Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2025
Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Rep. Barragán Slams House Republicans for Advancing Trump’s Tax Scam Bill to Put Billionaires Over Working Families
Washington, D.C. — Today, House Republicans forced through Donald Trump’s Tax Scam budget bill — a sweeping proposal that slashes support for working families in order to fund tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. Not a single Democrat voted for the bill.
Knowing that Americans would disapprove of the Tax Scam bill, House Republicans opened debate on the bill in the dead of night, when they thought Americans would be unaware of their betrayal. House Democrats, however, stayed up throughout the long nights to offer amendment after amendment to lessen the harms of the bill — these amendments were all rejected by Republicans.
The bill would slash nearly one trillion dollars from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and trigger more than $500 billion in cuts to Medicare — ripping health care away from millions of Americans. It would also drastically cut food assistance, leaving children, seniors, veterans, and low-income families at greater risk of going hungry. And by prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthy, the bill would drive down household income for the lowest-income families.
“Americans only needed four Republicans to do the right thing and vote no on the House floor,” said Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44). “It is a sad day for our country when House Republicans choose to rubber-stamp Donald Trump’s Tax Scam — handing tax breaks to their billionaire donors while turning their backs on parents, kids, grandparents, veterans, and people with disabilities. People’s lives are at stake, and Republicans have shown exactly where their priorities lie.”
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
ALBANY, Ga. – A Georgia resident with prior criminal convictions, including for domestic violence, was found guilty this week at trial of illegally possessing a firearm.
Devon Marquell Rambo, 28, is guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Rambo faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The trial began on May 27 and concluded on May 28. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Convicted felons caught illegally possessing firearms will face federal prosecution in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I want to thank the Albany Police Department and ATF for their ongoing collaboration to help us uphold the law.”
“When convicted felons repeatedly ignore the law and continue to carry guns, they leave us no choice but to bring the full force of federal prosecution,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, ATF Atlanta Field Division. “This verdict sends a clear message: We are watching, we are acting and we are not backing down.”
“We are grateful for the assistance that we have been receiving from the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold offenders accountable,” said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley. “I hope this case serves as a warning that the illegal possession of weapons is not tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Albany Police Department (APD) officers responded to a report of shooting and disorderly conduct on Sept. 20, 2024, at around 10:30 a.m. at a residence on Avalon Avenue. Based on this, the officers obtained a search warrant and lawfully executed that search warrant on the residence. Officers found Rambo alone at the house. After Rambo was apprehended, officers commenced the search of the residence. Inside Rambo’s house, officers found he had covered his wife’s dog, furniture and several areas of the home with oil, which would make it difficult for officers to arrest him. During the search, they also found a black safe in one of the rooms, which contained a pistol and a semi-automatic rifle, two 9mm pistol magazines, one rifle magazine and ammunition along with Rambo’s social security card, credit card and Texas inmate identification card. Rambo has prior felony convictions in Texas for domestic violence and burglary. There was also an active arrest warrant out of Texas for aggravated assault at the time of this incident in Georgia. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Albany Police Department with assistance from the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office.
U.S. Attorneys Sara Lim and Matthew Redavid are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Moments ago, I laid a wreath to honour Peacekeepers.
Four thousand four hundred of our precious blue helmets have lost their lives since United Nations peacekeeping was established – seventy-seven years ago today.
In their memory I would like to ask all present in this room to observe a moment of silence.
[PAUSE for silence]
Thank you.
We all pay tribute to those brave women and men who died – far from home and far from their loved ones – while serving humanity’s most noble cause: peace.
Today, we honour with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, 57 peacekeepers who paid the ultimate price for the cause of peace last year, as well as another who lost his life in 1973.
We hold them all in our hearts.
And we grieve with their families and loved ones.
Their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Dear Friends,
Peace is the foundations of the United Nations and with peacekeeping at it’s corner stone.
This message was reinforced earlier this month at the Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting in Berlin.
Over 130 countries and partners stood up for peacekeeping — and to make concrete commitments to strengthen it.
It was a moving testimony to the fact that the worth and work of our peacekeepers are recognised in every corner of the world…
And a tribute to peacekeeping and to peacekeepers – to all those we honour today.
Over the decades, more than two million women and men have served in 71 missions on four continents.
I am deeply grateful to our Member States for these invaluable contributions.
In the communities and countries in which they serve, UN peacekeepers are an important symbol of the United Nations at its best
And together, they have helped improve millions of lives:
Protecting people, preserving peace, and providing hope…
Rebuilding infrastructure, repairing institutions and ensuring lifesaving assistance.
With their support, nations around the world have made the transition from war to peace.
And many of those countries now contribute peacekeepers themselves – using their experiences to help others in need.
We must ensure this essential global resource can thrive over the long term.
Chers amis,
En ces temps difficiles et tendus, cela signifie qu’il faut adapter le maintien de la paix aux nouvelles réalités.
Les missions de maintien de la paix des Nations Unies sont confrontées à des situations complexes dans un monde complexe : le terrorisme, une criminalité qui ne connaît pas de frontières ; et la désinformation qui les rend vulnérables aux attaques.
Le Pacte pour l’avenir – adopté l’année dernière aux Nations Unies – comprend un engagement à adapter nos efforts de paix à un monde en mutation.
La première étape – une revue des opérations de paix de l’ONU – est en cours.
Et nous continueront à travailler avec les États membres, et d’autres, pour obtenir des résultats.
Nous le devons aux femmes et aux hommes courageux qui ont servi – et péri – sous notre drapeau bleu.
Excellencies, Dear Friends,
Today, as we honour the fallen, we also celebrate the achievements of peacekeepers in the past, present and future.
Including critical role of women in preventing, securing, and maintaining peace.
This was recognized by the United Nations Security Council twenty-five years ago in Resolution 1325.
A quarter of a century on, it is a miserable truth that women are still routinely excluded and marginalized in peace processes.
United Nations has made determined efforts to change this:
To build diverse and inclusive teams…
And to support, protect and empower women in areas where we work.
Today we recognize two leading women:
Squadron leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme of Ghana, the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year…
And Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone, the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year.
The Military Gender Advocate of the Year award recognises dedication and effort in promoting the principles of Resolution 1325.
And Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme demonstrates these qualities in abundance.
As the Military Gender Adviser in the Interim Security Force for Abyei, her outreach has built strong community links, and brought gender prospective in the field.
Her work helped us to better understand the concerns of women and girls, and to craft possible solutions, together.
That has played a vital role in enabling the force to respond to the needs of the local community.
And she has also conducted an intensive health campaign for the local community on gender-based violence and ending child marriage. These have had a long-lasting impact.
Thank you, Squadron Leader, for your service.
The UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award celebrates role models in peace operations.
She has served in the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei for the past two years, in the dual role of gender officer and police trainer.
When she arrived, the area in which she served had no place for children to learn.
