following international law.
“Why is concern for the sensitivities of soldiers from a genocidal Israeli campaign more important than condemning the genocide itself?,” asked PSNA national chair John Minto in a statement.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, the Chief Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and the New Zealand Jewish Council have made statements “protecting” Israeli soldiers who come to New Zealand on “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza until a truce went into force on January 19.
“We are not surprised to see such a predictable lineup of apologists for Israel and its genocide in Gaza from lining up to attack a PSNA campaign with false smears of anti-semitism,” Minto said.
He said that over 16 months Peters had done “absolutely nothing” to put any pressure on Israel to end its genocidal behaviour.
“But he is full of bluff and bluster and outright lies to denounce those who demand Israel be held to account.”
Deny illegal settler visas Minto said that if Peters was doing his job as Foreign Minister, he would not only stop Israeli soldiers coming to Aotearoa New Zealand — as with Russian soldiers in the Ukraine war — he would also deny visas to any Israeli with an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Whlle the commission said it had received 90 complaints about the hotline, it had also received eight complaints about immigration policy allowing Israeli soldiers to enter New Zealand under the visa waiver scheme that applies to Israel.
“Our campaign has nothing to do with Israelis or Jews — it is a campaign to stop Israeli soldiers coming here for rest and recreation after a campaign of wholesale killing of Palestinians in Gaza,” Minto said.
“To imply the campaign is targeting Jews is disgusting and despicable.
“Some of the soldiers will be Druse, some Palestinian Arabs and others will be Jews.”
The five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, shot 355 times by Israeli soldiers on 29 January 2024. Image: @Onlyloren/Instagram
Israeli soldiers are facing a growing risk of being arrested abroad for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza, with around 50 criminal complaints filed so far in courts in several countries around the world.
Earlier this month, a former Israeli soldier abruptly ended his holiday in Brazil and was “smuggled” out of the country after a Federal Court ordered police to open a war crimes investigation against him. The man fled to Argentina.
A complaint lodged by the Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) included more than 500 pages of court records linking the suspect to the demolition of civilian homes in Gaza.
‘Historic’ court ruling against soldier The foundation called the Brazilian court’s decision “historic”, saying it marked a significant precedent for a member country of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to enforce Rome Statute provisions domestically in the 15-month Israeli war on Gaza.
The foundation is named in honour of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab who was killed on 29 January 2024 by Israel soldiers while pleading for help in a car after her six family members were dead.
According to The New Arab, the foundation has so far tracked and sent the names of 1000 Israeli soldiers to the ICC and Interpol, and has been pursuing legal cases in a number of countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, France, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, together with a former Hamas commander, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Minto accused the New Zealand Jewish Council of being “deeply racist” and said it regularly “makes a meal of false smears of anti-semitism”.
“It’s deeply problematic that this Jewish Council strategy takes attention away from the real anti-semitism which exists in New Zealand and around the world.
“The priority of the Jewish Council is to protect Israel from criticism and protect it from accountability for its apartheid policies, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
“We are demanding that accountability.”
NZ ‘going through the motions’ In a later statement, PSNA said the government had begun to “go through the motions” of questioning Israeli soldiers at the border but it was just a “look busy policy – too little too late”.
NZ requires Israelis to disclose IDF service details as condition for entry – a similar policy to Australia. Image: Times of Israel screenshot APR
Immigration questioning Israeli of soldiers about their military service in Gaza at the New Zealand border was revealed in a Times of Israel report today which said:
“New Zealand’s government immigration authority has begun to require Israelis applying for a visa to report details of their military service as a condition for entry, and at least one person has been denied admission after doing so.”
PSNA’s Minto said the government must also uphold the ICJ advisory opinion of 19 July 2024 which called on global governments to end support for Israel’s illegal occupation.
“This means we should also deny entry to every Israeli wanting to visit here who has an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” Minto added.
The Grampians – Wallaby Rocks and Little Desert bushfires are now contained following nearly two weeks of incredible work by crews on the ground, in the air and in the control centres.
The firesbegan on 27 January afterdry lightning started fires in two new sections of the Grampians National Park and at the Little Desert National Park.
The Little Desert fire spread quickly within the first couple of days and ended up burning more than 95,000 hectares.
The Grampians fires merged with the original Yarram Gap Road fire from 17 December 2024 due to ongoing fire activity and back burning. The Wallaby Rocks section of the fire was contained on 8 February with more than 59,000 hectares burnt. The Yarram Gap Road section was contained on 6 January and declared under control on13 January, with a fire footprint circumference of 422 kilometres, more than 76,000 hectares of national park and agricultural land burnt.
Several Emergency Warnings have been issued over the past couple of weeks with communities near both fires urged to leave.
Four residential properties were lost from the Grampians fires and one property and one business from the Little Desert fire. There were also 40 outbuildings lost at the Grampians and two at Little Desert along with significant stock losses and impacts to wildlife and vegetation across both fire regions.
Fire crews remain on scene at both fires treating hazardous trees, monitoring hot spots and consolidating containment lines.
Conditions over the next few days are still going to be challenging with strong winds forecast from the south accompanied by warm to hot conditions for the rest of the week.
Quotes attributable to State Response Controller David Nugent
“We’ve had a long and challenging fire season so far with crews from across the state and interstate working on the bushfires since December.
“It has been incredible work by everyone involved to contain these two latest bushfires at the Grampians and Little Desert National Parks.
“The impacts to the local communities and tourism in those areas has been tough and hopefully we can now begin the process of re-opening those areas.
“Firefighters will continue to monitor and patrol the fires for a number of weeks. It is likely we will still see smoke and small flare–ups in the area, but we will continue to be present to deal with these when and as they arise.
“I want to thank the community and the public for their remarkable supportduring these fires.
“Your cooperation in following our messaging and adhering to road closures has been invaluable. It has allowed our crews to focus their efforts on fighting the fire effectively while prioritising community safety.”
Victorians are reminded toalways have more than one source of information, including:
By the time US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on China and Canada last Monday which could kickstart a trade war, New Zealand’s diplomats in Washington, DC, had already been deployed on another diplomatic drama.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz had said on social media it was “difficult to treat New Zealand as a normal ally . . . when they denigrate and punish Israeli citizens for defending themselves and their country”.
He cited a story in the Israeli media outlet Ha’aretz, which has a reputation for independence in Israel and credibility abroad.
But Ha’aretz had wrongly reported Israelis must declare service in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as part of “new requirements” for visa applications.
Winston Peters replied forcefully to Cruz on X, condemning Ha’aretz’s story as “fake news” and demanding a correction.
