(June 6, 2025) LEBANON BOROUGH, NJ – Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) announced today that his office has returned more than $20 million to constituents across New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District.
Since January 2023, Congressman Kean and his dedicated casework team have closed over 3,781 constituent cases, helping residents recover $20,606,504 from federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and other relevant agencies.
One recent case highlights the scope and impact of Congressman Kean’s office and its casework services. Wharton Arts, a non-profit organization in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, turned to Congressman Kean’s office earlier this year for assistance recovering over $900,000 owed through the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit performing arts education center. It serves more than 2,000 students across 12 counties through programs like the Performing Arts School, the New Jersey Youth Symphony, the New Jersey Youth Chorus, and the Paterson Music Project.
After reaching out to Congressman Kean’s office in January of this year regarding unresolved ERC claims filed with the IRS in October 2023, Wharton Arts received prompt and dedicated support from the casework team. Thanks to this advocacy, the organization was able to secure the owed funds and continue building on its 45-year legacy of serving New Jersey’s arts and education communities.
“My office has reached a major milestone of securing over $20 million in casework returns for residents of New Jersey’s 7th District,” said Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. “To the thousands of families, seniors, veterans, and small businesses who received the benefits and support they needed and deserved: thank you for reaching out and trusting my team with these personal matters. I am thrilled to see the positive outcome for Wharton Arts, an institution that has enriched our region’s cultural and educational landscape for decades. Their story is a powerful reminder of how effective casework can make a lasting difference in people’s lives and our communities. As always, my team and I remain ready to serve you, your families, and your community in any casework matter.”
“Many thanks to Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. and his team for working with us and fulfilling the promise to help us with the ERC,” said Gina Caruso, Executive Director of Wharton Arts. “We received the money for our claims, which will now save Wharton Arts and help us to make plans for the future of this longstanding, beloved organization, which serves 2,000 students in 12 counties, and over 300 students with a free music education.”
If you or someone you know needs help navigating a federal agency, contact Congressman Kean’s district office in Lebanon Borough at (908) 547-3307 or visit kean.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency. The office also hosts Satellite Office Hours during the first week of every month across the district. For updates on Congressman Kean’s work for you in Congress, follow @CongressmanKean on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)
Washington, D.C.– Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), a 24-year Army veteran and member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has introduced the Fisher House Availability Act, a bill to reverse a Biden-era rule that blocks military families from staying in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lodging facilities when their loved ones receive non-VA care.
“Families shouldn’t be punished because their care comes from a military or civilian provider instead of the VA,”said Miller-Meeks. “As a veteran and doctor, I’ve seen how critical it is to keep loved ones close during treatment. This bill restores common sense, cuts red tape, and puts our servicemembers and their families first.”
Background:
For years, servicemembers and their families could access VA-owned Fisher Houses on a space-available basis, regardless of where care was provided. But in 2024, the VA changed course and began turning them away, even with more than 50% of rooms sitting empty.
The Fisher House Availability Act ensures that servicemembers and their families are eligible for VA lodging when space allows, whether they’re receiving care at a VA facility, a military hospital, or a civilian provider. The Fisher House Foundation, which built and donated these homes, supports the change.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, June 6 /Xinhua/ — Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev has asked International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi to mediate on the issue of using American fuel at the Zaporizhzhya NPP. He told reporters following talks with the IAEA chief in Kaliningrad.
“An important point – we have spoken about it many times – is the issue of American fuel, fuel from Westinghouse… At today’s consultations, we discussed this topic with the IAEA leadership, and I asked Mr. Grossi to become a mediator in resolving this problem in cooperation with the American side – both in the person of the company and in the person of government bodies, in the person of nuclear supervision. We are grateful to the IAEA Director General for the positive steps in response. I very much hope that we will find this solution in cooperation directly with the fuel manufacturer and determine its future fate,” TASS quotes the head of Rosatom as saying.
R. Grossi announced that the IAEA will take part in the World Atomic Week in Moscow, which will take place in September 2025.
“The good news for the global nuclear industry is that a major event will be held in the second half of this year in September in Russia, in Moscow, and the IAEA is going to participate in this event. This is a major event for the development of the nuclear industry in the world,” said R. Grossi. –0–
Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, has issued the following statement on the release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for May 2025:
“Now, more than ever, it’s critical for B.C. to focus on diversifying our economy and protecting jobs for British Columbians, and we are doing that work.
“This week, we announced the launch of our ease-of-doing-business review, to continue the work to cut red tape, modernize our regulatory and permitting systems, and foster innovation, as we secure B.C.’s position as the engine of Canada’s new economy. Businesses are invited to share their ideas, challenges and suggestions through an online website portal until fall 2025. Information gathered will help us to make it easier for companies and organizations of all sizes and sectors to do business in B.C., and to create more jobs so people can find stable full-time work in their home communities.
“Today’s Labour Force Survey data shows that despite the economic challenges posed by the U.S., in May, B.C. led across the country with a gain of 13,000 jobs compared to last month. So far this year, B.C. has gained 67,000 full-time jobs, the highest increase among provinces.
“In May, private-sector employment has increased by 8,900 jobs compared to last month. Since July 2017, B.C. has gained 183,300 private-sector jobs. So far this year, we have the second-highest increase in private-sector employment among provinces at 14,700 jobs.
“B.C. leads in women’s employment, an increase of 11,000 this month. So far this year, B.C. has the highest increase in women’s full-time employment among provinces at 32,900. Youth employment also increased in May by 1,400 jobs.
“Our unemployment rate is 6.4%, below the national average of 7.0%. And B.C. continues to lead the country with an average hourly wage of $38.07, with our average wage increased by 2.9% compared to this time last year, the fourth-highest growth among provinces.
“The data this morning shows that in May, B.C. had employment increases in the construction sector at 23,800 jobs compared to this time last year. Professional, scientific and technical services continue to show strong and steady growth overall with gains of 11,100 in May.
“Next week, I will be leading a B.C. delegation to Europe to meet with investors, key government officials and stakeholders to build connections and showcase our world-class, made-in-B.C. technology. This mission will build on the work underway on Premier David Eby’s trade mission focused on key markets in Asia, as we work to create trade opportunities for businesses in the province and good-paying jobs for British Columbians.
“Growing a stronger and more diverse economy will help protect people in B.C. from instability outside our borders, with investments that will bring good-paying jobs to the province as part of robust and sustainable industries.”
Learn More:
To learn more about B.C.’s Response to Tariffs, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/tariffs
To learn more about the European Union Trade Mission, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/32442
To learn more about the Ease-of-doing-business Review, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025JEDI0022-000544
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law legislation recently approved by the Connecticut General Assembly requiring the establishment of the Connecticut-Puerto Rico Trade Commission.
“Economic growth cannot happen in a bubble, and there remains untapped potential to mutually benefit economic and business partnerships between Connecticut and Puerto Rico,” Governor Lamont said. “By collaborating with the business community and those in Connecticut’s strong Puerto Rican community, this commission has the potential to develop the forward-thinking steps that improve trade and investment between our state and Puerto Rico.”
The 23-member commission, which will begin meeting this fall, will be responsible for developing and recommending policy and legislative changes that advance bilateral trade and investment between Connecticut and Puerto Rico, while also promoting business and academic exchanges, encouraging mutual economic support and infrastructure investment, and initiating joint action on policy issues of mutual interest. The group will be required to submit a report to the governor and the legislature annually.
House Deputy Speaker Chris Rosario (D-Bridgeport) championed passage of the legislation.
“I want to sincerely thank Governor Ned Lamont for signing this legislation I introduced to establish the Connecticut-Puerto Rico Trade Commission,” Representative Rosario said. “With nearly 300,000 Puerto Ricans calling Connecticut home, this is a natural partnership that promises new opportunities for collaboration and shared prosperity.”
“Establishing a Connecticut-Puerto Rico Trade Commission is a powerful opportunity to strengthen our trades and manufacturing sector,” State Representative Geraldo Reyes Jr. (D-Waterbury) said. “By building direct partnerships with Puerto Rico, we can expand skilled workforce pipelines, increase the flow of goods and materials, and open new markets for Connecticut-made products. This collaboration will drive innovation, economic growth, and good-paying jobs for both regions.”
Appointments to the commission will be made by the top six bipartisan legislative leaders, the co-chairs and ranking members of the legislature’s Commerce Committee, and the governor. The commission will serve as a function of the General Assembly, and the chairperson of the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, in consultation with the Office of Legislative Management, will be responsible for appointing administrative staff to support the commission’s work.
The members serve as volunteers and are not compensated for their service.
The legislation isPublic Act 25-13, An Act Establishing the Connecticut-Puerto Rican Trade Commission. It went into effect immediately upon receiving Governor Lamont’s signature.
NORFOLK, Va. – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for kidnapping a Virginia woman.
According to court documents, on March 17, 2022, Troy Edwin Leitner, 61, of Scranton, abducted a victim, identified as Jane Doe, from a residence in Norfolk, transported her to various locations, and eventually left her at a hospital in Manning, South Carolina, two days later.