And so, she got to work:
Initiating a school program…
Providing educational materials and support, particularly for disadvantaged children…
And establishing a mentorship program for girls.
She initiated projects to provide women with sustainable incomes, allowing them to provide for their families and send their children to school in a nearby town.
And, as a police trainer, she taught a diverse range of subjects vital to establishing the rule of law.
Thank you, Superintendent, for everything you have done.
The efforts of these outstanding women have helped to strengthen the bonds between the Abyei mission and the local community – an invaluable gift for any peacekeeping operation.
Let me offer my heartfelt congratulations to both of you for your achievements, and for receiving these awards today.
I am deeply proud of you both, just as I am proud of all our peacekeepers — past, present and future.
Our peacekeepers selflessly serve the world.
Let us ensure we serve them, in honour of their service and sacrifice – today and every day.
NEW YORK, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Medallion Bank (Nasdaq: MBNKP; MBNKO), an FDIC-insured bank providing consumer loans for the purchase of recreational vehicles, boats, and home improvements, along with loan origination services to fintech strategic partners, announced today that on July 1, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”) it will redeem all outstanding shares of its Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series F (the “Series F Preferred Stock”) (Nasdaq: MBNKP) at the redemption price of $25.00 per share (the “Redemption Price”).
Because the Redemption Date is a dividend payment date for the Series F Preferred Stock, the Redemption Price does not include declared and unpaid dividends. The regular quarterly dividend on the Series F Preferred Stock was separately declared and will be paid separately on July 1, 2025 to holders of record on the record date for such dividend payment in the customary manner.
On and after the Redemption Date, the Series F Preferred Stock will no longer be deemed outstanding and dividends on the shares of Series F Preferred Stock will cease to accrue.
All shares of Series F Preferred Stock are held in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and will be redeemed in accordance with the procedures of DTC.
Equiniti Trust Company, LLC is the transfer agent, registrar and redemption agent for the Series F Preferred Stock.
Equiniti Trust Company, LLC’s address and telephone number are as follows:
First Class/Registered/Certified Equiniti Trust Company, LLC Operations Center, Attn: Reorganization Department 55 Challenger Road, Suite 200 Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660 718-921-8317
Investors in the Series F Preferred Stock should contact the bank or broker through which they hold a beneficial interest in the Series F Preferred Stock for information about obtaining the Redemption Payment for the Series F Preferred Stock in which they have a beneficial interest.
About Medallion Bank
Medallion Bank specializes in providing consumer loans for the purchase of recreational vehicles, boats, and home improvements, along with loan origination services to fintech strategic partners. The Bank works directly with thousands of dealers, contractors and financial service providers serving their customers throughout the United States. Medallion Bank is a Utah-chartered, FDIC-insured industrial bank headquartered in Salt Lake City and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Medallion Financial Corp.
Company Contact: Investor Relations 212-328-2176 InvestorRelations@medallion.com
~ Full-Year 2025 Adjusted Net Income Guidance Increased to $195 Million to $205 Million ~
LA JOLLA, Calif., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Palomar Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLMR) (“Palomar” or the “Company”) today announced the successful completion of certain reinsurance programs incepting June 1, 2025, and increased the Company’s full year 2025 adjusted net income guidance.
The Company has procured approximately $455 million of incremental limit to support the growth of its Earthquake franchise. Palomar’s reinsurance coverage now extends to $3.53 billion for earthquake events and $100 million for continental United States hurricane events.
Palomar’s per occurrence event retention is $11 million for hurricane events, reduced from $15.5 million the previous treaty year, and $20 million for earthquake events, levels that continue to be meaningfully within management’s previously stated guideposts of less than one quarter’s adjusted net income and less than 5% of stockholders’ equity.
The reinsurance program continues to provide ample capacity for the Company’s growth in the subject business lines as well as coverage to a level exceeding Palomar’s 1:250-year peak zone Probable Maximum Loss. Of note, $525 million of the $3.53 billion earthquake limit was sourced through Palomar’s sixth and largest Torrey Pines Re catastrophe bond issuance, which exceeded management’s $425 million target and priced at the lower end of the indicated range.
Effective June 1st, Palomar also executed the first standalone excess of loss (‘XOL’) treaty covering the Hawaii hurricane policies issued by Laulima Exchange. This business was previously covered through Palomar’s core reinsurance tower, which now consists of over 95% earthquake-only coverage as a result of this change. Laulima’s XOL reinsurance program consists of per occurrence coverage up to $735 million with a retention of $1.5 million.
“We are very pleased with the outcome of our June 1 excess of loss placement and remain grateful for the continued support of our broad and diverse reinsurance panel,” commented Mac Armstrong, Palomar’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Beyond the risk adjusted rate decrease of approximately 10%, this renewal saw Palomar procure incremental earthquake limit to support our growth, maintain our earthquake event retention despite significant year-over-year exposure growth, reduce our wind event retention to $11 million, upsize our Torrey Pines Re catastrophe bond and successfully execute our first standalone Laulima excess of loss treaty. Importantly these initiatives were consummated at attractive prices that should enhance our earnings prospects for the remainder of 2025 and the first half of 2026. As a result, we are raising our full-year 2025 adjusted net income guidance range to $195 million to $205 million from the previously indicated range of $186 million to $200 million.”
Other highlights of the Company’s reinsurance program include:
$1.15 billion of multi-year ILS capacity providing diversifying collateralized reinsurance capital;
A reinsurance panel of over 100 reinsurers and ILS investors, including multiple new reinsurers, all of which have an “A-” (Excellent) or better financial strength rating from A.M. Best and/or S&P (Standard & Poor’s) or are fully collateralized;
Prepaid reinstatements for substantially all layers that include a reinstatement provision, thereby limiting the pre-tax net loss to $11 million for hurricane events and $20 million for earthquake events, with modest additional reinsurance premium due.
Palomar’s Chief Risk Officer, Jon Knutzen, added, “We are grateful for the strong and diversified support we received from the reinsurance market. The continued confidence from both incumbent and new partners is a testament to the strength of our portfolio and the disciplined execution of our risk transfer strategy. The June 1 placement further enhances the stability and predictability of our results, positioning us to deliver increased value to our shareholders over the long term. We appreciate the collaboration and partnership that made this successful outcome possible.”
About Palomar Holdings, Inc.
Palomar Holdings, Inc. is the holding company of subsidiaries Palomar Specialty Insurance Company (“PSIC”), Palomar Specialty Reinsurance Company Bermuda Ltd. (“PSRE”), Palomar Insurance Agency, Inc., Palomar Excess and Surplus Insurance Company (“PESIC”), Palomar Underwriters Exchange Organization, Inc. (“PUEO”), First Indemnity of America Insurance Co. (“FIA”), and Palomar Crop Insurance Services, Inc. (“PCIS”). Palomar’s consolidated results also include Laulima Exchange (“Laulima”), a variable interest entity for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Palomar is an innovative specialty insurer serving residential and commercial clients in five product categories: Earthquake, Inland Marine and Other Property, Casualty, Fronting, and Crop. Palomar’s insurance subsidiaries, PSIC, PSRE, and PESIC, have a financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) from A.M. Best. FIA carries an “A-” (Stable) rating from A.M. Best. To learn more, visit PLMR.com.