Winston Peters puts Ted Cruz on notice over the misleading Ha’aretz story. Image: X/RNZ
But one thing Trump’s Republicans and Winston Peters had in common last week was irritating Mexico.
His fellow NZ First MP Shane Jones had bellowed “Send the Mexicans home” at Green MPs in Parliament.
Winston Peters then told two of them they should be more grateful for being able to live in New Zealand.
‘We will not be lectured’ On Facebook he wasn’t exactly backing down.
“We . . . will not be lectured on the culture and traditions of New Zealand from people who have been here for five minutes,” he added.
While he was at it, Peters criticised media outlets for not holding other political parties to account for inflammatory comments.
Peters was posting that as a politician — not a foreign minister, but the Mexican ambassador complained to MFAT. (It seems the so-called “Mexican standoff” was resolved over a pre-Waitangi lunch with Ambassador Bravo).
But the next day — last Wednesday — news of another diplomatic drama broke on TVNZ’s 1News.
“A deal that could shatter New Zealand’s close relationship with a Pacific neighbour,” presenter Simon Dallow declared, in front of a backdrop of a stern-looking Peters.
TVNZ’s Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver reported the Cook Islands was about to sign a partnership agreement in Beijing.
“We want clarity and at this point in time, we have none. We’ve got past arrangements, constitutional arrangements, which require constant consultation with us, and dare I say, China knows that,” Peters told 1News.
Passports another headache Cook Islands’ Prime Minister Mark Brown also told Barbara Dreaver TVNZ’s revelations last month about proposed Cook Island passports had also been a headache for him.
“We were caught by surprise when this news was broken by 1News. I thought it was a high-level diplomatic discussion with leaders to be open and frank,” he told TVNZ this week.
“For it to be brought out into the public before we’ve had a time to inform our public, I thought was a breach of our political diplomacy.”
Last week another Barabara Dreaver scoop on 1News brought the strained relationship with another Pacific state into the headlines:
“Our relationship with Kiribati is at breaking point. New Zealand’s $100 million aid programme there is now on hold. The move comes after President [Taneti] Maamau pulled out of a pre-arranged meeting with Winston Peters.”
The media ended up in the middle of the blame game over this too — but many didn’t see it coming.
Caught in the crossfire “A diplomatic rift with Kiribati was on no one’s 2025 bingo card,” Stuff national affairs editor Andrea Vance wrote last weekend in the Sunday Star-Times.
“Of all the squabbles Winston Peters was expected to have this year, no one picked it would be with an impoverished, sinking island nation,” she wrote, in terms that would surely annoy Kiribati.
“Do you believe Kiribati is snubbing you?” RNZ Morning Report’s Corin Dann asked Peters.
“You can come to any conclusion you like, but our job is to try and resolve this matter,” Peters replied.
Kiribati Education Minister Alexander Teabo told RNZ Pacific there was no snub.
He said Kiribati President Maamau — who is also the nation’s foreign minister — had been unavailable because of a long-planned and important Catholic ordination ceremony on his home island of Onotoa — though this was prior to the proposed visit from Peters.
Public dispute “regrettable’ Peters told the same show it was “regrettable” that the dispute had been made public.
On Newstalk ZB Peters was backed — and Kiribati portrayed as the problem.
“If somebody is giving me $100m and they asked for a meeting, I will attend. I don’t care if it’s my mum’s birthday. Or somebody’s funeral,” Drive host Ryan Bridge told listeners.
“It’s always very hard to pick apart these stories (by) just reading them in the media. But I have faith and confidence in Winston Peters as our foreign minister,” PR-pro Trish Shrerson opined.
So did her fellow panellist, former Labour MP Stuart Nash.
“He’s respected across the Pacific. He’s the consummate diplomat. If Winston says this is the story and this is what’s happening, I believe 100 percent. And I would say, go hard. Winston — represent our interests.”
‘Totally silly’ response But veteran Pacific journalist Michael Field contradicted them soon after on ZB.
“It’s totally silly. All this talk about cancelling $104 million of aid is total pie-in-the-sky from Winston Peters,” he said.
“Somebody’s lost their marbles on this, and the one who’s possibly on the ground looking for them is Winston Peters.
“He didn’t need to be in Tarawa in early January at all. This is pathetic. This is like saying I was invited to my sister’s birthday party and now it’s been cancelled,” he said.
Not a comparison you hear very often in international relations.
“While the conspiracy around Kiribati and China has deepened, no one is noticing the still-viable Kiribati-United States treaty which prevents Kiribati atolls [from] being used as bases without Washington approval,” he added.
Kiribati ‘hugely disrespectful’ But TVNZ’s Barbara Dreaver said Kiribati was being “hugely disrespectful”.
In a TVNZ analysis piece last weekend, she said New Zealand has “every right to expect better engagement than it has been getting over the past year.”
Dreaver — who was born in and grew up in Kiribati and has family there — also criticised “the airtime and validation” Kwansing got in the media in New Zealand.
“She supports and is part of a government that requires all journalists — should they get a visa to go there — to hand over copies of all footage/information collected,” Dreaver said.
Kwansing hit back on Facebook, accusing Dreaver of “publishing inane drivel” and “irresponsible journalism causing stress to locals.”
“You write like you need a good holiday somewhere happy. Please book yourself a luxury day spa ASAP,” she told TVNZ’s Pacific Affairs reporter.
“Despite this media issue, the government of Kiribati remains convinced the strong bonds between Kiribati and New Zealand will enable a resolution to this unfortunate standoff,” it said.
Copping the blame Another reporter who knows what it’s like to cop the blame for reporting stuff diplomats and politicians want to keep out of the news is RNZ Pacific’s senior journalist and presenter Lydia Lewis.
Last year, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese questioned RNZ’s ethics after she reported comments he made to the US Deputy Secretary of State at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga — which revealed an until-then behind closed doors plan to pay for better policing in the Pacific.
She’s also been covering the tension with Kiribati.
Is the heat coming on the media more these days if they candidly report diplomatic differences?
TVNZ Pacific senior journalist and presenter Lydia Lewis . . . “both the public and politicians are saying the media [are] making a big deal of things.” Image: RNZ Pacific
“There’s no study that says there are more people blaming the media. So it’s anecdotal, but definitely, both the public and politicians are saying the media (are) making a big deal of things,” Lewis told Mediawatch.
“I would put the question back to the public as to who’s manufacturing drama. All we’re doing is reporting what’s in front of us for the public to then make their decision — and questioning it. And there were a lot of questions around this Kiribati story.”
Lewis said it was shortly before 6pm on January 27, that selected journalists were advised of the response of our government to the cancellation of the meeting with foreign minister Peters.