Jane Doe was renting a room inside a residence in Norfolk and was struggling with an addiction to heroin. Leitner went to a neighboring residence, presented a photograph of Jane Doe to the neighbor, and claimed that he had an arrest warrant for Jane Doe. Leitner also presented what appeared to be valid credentials and was wearing tactical clothing, a jacket marked “Fugitive Recovery Agent,” a badge, and a pistol in a holster. Believing Leitner to be affiliated with law enforcement, the neighbor agreed to assist him.
Though Jane Doe wasn’t home at the time, the neighbor called Leitner later that afternoon and informed him that the residents were back. Leitner returned, entered the residence, and abducted Jane Doe. Leitner placed handcuffs on Jane Doe and told her that she was under arrest. Leitner told Jane Doe that he was taking her somewhere to ask her questions and would bring her back to her residence. Jane Doe believed Leitner was affiliated with law enforcement and complied with his directions.
Leitner took Jane Doe to the Ocean View Inn, handcuffed Jane Doe to a table, and told her he would shoot her if she ran. Leitner and Jane Doe stayed for approximately an hour before leaving. Leitner told Jane Doe that they were going to his office, which he claimed was located in Richmond.
Leitner then transported Jane Doe to Richmond where she consumed heroin. Leitner then took Jane Doe southbound and Leitner rented several hotel rooms from Richmond to South Carolina. When Leitner and Jane Doe got out of his vehicle, Leitner would tell Jane Doe to stay close to him and pretend she was his girlfriend so that he would not have to embarrass her by putting her in handcuffs. Jane Doe feared Leitner and complied with his directions. At some point during the trip, Leitner called Jane Doe’s mother on the telephone and falsely claimed that he was taking Jane Doe to a rehabilitation center in Florida.
While Leitner and Jane Doe were at a hotel in Hamer, South Carolina, on March 18, 2022, Leitner received a call from a law enforcement officer. Leitner falsely claimed that his “office” in Washington had received information about drug and prostitution activity at Jane Doe’s residence and that Jane Doe had agreed to assist in the apprehension of a drug dealer. He also falsely claimed that he was taking Jane Doe to rehabilitation and that he was part of “Federal Fugitive Recovery.” Leitner and Jane Doe left the hotel and drove for approximately one to two hours before stopping again.
On March 19, 2022, when Jane Doe began to feel very sick, Leitner left her at a hospital in Manning. A security guard at the facility observed Leitner pull his vehicle into the ambulance bay of the hospital. Leitner was “jittery” and “nervous,” and told security his name was “Agent Leitner ” and that he was a bounty hunter. Leitner falsely claimed that he had picked up Jane Doe on the side of the road and that she was on drugs. The security guard became suspicious and photographed Leitner’s Pennsylvania license plate.
Leitner was later arrested in Pennsylvania.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya and Anthony C. Marek prosecuted the case.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-57.
A murder investigation has been launched by Met detectives following the disappearance of a woman from Ilford.
Yajaira Castro Mendez, aged 46, was reported missing to police on Saturday, 31 May, having left her home on the morning of Thursday, 29 May.
Today, a man known to her appeared in court charged with her murder, and detectives are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, who leads policing in Camden, said: “Officers have been working around the clock to find Yajaira. She has not been seen or heard from by her family or friends since the date she was reported missing.
“Yajaira’s disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation led by local officers. The investigation was then transferred to the Met’s Specialist Crime Command on Thursday, 5 June after a range of extensive further enquiries very sadly suggested she has come to harm. Yajaira’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers, and we are keeping them updated with developments.
“I understand the impact this news may have on our local community, however we do have a man charged and in custody and we are not searching for anyone else at this stage. The man and Yajaira are believed to be known to each other.
“Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances and there are crime scenes in place across Camden and Lambeth. We thank the community for their patience while we carry out our enquiries and ask that any one with information please comes forward.”
Yajaira is a Colombian national who has been residing in the UK.
Officers are appealing for anyone with any information relating to Yajaira’s disappearance to contact police via 101 or @MetCC quoting CAD 3020/06JUN25.
To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.
“President Trump’s America First Economic Agenda has created a BOOMING economy — jobs are up, unemployment is down, wages are increasing, and inflation is dead. More than 139,000 good jobs were added to the private sector in May, all accounted for by American-born workers. Americans should continue to trust in President Trump, who continues to beat expectations.” — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
President Donald J. Trump’s America First agenda is making its mark on the American economy — with explosive private sector growth, job gains, and wage increases for American workers.
Look no further than today’s jobs report for proof:
Construction: +4,000 new jobs — the fourth straight month of job increases
Wages for everyday Americans continue to rise, with real average hourly earnings up by nearly 4% over the past year — far higher than economists’ expectations.
Since President Trump took office, real disposable personal income has risen at a 7.5% annualized pace — more than three times the pace than the final year of the Biden Administration.
Native-born American workers now account for ALL job gains since President Trump took office in January — reversing the opposite trend from the past two years.
Since President Trump took office, 99.8% of job gains have been in the private sector. During the final two years of the Biden Administration, one in four jobs created were in government.
Here’s what they’re saying:
Council of Economic Advisers Chair Steve Miran: “The President is succeeding in creating hundreds of thousands of jobs since he came into office — more than half a million jobs since he came into office — and they’re all going to native-born Americans.”
Economist Steve Moore: “This is a blockbuster economy we’re seeing … 4.5% GDP for the second quarter, low inflation — this is telling us right now the jobs are out there for people who want them.”
Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz: “The small business economy is growing and the private economy is growing. This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted to do for reversing everything that Biden had done … It’s so good to see that we’re actually creating private economy jobs again.”
Fox Business Network’s Cheryl Casone: “The markets might be encouraged by the fact that you aren’t seeing job losses … that means that people are maybe going to start spend this summer. They might go actually take a trip they weren’t planning to take — and look, gas prices are lower right now. We’ve got great gas prices, so I think this could be a really good economic story.”
ERShares CEO Joel Shulman, Ph.D.: “There’s optimism here on the horizon … CPI last month was a catalyst. I think we’re going to see another catalyst on June 11, coupled with this better-than-expected jobs report — so I think things are looking more optimistic.”
Since the end of the cold war, the relevance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) has regularly been questioned, even by its most prominent leaders. Its members, therefore, find it necessary to remind each other and the world of its value from time to time.
The latest example of this is the UK government’s new strategic defence review, which announces a “Nato-first” posture.
Nato has long been a cornerstone of UK foreign, defence and security policies. But this marks a particularly strident prioritisation of the organisation. It comes just a few years after Boris Johnson’s government began moving the country’s foreign and defence policy priorities towards the Indo-Pacific.
It tells us much about how Keir Starmer’s administration sees the UK’s place in the world in an unsettled era: as both an influential ally of the US and a reliable partner to European powers, eager to maintain regional and global influence.
Signed in 1949, the North Atlantic treaty committed its original 12 members to collective security: an attack on one would be an attack on all. In the shadow of the second world war, Nato went further than the nascent United Nations in its defence and security commitments. It brought together a somewhat eclectic mix of states straddling the Atlantic, from the North American behemoths of the US and Canada to tiny Iceland and Luxembourg, the dictatorship of Salazar’s Portugal and the democracies of Norway and Belgium.
The UK’s participation was largely heralded across an enthusiastic parliament. Winston Churchill, then leader of the opposition, praised this new “fraternal association”. The foreign secretary, Ernest Bevin, celebrated the community of interest [and] cooperation with like-minded people”. UK politicians saw Nato as a means to connect with the US and Canada in particular.
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The language at the time also reflected the casting of the Soviet Union as a threat to European security. Although the UK welcomed Nato as a liberal democratic organisation dominated by English-speaking peoples, its primary purpose was always to act as a strategic counterweight to the influence and encroachment of the Soviet Union in Europe. Hence the claimed irrelevance of Nato in the 1990s after the cold war, and its renewed importance today in the face of Russian aggression.
As always with UK foreign and defence policies, the relationship with the US is paramount. The UK’s Nato-first position is no exception. Starmer clearly believes he can forge a working relationship with the US president. Although seemingly far from natural bedfellows (although neither were John F. Kennedy and Harold Macmillan or even, politics aside, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher), Donald Trump appears unthreatened by the sober, understated Starmer.
The thought within Starmer’s foreign policy circle may well be that a loud and unequivocal statement of the UK’s commitment to Nato could help persuade Trump to stay the course with an organisation that he has often threatened to pull the US out of.
If, on the other hand, Starmer et al are more pessimistic and fear Trump making good on his threats, Nato clearly remains an attractive proposition in terms of the UK’s defence policy. While it does commit the UK to the defence of, say, the Baltic States and Finland, by the same token, Nato puts the UK in lockstep with fellow nuclear power, France, as well as the growing military power of Germany and significant others such as Turkey. In uncertain times, such allies are to be valued.
Global influence
Even before Brexit, a fear of losing global and regional influence has stalked every British government since 1945.