Follow Palomar on LinkedIn: @PLMRInsurance
Safe Harbor Statement Palomar cautions you that statements contained in this press release may regard matters that are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the company’s current beliefs and expectations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Palomar that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “enable,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intends,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “predict,” “probable,” “potential,” “possible,” “should,” “continue,” and other words of similar meaning. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations contained in forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including unexpected expenditures and costs, unexpected results or delays in development and regulatory review, regulatory approval requirements, the frequency and severity of adverse events and competitive conditions. These and other factors that may result in differences are discussed in greater detail in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Contact Media Inquiries Lindsay Conner 1-551-206-6217 lconner@plmr.com
Stuttgart, Germany, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stuttgart, Germany – May 2025 – RIB Software, a global leader in engineering and construction software technology, today announced the launch of its latest global brand campaign: “You See It. Together, We’ll See It Through.” The campaign celebrates the diverse community of industry professionals shaping the built environment – and RIB’s role in empowering them with digital solutions that enable smarter, faster, and more sustainable project outcomes.
“Whether our customers are creating entire cities, infrastructure, or spaces where people live or work, RIB stands beside them from planning to breaking ground and beyond – with tools that reduce costs, save time, and minimize environmental impact,” explains Mads Bording, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at RIB Software.
The campaign reflects RIB’s belief that the future of the industry depends on more connected, empowered project teams. Its suite of connected solutions helps architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals simplify operations, improve profitability, and deliver sustainable results – whether they’re managing a small-scale development or a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project.
“At RIB, we believe every project starts with a vision,” said René Wolf, CEO of RIB Software. “Our new brand campaign is about showing that we don’t just provide the technology – we commit to the journey. Our customers see the vision, and together, we’re committed to helping them see it through.”
Trusted by leading AEC professionals worldwide, RIB’s tools provide a digital thread across the entire project lifecycle, ensuring more effective collaboration and better outcomes at every stage. No matter the size or complexity of a project, RIB delivers the insights, automation, and support needed to get it over the line, on time and on budget.
Every structure begins with an idea. But it takes more than vision to bring complex builds to life. From architects and estimators to project managers and executives, the engineering and construction industry depends on close collaboration, timely insight, and trusted support. RIB’s technology is built with this in mind – tailored to meet the real-world needs of the people who plan, build, and deliver.
As part of RIB’s Hard Hats & Hi Tech podcast series, customers from around the world have shared their firsthand experience with RIB tools, and how these solutions are helping them meet real challenges on real projects.
“RIB Candy has made my life easier. Everything is integrated, which means I can manage cost reports, payment certificates, and valuations without switching between tools,” said Luscha Matsane, Quantity Surveyor at Tri-Star Construction. “It’s a platform that understands how we actually work on-site, and it’s changed how I collaborate and justify decisions with clients.”
“RIB SpecLink helps me work faster, smarter, and with more confidence,” said Eric Ledbetter, specification consultant and founder of Ledbetter Ink. “The linking engine automates decisions across the spec set, reduces errors, and lets me focus on quality and context. It’s completely changed the way I approach spec writing—and how I teach others to do it.”
“At RIB, we don’t just build software – we build it the way people in the built environment actually work,” said René. “We understand the pressure of deadlines, the need for precision, and the challenge of coordination across multiple stakeholders. Our role is to help our customers deliver with confidence.”
RIB invites AEC leaders, innovators, and visionaries to explore the campaign and discover how a partnership with RIB can help them realize their boldest ideas.
Driven by transformative digital technologies and trends, RIB is committed to propelling the industry forward and making engineering and construction more efficient and sustainable.
Throughout its 60-year history, the business has expanded its global footprint to incorporate more than 550,000 users and 2,500 talents, with the vision of transforming the operation into a worldwide powerhouse and providing innovative software solutions to its core markets – while placing its people at the heart of everything it does.
Managing the entire project lifecycle, from planning and construction, to operation and maintenance, the development of RIB’s portfolio of software solutions is driven by industry expertise, best practice and a passion to remain at the cutting edge of technology.
Ultimately, it aims to connect people, processes and data in innovative ways to ensure its customers always complete projects within budget, on time and to high quality, while reducing their carbon footprints.
RIB Software is a proud Schneider Electric company.
Support continues to grow for President Donald J. Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill — a generational opportunity to secure historic tax cuts, deficit reduction, border security, and more.
READ: The National Fraternal Order of Police endorses the One, Big, Beautiful Bill
In recent days:
The National Fraternal Order of Police — the nation’s largest organization of law enforcement —announcedtheir support, highlighting the bill’s strong pro-labor provisions: “The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ is more than legislation—it is a promise kept to the public safety officers across the country and a bold step toward an economy that respects, rewards, and uplifts the people who keep it safe … We appreciate that President Trump is always fighting for our nation’s law enforcement officers.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffyurgedthe Senate to quickly pass the bill and fund the long overdue modernization of America’s air traffic control systems: “We have an antiquated and old air traffic control system, anywhere from 25 to 35, 40 years old in some places. It is in desperate need of a brand-new build. We need Congress to act.”
National Federation of Independent Business SVP Jeff Brabantpraisedthe legislation’s commitment to economic prosperity: “This is one of the more pro-small business pieces of legislation, in my opinion, in recent history. Hopefully this thing becomes law.”
Scores of other organizations have declared their support for the One, Big, Beautiful Bill:
Association of Equipment Manufacturers SVP of Government and Industry Relations Kip Eideberg: “Equipment manufacturers applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will supercharge job creation and investment in domestic manufacturing. The bill’s critical tax proposals – including protecting the corporate tax rate, reinstating immediate R&D expensing, and increasing the pass-through deduction – will strengthen the U.S. equipment manufacturing industry and bolster our global competitiveness. We urge the Senate to keep these pro-manufacturing provisions and act swiftly to pass this historic legislation.”
National Restaurant Association President and CEO Michelle Korsmo: “This legislation is a major victory for restaurant owners, employees, and the communities they serve. It incorporates key tax provisions vital for industry growth, such as the 199A qualified business income deduction, full expensing of capital investments, and the reinstatement of depreciation and amortization in calculating business interest expenses. These measures are crucial for helping businesses have the working capital they need to cover payroll, manage rising supply costs, and stay competitive. The inclusion of the No Tax on Tips and No Tax on Overtime provisions recognizes the value of our dedicated workforce. More than two million tipped servers and bartenders stand to benefit, while the overtime measure rewards the commitment of over 13 million hourly team members across the sector. Tax policy can determine the survival of small businesses, especially restaurants, where pre-tax margins are often just 3–5%. The inclusion of so many supportive policies was made possible by the unified efforts of our National and State Association members, including the restaurant owners, industry advocates, and employees who shared compelling stories with House members about the positive effect these changes will have on businesses and local economies. We’re grateful for the strong policy provisions and look forward to collaborating with the Senate as the process moves forward.”