Vice-President an alternative But it was not mentioned that Kiribati had offered the Vice-President for a meeting, the same person that met with an Australian delegation recently.
A response from Kiribati proved harder to get — and Lewis spoke to a senior figure in Kiribati that night who told her they knew nothing about it.
Politicians and diplomats, naturally enough, prefer to do things behind the scenes and media exposure is a complication for them.
But we simply wouldn’t know about the impending partnership agreement between China and the Cook Islands if TVNZ had not reported it last Monday.
And another irony: some political figures lamenting the diplomatically disruptive impact of the media also make decidedly undiplomatic responses of their own online these days.
“It can be revealing in the sense of where people stand. Sometimes they’re just putting out their opinions or their experience. Maybe they’ve got some sort of motive. A formal message or email we’ll take a bit more seriously. But some of the things on social media, we just take with a grain of salt,” said Lewis.
“It is vital we all look at multiple sources. It comes back to balance and knowledge and understanding what you know about and what you don’t know about — and then asking the questions in between.”
Big Powers and the Big Picture Kwansing objected to New Zealand media jumping to the conclusion China’s influence was a factor in the friction with New Zealand.
“To dismiss the geopolitical implications with China . . . would be naive and ignorant,” Dreaver countered.
Michael Field pointed to an angle missing.
“While the conspiracy around Kiribati and China has deepened, no one is noticing the still viable Kiribati-United States treaty which prevents Kiribati atolls being used as bases without Washington approval,” he wrote in his Substack.
In the same article in which Vance called Kiribati “an impoverished, sinking island nation” she later pointed out that its location, US military ties and vast ocean territory make it strategically important.
Questions about ‘transparency and accountability’ “There’s a lot of people that want in on Kiribati. It has a huge exclusive economic zone,” Lewis said.
She said communication problems and patchy connectivity are also drawbacks.
“We do have a fuller picture now of the situation, but the overarching question that’s come out of this is around transparency and accountability.
“We can’t hold Kiribati politicians to account like we do New Zealand government politicians.”
“I don’t want to give Kiribati a free pass here but it’s really difficult to get a response.
“They’re posting statements on Facebook and it really has raised some questions around the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability for all journalists . . . committed to fair media reporting across the Pacific.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today released the text of the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Resolution.
The FY 2025 budget resolution will be the blueprint that unlocks the pathway for a fully paid for reconciliation bill to secure the border, bolster our military, increase American energy independence and begin the process of fiscal sanity.
“To those who voted for and support real border security and a stronger defense in a troubled world, help is on the way,” said Senator Graham. “This budget resolution jumpstarts a process that will give President Trump’s team the money they need to secure the border and deport criminals, and make America strong and more energy independent.”
The FY 2025 Budget Resolution lays the groundwork for legislation that:
Secures our border by providing funding to:
Finish the wall and upgrade technology for ground and aerial support.
Increase the number of detention beds so dangerous criminals aren’t released into the United States.
Increase the number of:
ICE officers to conduct mass detention and removal of criminal illegal aliens; Border Patrol agents to regain operational control of the border; Assistant U.S. attorneys to prosecute violent crime, organized crime and immigration-related offenses; and immigration judges to clear the backlog in our immigration courts.
Make investments in state and local law enforcement to facilitate cooperation with federal law enforcement and immigration enforcement and removal efforts.
Revitalizes our military by providing critical funding for the Department of Defense to strengthen the U.S. military to deter conflict and ensure our nation’s security. Priorities to plus up our national defense include:
Maintaining U.S. military readiness and the ability to defend U.S. interests globally.
Growing the U.S. Navy and strengthening its industrial base to restore U.S. maritime dominance.
Building an integrated air and missile defense to counter threats to the U.S. homeland.
Continuing to overhaul and strengthen America’s nuclear defense posture.
Facilitates energy independence by unleashing American energy production through on and offshore lease sales, and stopping the Biden Administration’s natural gas tax, also known as the methane emissions fee.
Begins the Process of Restoring Fiscal Sanity by fully paying for the investments in our border security, national security and domestic energy production up front. Since these investments will be spent in four years, the legislation will be paid for in four years. The bill’s projected increased annual spending of $85.5 billion will be paid for by a projected $85.5 billion in reduced annual spending.
Why we need to Secure our Border, Revitalize our Military, Unleash American Energy Production and Begin the Process of Restoring Fiscal Sanity.
Text of the FY 2025 Senate Budget Resolution is available HERE.
View tables on the FY 2025 Senate Budget Resolution HERE.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Feb. 8 — China has allocated 80 million yuan (about 11.16 million U.S. dollars) to support disaster relief and recovery efforts after a landslide in the southwestern Sichuan Province buried 10 houses and left over 30 people missing on Saturday.
Some 50 million yuan, allocated by the National Development and Reform Commission from the central budget, will be used to restore infrastructure and public facilities in affected areas, according to authorities.
Also on Saturday, the Ministry of Finance, in conjunction with the Ministry of Emergency Management, allocated 30 million yuan from central natural disaster relief funds to support Sichuan in its rapid organization of rescue efforts.
The funds will be spent on search and rescue work, risk assessment and emergency response measures, and investigating potential secondary-disaster hazards to minimize casualties, according to the ministry.
The landslide occurred at about 11:50 a.m. in Jinping Village, which is located in Junlian County in the city of Yibin. Two people were rescued in the afternoon, and approximately 200 people have been evacuated.
The finance ministry has instructed Sichuan’s provincial finance authorities to disburse the funds to affected areas promptly, and to maximize their effectiveness.
Taking the latest developments of the situation into consideration, the Ministry of Natural Resources has upgraded an emergency geological disaster control response from Level III to Level II, and dispatched a team led by Vice Minister of Natural Resources Xu Dachun to guide on-site relief efforts.
During a visit to East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighbourhood, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher met residents facing home demolitions and the threat of forcible eviction.
During a visit to East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighbourhood, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher met residents facing home demolitions and the threat of forcible eviction.