Questioning the wisdom of the departure from the EU remains a Westminster taboo. Yet one might forgive the incoming Labour government for feeling the chill of isolation while Trump occupies the White House and Russia threatens the continent. Nato thus also represents a valuable opportunity to retain regional and global influence. Note the language in Starmer’s introduction to the report when he refers to a desire to “lead in Nato”.
While the other defenestrated European colonial powers found post-1945 influence through the Francophonie or becoming leading civilian forces in what became the EU, the UK had the Commonwealth and Nato. These were the prime proxies for the lost colonial influence, even during the long EU interregnum.
Without the EU and with a more restive Commonwealth, Nato is of even greater importance. Although France’s president Emmanuel Macron is generally enthusiastic about Nato, there is a history of French ambivalence. The UK could well make the claim to be the most steadfastly committed of all the larger European members.
This renewed commitment to Nato from the UK government is consistent with the historic prioritisation of the organisation by successive administrations. The difference here is the urgency of the context: Europe faces an unprecedented military threat, while the US president is unpredictable and dubious in his attitude towards continental defence.
The Nato-first stance is a recognition of grim, strategic realities and also a “Hail Mary”, both pragmatic and hopeful. The UK is not alone in desperately hoping to keep the US commitment to European security alive. The strategic review’s commitment to a Nato-first policy may help – at the very least, it signals a UK administration keen to maximise its influence and retain robust ties with European allies.
Nick Whittaker 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.
The UK is facing a security crisis. Great power competition has returned, and the threat of hostility from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea is increasing. The west can no longer assume military superiority, and the UK can no longer depend unconditionally on the US. The character of war itself is changing as new technology is introduced.
This is the situation laid out in the latest strategic defence review. The implications for the UK are clear: the country must prepare for high-intensity, protracted war, not counter-insurgency operations like Iraq or Afghanistan.
In order to address these challenges, the review says, “the UK must pivot to a new way of war.” Nuclear weapons are important here, and will be renewed and expanded. But the recommendations in the review focus on conventional weaponry and, above all, new remote and autonomous technology.
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The ongoing Ukraine war underpins much of the thinking about the military changes the UK needs to make. That conflict has demonstrated a significant change in the character of 21st-century warfare. Most obviously, it has involved a proliferation of cheap, expendable remote systems, some of which have autonomous capabilities.
Remote first-person-view drones, and drones controlled by unjammable fibre-optic cables, have become ubiquitous on the frontline – reconnoitring, targeting and striking troops on both sides. They have made conventional strategic manoeuvres at the front almost impossible, while also striking civilian and military targets deep in Russia and Ukraine.
At sea, uncrewed naval drones have struck Russian shipping and infrastructure in Crimea. The Ukrainian armed forces have also developed a digital battle management system and live-data, AI-enabled targeting system, drawing together information from satellite, open-source, ground-sensor and signal intelligence. This has allowed Ukrainian commanders to see deeply across the battlespace, and target Russian forces with an unprecedented depth and precision.
As a result of remote systems enabled by digitised targeting, military forces have become exponentially more lethal in close battle – and also in the deep.
The strategic defence review aims for the UK to incorporate these two elements into its war-fighting capabilities, recommending massive investment in remotely controlled and autonomous systems.
It calls for the UK to create a “leading, tech-enabled defence power”. Part of this involves integrating UK forces and the construction of a unified “digital targeting web”. This would be fed by sensors from every domain (land, air and sea) so that all forces have access to the same intelligence and a common operating picture. The idea is that a target identified in one domain might be prosecuted by forces in another, to “enhance the Armed Forces’ precision and lethality at scale and reach”.
In order to achieve this, the review also calls for improved and more innovative relationships between British defence, tech and industry. Once again, a lot has been learnt from Ukraine, whose industrial and tech sectors have been integrated into the war from the start.
The missing link
The review’s authors – three external experts led by former defence secretary and Nato chief, Lord Robertson – are correct to highlight the increasing importance of remote (and sometimes autonomous) systems in warfare. They are clear that military forces should increasingly draw on live data, processed by artificial intelligence, to help them understand the battlespace, plan and target. The UK must remain competitive with peer enemies who are developing these capabilities.
However, even assuming that all of this is affordable at 2.5% of the UK’s GDP from 2027 (a 0.2% rise from where defence spending is now), there is a serious gap in the review’s proposals.
As a scholar who has studied war in the 21st century, and has just completed a book on AI and war, I believe the document vastly overexaggerates the capability of AI and autonomy. For example, it states:
In modern warfare, simple metrics such as the number of people and platforms deployed are outdated and inadequate. It is through dynamic networks of crewed, uncrewed, and autonomous assets and data flows that lethality and military effect are now created.
This analysis presumes that autonomy will be vital in the future, and implies it will displace the need for large numbers of human combatants. In fact, true autonomy is still rare in combat – and will remain so, according to my research.
Even if autonomous drone swarms appear, they will not eliminate the need for human programmers or operators behind the frontline. AI has limited military functions which require a huge amount of human input.
Defence secretary John Healey being shown unmanned and autonomous units on a demonstration. UK MOD Crown Copyright 2025
The review prioritises preparedness for protracted inter-state war. But it ignores the blindingly obvious from Ukraine: the imperative of mass.
The Ukrainian frontline combat forces have expanded to about 300,000 – Ukraine claims its whole force, including allied fighters, is around 1 million. There are about 400,000 Russian combat troops in Ukraine. Casualties have been eye-watering: the Russians have suffered about 800,000 casualties, the Ukrainians nearly 500,000.
In my view, the strategic defence review has been mesmerised by the prospect of new technology – and, perhaps, by some wishful thinking.
In 21st-century war, troop mass matters. Fleets of drones and the most sophisticated digital targeting will be irrelevant without human forces willing to fight and to operate them.
What is the review’s answer to this? While acknowledging that in the cold war, the British fielded forces of 311,000, UK regular armed forces are to remain the same size: 136,000, of which the army will consist of only 73,000 troops and staff.
The review proposes that active reserves (volunteer, part-time forces) will be increased by 20%, and that the strategic reserve (ex-regulars) “is central to military mobilisation and must be reinvigorated”.
It is not surprising that the review’s authors have offered such thin solutions to the question of mass. There has been profound resistance from successive governments, Whitehall and civil society to any expansion in the size of British military forces in the UK. But it is doubtful that an expanded reserve and a reinvigorated strategic reserve will be remotely enough for the UK to fight and win a war of any kind in the coming decade.
Anthony King 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.
The Spanish economy has been performing strongly, supported by services exports and labor force growth. Growth is expected to remain significantly above the euro area average in the near term, before slowing gradually as its recent drivers normalize and demographic aging intensifies. Most risks are to the downside, including from a further escalation of trade measures and domestic political fragmentation.
The authorities should seize the growth momentum to more swiftly rebuild fiscal space and reduce sovereign debt risks through a clearer consolidation strategy grounded in well-identified tax increase and spending reduction priorities. Additional measures should also be taken to address fiscal pressures from rising future pension expenditures, and to improve the pension system’s safeguard clause.
Raising productivity is key to boosting income per capita gains, which have been modest since the pandemic. This should be achieved through a new wave of reforms to facilitate firms’ scaling-up and strengthen innovation.
Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the Article IV Consultation for Spain.[1] The authorities have consented to the publication of the Staff Report prepared for this consultation.[2]
With a growth rate of 3.2 percent in 2024, Spain has been one of the fastest-growing economies in the euro area. Growth has been fueled by robust services exports and labor force growth, including due to immigration. Because high GDP growth has been accompanied by high employment growth, GDP per capita gains have been more modest. Despite recent progress, Spain still has one of the lowest employment rates in Europe, and a persistent gap in (hourly labor) productivity vis-à-vis the euro area and—even more so—the US.
Growth is projected to reach 2.5 percent in 2025 before slowing to 1.8 percent in 2026 as export and working-age population gains normalize. Growth will be primarily supported by private domestic demand, including due to a decline in the household saving rate and a pickup in investment. Inflation is projected to decline further and return close to the ECB’s target by end-2025.
The Spanish economy has continued to outperform the euro area but per-capita income gains have been more modest. Two major drivers of Spain’s strong growth have been, on the supply side, labor force growth, and on the demand side, services exports. Labor force growth has particularly benefitted from recent migration inflows, which have risen sharply above pre-pandemic levels. Services exports have been fueled by the strong post-COVID recovery in tourism, but also by improvements in the performance of Spanish exporters in non-tourism services. Amid strong exports and still subdued imports, the external position in 2024 is preliminarily assessed to be stronger than implied by medium-term fundamentals and desirable policies. Because high GDP growth has been accompanied by high employment growth, GDP per capita gains have been more modest. Still, Spain reduced its per-capita income gap vis-à-vis the highest-income euro area economies by over 3 percentage points during 2022-24, helped by an acceleration in productivity growth. Despite recent progress in reducing the unemployment rate, it remains the highest in the euro area at about 11 percent. Looking through recent volatility, disinflation has continued to proceed steadily.