International Foodservice Distributors Association SVP of Government and Public Affairs Mala Parker: “IFDA applauds House passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes tax policy essential for the foodservice distribution industry, almost 90 percent of which are family-owned businesses. Increasing and making permanent the 199A pass-through deduction and estate tax exemption will provide certainty and encourage growth for the industry that makes meals away from home possible. We urge the Senate to maintain these provisions as the bill works its way through the legislative process.”
Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America SVP Nathan Riedel: “The House took a very big and positive step to bring economic certainty to thousands of small business owners and the consumers they represent. We urge the Senate to do its work to move this legislation forward.”
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Farm Bureau applauds the House passage of H.R.1, which modernizes farm bill programs and extends and improves critical tax provisions that benefit America’s small farmers and ranchers. Updated reference prices will provide more certainty for farmers struggling through tough economic times. Making business tax deductions permanent and continuing current estate tax exemptions will ensure thousands of families will be able to pass their farms to the next generation. We urge the Senate to work together and swiftly pass legislation to deliver much-needed relief to America’s farm and ranch families.”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Neil Bradley: “The House sent a clear message today—American workers and businesses want and need permanent tax relief. A competitive, pro-growth tax code doesn’t just grow the overall U.S. economy, it raises wages for workers and improves the lives of Americans. The legislation passed out of the House this morning contains critical measures that support main street businesses, enhance America’s global competitiveness, and bolster sustained economic growth. The Chamber commends Speaker Johnson for his leadership and commitment to ensuring the permanence of President Trump’s pro-growth tax reforms, and applauds the lawmakers involved in driving this effort forward. We encourage the Senate to continue to move the legislative process forward to deliver lasting benefits for American workers and businesses.”
Airlines for America: “A4A commends the House for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which includes a critical investment of $12.5 billion for modernizing the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic facilities, systems and infrastructure. ATC staffing shortages and antiquated equipment, such as copper wires, floppy disks and paper strips, have been a serious concern for years—we are past time to make meaningful change and ensure that the United States has a world-class aviation system. This funding is a vital down payment on updating the system that guides 27,000 flights, 2.7 million passengers and 61,000 tons of cargo every day. The legislation also makes smart, strategic investments in Customs and Border Protection personnel and training for the aviation workforce of tomorrow while supporting American energy dominance in aviation fuel production. We encourage the Senate to move swiftly to pass this bill and send it to the President.”
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein: “Cattle farmers and ranchers need Congress to invest in cattle health, strengthen our resources against foreign animal disease, support producers recovering from disasters or depredation, and pass tax relief that protects family farms and ranches for future generations. Thankfully, this reconciliation bill includes all these key priorities. NCBA was proud to help pass this bill in the House and we will continue pushing for these key policies until the bill is signed into law.”
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi: “Big news from DC—the House just passed President Trump’s tax bill, bringing No Tax On Tips one step closer to the finish line. While it still needs to clear the Senate, this is a big win for hardworking @Uber drivers and couriers across the country 👏”
Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz: “Congratulations to President Trump and Speaker Johnson for passing their reconciliation bill in the House. This bill offers historic tax cuts for small businesses and ordinary Americans. By making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent and expanding key provisions, such as the small business tax deduction, which Job Creators Network was the loudest voice for, this bill offers significant tax relief for decades to come. It will allow small businesses, the backbone of the American economy, to expand, hire, raise wages, and reinvest in their communities, ushering in a new economic Golden Age. On behalf of all small businesses, JCN thanks President Trump and Speaker Johnson for their leadership in passing this bill, which the media said couldn’t be done on this aggressive timeline. Now it’s time for the Senate to follow suit and pass similar legislation, which includes the House’s key small business tax cuts, as soon as possible.”
National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons: “Today’s House passage of this historic legislation marks a major victory for manufacturers across America. This pro-growth legislation preserves crucial tax policies that will enable manufacturers to create jobs, invest in their communities, grow here at home and compete globally. In short, this is a manufacturers’ bill … This is a pivotal moment. It’s time to double down on policies that encourage manufacturers to invest and create jobs in America and keep our industry strong and our nation competitive on the world stage—because when manufacturing wins, America wins.”
Business Roundtable President and COO Kristen Silverberg: “Under Speaker Johnson’s leadership, the House has achieved a major milestone toward extending and strengthening President Trump’s historic tax reform. Business Roundtable commends the House on taking a giant step forward to protect and boost the economic benefits that tax reform delivered for American businesses, workers and families. By maintaining a competitive corporate tax rate and enhancing essential domestic and international tax provisions, the House budget reconciliation bill will help fuel U.S. investment, innovation and economic growth. As the Senate prepares to act, we stand ready to continue working with Congress and the Administration to pass the most competitive, pro-growth tax package possible.”
American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers: “We applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to help restore American energy dominance. By preserving competitive tax policies, beginning to reverse the ‘methane fee,’ opening lease sales and advancing important progress on permitting, this historic legislation is a win for our nation’s energy future. We look forward to working with the Senate to strengthen pro-investment provisions and keep America at the forefront of energy innovation.”
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors CEO Eric Hoplin: “We applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and extend our sincere thanks to Speaker Mike Johnson, Chairman Jason Smith, the Ways and Means Committee, and House leadership for championing this pro-business, pro-worker legislation. This is a win for the people who roll up their sleeves every day to power our economy, entrepreneurs who build businesses from the ground up, and the workers who keep them running. We urge the Senate to act swiftly and send this bill to the President’s desk so America’s job creators and workers can keep driving our economy forward. The bill makes the 199A deduction permanent and expands it to 23%, helping millions of small businesses, including most wholesaler-distributors. It raises the death tax exemption, protecting family-owned businesses, and restores vital incentives that encourage investment, innovation, and long-term economic growth.”
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council President and CEO Karen Kerrigan: “H.R. 1 delivers a big, beautiful boost to U.S. entrepreneurship and small businesses. SBE Council applauds U.S. House passage of this critically important legislation. In addition to permanent tax relief and incentives that will help entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their firms, level up their businesses, and support their employees, various measures in the legislation correctly right-fit various federal programs and functions that have gone awry and consequently have undermined fiscal accountability and the private sector. Time is of the essence in getting the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk, and we urge the U.S. Senate to move post haste on the work that must be done to deliver the big benefits of the package to small business owners, all taxpayers, and the U.S. economy.”