Headline: One Month Later: Federal Support for Wildfire Survivors Nears $700 Million
One Month Later: Federal Support for Wildfire Survivors Nears $700 Million
LOS ANGELES – On January 7, when wildfires first struck Los Angeles County and adjacent areas, more than 200,000 Californians were evacuated. State and local governments responded quicky to fight the blazes, employing more than 2,000 pieces of firefighting equipment – 80-plus aircraft, 200-plus bulldozers and more – which were soon bolstered by the governor’s activation of 2,500 National Guard troops and a request for a federal disaster declaration. Delivery of Federal ResourcesOn January 8, the Los Angeles County wildfires were declared a major disaster by the president, and a surge of additional federal resources commenced. FEMA and its federal partners responded with thousands of personnel and millions of dollars focused on saving lives and containing the fires. By Feb. 2, the fires were 100 percent contained. Weeks before, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) had already begun assisting Californians in their recovery – for now and for the long term. As of Feb. 7, federal assistance to eligible homeowners, renters and businesses, in the form of FEMA grants and low-interest SBA Disaster Loans, has reached $683,276,321.That number includes:$64,069,621 in FEMA housing and other assistance$619,206,700 in home and business loan offers from the SBA, the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds for homeowners, renters, businesses and certain nonprofits.So far, 27,211 households have been approved for FEMA funds including:$9,990,895 in housing assistance for short-term rental assistance and home-repair costs$54,078,726 for other essential disaster-related needs, such as expenses related to medical, dental and lost personal possessions.40,574 home inspections have been completed to assess property damage. Two Disaster Recovery Centers remain open at UCLA Research Park and Altadena Recovery Center. In total, the centers have logged 12,641 survivor visits. At the centers, residents may speak in person to representatives from federal and state programs, the American Red Cross and various nongovernmental nonprofits and community groups.In partnership with the State of California, Los Angeles County, and local officials, FEMA will continue helping California’s individuals and families get back on their feet and jumpstart their recovery.The deadlines to apply with FEMA and SBA are both March 10, 2025.To apply for FEMA assistance, visit disasterassistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app, or by call 800-621-3362. You may also visit a DRC for in-person assistance. To locate a DRC, please click here.FEMA’s services and programs are accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.To apply for a disaster loan from SBA, visit SBA’s disaster website: sba.gov/disaster, contact SBA by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or call 800-659-2955 for information. You may also visit a Disaster Loan Outreach Center or Business Recovery Center for in-person assistance. For hours and locations, visit appointment.sba.gov. barbara.murien… Fri, 02/07/2025 – 21:57
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurates multiple water supply schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission in Kathua, J&K; schemes to provide tap water to thousands of residents of 10 villages ”300 plus water supply schemes with an estimated cost of 1369.57 crore rupees being taken up in district Kathua under Jal Jeevan Mission”: Dr Singh
Union Minister calls for effective implementation of the schemes to attain their saturation
“Inspired by Prime Minister Modi’s call of Nation First, Modi 3.0 dispensation working with Whole of Government approach in the service of citizens”: Dr Jitendra Singh
Posted On: 08 FEB 2025 5:19PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today called for effective implementation of all the water supply schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Jammu and Kashmir to attain their saturation. He was addressing a public gathering in village Jasrota here after inaugurating seven water supply schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission.
The schemes costing 25.31 crore rupees will benefit 15,881 souls, covering 2584 households in 10 villages, including Jasrota, Rakh Hoshyari, Padyari, Saktha Chak, Bhadoli Charpad and Mangtian. The Minister informed that a total of 303 water supply schemes, with an estimated cost of 1369.57 crore rupees, are being taken up in district Kathua under Jal Jeevan Mission. Dr Singh pointed out that certain issues being faced in the proper implementation of the schemes on the which are being sorted out in coordination with J&K government.
Presenting a report card of the works done in his Parliamentary constituency in the first 100 days of the Narendra Modi Government 3.0, he enumerated the key projects like the prestigious Chattergala tunnel and Delhi to Katra Expressway corridor, saying these ambitious projects are nearing their completion. Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi with creating a new work culture, Dr Jitendra Singh stated that the government is focused on completing the stalled projects to boost connectivity in remote parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that inspired by the Prime Minister’s call of ‘Nation First’, the present dispensation is working with a ‘Whole of Government’ approach in the service of the masses across the country. The Minister said that once completed, the strategic Chattergala tunnel to be game-changer in providing all-weather connectivity between Doda and Lakhanpur will be a game-changer in providing all-weather connectivity between Doda and Lakhanpur. He informed the gathering that it has now been decided to build nine additional underpasses along Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, fulfilling a public demand.
Underlining the potential of tourism to create employment opportunities and boost livelihoods, Dr Jitendra Singh said steps are also being taken to promote tourism in places such as Basohli and Mantalia in the region. The Minister informed that
Mansar area of Udhampur district is also being developed as a tourist destination under Swadesh Darshan scheme.
Dr Jitendra Singh stated that in the times to come, district Kathua will become a major hub of economy activity, offering avenues of self-employment to the local youth. He mentioned that the district has earned a unique distinction for having North India’s first Bio-tech Park, Seed Processing Plant and North India’s only Homeopathic College. The Minister urged the youth avail the subsidy being provided by the government for the promotion of Khadi to earn their own livelihoods.
Minister for Jal Shakti, J&K Government, Javed Ahmed Rana; MLA, Jasrota, Rajiv Jasroti; MLA, Bani, Dr Rameshwar Singh; MLA, Hiranagar, Vijay Kumar Sharma; Vice Chairman, DDC, Kathua, Shri Raghunadan Singh Bablu, representatives of PRIs and officials from Department of Jal Shakti were among those present on the occasion.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have had a public life over four decades. I do not figure out an event that comes even close to it. This is indeed a profoundly unique moment. The release of ‘I Am?’, a thoughtful and thought-provoking assimilation by Shri Gopichand P. Hinduja. He celebrated his 84th birthday last fortnight on January 29.
I had the good fortune to call him, to greet him, to enquire about his health and well-being, and wish him happy, healthy, and long life full of creativity.
Friends, this launch taking place in Bharat, the land of Sanatan, the cradle of one of the oldest civilisations and global spiritual centre, carries deep significance.
The title, when we scratch the surface, which we often do, and which more often than not is avoidable, the title is intriguing. Let me buttress my comment, King Charles III of the United Kingdom had accreditations for these treatises.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, minister of faith and tolerance and will, has glorified it. These treatises, I am confident, will be a feast for the inquisitive mind. It will be North Star for spiritually inspired aspirants. And for the reader, he will get an occasion to delve deep into the timeless truth that all world religions share.
I commend G.P., as he is known to his friends, I can claim to be younger, for this visionary masterwork that synthesises civilisation’s eternal truths, illuminating how all first converse in their quest for spiritual transcendence, conveniently forgotten by all on occasions that require remembrance. We work embodying the essence of Sanatana, and there is departure from the usual interfaith conversations marked by upmanship.
Distinguished audience, I am using the word upmanship only to moderate my reaction. Otherwise, interfaith discourse on occasions matches the kind of disruption and disturbance that I have the occasion to see in Temple of Democracy.