Growth is projected to remain robust in the near term and to slow gradually thereafter as its recent drivers normalize, with risks predominantly to the downside. Growth should remain strong at 2.5 percent in 2025 before declining to about 1.8 percent next year, close to its medium-term potential. On the demand side, tourism is expected to expand at a slower rate, while a weaker global environment—including elevated trade policy uncertainty and US tariffs—will also weigh on external demand. This drag is expected to be partly offset by robust domestic demand, including a pick-up in investment. On the supply side, a gradual slowdown in net migration and demographic aging will slowly weigh on labor force gains. Key downside risks include an escalation of trade measures, particularly those involving the EU, and domestic political fragmentation, which could hamper the response of fiscal policy in the event Spain’s deficit reduction fell short of its commitments or market concerns about sovereign risks were to emerge.
The authorities should seize upon the strong growth momentum to more swiftly rebuild fiscal space and reduce sovereign debt risks, in the context of an enhanced medium-term fiscal plan. Staff projects that, in the absence of further consolidation measures besides social security contribution increases from the 2021-2023 pension reforms and the non-indexation of PIT brackets (about 1 percent of GDP overall over 2025-29), the deficit would stabilize above 2 percent of GDP by 2030, while the debt-to-GDP ratio would remain above 90 percent before rising again in the longer term as fiscal pressures from aging intensify. Weighing fiscal risks on the one hand, and the economy’s strong cyclical position on the other, staff recommends frontloading the authorities’ planned 3 percent of GDP adjustment over 2025-2029 rather than 2025-2031. This effort, which would require about 2 percentage points of GDP in new measures, should be underpinned by an enhanced medium-term fiscal plan that lays out well-identified tax increase and spending reduction priorities. Harmonizing VAT and enhancing environmental taxation would deliver the recommended effort while reducing economic distortions. Given the widening projected gap between pension expenditures and social security contributions over the coming decades, pension reforms should also be undertaken, prioritizing employment-friendly options. Should downside risks materialize, fiscal policy should remain flexible, letting automatic stabilizers play out. Temporary discretionary support should be considered only in the event of a severe shock and provided sovereign funding costs remain low.
Systemic risks in the financial system remain low but ongoing efforts to further bolster its resilience should be maintained. Banks are well-capitalized, liquid, and profitable, though capital ratios are still somewhat below euro area peers. Household and corporate balance sheets are sound, supported by low debt and rising incomes. The rapid growth in house prices has eroded affordability and should be primarily addressed through measures that stimulate housing supply. While it does currently not raise financial stability risks, pre-emptive borrower-based measures should be considered if there were early signs of an easing in lending standards. Staff supports the ongoing phasing-in of the one-percent positive neutral CCyB and encourages continued implementation of other 2024 FSAP recommendations to further enhance resilience.
Fostering income-per-capita convergence toward higher-income advanced economies requires further raising the employment rate and boosting productivity. Despite recent progress, Spain still has one of the lowest employment rates in Europe, and its (hourly labor) productivity gap vis-à-vis the euro area—which has itself been falling behind the US—remains about as wide as it was 25 years ago. Enhancing activation policies and financial incentives for jobseekers is key to durably reducing unemployment to single digits. The planned reduction of the working week in the private sector should be carefully designed to mitigate adverse effects on output and workers’ incomes, with a major role for collective bargaining including in setting the level and remuneration of overtime. Closing the productivity gap will require reforms that facilitate firms’ scaling-up and innovation. These include completing both the Spanish and EU single markets for goods and services, streamlining firm size-related tax and regulatory thresholds, boosting venture capital through progress toward the CMU complemented by domestic incentives, and promoting excellence in higher education—including through greater autonomy and performance-based funding of universities.
Sources: IMF, World Economic Outlook; data provided by the authorities; and IMF staff estimates.
1/ The projections incorporate spending financed by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (including the grant and the loan component) amounting to about 0.7, 1.7, 1.3 and 0.3 percent of GDP from 2024 to 2027.
[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.
[2] Under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, publication of documents that pertain to member countries is voluntary and requires the member consent. The staff report will be shortly published on the www.imf.org/en/Countries/ESP page.
[3] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summings up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.
Headline: N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation Seeks Public Input on Equine State Trail Master Plan
N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation Seeks Public Input on Equine State Trail Master Plan jejohnson6
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Division of Parks and Recreation is seeking input on the Equine State Trail Master Plan. The master plan will be a 20-year plan that identifies a 10-mile-wide corridor for the trail.
Authorized in 2023 by the General Assembly, the Equine State Trail is the 14th state trail. It is envisioned to be an equestrian trail that loops through eight counties, including Chatham, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, and Richmond counties. The trail has opportunities to connect Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, Carvers Creek State Park, and Raven Rock State Park, and will offer a variety of equestrian recreation.
Two public open houses will be held — June 18 at Raven Rock State Park auditorium and June 25 at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve auditorium. Both open houses will be from 5-7 p.m. and attendees can drop in any time. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and can expect to spend about 30 minutes to review, discuss and weigh in on their preferred recreational amenities for the trail.
Amenities that may be considered for the master plan include the trail surface type, campgrounds, trailheads, recreational user types, and connection opportunities within the eight identified counties.
An online public survey is available for those who cannot attend the public meetings. Take the survey at:http://www.trails.nc.gov/eqst-survey.
About North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation The Division of Parks and Recreation manages more than 264,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19 million visitors annually.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
Headline: First Farm-Life School to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker
First Farm-Life School to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker jejohnson6
Schools built in the early 20th century to provide education in rural areas of the state soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker. The N.C. Historical Marker Program is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The marker commemorating Craven County Farm Life School, the first farm life school, will be dedicated at the intersection of U.S. Hwy 17 and Farm Life Avenue in Vanceboro, N.C. on Thursday, June 12 at 4 p.m.
Authorized in 1911 by a General Assembly appropriation, farm life schools were promoted by state superintendent J.Y. Joyner and various farm groups. These schools were required to offer a standard high school education in addition to classes and practical experience in vocational agriculture and home economics.
If a local governmental unit provided facilities (including dormitories for boys and girls) for $25,000 and then pledged $2,500 for operating expenses each year, the state would match the latter amount. Almost immediately, five counties took advantage of the offer, and by 1916, 21 farm-life schools were in operation.
Craven County Farm Life School opened on Nov. 4, 1913, with an on-site celebration and 30 enrolled students.
A second school — Rowan Farm-Life School in China Grove — opened in 1914 and was such a success that in 1921 the regular China Grove High School merged with it and shared the farm campus.
In Nash County, local farmer Tom Jones donated 25 acres of land, and the community voted for an additional $10,000 in bonds for buildings for the Red Oak Farm-Life High School.
Students within walking or horse-riding distances paid no tuition, but boarding students paid $12.50 per month. The boys cut wood for fires, and the girls cooked and waited on tables. Crop rotation, contour plowing, selection of nutritious foods, and improved homemaking practices were emphasized along with the academic curriculum.
For more information about the historical marker, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/08/09/farm-life-schools-c-89, or call (919) 814-6625
The Highway Historical Marker Program is a collaboration between the N.C. departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Transportation.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted David Fowler, age 49, of Aberdeen, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on June 4, 2025.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $1,000,000 fine, up to life on supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
David Fowler was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
In March and April 2024, investigators with the Brown County Sheriff’s Office conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Fowler, in amounts ranging from 10-21 grams. Authorities then obtained a search warrant for Fowler’s home, where 56 grams of methamphetamine were located. Fowler’s supplier was also arrested en route to his residence with an additional 344 grams of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed the methamphetamine was being mailed from California to a local source in Aberdeen, where it was then sold to sub-distributors, including Fowler. In total, Fowler purchased five packages of methamphetamine, totaling 2.5 pounds.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, the Aberdeen Police Department, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing will take place on September 8, 2025. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
ATLANTA – Juan Perez-Maldonado and Francisco Garcia Gomez, both illegal aliens from Mexico, appeared in federal court on June 4, 2025, following their arrests on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Garcia Gomez and a third illegal alien from Mexico, Filemon Hernandez-Jijon, were also charged with possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully present in the United States.
“Our law enforcement partners worked swiftly to disrupt a suburban drug lab, seize numerous firearms, and arrest two illegal aliens allegedly responsible for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Criminals who traffic illegal drugs in our communities will be identified, found, and prosecuted with deliberate speed.”
“DEA remains focused on keeping America safe and protecting the homeland from by removing dangerous drugs from our communities and bringing criminals to justice,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On June 3, 2025, DEA agents saw Filemon Hernandez-Jijon allegedly supply two kilograms of methamphetamine to a drug customer in the Smyrna, Georgia area. Law enforcement later observed Hernandez-Jijon traveling to and from a mobile home located in Marietta, Georgia.