National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen: “We commend the House for recognizing the importance of improving ATC infrastructure and strengthening the controller workforce to enhance safety and efficiency in the National Airspace System. Business aviation’s ability to serve citizens, companies and communities is only possible because the U.S. leads the world in aviation … As the House reconciliation bill moves to the Senate for consideration, we look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advance these forward-looking provisions that bolster an essential industry, support countless workers and promote American competitiveness.”
America’s Credit Unions President and CEO Jim Nussle: “Thank you to the U.S. House of Representatives for securing credit unions’ not-for-profit tax status as part of H.R. 1 and recognizing the industry’s importance to strong Main Streets across the country. More than 142 million Americans trust and rely on credit unions to achieve their American Dream, and this bill allows them to continue on their path of financial freedom. We will continue to advocate for policies that create more opportunities for credit unions to bolster our nation’s economic prosperity. We call on the U.S. Senate to continue to protect the credit union tax status as they consider this legislation.”
National Taxpayers Union Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold: “The bill passed by the House contains growth-focused tax relief and some important first steps toward long-needed spending restraint. The Senate now has a strong package that it can build upon and further improve.”
National Association of REALTORS Executive Vice President Shannon McGahn: “We appreciate House leaders for taking this important step with this tax reform bill, which supports hardworking families and strengthens the real estate economy. With lower tax rates, SALT relief, and new incentives for small businesses and community development, this proposal brings real benefits to everyday Americans.”
National Electrical Contractors Association CEO David Long: “These provisions recognize the real-world needs of the electrical construction industry. Whether it’s power generation, grid modernization, cutting-edge data center projects, or clean energy installations, electrical contractors are at the forefront of America’s infrastructure evolution. This legislation gives our contractors the certainty they need to plan, invest, and grow.”
American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Rosanna Maietta: “This is a win for Main Street businesses. We commend lawmakers for including critical tax provisions in the budget reconciliation bill that will prevent a tax increase on American workers and the small businesses that are the backbone of America’s hotel and lodging industry. This is a critical step to stave off the expiration of important tax provisions that will provide our members, the majority of whom are small business owners, the level of certainty they need to effectively operate their businesses. We urge the U.S. Senate to swiftly pass this legislation and send it to President Trump’s desk.”
National Pork Producers Council President Duane Stateler: “America’s pork producers are one step closer to more certainty with the House’s reconciliation bill passage, which includes necessary legislation to keep farms afloat during uncertain times.”
Associated Equipment Distributors President and CEO Brian P. McGuire: “AED commends House Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team for securing House passage of the budget reconciliation bill. This legislation delivers pro-growth tax policies, streamlines energy project approvals and strengthens surface transportation infrastructure investments. We look forward to working with the Senate to ensure final passage of this comprehensive package.”
American Federation for Children CEO Tommy Schultz: “We are grateful for the efforts of Speaker Johnson and Congressional leaders in both chambers who have stood up so far to ensure that President Trump’s goal of school choice for every family in every state becomes a reality. American parents deserve nothing less, and we will continue working to get school choice across the finish line as the Senate can deliver on a historic national school choice tax credit. Bringing school choice to every state will be a legacy item for the lawmakers who stand boldly behind parents. We will continue to stand with them to achieve this goal.”
National Federation of Independent Business SVP for Advocacy Adam Temple: “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes the most important thing Congress can do to help small businesses and their workers – increasing and making the Small Business Deduction permanent. The bill also provides a tax cut for small business owners through lower individual rates, encourages new capital investments, and helps small business owners provide greater health care benefits to their employees. Members of Congress have a historic opportunity to provide over 33 million small business owners with permanent tax relief and NFIB strongly encourages them to do so.”
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor: “We’re grateful to our champions on Capitol Hill who have worked hard to preserve and extend rural priorities, like the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit. This budget reconciliation package would give farmers and ethanol producers the freedom and flexibility to deliver for the American people. It ultimately delivers on the President’s agenda—it’s good for rural communities, good for innovation, good for investment, and good for American energy dominance.”
Americans for Prosperity Chief Government Affairs Officer Brent Gardner: “On behalf of our network of grassroots activists and small business owners nationwide, AFP congratulates Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer, and all the committee chairs for shepherding this legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives. Thanks to the efforts of policy champions across the House GOP conference, we are one step closer to giving Americans the pro-growth tax policy they voted for in November. Beyond cementing the foundation for a post-Biden economic recovery, we are poised to embrace an all-of-the-above approach to U.S. energy production, and finally secure our southern border.”
National Foreign Trade Council Vice President for International Tax Policy Anne Gordon: “We would like to once again thank Chairman Smith and the Ways & Means Committee and staff for their tireless work on this bill and Speaker Johnson and the leadership team for their efforts to bring critical U.S. tax legislation one step closer to becoming a reality. We congratulate the House on passing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill and urge the Senate to take up work on it as quickly as possible.”
American Land Title Association CEO Diane Tomb: “We commend the House for passing legislation that recognizes the needs of American small businesses, including the thousands of title and settlement companies ALTA represents. The expanded deduction under Section 199A is a welcome step that supports the long-term health of our small business members and the communities they serve. ALTA is especially pleased to see the preservation of Section 1031 like-kind exchanges, which play a vital role in fueling real estate investment, promoting property improvements and driving local economic growth. Provisions supporting homeownership, including those related to mortgage interest and capital gains exclusions, help provide certainty for buyers, sellers and lenders alike—strengthening the entire housing ecosystem. We urge the Senate to build on this momentum and protect the real estate and housing incentives that help Americans build wealth, promote generational stability and drive our economy forward.”
NRA Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director John Commerford: “This morning, the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill, which includes the complete removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA). This represents a monumental victory for Second Amendment rights, eliminating burdensome regulations on the purchase of critical hearing protection devices. The NRA thanks the House members who supported this bill and urges its swift passage in the U.S. Senate.”
RATE Coalition Executive Director Dan Combs: “Today’s vote is an historic step toward securing a tax code that rewards investment, supports job growth, and puts American workers first. This legislation builds on the success of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preserving the policies that have helped drive wages up, unemployment down, and investment back into the U.S. economy. The House has done its part to move this forward. Now it’s time to keep that momentum going and get this across the finish line.”
Independent Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity Director Patrice Onwuka: “BOOM. Tax cuts, welfare reforms, green spending cuts, and border strengthening. Major credit is due to @SpeakerJohnson for getting @potus @realDonaldTrump #OneBigBeautifulBill through the House. He has proven to be a quiet force for conservatives. Now onto the Senate.”
Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins: “Our organization remains firmly committed to bringing the next generation home to rural Missouri. The legislation as passed contains top-tier Missouri Farm Bureau priorities to do just that, including making permanent several critical tax provisions such as an increased estate tax exemption, increasing access to Section 179 expensing, and ensuring continued use of key tools such as cash accounting, business interest deductions, and expensing for farms and small businesses. Additionally, the bill contains critical updates to the current farm safety net, including a reference price increase under farm bill programs and updates to dairy margin coverage. We are pleased to see several provisions related to promoting affordable, reliable and domestically produced energy and biofuels contained in the legislation. All of these things together, we believe, will help build a stronger and more resilient rural economy for our children and grandchildren to call home.”