Friends, ‘I AM?’ These profound words mark the crossroads, either dissolves into collective harmony, that is wholesomeness, or hardens in ego’s captivity, which is more often the case with people who enjoy power. Ignoring the fundamental facet that power lies in limitations and not in exercise.
Coercion is the poorest form of exercise of power but then there is other facet emanating from this book. Through self-reflection, ego blooms, flourishes, and through arrogance, it withers, it slides into painful irrelevance of the possessor. The true power emerges, friends, not in I am for myself.
If we take I am with you, imagine a person in distress, and someone he looks up to or she looks up to says, I am with you. Can there be a greater motivational, inspirational sucker than this? And if the person goes beyond I am for us, it symbolises spinal leadership quality. Elevating consciousness to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, where personal identity transforms into universal connection, a message Bharat imparted to the global fraternity with its G20 motto, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
This, as a matter of fact, friends, was reiteration of the civilisational ethos and essence of thousands of years in this country, which was always ground reality. The world is often described as a clash of civilisations. This book soothingly and appropriately presents a convergence of civilisations with focus on unity, where others look for division.
It espouses timeless civilisational essence of inclusivity, that is Bharat. I seek to quote from Rig Veda,आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतःLet noble thoughts flow from all directions.
Since I find presence of diplomats, I think it was Bismarck said that the winds of change flow but that, with the utmost constraint at my command, was not as large-hearted as what was reflected in Rig Veda. Let noble thoughts flow from all directions. Why only change? This book offers readers an enlightened elixir of wisdom that is always much beyond knowledge.
The relevance of I am cannot be overstated. It bears huge contemporaneous relevance. We live in an era where societies are fractured by narratives, amplifying differences rather than emphasising commonalities.
This book, in sharp variance with the alarmingly worrisome confrontational global scenario and the people present here know the gravity and enormity of it more than I do. This book, in sharp variance with the alarmingly worrisome confrontational global scenario stands as a testament to tolerance, working in togetherness as indicated by Pujya Swamiji, harmony, co-existence, mutual respect, recognising shared humanity values and commonality of sublimity and spirituality that threads all faiths.
The book instils the reader to nurture a spirit of peaceful, purposeful, sustainable coexistence which no longer is an option. It is the only way if we have to survive on the planet and we all are fully cognisant of the enormity and extremity of the problem and also of the fact there is no planet available other than Mother Earth to cohabit.
Friends, at its core this book is about wonders our paths may differ and they would. There will be different points of view. There will be occasions when the other point of view may be right. My own experience is more often than not it is right. We have to subscribe in fullness to expression and dialogue.
Democracy carries no meaning, no nectar if expression is compromised, throttled or controlled and expression by itself has no dimension if there is no dialogue. If there is expression, my way, I am judgemental, I am right, you can never be right, I will never consider what you have to say, then dialogue has no meaning.
So expression and dialogue are the twins that define what democracy is. And friends, in a sense the book not only espouses this but is a pointer to the ultimate goal of Vedic wisdom. The wisdom is encapsulated in the realisation of the ultimate reality or the oneness of all creations.
Just imagine, why limit to human beings, living beings? The source of creation is one. The habitat is one and look at where we have come today. For Bharat, diverse and rising, this book holds greater relevance and promise. The state of the nation is encouraging as never before with hope and possibility all-pervasive.
Friends, no nation in recent years has seen exponential economic upsurge, phenomenal infrastructure growth, penetrating technological and digital access and adaptation at all levels, at the level of those who are never on the radar, those in the last line. The nation is no longer a nation with potential as it used to be called. Viksit Bharat is not a dream any longer. It is a definitive object and achievable.
To all intents and purposes, it shall be achieved when India celebrates the centenary of its independence in 2047, if not earlier. But friends, this wholesome scenario now faces forces seeking to exploit and perniciously amplify artificial divides of caste, class, creed, colour, culture and cuisine. It is excruciating pain at my level in my position that people with a deep understanding of the dangers that are inherent in such an approach tied to partisan interests, narrow interests, take to public platforms to espouse these pernicious tendencies.
I have no doubt, and this emanates from the book, belief in faith is voluntary. It must be a call of conscience. Faith generated by doctrine or manipulation is pathetic exploitation. The worst form of human exploitation. If it is by way of allurements, temptations, empowerment with this – I have no words, I am holding myself back – this ulterior motive. Imagine if the object is to secure supremacy, primacy over others, subject others to hegemony by demographic prowess, then the concern is extreme. This concern, friends, is a writing on the wall at the moment in most nations of the world.
The book has come not a day too soon. The book is a beacon of guidance to such misguided souls but for us, for the largest democracy, as I said, home to one-sixth of humanity, with a stunning historical record of inclusivity, sinister forces with a strategised, inimical stance even to the idea of Bharat are unfortunately securing space by way of orchestrated anti-national narratives, non-organic engineered demographic variations, influx of illegal migrants in millions and alluring conversions to refer just to some.
These are, friends, potentially existential challenges to the philosophy emanating from the book and to the philosophy Bharat has lived for over 5,000 years. In such a scenario, to ensure India’s continual development journey and drawing from essense of all-firsts, it is our bounden spiritual ordainment to neutralise such viciously divisive misadventures. Bharat’s spiritual and cultural heritage is not only our strength and unity’s foundation, it is for world stability, harmony and peace.
We all will have to work in unison, in togetherness to make it impregnable. Friends, this book underscores universal relevance of Bharatiyata, virtuosity that is discernible in all faiths. The book reminds preachers and practitioners both we can respect and appreciate others’ truth without alluring conversions.
Unity means non-uniformity. Bharati is a perfect example, it exemplifies unity and diversity in all facets of human behaviour. Tolerance means not triumph over others. Disruption must yield to dialogue, disturbance to deliberation. Conflict to consciousness. We find in the world hard, rigid steps being taken. It has been said by our sages, irretrievable confrontational stance is antithetical to the essence of all faiths and smacks of misplaced self-righteousness and judgemental approach.
It is crossing all fault lines, getting into the red area. These principles we must adopt. Tolerance, coexistence, dialogue, consensus, because these will free society from the afflictions I have indicated.
Friends, this philosophy the author is cognisant of the fact is also evidenced in Hinduja Group’s vision fostering inclusivity, sustainability and cultural understanding beyond being a multi-sector powerhouse. Hinduja Group’s contributions transcend conventional CSR. Building a gurdwara and a crematorium in Iran showing extraordinary commitment to preserving identity.
Recently I was at the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of Nandlal Newall Centre of Indology at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in New Delhi and there I pleasantly gathered that the Hinduja Group established the first overseas branch of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan in New York.
The group bridges the east-west divide through the Dharam Hinduja Indic Research Centre at Columbia University reclaiming our civilisation narrative globally.