Hours later, DEA agents executed a federal search warrant at the mobile home and encountered Juan Perez-Maldonado and Francisco Garcia Gomez there. A third person fled the scene. Inside the mobile home, agents discovered an active laboratory used to convert liquid methamphetamine into a crystal-like form, as well as at least 13 kilograms of what appeared to be the finished drug product. In addition, agents located two handguns, including one hidden in the tank of a toilet, and money remitter receipts bearing Garcia Gomez’s and Hernandez-Jijon’s names. Outside the home, agents recovered acetone, several empty coolers, and other materials commonly used to produce crystalized methamphetamine.
In connection with this investigation, agents executed another federal search warrant at an apartment in Smyrna. In a baby’s crib, agents located a bag containing a loaded Glock pistol, two additional loaded firearm magazines, and identification for Perez-Maldonado. Elsewhere in the apartment, agents found a Springfield XD firearm and a mechanical press used to press powder into kilogram bricks.
The investigation further revealed that Perez-Maldonado and Hernandez-Jijon had been previously deported and removed from the United States.
Hernandez-Jijon is currently a fugitive. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Hernandez-Jijon, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided from the Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Narcotics Unit and the DeKalb County Police Department – HIDTA Task Force.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schwarzl and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca M. Ojeda are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6000. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
BALTIMORE, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New briefing reveals Elon Musk has quietly built the most powerful AI system in America — far from Silicon Valley, and without the help of Big Tech.
In a new briefing to the public, tech entrepreneur and bestselling author James Altucher reveals what he describes as a rogue AI breakthrough — hidden in plain sight.
According to Altucher, Elon Musk’s xAI has constructed a private supercomputer called Project Colossus, located in Memphis, Tennessee, that has already surpassed Microsoft, Google, and Meta in scale — and is set to grow exponentially before July 1.
“He’s Already Passed Them”
Altucher claims Musk’s project was built outside the traditional tech pipeline — with no reliance on legacy platforms or government partnerships.
“Elon Musk has created the AI mothership… an innovation of such enormous proportion… that he has already surpassed all the leading AI developers.”
He says the facility is now home to over 200,000 AI chips — and that the system’s scale is unlike anything in commercial use.
“It contains not just one or two… but 200,000 units of Nvidia’s all-powerful AI chips… making it the most advanced AI facility known to man.”
A Presidential Assist — But Not a Partnership
While Altucher says Project Colossus is not a government project, it was unlocked by a key political move: the repeal of Biden’s AI executive order.
That reversal, he says, “cleared the path” for developers like Musk to act quickly — and without interference.
Not ChatGPT — Something Bigger
Altucher warns that while most people are still fixated on chatbots, Musk’s system is aiming for something far more advanced.
“AI 2.0… gives that knowledge to intelligent machines that I believe will solve our problems for us.”
He claims the system will soon receive a major upgrade that could “10X its power” overnight — potentially revealing what he calls the first working form of Artificial Superintelligence.
About James Altucher
James Altucher is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. He studied AI at Cornell and Carnegie Mellon, worked with IBM on the Deep Blue supercomputer, and built early AI-driven systems on Wall Street. His latest work focuses on the rise of independent AI infrastructure and the figures driving it.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Appliance servicing company which used high pressure sales tactics on elderly and vulnerable is shut down
Service Plan UK Ltd pressured elderly people – some of whom had Alzheimer’s and dementia – into service agreements to protect household appliances.
UK Service Plan Ltd sold monthly and annual plans which they said would provide service cover for household appliances.
The company had a pattern of behaviour which involved targeting the elderly and vulnerable and creating direct debits without permission.
The company was subject to a successful winding up order at the High Court in London on 19 May 2025, and its director was disqualified for eight years.
A company which used high pressure sales tactics to sell service plans for household appliances has been shut down after an Insolvency Service investigation found it targeted the elderly and vulnerable.
UK Service Plan Ltd, registered at Princess Street in Manchester and formerly Trafalgar Place, Brighton, offered protection plans for white goods to cover the cost of callouts, replacement parts and labour.
The company charged around £29 a month for a service plan, and some people were persuaded to take on lengthy agreements of up to three and five years.
Additionally, the company pressured people – some via cold calls – into buying plans by offering a discount which they falsely claimed was only applicable if they pay on the day.
The Insolvency Service looked at 14 complaints which had been received from UK Service Plan Ltd customers, all of whom were over the age of 71.
Seven of the complainants were described as being vulnerable, with variable memory recall and conditions including Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Three were cold called despite being registered with the Telephone Preference Service.
Six had direct debits set up apparently without their permission and three were told they were existing customers when they were not.
Insolvency Service Chief Investigator Mark George said:
UK Service Plan Ltd targeted and pressured some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
They were persuaded into buying a service agreement, which it appears many did not want or need.
Being able to shut this company down is a vital step toward protecting the public from becoming victims of their bad business practices.
The company was not represented at the hearing and did not defend the petition, with the company’s director – 41-year-old Mohamed Anoir Dhimi, of Manchester – giving an undertaking to the court not to be involved in the promotion, formation or management of any company whose business is in the same or a similar field for a period of eight years.
Dhimi did not fully co-operate with the investigation and provided limited information to the Insolvency Service.
As evidence of poor trading practice, between August 2021 and July 2022, it was found the company had paid more than £200,000 in refunds to 740 people.
In 2022, the company claimed to have a turnover of more than two million pounds.
But the recorded cash in the filed accounts did not match the balance in the known bank account at the relevant date.
In addition, the company failed to maintain accurate records and accounts the company filed at Companies House contained potentially false information.
UK Service Plan Ltd, incorporated in 2021, was last registered at an address on Princess Street in Manchester. It claimed to have 10 employees, but no actual trading address has been found.
The company had previously been registered in London and Brighton.
The Official Receiver has been appointed as liquidator of UK Service Plan Ltd.
The Insolvency Service worked in collaboration with Trading Standards on the investigation.
All enquiries concerning the affairs of the company should be made to the Official Receiver of Public Interest Unit: PO Box 16664, Birmingham, B2 2JQ. piu.or@insolvency.gov.uk.
Mohamed Anoir Dhimi: Date of Birth, October 1983. Address: Princess Street, Manchester.
The Insolvency Service can investigate complaints about corporate abuse by live companies. This may include serious misconduct, fraud, scams or dishonest practice in the way the company operates. Further information on our live investigations can be found here
Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct.
Plymouth City Council has welcomed the Government’s announcement that more children will benefit from free school meals at school.
From September 2026, the Government has announced that any child whose household is on Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals.
Currently, children are only eligible if their household receives Universal Credit and has an annual income of less than £7,400 per year.
The expanded eligibility will mean that more than 10,000 Plymouth children in school years 3 to 11 will be able to benefit from a free, healthy and nutritious lunch during each school day.
All children in Reception, Year 1 and 2 already receive universal free school meals.
Councillor Sally Cresswell, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships, said: “This is a hugely positive step forward for children and families in Plymouth. This is about children thriving and achieving, and we know that access to a healthy, balanced meal at school can make a real difference to a child’s wellbeing, concentration, and academic performance.
“We recognise the pressures that many households are facing and this change will help to reduce child poverty and food insecurity.
“We’ll be working closely with our schools and catering providers to ensure that there’s a smooth and effective rollout of this policy in 2026, so that as many children as possible can benefit.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) announced the opening of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge for middle and high school students in Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District. This annual competition encourages students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by creating and showcasing their own software applications.
“The Congressional App Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for our young innovators to demonstrate their creativity and technical skills,” said Rep. Kelly. “I am continually impressed by the talent and ingenuity of our students, and I look forward to seeing the innovative apps they develop this year.”
Competition Details:
Eligibility: Open to all middle and high school students residing or attending school in Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District.
Registration Deadline: September 30, 2025.
Submission Deadline: October 30, 2025
Students are encouraged to register early to receive updates and resources.
How to Participate:
Register for the competition at: www.CongressionalAppChallenge.us
Develop an original app on any platform (e.g., mobile, web, desktop).
Submit the app along with a demonstration video and required documentation by the submission deadline.
The winning app from Pennsylvania’s 16th District will be featured on the Congressional App Challenge website and displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building. Winners will also be invited to the #HouseOfCode celebration in Washington, D.C., where they can showcase their app to Members of Congress and the tech community.
For more information, please contact Julie Swartfager, Director of Constituent Services, at Julie.Swartfager@mail.house.gov.
Learn more about the competition at Kelly.House.Gov/Services/Congressional-App-Challenge and at www.congressionalappchallenge.us/
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Scotland Office partnership with Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, joined by his sleeping baby daughter, and Scottish Chambers of Commerce Chief Executive Liz Cameron sign the deal in Edinburgh
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, joined by his sleeping baby daughter, at today’s partnership agreement signing with Scottish Chambers of Commerce Chief Executive Liz Cameron in Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh.
A partnership agreement to launch a Brand Scotland overseas trade missions initiative was signed today (Friday) by the Scotland Office and Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC).
This collaboration will be supported by a UK Government grant of up to £100,000 for 2025/26 aimed at promoting Scottish trade and attracting foreign direct investment into Scotland.