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler J. Harper: “President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is a much-needed win for Georgia Farmers and American Agriculture after four years of failure under President Biden. I am grateful to every Georgia member who voted in favor, and I urge Senators Ossoff and Warnock to put partisan politics aside and support this critical legislation.”
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Laurel Blankenship, 58, of Bluefield, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit witness tampering.
On January 18, 2024, a federal jury found Blankenship and her husband, Terry Leon Blankenship, guilty of conspiracy to commit witness tampering following a one-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that from on or about April 4, 2023 through at least July 25, 2023, the Blankenships conspired to influence the testimony of a witness in a federal sex trafficking case against Terry Leon Blankenship.
The witness was a 12-year-old girl who alleged that Terry Leon Blankenship had paid her for sexual activity with vapes and other items. Based upon those allegations, Terry Leon Blankenship was indicted on a charge of sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 14. Later, the minor victim recanted the allegation during the course of a West Virginia Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation that could have resulted in her being placed into foster care. In multiple recorded audio and video jail calls while Terry Leon Blankenship was incarcerated pending trial in the sex trafficking case, he and his wife had numerous conversations about ensuring that the minor witness maintained the recantation she had allegedly made to CPS. The recorded conversations included discussions about bribing the minor witness with an iPhone to ensure she stood by her recantation.
At the time of this offense conduct, Terry Leon Blankenship was a registered sex offender after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 5, 2008. He was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison in that case, and was serving a lifetime term of supervised release at the time of the alleged sex trafficking offense and subsequent attempts at witness tampering.
Following an evidentiary hearing, the Court concluded that Terry Leon Blankenship engaged in sex acts with the minor female, that her initial disclosure of his sexual abuse was credible, and that the later recantation was not.
“Despite knowing that her husband was on federal supervised release and not permitted to be around children, Laurel Blankenship allowed children into their home including overnight,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “She fostered the environment that allowed her husband to sexually abuse the child.”
The jury also convicted Terry Leon Blankenship, 56, of interfering with the enforcement of federal sex trafficking laws and attempted witness tampering. He was sentenced on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to 12 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He is scheduled for a revocation hearing on his alleged violations of supervised release on June 10, 2025.
Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-97.
Revenue grows 23% year-over-year to $678.0 million
Calculated billings grows 25% year-over-year to $784.5 million
Deferred revenue grows 26%year-over-year to $1,985.0 million
GAAP net loss of $4.1 million compared to GAAP net income of $19.1 million on a year-over-year basis
Non-GAAP net income of $136.8 million compared to non-GAAP net income of $113.0 million on a year-over-year basis
SAN JOSE, Calif., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zscaler, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today announced financial results for its third quarter of fiscal year 2025, ended April 30, 2025.
“We delivered outstanding Q3 results as an increasing number of customers adopt our expanding Zero Trust Exchange platform. We enable customers to realize Zero Trust Everywhere while lowering operational cost and complexity,” said Jay Chaudhry, Chairman and CEO of Zscaler. “The proliferation of AI in all aspects of business is increasing the need for our AI security. We empower customers to securely adopt both public GenAI apps and their own private AI apps, and we are increasing our investments in this area.”
ThirdQuarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights
Revenue: $678.0 million, an increase of 23% year-over-year.
Income (loss) from operations: GAAP loss from operations was $25.4 million, or 4% of revenue, compared to $3.0 million, or 1% of revenue, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP income from operations was $146.7 million, or 22% of revenue, compared to $121.8 million, or 22% of revenue, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.
Net income (loss): GAAP net loss was $4.1 million, compared to GAAP net income of $19.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP net income was $136.8 million, compared to $113.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.
Net income (loss) per share, diluted: GAAP net loss per share was $0.03, compared to GAAP net income per share of $0.12 in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP net income per share was $0.84, compared to $0.71 in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.
Cash flows: Cash provided by operations was $211.1 million, or 31% of revenue, compared to $173.4 million, or 31% of revenue, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Free cash flow was $119.5 million, or 18% of revenue, compared to $123.1 million, or 22% of revenue, in the third quarter of fiscal 2024.
Deferred revenue: $1,985.0 million as of April 30, 2025, an increase of 26% year-over-year.
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments: $3,005.6 million as of April 30, 2025, an increase of $595.9 million from July 31, 2024.
Recent Business Highlights
Announced the appointment of Kevin Rubin as Chief Financial Officer. Rubin brings over two decades of experience leading finance organizations at high-growth public and private companies.
Announced the appointment of Raj Judge to the Board of Directors, and as EVP of Corporate Strategy & Ventures. Judge brings over 25 years of experience in the tech legal and venture capital space.
In May 2025, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Red Canary, a leading managed detection and response (MDR) vendor. By combining Zscaler’s high-volume and high-quality data with Red Canary’s domain expertise in MDR, Zscaler will accelerate its vision to deliver AI-powered security operations.
Recognized as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Security Service Edge (SSE) for the fourth year in a row.
Positioned as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Data Loss Prevention (DLP) 2025 Vendor Assessment, which offers a comprehensive evaluation of nine companies in the competitive DLP space based on detailed analysis of vendor capabilities and performance and market trajectories.
Introduced Zscaler Asset Exposure Management, a critical foundation of the company’s broader Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) offerings. Asset Exposure Management provides organizations with a comprehensive and accurate inventory of their assets and their risk.
Zscaler’s ThreatLabz published several research reports, including the 2025 AI Security Report, the 2025 VPN Risk Report, and the 2025 Phishing Report.
The 2025 AI Security Report found that enterprises’ usage of AI/ML tools increased by over 3,000% in the past year, reinforcing the need to deploy Zero Trust Everywhere to stay ahead of rapidly evolving cyberthreats.
The 2025 VPN Risk Report found that 92% of organizations are concerned about ransomware attacks due to VPN vulnerabilities, and 81% of organizations are planning to implement a zero trust everywhere strategy.
The 2025 Phishing Report found that attackers are using GenAI to launch targeted attacks against high-impact business functions like HR and finance, making a Zero Trust + AI defense strategy mission critical for organizations.
Announced T-Mobile modernized its infrastructure with Zscaler’s Zero Trust Exchange to provide Zero Trust security to its employees and team members whether they are in the office, at home or on the go.
Announced the inclusion of Zscaler solutions in the AWS Marketplace for the U.S. Intelligence Community (ICMP), a curated digital catalog from Amazon Web Services (AWS) that makes it easy to discover, purchase, and deploy software packages and applications from vendors that specialize in supporting government customers.