I commend Shri Gopichand P Hinduja for this remarkable anthology and Shri Ashok Hinduja for enabling its release. I pray one and all may the message that is in the book resonate with the spiritual seekers thought leaders, active citizens and one and all.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CHP reminds public of precautions against cold weather CHP reminds public of precautions against cold weather ******************************************************
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (February 8) reminded the public, particularly the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health in view of the cold weather. Cold weather can easily trigger or exacerbate diseases, especially among the elderly and persons suffering from heart disease, respiratory illnesses or other chronic illnesses. Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm, and their body temperature control mechanisms may be weaker. Their bodies may not be able to respond appropriately to cold weather. Some senior persons may have decreased mobility, which can impair their ability to generate and conserve body heat. Chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes and endocrine disorders, may undermine the health of elderly people and lower their metabolic rate, subsequently causing their bodies to generate less heat. Persons with chronic illnesses, such as chronic respiratory illnesses or heart disease, are vulnerable to disease aggravation due to cold weather. The CHP reminded the public, in particular the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, to adopt the following preventive measures:
Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks, accordingly; Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake; Perform regular exercise to facilitate blood circulation and heat production; Stay in a warm environment and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure; Use heaters with care and maintain adequate indoor ventilation; and Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.
In addition, the public should avoid alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol does not keep you warm. Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead. Parents should ensure that babies are sufficiently warm, but it is also important to keep babies relatively lightly clothed to avoid overheating. Parents should observe the following safety measures when putting their children to bed:
Keep the room well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature; Always place babies on their backs to sleep. Leave their heads, faces and arms uncovered during sleep; Babies do not need pillows. Place babies on a firm and well-fitted mattress to sleep. Avoid soft objects, pillows and loose bedding; Let babies sleep in a cot placed near their parents’ bed; and Maintain a smoke-free environment.
In addition, many respiratory pathogens, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2, may have increasing activity and community transmission during winter. Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccinations early. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP’s website. A person infected with influenza and COVID-19 at the same time may be more seriously ill and have a higher risk of death. It is important for elderly persons, especially those residing in residential care homes, to receive both seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations. They should also receive an additional booster against COVID-19 according to recommendations as soon as possible. The public should also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against respiratory illnesses and note the following:
Surgical masks can prevent the transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask; Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask; Avoid touching one’s eyes, mouth and nose; Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated; When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub; Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin and wash hands thoroughly afterwards; Maintain good indoor ventilation; When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.
Food-borne diseases, particularly those linked to hotpot cuisine, are also common in cold weather. The following preventive measures should be taken:
Wash hands before handling and consuming food; Do not patronise unlicensed vendors or those with poor hygienic standards while selecting food; Wash and cook all food thoroughly; Vegetables should be washed thoroughly in clean running water before cooking and consumption. When appropriate, scrub hard-surfaced vegetables with a clean brush to remove dirt and substances, including pesticide residues and contaminants, from surfaces and crevices; Shrimps should be fully cooked until the shells turn red and the flesh turns white and opaque; For shellfish such as scallops and geoduck, scrub the shells thoroughly and remove the internal organs; Do not eat any undercooked freshwater aquatic products. To ensure that the food is thoroughly cooked, the centre of the food should reach a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius to destroy pathogen; Most hotpot ingredients should be stored in a refrigerator at 4 degrees C or below, while frozen food should be stored in a freezer at -18 degrees C or below; Never use raw eggs as a dipping sauce for hotpot; and Use different sets of chopsticks to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.
In addition, when using fuel-burning appliances, especially in indoor areas, the public should ensure adequate ventilation to avoid harmful exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and prevent CO poisoning. For more health information, the public may call the DH’s Health Education Infoline (2833 0111) or visit the CHP’s website and Facebook Fanpage. The public may also call Dial-a-Weather (1878 200) or visit the website of the Hong Kong Observatory for the latest weather information and forecasts, or its page on Weather Information for Senior Citizens.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
Byelections occurred on Saturday in the Victorian state seats of Prahran and Werribee. The Liberals gained Prahran from the Greens by a 51.6–48.4 margin, a 13.6% swing to the Liberals since the 2022 state election.
Primary votes were 36.2% Liberals (up 4.8%), 36.2% Greens (down 0.6%), 12.8% for independent Tony Lupton, the Labor member for Prahran from 2002 to 2010, and 5.3% for another independent. Labor did not contest after winning 26.8% in 2022.
The primary vote swings between the Greens and Liberals only explain 2.7% of the 13.6% two-candidate swing. In 2022, Labor preferences would have flowed strongly to the Greens, but at the byelection Lupton recommended preferences to the Liberals on his how-to-vote material. The Greens’ share of overall preferences plunged from nearly 80% in 2022 to 44%.
In Werribee, Labor leads the Liberals by 50.6–49.4, a 10.4% swing to the Liberals since 2022. Primary votes are 29.0% Liberals (up 3.7%), 28.7% Labor (down 16.7%), 14.7% for independent Paul Hopper (up 8.8%), 7.5% Greens (up 0.7%), 7.3% Victorian Socialists (up 3.7%), 5.5% Legalise Cannabis (new) and 4.4% Family First (up 1.9%).
Labor’s primary vote slumped in Werribee, but the Liberals were not the main beneficiary. There were just enough preferences from left-wing sources (Greens, Socialists and Legalise Cannabis) to put Labor over the line.
The large majority of outstanding votes at these byelections will be postals. In postals counted so far in Werribee, the Liberals lead by 53–47, and they will need to increase that margin on remaining postals to erase Labor’s current lead. But later postals are usually better for left-wing parties than earlier ones.
In Prahran, the Liberals lead the Greens on postals counted so far by 65–35. Later postals will probably be better for the Greens, but the Liberals will still win this byelection.
In Prahran, the Greens should have been able to overcome a shift against them on preferences with an improved primary vote. Losing this seat, which they have held since the 2014 state election, is a dismal result for the Greens.
Labor is likely to retain Werribee, but the slump in the Labor primary vote validates the recent Victorian Resolve poll that had Labor’s statewide primary vote at just 22% and the Liberals in a clear election-winning position.
Victorian upper house reform delayed again
Since winning government at the November 2014 election, Labor has done nothing to reform the upper house electoral system. The upper house still uses group ticket voting (GTV), which is no longer used in any other Australian jurisdiction.
GTV was scrapped in New South Wales before the 2003 election, federally before 2016, in South Australia before 2018 and in Western Australia before this year’s March election. Other jurisdictions have never used GTV.