As part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, Brand Scotland is boosting economic growth by promoting Scottish products and services while attracting international inward investment.
The initiative will include a series of trade missions focused on showcasing Scottish businesses globally.
Ian Murray and Liz Cameron signed the agreement at the UK Government’s Queen Elizabeth HQ in Edinburgh.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:
This agreement will help give Scotland a global platform to sell everything our brilliant country has to offer – from whisky and seafood to our world class services.
The trio of trade deals secured by the Prime Minister in recent weeks is a huge opportunity for Scotland’s economy – with the most populous country in the world, the richest country in the world and our most important market. This partnership with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce will create valuable opportunities for Scottish firms and help kickstart economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.
I have already been to Norway, Singapore, Malaysia, and the United States to bang the drum for Scotland and with this partnership we will take businesses to even more markets. The Scotland Office will be Scotland’s window to the world.
Scottish Chambers of Commerce Chief Executive and Director Dr Liz Cameron CBE said:
Delivering impactful trade missions that will sell Brand Scotland and our innovative and dynamic businesses will strengthen our global presence. This partnership with the Scotland Office is vital for economic growth and will help more businesses trade internationally and encourage more inward investment.
The world wants our quality products and services and this significant investment in Brand Scotland will create even more opportunities to sell our nation internationally. Our businesses continue to successfully engage with SCC overseas missions and now by combining forces between SCC and the Scotland Office, we can drive our economy further by providing valuable platforms and alliances for more exporters to sell their fantastic products and services to new global markets.
Scotland is open for business and we welcome Brand Scotland’s support to allow us to trade with confidence on a world stage.
Leading entrepreneurs from a variety of sectors have also welcomed the agreement.
Founder & CEO of Greenock-based PG Paper Dr Poonam Gupta OBE said:
At PG Paper, international trade is the backbone of our business. We have built a multi-million pound business by connecting with over 60 countries. This partnership between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office sends a clear message: Scotland is ambitious, outward-looking, and ready to lead. The Scotland Office initiative will help businesses like ours expand our international reach, forge high-value connections, and drive economic impact both at home and abroad. This is exactly the kind of bold, collaborative action Scotland needs to accelerate exports and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
CEO of Aberdeen-based PCL Group Dr Jeanette Forbes OBE said:
As a global IT and energy tech company operating in over 27 countries, we know first-hand how critical international trade is to business growth and innovation. Trade missions are strategic enablers that unlock new markets, foster long-term relationships, and elevate Scotland’s global standing. The collaboration between Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office is exactly the type of public-private partnership needed to amplify Scotland’s voice on the world stage and grow our economies.
Details of trade missions will be confirmed in due course.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Amber M. Simpson, Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Families and caregivers can boost children’s confidence and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics while school is out for summer.heshphoto/Getty Images
The Trump administration is reshaping the pursuit of science through federal cuts to research grants and the Department of Education. This will have real consequences for students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM learning.
One of those consequences is the elimination of learning opportunities such as robotics camps and access to advanced math courses for K-12 students.
As a result, families and caregivers are more essential than ever in supporting children’s learning.
To support STEM learning outside of school, encourage children to find and solve problems. kali9/Getty Images
Look for “problems” in or around your home to engineer a solution for. Engineering a solution could include brainstorming ideas, drawing a sketch, creating a prototype or a first draft, testing and improving the prototype and communicating about the invention.
For example, one family in our research created an upside-down soap dispenser for the following problem: “the way it’s designed” − specifically, the straw − “it doesn’t even reach the bottom of the container. So there’s a lot of soap sitting at the bottom.”
To identify a problem and engage in the engineering design process, families are encouraged to use common materials. The materials may include cardboard boxes, cotton balls, construction paper, pine cones and rocks.
Our research found that when children engage in engineering in the home environment with caregivers, parents and siblings, they communicate about and apply science and math concepts that are often “hidden” in their actions.
For instance, when building a paper roller coaster for a marble, children think about how the height will affect the speed of the marble. In math, this relates to the relationship between two variables, or the idea that one thing, such as height, impacts another, the speed. In science, they are applying concepts of kinetic energy and potential energy. The higher the starting point, the more potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, which makes the marble move faster.
Spontaneous learning moments can lead to deep engagement and learning of STEM concepts. cglade/Getty Images
Open up a space for exploration around STEM concepts driven by their interests.
Currently, my research with STEM professionals who were homeschooled talk about the power of learning sparked by curiosity.
One participant stated, “At one time, I got really into ladybugs, well Asian Beatles I guess. It was when we had like hundreds in our house. I was like, what is happening? So, I wanted to figure out like why they were there, and then the difference between ladybugs and Asian beetles because people kept saying, these aren’t actually ladybugs.”
In my research, being uncertain about STEM concepts may lead to children exploring and considering different ideas. One concept in particular − playful uncertainties − is when parents and caregivers know the answer to a child’s uncertainties but act as if they do not know.
For example, suppose your child asks, “How can we measure the distance between St. Louis, Missouri, and Nashville, Tennessee, on this map?” You might respond, “I don’t know. What do you think?” This gives children the chance to share their ideas before a parent or caregiver guides them toward a response.
4. Bring STEM to life
Overhearing or participating in budget talks can help children develop math skills and financial literacy. SeizaVisuals/Getty Images
Turn ordinary moments into curious conversations.
“This recipe is for four people, but we have 11 people coming to dinner. What should we do?”
In a recent interview, one participant described how much they learned from listening in on financial conversations, seeing how decisions got made about money, and watching how bills were handled. They were developing financial literacy and math skills.
As they noted, “By the time I got to high school, I had a very good basis on what I’m doing and how to do it and function as a person in society.”
Globally, individuals lack financial literacy, which can lead to negative outcomes in the future when it comes to topics such as retirement planning and debt.
Why is this important?
Research shows that talking with friends and family about STEM concepts supports how children see themselves as learners and their later success in STEM fields, even if they do not pursue a career in STEM.
My research also shows how family STEM participation gives children opportunities to explore STEM ideas in ways that go beyond what they typically experience in school.
In my view, these kinds of STEM experiences don’t compete with what children learn in school − they strengthen and support it.
Amber M. Simpson receives funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation.
The principle of habeas corpus, a legal phrase, is a simple one: Translated from the Latin as “produce the body,” it provides that a judge may compel prosecutors to supply evidence to determine whether someone has been legally detained or arrested.
In the U.S., a detained or arrested individual, or their legal representative, may ask a judge to decide based on the evidence presented whether the detainee has been legally confined. That process is termed “seeking a writ.”
Suspending the privilege of the writ, also known as “suspending the writ,” denies that individual or their representation from making that request or a judge from honoring it. The “privilege” in that phrase is a right of the accused.
In the past few months, members of the Trump administration have raised the issue of the president’s power to suspend the privilege of habeas corpus.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller in May 2025 shared with the media the news that administration officials were exploring the possibility of suspending the privilege of the writ to help the administration deport immigrants quickly.
Eleven days later, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem declared at a congressional hearing that habeas corpus “is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country,” a misunderstanding of this foundational legal right immediately challenged by New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan.
Article I of the U.S. Constitution declares that “the Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.” Suspension is thus a grave and serious matter.
This is not the first time that Americans have debated which branch of government – the executive branch or Congress – has the power to suspend the privilege of the writ and under what circumstances it may do so.
Sen. Maggie Hassan asks Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to define habeas corpus; Noem can’t.
While the Constitution provides for the suspension of the writ, the document is silent as to who has the power to exercise this authority. Although most of this section of the Constitution concerns the powers of Congress, it also addresses the power and authority of other branches in specific instances. And the use of the passive voice – “shall not be suspended” – in this section leaves the question of who can suspend the writ open to interpretation.
The questions of who may suspend the privilege of the writ and under what circumstances emerged in the spring of 1861.
On April 12, Confederate forces fired on U.S.-controlled Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, an act that is considered the formal start of the war. A week later, Marylanders supporting secession clashed with militia from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania who were making their way through Baltimore to defend Washington.
Lincoln refused to honor requests from Maryland Governor Thomas Hicks and Baltimore Mayor George Brown to avoid transporting reinforcements through Baltimore. The president initially tried to skirt any conflict by routing the reinforcements through Annapolis.
This proved a stopgap measure. On April 27, Lincoln authorized General Winfield Scott, commanding general of the U.S. Army, to suspend the privilege of the writ between Philadelphia and Washington, if necessary. This would permit arbitrary arrests and detaining of people determined to be acting in support of the insurrection.
Taney challenges Lincoln
To protect national security, U.S. military authorities arrested John Merryman on May 25, 1861. Merryman, who was from Baltimore, was suspected of involvement in destroying railroad bridges to obstruct Union troop movements.
Chief Justice Roger B. Taney honored a request from Merryman’s lawyers to issue a writ of habeas corpus, only to have federal military authorities refuse to produce Merryman, who remained at his cell in Fort McHenry.
Taney then ruled that neither Lincoln nor military personnel under his command could suspend the privilege of the writ when it came to civilians such as Merryman.