The artificially strong preference flows produced by GTV can allow parties with very low vote share to win seats through preference deals by overtaking parties with a much higher vote. In a system where voters direct their own preferences, this does not occur.
Analyst Kevin Bonham wrote on Friday that the parliamentary Victorian Electoral Matters Committee had recommended scrapping GTV, but the government has delayed any response until after the Committee publishes its final report in December. By this time, it will be difficult to make changes so that they can be implemented for the November 2026 election.
Adrian Beaumont 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.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Boston (February 8, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), top Democrat on the Primary Health and Pensions Subcommittee of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after the Trump administration announced significant cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research. The drastic limits on this funding would reduce the amount that these institutions are able to spend on researchers, laboratories, and students.
“Last night, Trump and Musk took drastic steps to make it harder to find a cure for cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart attacks, strokes, and other debilitating diseases that devastate millions of American families by illegally cutting National Institutes of Health funding.
“NIH funding is the lifeblood of Massachusetts’ innovation economy, creating jobs and fueling the engine for delivering lifesaving care and treatment across the country, and this is a direct attack on the Bay State. NIH isn’t just the National Institutes of Health, it’s the National Institutes of Hope, giving hope to patients and families for lifesaving medical discoveries.
“Instead of working to keep the American economy on the cutting edge, the Trump administration is bullying the Bay State and hamstringing U.S. leadership in medical research. Trump and Musk are cutting the research to cure the diseases that will soon overwhelm our ability to pay for treating millions who will be afflicted by these very same diseases. That’s not efficiency, that’s stupidity. It’s not just bad values, it’s bad budgeting.
“This budget cut action is illegal. With billions in NIH funding going to both red and blue states, I urge all of my colleagues to join in opposing this overstep of presidential authority — driven by and for unelected billionaires – and not let these cuts stand.”
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
February 08, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and 16 of their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to expand congressional oversight of foreign assistance decision-making. The Foreign Assistance Accountability and Oversight Act would require the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate and for all foreign assistance funding provided to the State Department or U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to be used as directed within 90 days of its appropriation by Congress. The Director of Foreign Assistance is currently not confirmed by the Senate, and the Trump Administration has refused to publicly identify the individual currently occupying this powerful position.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk illegally dismantling USAID would not only jeopardize the safety and well-being of innocent people around the world, but it would also hurt our national security, make our country less safe and cost taxpayers more money—not less,” said Duckworth. “This is yet another illegal power grab by the President—and Americans will undoubtedly feel the ramifications as bad actors like the PRC and Russia step in to fill the leadership vacuum that Trump so foolishly created. Our legislation would help push back against this dangerous agenda by strengthening our foreign assistance programs, increasing Congressional oversight of the State Department and reaffirming that this Administration must follow the law as written by Congress.”
“USAID is the reason deadly infectious diseases are monitored and contained, countries become more free and prosperous, and humanitarian crises are minimized. More than 70 million people have gained access to clean drinking water in the last decade, thanks to USAID. PEPFAR, a USAID program, curtailed the AIDS epidemic in Africa, saving more than 25 million lives. Simply put, investing in USAID is a smart investment for everyone. President Trump’s draconian decision to gut USAID and its funding puts innocent lives and American influence across the globe at risk,” said Durbin. “I’m introducing legislation with Senator Kaine to protect the agency and its lifesaving work.”
“Foreign assistance is not a handout. It is a critical part of our national security strategy and a key tool to keep Americans safe from disease, narcotics and instability. China has rapidly expanded its foreign assistance over the past decade, and would like nothing more than for the United States to retreat on the global stage. The Trump Administration’s recent attempts to destroy USAID and U.S. foreign assistance programs emboldens China, Russia, and Iran, makes Americans less safe, puts thousands of Americans out of work, and is already causing cause immense human suffering for millions of people around the world,” said Kaine. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill to force congressional oversight of this lawless and damaging behavior.”
Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Kaine, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patti Murray (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
Full text of the bill is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
Duckworth has repeatedly called out President Donald Trump and his Administration’s illegal attack on USAID. Today, Duckworth led her fellow SFRC Democratic colleagues in demanding immediate answers from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on how much it will cost American taxpayers to pull USAID workers off the job overseas and relocate them back to the United States. This week, Duckworth also spoke out against Trump’s ongoing illegal power grabs—including the shuttering of USAID—on the Senate floor as part of Senate Democrats’ 30-hour protest opposing Project 2025 architect Russell Vought’s nomination to serve as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As a result of Trump’s ongoing lawlessness, Duckworth also announced this week that she will be a blanket-no on all remaining top-level cabinet nominees.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Feb. 8 — Chinese authorities on Saturday initiated emergency response efforts following a landslide in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
The Ministry of Emergency Management has launched a Level-III emergency geological disaster response, while China’s national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief has activated a Level-IV national disaster relief emergency response.
The landslide occurred at about 11:50 a.m. in Jinping Village, Junlian County in the city of Yibin, burying 10 houses and leaving over 30 people unaccounted for.
Following the landslide, ministry officials led a working group to the scene to guide rescue operations, after directing local authorities to assess the situation promptly, mobilize professional rescue resources and equipment, and enhance on-site monitoring and control to ensure the safety of rescue efforts.
The ministry has mobilized more than 400 personnel, 100 vehicles and 75 sets of equipment to undertake on-site rescue operations.
China has a four-level emergency disaster relief response system, with Level IV being the lowest level and Level I the highest.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Feb. 8 — China has allocated 50 million yuan (about 6.97 million U.S. dollars) from its central budget to support disaster relief and recovery efforts following a landslide in its southwestern Sichuan Province on Saturday.
The funds, allocated by the National Development and Reform Commission, will be used to restore infrastructure and public facilities in affected areas.
The landslide occurred at about 11:50 a.m. in Jinping Village, which is located in Junlian County in the city of Yibin, burying 10 houses and leaving over 30 people missing.
Taking the latest developments of the situation into consideration, the Ministry of Natural Resources has upgraded an emergency geological disaster control response from Level III to Level II, and dispatched a team led by Vice Minister of Natural Resources Xu Dachun to guide on-site relief efforts.
Approximately 200 people have been evacuated to safety after a landslide buried 10 houses and left over 30 people missing in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Saturday. The landslide occurred at 11:50 a.m. in Jinping Village, which is located in Junlian County of the city of Yibin, according to local authorities. A Level I geological disaster emergency response, the highest level, was initiated in the province at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Emergency rescue, fire, public security, transportation, medical, telecommunications, electricity and other forces quickly rushed to the scene to carry out or assist the rescue efforts. Two people were rescued in the afternoon.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered all-out search and rescue efforts to minimize casualties after a landslide buried 10 houses and left over 30 people unaccounted for in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Saturday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the instruction after the landslide took place at about 11:50 a.m. on Saturday in Jinping Village, Junlian County in the city of Yibin.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Patrick J. Schena, Professor of Practice and International Business, Tufts University
U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund on Feb. 3, 2025Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Could the United States soon be joining the likes of Norway, Kuwait and Mongolia in having a national reserve to invest on projects of strategic interest? If President Donald Trump gets his way, then perhaps so.
This was not entirely unexpected. After all, the idea had been floated in September 2024 not only by the Trump team, but also by President Joe Biden’s Treasury Department.
Many at the time, including myself, deemed it far-fetched at best. But with the initiative now gaining traction, the time is certainly ripe to imagine what a U.S. sovereign wealth fund might look like.
What is a sovereign wealth fund?
In their most basic form, sovereign wealth funds are pools of government savings, usually accumulated over many years through the sale of commodities, traded goods, government-owned companies and land-use rights, among other sources.
They share a variety of objectives, such as stabilizing government finances, ensuring the funding of retirement or education programs, saving for future generations or even managing state-owned corporations.
They generally diversify investment across assets, geographies and sectors, including some, such as sports and entertainment in the case of Saudi Arabia, that are aligned with national development goals.
Sovereign wealth funds are usually associated with great wealth – Norway’s “oil fund” is estimated to be worth US$1.7 trillion. With regard to scale, Norway is hardly alone. And Norway’s fund is typical in another respect: sovereign wealth funds are often based in smaller countries with outsized natural resources, like Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, or even tiny Guyana in the Caribbean.
In reality, most sovereign wealth funds are more modest in size relative to their gross domestic products.
How long have SWFs been around?
Sovereign wealth funds are hardly new. The so-called modern era of sovereign wealth funds dates to the early 1950s with the creation of the Kuwait Investment Board.
But some government investment funds, such as the Texas Permanent School Fund, established in 1854, long predate the Kuwait Investment Board.
As is evident in the case of Texas, there are many such funds already operating in the U.S., including those in Alaska, New Mexico and Wyoming – all of which identify as “sovereign wealth funds.” These, of course, are state funds, but the term “sovereign” is generously applied.
Sovereign wealth funds often invest outside of their geographies, not only to diversify returns but to avoid stimulating higher inflation that may result from investing at home.
In fact, the U.S. has benefited from investments by other countries’ sovereign wealth funds. Developed market economies like the U.S. are attractive destinations for investment, given the relative strength of their institutions and the scale and liquidity of their financial markets.
Still, over the last decade there has been a rapid expansion in the number of sovereign wealth funds investing domestically, particularly in support of strategic national goals. Some of these include funds in Ireland, India and Indonesia.
Their investment programs target critical sectors and national “champions,” with a goal to mobilize foreign capital for co-investment in local markets.
Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr, in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has a controlling stake. Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images
The fundamental questions of a fund
What could a U.S. sovereign wealth fund look like? Would it be well funded? And if so, how? Through taxes, treasury bond proceeds, budget transfers, tariffs?
Would it invest globally or domestically? Could it be used to reinforce the Social Security system? Will it be used to tackle the dual deficits of budget and trade? Or will it have a strategic mandate – to enhance national security, energy security or climate security?
These are all fundamental questions that must be carefully examined; creating a sovereign wealth fund should not be a backroom exercise. It needs to be conducted openly, with expert input and public deliberation.
The process belies even more challenging organizational and governance decisions concerning the legal structure, ownership and management of the fund, the independence of its governing board, and its distance from government influence in its decisions.
After all, the history of sovereign wealth funds is not without failed attempts. Take Malaysia’s 1MDB, which was usurped for political and personal gain and became a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal, or Venezuela’s macrostabilization and development funds, which were both effectively exhausted.
In these cases – and others – the breakdown can be connected to failures in governance, both in design and culture, and ultimately traced back to politics.
Where does the US start?
It is interesting to note that it was George W. Bush’s Treasury Department during the financial crisis in 2008 that was most influential in encouraging sovereign wealth funds to define a framework of governance practices and principles.
Known as the Santiago Principles, this set of 24 precepts, agreed to in 2008, are intended to ensure transparent and sound governance with adequate operational controls, risk management and accountability.
To be successful and in line with the Santiago Principles, a U.S. sovereign wealth fund would have to be grounded in a functional governance structure that allows investment projects to be evaluated based on commercial merit.
It would also need to be free of political interference and operate openly, transparently and at arm’s length from any personal or professional interests of any related parties.
Where would it invest?
The next thing to consider is the fund’s investment objectives and strategy. Trump has suggested that such a fund could be used to buy TikTok. But would that represent a strategic investment that advances the national competitiveness of the U.S.?
Perhaps instead, a sovereign wealth fund might be better placed investing a majority of its capital in private markets and core infrastructure in the U.S. under a focused strategic mandate that directs money to key national priorities.
Essential here is for the fund to be “additional.” That is to say it would invest in projects that other investors would not be able to finance on their own due to scale, difficulty or duration. In essence, the fund would “crowd in” investors, rather than crowding them out.
And what about funding?
Perhaps the most critical question still remains: Where will the money come from?
Increased taxes are a nonstarter due to political will and, of course, Trump’s campaign commitments.
Treasury bond issuances would only increase U.S. debtedness and likely lead to higher inflation. Allocations from the government’s own budget also seem to be a non-starter, as U.S. budget deficits have long been well-entrenched.
Malaysia’s 1MDB financed the Tun Razak Exchange tower, the tallest building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. But it was also the source of the biggest corruption scandal in Malaysian history. Ore Huiying/Getty Images
A more practical option may be a take on the traditional private equity limited partnership. In this model, the U.S. serves as general partner and joins other institutional investors – including other sovereign wealth funds – to invest in the fund.
As general partner, the U.S. would appoint a management team that would select and manage the investments – for a fee, of course. Its mandate would be to target strong market returns, while advancing the strategic national interests of the U.S.
The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund in India is one such example. This approach would require a smaller initial capital commitment from the U.S. and give the manager discretion over where and how to deploy capital. Needless to say, the call for strong foundational governance is reinforced under such a plan.
To be clear: The challenges, constraints and risks of launching a U.S. sovereign wealth fund are orders of magnitude greater than similar endeavors in Guyanaor Suriname.
Imagining the creation of a fund is certainly feasible. But ensuring the fund will genuinely enhance the intergenerational welfare of all Americans may still be far-fetched.
Patrick J. Schena has not in the last 4 years received grant funding to support his research. He collaborates in areas of mutual research interests with the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds for which he receives no compensation.