“If at any time the public safety should require the suspension of the powers vested by this act in the courts of the United States, it is for the Legislature to say so,” wrote Taney, quoting an 1807 opinion by Chief Justice John Marshall.
Days later, on June 1, Taney offered a more extended decision reflecting his reasoning that Congress, not the president, could suspend the privilege of the writ.
Taney was challenging the president’s authority to act unilaterally.
Lincoln ignored Taney’s ruling. He reasoned that in time of emergency, especially with Congress not in session, he – as president – was compelled to act in the interests of national security. He did so to protect the movement of troops through Maryland to defend the national capital.
Not only did Lincoln’s order remain in place, but the president later expanded its geographic scope in several instances, most notably in September 1862. On the heels of issuing the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln authorized the detention of individuals accused of obstructing efforts to raise troops or who sought to support the rebellion.
Unwilling to concede that Lincoln’s actions need not seek congressional approval, Congress, first in 1861, then through the Habeas Corpus Act of 1863 offered retroactive sanction of the actions of the executive branch and, in 1863, empowered Lincoln to suspend the privilege of the writ in the future in the interests of national security for the duration of the rebellion.
Almost a decade later, in 1871, President Ulysses S. Grant declined to act on his own to suspend the privilege of the writ to prosecute white supremacist terrorists in the Reconstruction South, requiring that Congress first pass legislation authorizing him to do so.
Since the Civil War, only once has a president unilaterally suspended the privilege of the writ without prior congressional authorization. That’s what President Franklin D. Roosevelt did in Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, in order to combat any suspicious activity that might be construed as espionage.
With Congress currently in session, lawmakers could authorize the president to suspend the privilege of the writ to set aside debates over executive overreach. Otherwise, presidents might define as emergencies situations that do not meet the extreme circumstances envisioned by the Constitution while sidestepping congressional approval.
Brooks D. Simpson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Frederic Lemieux, Professor of the Practice and Faculty Director of the Master’s in Applied Intelligence, Georgetown University
A woman places flowers outside the Boulder, Colo., courthouse after an attack that injured 12 people. David Zalubowski/AP Photo
On June 3, Soliman’s family, who lived with him in Colorado Springs, were detained by federal immigration authorities. Soliman’s wife and five children were placed in expedited removal proceedings.
Whether an attack like the one in Boulder is considered an act of terrorism or a hate crime changes the way a suspect is charged and sentenced.
Let’s look at how these two terms differ.
What is a hate crime?
Hate crimes are crimes motivated by bias on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. In some states, gender, age and gender identity are also included. Hate crime laws have been passed by 47 states and the federal government since the 1980s, when activists first began to press state legislatures to recognize the role of bias in violence against minority groups. Today, only Arkansas, South Carolina and Wyoming do not have hate crime laws.
Colorado’s 2024 statute prohibits bias-motivated attacks based on a wide variety of categories, from ancestry to gender identity.
In order to be charged as a hate crime, attacks – whether vandalism, assault or killings – must be directed at individuals because of the prohibited biases. Hate crimes, in other words, punish motive; the prosecutor must convince the judge or jury that the victim was targeted because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or other protected characteristic.
If the defendant is found to have acted with bias motivation, hate crimes often add an additional penalty to the underlying charge. Charging people with a hate crime, then, presents additional layers of complexity to what may otherwise be a straightforward case for prosecutors. Bias motivation can be hard to prove, and prosecutors can be reluctant to take cases that they may not win in court.
Dylann Roof, who killed nine worshipers at a Black church in South Carolina in 2015, was convicted of 33 charges, including hate crimes. Grace Beahm-Pool/Getty Images
What is terrorism?
Terrorism is a violent tactic – a strategy used to achieve a specific end.
This strategy is often used in asymmetric power struggles when a weaker person, or group, is fighting against a powerful nation-state. The violence is aimed at creating fear in the targeted population.
Terrorists often justify their bloody acts on the basis of perceived social, economic and political unfairness. Or they take inspiration from religious beliefs or spiritual principles.
Many forms of terrorism were inspired by struggle between races, the rich and poor, or political outcasts and elites.
How different terrorist groups act is informed by what they are trying to achieve. Some adopt a reactionary perspective aimed at stopping or resisting social, economic and political changes. Others adopt a revolutionary doctrine and want to provoke change.
In the United States, terrorism attacks were in sharp decline from 1970 to 2011, decreasing from approximately 475 incidents a year to fewer than 20.
Data compiled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows right-wing terrorist attacks and plots grew substantially during the past decade, with right-wing extremists being responsible for the majority of attacks and plots each year since 2011, except for 2013. There were 44 incidents in 2019 alone.
Terrorism is not a successful tactic. American University professor Audrey Cronin studied 457 terrorist groups worldwide going back to 1968. The groups lasted an average of eight years before they lost support or were dismantled. No terrorist organizations that she studied were able to conquer a state, and 94% were unable to achieve even one of their strategic goals.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Northeast India is undergoing a profound social and cultural renaissance, emerging as a model of inclusive development and heritage preservation, as outlined in a recent Press Information Bureau release. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of the Northeast as “Ashta Lakshmi” underscores its diverse strengths, with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) spearheading initiatives to integrate the region into India’s mainstream.
Social development milestones are reshaping the region. On May 20, 2025, Mizoram achieved full functional literacy, becoming India’s first fully literate state through the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. Building on its 91.33% literacy rate from the 2011 Census, this historic achievement marks a significant step in educational progress. In healthcare, Assam is establishing South Asia’s largest cancer care network, with eight hospitals already operational in districts like Dibrugarh and Kokrajhar, and seven more under construction in areas such as Nagaon and Tinsukia. Additionally, 15 new medical colleges are being set up in Assam to enhance healthcare access.
Cultural preservation is a cornerstone of the Northeast’s transformation. In July 2024, Assam’s Moidams, the mound-burial system of the Ahom Dynasty, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, celebrating 600 years of Tai-Ahom heritage. Sivasagar is being developed as an iconic site with an on-site museum, while a tribal freedom fighter museum honoring Rani Gaidinliu has been established in Manipur. The 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan, the Ahom general who defeated the Mughals in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat, was commemorated in 2022, highlighting unsung heroes. The North Eastern Handicrafts & Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC) is revitalizing traditional crafts through the Purbashree e-commerce portal, a textile testing laboratory, and “Purbashree On Wheels.”
The Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav, held from December 6-8, 2024, showcased the region’s textiles, GI-tagged products, and crafts, featuring Eri and Muga silk and attracting Rs 2,500 crore in project proposals. An Eri Silk Spinning Plant in Mushalpur, Assam, with a 200 kg/day capacity, has provided direct employment to 375 individuals and indirect livelihoods to 2,500 households, supported by a digital traceability network for 10,000 weavers across seven states.
Peace and security initiatives have created a stable foundation for these advancements. Nine peace accords since 2014, including the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord and the 2023 DNLA Peace Agreement, have significantly reduced violence and resolved inter-state disputes, such as the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary agreement. The North Eastern Region District SDG Index, developed with NITI Aayog and UNDP-India, ranks 103 districts on social, economic, and environmental parameters, guiding policy implementation.
By blending social progress with cultural preservation, the Northeast is not only catching up with the rest of India but also setting a global example of sustainable and inclusive development, driven by flagship initiatives like NESIDS and PM-DevINE.
Home » Latest News » Timetable for district’s planning blueprint set to be tweaked
Canterbury City Council’s draft Local Plan – its blueprint for new homes, new infrastructure such as better buses and schools and extra land for jobs – will be submitted to the government in autumn 2026 if a new timetable is approved.
The council’s Cabinet will be asked to give the greenlight to the new timetable, known as the Local Development Scheme, at its meeting on Monday 16 June – read the report.
The original intention was to submit the draft plan to the Secretary of State in spring of next year but a number of factors have conspired to mean a slight delay is needed.
They include the fact:
the government confirmed its new rules around planning, known as the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December resulting in an increased target of 1,216 new homes each year as opposed to 1,149
the government also extended its deadline for Local Plans to be completed
the council carried out an exercise, called a Call For Sites, encouraging the owners of brownfield land to come forward
council officers have been analysing the thousands of comments received from the previous Regulation 18 consultation
officers have continued to gather and work through comments and technical evidence from key players in the process
The new timetable proposes:
September 2025 – a further, focused, consultation under Regulation 18 on a limited number of new or amended policies. This will be the fifth consultation to inform the new Local Plan
Spring 2026 – publication of the final draft under Regulation 19 which sparks a final consultation on the soundness of the plan with the comments being sent directly to a government-appointed planning inspector
From Autumn 2026 – an Examination In Person overseen by a government-appointed planning inspector who will scrutinise the draft plan and listen to evidence presented by those in favour or opposed to it
Winter 2027 – adoption by the council having taken on board the changes instructed by the planning inspector
Leader of the Council, Cllr Alan Baldock: “When it comes to a document that is so important to the district and one that is so complicated, there are always huge numbers of moving parts that are all dependent on each other.
“We are determined that people get the desperately-needed homes they deserve as quickly as possible while at the same time being meticulous when considering everyone’s views and looking at the evidence.
“This relatively short delay will give us more time to work through the challenges and present the best possible plan we can while having the right evidence to hand when we need to make the inevitably tough decisions we will be faced with.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (MI-03) joined a group of next-generation reformers in the House of Representatives to introduce the “End Corruption Now”legislative agenda. An effort to confront political corruption and clean up government that includes seven bills designed to put power back in the hands of the American people by preventing the President, Executive Branch officials, and Members of Congress from personally benefiting from their offices.
After watching President Trump’s administration engage in brazen corruption, the group of representatives including Reps. Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Pat Ryan (NY-18), and Emilia Sykes (OH-13) – felt compelled to act.
“At a time when public trust in our institutions is at a breaking point, the Integrity in Government Act is about restoring accountability at the highest levels of power,” saidRep. Scholten. “This bill protects the nonpartisan watchdogs who work on behalf of the American people and ensures that the White House–regardless of who is in office–is subject to real oversight to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure efficiency. Our democracy depends on transparency, and the American people deserve nothing less.”
“Donald Trump’s first 100 days back in office were marked by chaos, corruption, and self-dealing. He spent the time stacking his administration with billionaire donors and promoting shameless cryptocurrency scams, all while his Republican supporters in Congress trade stocks to benefit their own portfolios. The time for this corruption to end is now. We must clean up government for future generations and ensure our government is serving the American people, not special interests,” saidRep. Neguse.
“Elected officials are elected to serve their constituents, not their own self-interests,” saidRep. Craig. “It’s past time we pass legislation to clean up Washington and ensure our tax dollars are being spent as they should – on improving the lives of everyday Americans. That’s why I’m proud to be partnering with my colleagues on this anti-corruption campaign to make common-sense reforms that will restore integrity, transparency and efficiency to our government.”
“Members of Congress are elected to serve the American people, not to enrich themselves,” saidRep. Magaziner. “We must ban Member of Congress from trading stocks, because there should be no opportunity for elected officials to profit off of their positions. I am proud to join Representative Neguse and other colleagues in our effort to bring real ethics reform to Washington.”
“Corporate power has long rigged the system against the American people,” saidRep. Deluzio. “We must root out this corruption to restore the American Dream. Stopping corporate criminals from taking power from inside our government itself is a great place to start. I’m introducing the No Corporate Crooks Act as a part of the ‘End Corruption Now’ legislative agenda because someone convicted of crimes like bribery, embezzlement, fraud, insider trading, and more shouldn’t be let anywhere near the levers of power in the executive branch.”
“For too long, politicians in both parties have put their own gain ahead of what’s best for the American people. The brazen corruption of the last few months has only highlighted the need for urgent action. It is time for comprehensive reform to ensure politicians serve the people, not themselves,” saidRep. Ryan. “No more getting rich off trading stocks. An end to Members of Congress becoming lobbyists. Getting rid of kickbacks for billionaire friends. I’m proud to be working alongside a group of next-generation lawmakers who refuse to accept the status quo – we’re here to clean things up.”
“When public officials use their power for personal gain and are shielded from accountability, we undermine democracy itself,” saidRep. Sykes. “This bill – and the broader End Corruption Now agenda – is about restoring public trust and ensuring that no one is above the law. The American people deserve a government that works for them, not for the biggest wallets or the best connections.”
The “End Corruption Now” legislative agenda targets conflicts of interest and would put a stop to the selling of access and influence, including banning Members of Congress from trading stocks or becoming lobbyists, and strengthening anti-corruption laws. It includes the following bills:
The Integrity in Government (IG) Act, introduced by Rep. Hillary Scholten, strengthens checks and balances by installing new oversight measures for the White House and its top offices and protecting independent watchdogs from political retaliation. Read the bill textHERE.
The Close the Revolving Door Act, introduced by Rep. Joe Neguse, places a lifetime ban on Members of Congress from serving as lobbyists. The bill is championed in the U.S. Senate by Senator Michael Bennet. Read the bill textHERE.
The Restoring Integrity in Democracy Resolution, introduced by Rep. Angie Craig, would prohibit Members of Congress from serving on corporate boards. Read the bill textHERE.
The Transparent Representation Upholding Service and Trust (TRUST) in Congress Act, introduced by Rep. Seth Magaziner, effectively bans Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from trading individual stocks by requiring them to either divest from individual stock holdings or move their investments into a qualified blind trust during their entire tenure in Congress. Read the bill textHERE.
The No Corporate Crooks Act, introduced by Rep. Chris DeLuzio, prohibits any chief executive officers, in either the public or private sector, convicted of covered financial crimes from serving in the executive branch. Read the bill textHERE.
The Stop Millionaires Using Service for Kickbacks (MUSK) Act, introduced by Rep. Pat Ryan, requires government employees defined as Executive Schedule (I-IV) employees, Special Government Employees, and people in the Executive Office of the President to recuse themselves from any matters affecting the financial interests of their previous employers for the four-year period. Read the bill textHERE.
The Closing Bribery Loopholes Act, introduced by Rep. Emilia Sykes, closes loopholes in the federal bribery statute by clarifying the definition of an “official act” by a public official. The bill expands the definition to prohibit public officials from improperly using their position for private gain. Read the bill textHERE.
The “End Corruption Now”agenda is endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Public Citizen, and Project On Government Oversight (POGO).
“Americans should be able to trust that their elected officials and senior policymakers are serving the public’s interest, rather than private financial interests,” saidDebra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “CREW applauds Reps. Neguse, Magaziner, Deluzio, Scholten, Ryan, Sykes, and Craig for their initiative, leadership and collaboration to put together a multi-faceted anti-corruption package. For far too long, some have accepted the status quo, but in the face of recent and unprecedented examples of how the system can be manipulated for private gain, now is the time for Congress to take action and pass effective anti-corruption legislation.”
“Bribery, kickbacks, pay-to-play. These are the components of a criminal enterprise – not a functional federal government. The tsunami of corruption flowing from the White House has flooded all of Washington and left a revolting stench that’s impossible to ignore. This fire hose of anti-corruption measures will blast corruptionhead on by protecting independent government watchdogs from being weaponized, banning former members of Congress from being lobbyists, and stopping convicted corporate crooks and special government employees from personally profiting at the people’s expense. Now is not a time to worry – it’s time to clean house,” saidLisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen.
“At a time when the federal government does not have the trust and confidence of the American people, it is more important than ever for leaders to lead and respond accordingly,” saidDylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Acting Vice-President of Policy and Government Affairs at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). “Not since the post-Watergate era has there been such a need for a comprehensive anti-corruption, good governance reform agenda. This is why Rep. Neguse and his colleagues should be applauded for this bold reform initiative, aimed at cracking down on corruption and bringing about the government that the American people deserve. Whether it’s reining in the corruption of the revolving door or banning the unethical practice of congressional stock trading or strengthening oversight tools like inspectors general, these reforms are long overdue and now is the time to get them done.”
“Canada’s new government has a mandate to keep communities safe. On National Day Against Gun Violence, we affirm our commitment to deliver on that mandate with purpose and full force.
“Earlier this week, we tabled the Strong Borders Act – giving law enforcement additional tools to secure the border, combat organized crime, stop the flow of illegal fentanyl, and crack down on money laundering.
“We are also increasing our capacity to intercept illegal guns coming into our country with the deployment of scanners, drones and helicopters, additional personnel, and K-9 teams to the border. We will also be moving forward to revoke firearms licences for those convicted of intimate partner violence and those subject to protection orders.
“Canadians voted for change, and we will be delivering that change with decisive action over the coming months. Working with law enforcement and partners at all orders of government, we will keep communities safe, get guns off our streets, and make bail harder to get for repeat offenders charged with car theft, home invasions, human trafficking, and drug smuggling.”
The family of a 47-year-old man missing since December 2024 are appealing for assistance to help to find him.
Narendran Ramakrishnan, from Barnet was last seen at around 12:05hrs on Sunday, 8 December 2024 at St Pancras Station.
We understand he may have travelled to Dover and has links to Cricklewood, north London. He also previously expressed an interest to move to Birmingham.
Narendran is 5ft 10in and medium build with black hair. He also has a distinctive tattoo of a baby devil on his right arm.
Narendran’s brother Narayanan Ramakrishnan said:
“Narendran is so loved and missed at home. We are worried about his welfare and are urging the public to help bring him home.
“Please take a close look at the photos we are making public today, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any information.”
Police Constable Harjinder Kang, from the Met’s North West Missing Persons unit, added:
“Narendran’s family are understandably concerned about his wellbeing, as are we. We have been carrying out a number of enquiries in an effort to find him, and are now looking to the public for further support. Please get in touch if you see him.”
If you see Narendran, please call 999 and quote 6006/8DEC24.
If you believe you have previously seen him or have any other information, please call 101 providing the same reference.