Change in Non-GAAP Measures Presentation
Effective August 1, 2024, the beginning of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, we are using a long-term projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% for the purpose of determining our non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share to provide better consistency across interim reporting periods in fiscal 2025 and beyond. Given the significant growth of our business and non-GAAP operating income, we believe this change is necessary to better reflect the performance of our business. We will continue to assess the appropriate non-GAAP tax rate on a regular basis, which could be subject to changes for a variety of reasons, including the rapidly evolving global tax environment, significant changes in our geographic earnings mix, or other changes to our strategy or business operations. Prior period amounts have been recast to reflect this change.
Financial Outlook
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, we expect:
Revenue of $705 million to $707 million
Non-GAAP income from operations of $152 million to $154 million
Non-GAAP net income per share of approximately $0.79 to $0.80, assuming approximately 164 million fully diluted shares outstanding and a non-GAAP tax rate of 23%
For the full year of fiscal 2025, we expect:
Revenue of approximately $2.659 billion to $2.661 billion
Calculated billings of $3.184 billion to $3.189 billion
Non-GAAP income from operations of $573 million to $575 million
Non-GAAP net income per share of $3.18 to $3.19, assuming approximately 163 million fully diluted shares outstanding and a non-GAAP tax rate of 23%
These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Refer to the Forward-Looking Statements safe harbor below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.
Guidance for non-GAAP income from operations excludes stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, amortization of debt issuance costs, and amortization expense of acquired intangible assets. We have not reconciled our expectations of non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income per share to their most directly comparable GAAP measures because certain items are out of our control or cannot be reasonably predicted. For those reasons, we are also unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information, the variability of which may have a significant impact on future results. Accordingly, a reconciliation for the guidance for non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income per share is not available without unreasonable effort.
For further information regarding why we believe that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors, the specific manner in which management uses these measures, and some of the limitations associated with the use of these measures, please refer to the “Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this press release.
Conference Call and Webcast Information
Zscaler will host a conference call for analysts and investors to discuss its third quarter of fiscal 2025 and outlook for its fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 and full year fiscal 2025 today at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time (4:30 p.m. Eastern time).
To join by phone, register at the following link: (https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIa63048e1e74d49ad9d61c0370b786cbb. After registering, you will be provided with a dial-in number and a personal PIN that you will need to join the call.
Upcoming Conferences
Fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 investor conference participation schedule:
Bank of America 2025 Global Technology Conference in San Francisco Thursday, June 5, 2025
2025 BMO Virtual Software Conference (Virtual) Monday, June 9, 2025
Sessions which offer a webcast will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Zscaler website at https://ir.zscaler.com/
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our future financial and operating performance, including our financial outlook for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 and full year fiscal 2025. There are a significant number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made in this press release, including but not limited to: macroeconomic influences and instability, geopolitical events, operations and financial results and the economy in general; risks related to the use of AI in our platform; our ability to identify and effectively implement the necessary changes to address execution challenges; risks associated with managing our rapid growth, including fluctuations from period to period; our limited experience with new products and subscriptions and support introductions and the risks associated with new products and subscription and support offerings, including the discovery of software bugs; our ability to attract and retain new customers; the failure to timely develop and achieve market acceptance of new products and subscriptions as well as existing products and subscription and support; rapidly evolving technological developments in the market for network security products and subscription and support offerings and our ability to remain competitive; length of sales cycles; useful lives of our assets and other estimates; and general market, political, economic and business conditions.
Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial results are included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” set forth from time to time in our filings and reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2025 filed on March 10, 2025 and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2024 filed on September 12, 2024, as well as future filings and reports by us, copies of which are available on our website at ir.zscaler.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You should not rely on these forward-looking statements, as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties. Additional information will also be set forth in other filings that we make with the SEC from time to time. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information
We believe that the presentation of non-GAAP financial information provides important supplemental information to management and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to our financial condition and results of operations. For further information regarding why we believe that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors, the specific manner in which management uses these measures, and some of the limitations associated with the use of these measures, please refer to the “Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this press release.
About Zscaler
Zscaler (Nasdaq: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 160 data centers globally, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.
Zscaler™ and the other trademarks listed at https://www.zscaler.com/legal/trademarks are either (i) registered trademarks or service marks or (ii) trademarks or service marks of Zscaler, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Any other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
Less: Antidilutive impact of capped call transactions (4)
(1,946
)
(2,050
)
(1,656
)
(1,539
)
Weighted-average shares used in computing non-GAAP net income per share, diluted
163,401
159,657
162,782
159,338
___________
(1) Effective August 1, 2024, the beginning of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, we are using a long-term projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% for the purpose of determining our non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share to provide better consistency across interim reporting periods in fiscal 2025 and beyond. Given the significant growth of our business and non-GAAP operating income, we believe this change is necessary to better reflect the performance of our business. We will continue to assess the appropriate non-GAAP tax rate on a regular basis, which could be subject to changes for a variety of reasons, including the rapidly evolving global tax environment, significant changes in our geographic earnings mix, or other changes to our strategy or business operations. Prior period amounts have been recast to reflect this change.
(2) Consists of income tax adjustments related to our long-term non-GAAP effective tax rate of 23%. In the three and nine months ended April 30, 2025, we recognized a tax benefit of $0.2 million and $17.4 million, respectively, attributable to the release of the valuation allowance on U.K. deferred tax assets.
(3) The sum of the fully diluted earnings per share impact of individual reconciling items may not total to fully diluted non-GAAP net income per share due to the weighted-average shares used in computing the GAAP net loss per share differs from the weighted-average shares used in computing the non-GAAP net income per share, and due to rounding of the individual reconciling items. The GAAP net loss per share calculation uses a lower share count as it excludes potentially dilutive shares, which are included in calculating the non-GAAP net income per share.
(4) We exclude the in-the-money portion of the convertible senior notes for non-GAAP weighted-average diluted shares as they are covered by our capped call transactions. Our outstanding capped call transactions are antidilutive under GAAP but are expected to mitigate the dilutive effect of the convertible senior notes and therefore are included in the calculation of non-GAAP diluted shares outstanding. The capped calls have an antidilutive impact when the average stock price of our common stock in a given period is higher than their exercise price.
ZSCALER, INC.
Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
(in thousands, except percentages)
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
April 30,
April 30,
2025
2024
2025
2024
Calculated Billings
Revenue
$
678,034
$
553,201
$
1,953,889
$
1,574,903
Add: Total deferred revenue, end of period
1,984,985
1,577,014
1,984,985
1,577,014
Less: Total deferred revenue, beginning of period
(1,878,505
)
(1,502,175
)
(1,894,974
)
(1,439,676
)
Calculated billings
$
784,514
$
628,040
$
2,043,900
$
1,712,241
Free Cash Flow
Net cash provided by operating activities
$
211,081
$
173,414
$
721,849
$
576,289
Less: Purchases of property, equipment and other assets
(72,163
)
(35,651
)
(104,206
)
(95,204
)
Less: Capitalized internal-use software
(19,455
)
(14,637
)
(62,871
)
(32,453
)
Free cash flow
$
119,463
$
123,126
$
554,772
$
448,632
Free Cash Flow Margin
Net cash provided by operating activities, as a percentage of revenue
31
%
31
%
37
%
37
%
Less: Purchases of property, equipment and other assets, as a percentage of revenue
(10
)%
(6
)%
(6
)%
(6
)%
Less: Capitalized internal-use software, as a percentage of revenue
(3
)%
(3
)%
(3
)%
(3
)%
Free cash flow margin
18
%
22
%
28
%
28
%
ZSCALER, INC. Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to our results determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), we believe the following non-GAAP measures are useful in evaluating our operating performance. We use the following non-GAAP financial information to evaluate our ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. We believe that non-GAAP financial information, when taken collectively, may be helpful to investors because it provides consistency and comparability with past financial performance. However, non-GAAP financial information is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, as it has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP. In particular, free cash flow is not a substitute for cash provided by operating activities. Additionally, the utility of free cash flow as a measure of our liquidity is further limited as it does not represent the total increase or decrease in our cash balance for a given period. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate similarly titled non-GAAP measures differently or may use other measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our non-GAAP financial measures as tools for comparison. A reconciliation of our historical non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measures stated in accordance with GAAP has been included in this press release. Investors are cautioned that there are a number of limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures and key metrics as analytical tools. Investors are encouraged to review these reconciliations, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business.
Expenses Excluded from Non-GAAP Measures
Stock-based compensation expense is excluded primarily because it is a non-cash expense that management believes is not reflective of our ongoing operational performance. Employer payroll taxes related to stock-based compensation, which is a cash expense, are excluded because these are tied to the timing and size of the exercise or vesting of the underlying equity incentive awards and the price of our common stock at the time of vesting or exercise, which may vary from period to period independent of the operating performance of our business. Amortization expense of acquired intangible assets and amortization of debt issuance costs from the convertible senior notes are excluded because these are non-cash expenses and are not reflective of our ongoing operational performance.
Effective August 1, 2024, the beginning of our fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, we are using a long-term projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% for the purpose of determining our non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share to provide better consistency across interim reporting periods. Given the significant growth of our business and non-GAAP operating income, we believe this change is necessary to better reflect the performance of our business. We will continue to assess the appropriate non-GAAP tax rate on a regular basis, which could be subject to changes for a variety of reasons, including the rapidly evolving global tax environment, significant changes in our geographic earnings mix, or other changes to our strategy or business operations. Prior period amounts have been recast to reflect this change.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Non-GAAP Gross Profit and Non-GAAP Gross Margin. We define non-GAAP gross profit as GAAP gross profit excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes and amortization expense of acquired intangible assets. We define non-GAAP gross margin as non-GAAP gross profit as a percentage of revenue.
Non-GAAP Income from Operations and Non-GAAP Operating Margin. We define non-GAAP income from operations as GAAP loss from operations excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes and amortization expense of acquired intangible assets. We define non-GAAP operating margin as non-GAAP income from operations as a percentage of revenue.
Non-GAAP Net Income per Share, Diluted. We define non-GAAP net income as GAAP net income (loss) excluding stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, amortization expense of acquired intangible assets, amortization of debt issuance costs, and the non-GAAP provision for income taxes adjustment. We define non-GAAP net income per share, diluted, as non-GAAP net income plus the non-GAAP interest expense related to the convertible senior notes divided by the weighted-average diluted shares outstanding, which includes the effect of potentially diluted common stock equivalents outstanding during the period and the anti-dilutive impact of the capped call transactions entered into in connection with the convertible senior notes.
Calculated Billings. We define calculated billings as revenue plus the change in deferred revenue in a period. Calculated billings in any particular period aims to reflect amounts invoiced for subscriptions to access our cloud platform, together with related support services for our new and existing customers. We typically invoice our customers annually in advance, and to a lesser extent quarterly in advance, monthly in advance or multi-year in advance.
Free Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow Margin. We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property, equipment and other assets and capitalized internal-use software. We define free cash flow margin as free cash flow divided by revenue. We believe that free cash flow and free cash flow margin are useful indicators of liquidity that provide information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our operations that, after the investments in property, equipment and other assets and capitalized internal-use software, can be used for strategic initiatives.
LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RBB Bancorp (NASDAQ: RBB) and its subsidiaries, Royal Business Bank (“the Bank”) and RBB Asset Management Company (“RAM”), collectively referred to herein as “the Company”, announced that its Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase plan providing for the repurchase of up to $18 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock through June 30, 2026.
The repurchase plan permits shares to be purchased in open market or private transactions, through block trades, and pursuant to any trading plan that may be adopted in accordance with Rules 10b5-1 and 10b-18 of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The authorized repurchase plan may be suspended, terminated or modified at any time for any reason, including market conditions, the cost of repurchasing shares, the availability of alternative investment opportunities, liquidity, and other factors deemed appropriate. These factors may also affect the timing and amount of share repurchases. The repurchase plan does not obligate the Company to purchase any particular number of shares.
Corporate Overview
RBB Bancorp is a community-based financial holding company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. As of March 31, 2025, the Company had total assets of $4.0 billion. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Royal Business Bank, is a full service commercial bank, which provides consumer and business banking services predominately to Asian-centric communities through 24 full-service branches across 6 states including California, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Hawaii. Bank services include remote deposit, E-banking, mobile banking, commercial and investor real estate loans, business loans and lines of credit, commercial and industrial loans, SBA 7A and 504 loans, 1-4 single family residential loans, trade finance, a full range of depository account products and wealth management services. The Bank has nine branches in Los Angeles County, two branches in Ventura County, one branch in Orange County, California, one branch in Las Vegas, Nevada, three branches and one loan operation center in Brooklyn, three branches in Queens, one branch in Manhattan in New York, one branch in Edison, New Jersey, two branches in Chicago, Illinois, and one branch in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Company’s administrative and lending center is located at 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90017, and its operations center is located at 7025 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, California 90621. The Company’s website address is www.royalbusinessbankusa.com.
Safe Harbor
Certain matters set forth herein (including the exhibits hereto) constitute forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s current business plans and expectations and our future financial position and operating results. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance and/or achievements to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; the potential for additional material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting or other potential control deficiencies of which the Company is not currently aware or which have not been detected; business and economic conditions generally and in the financial services industry, nationally and within our current and future geographic markets, including the tight labor market, ineffective management of the United States (“U.S.”) federal budget or debt or turbulence or uncertainly in domestic or foreign financial markets; the strength of the U.S. economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which we conduct operations; adverse developments in the banking industry highlighted by high-profile bank failures and the potential impact of such developments on customer confidence, liquidity and regulatory responses to these developments; possible additional provisions for credit losses and charge-offs; credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality; extensive laws and regulations and supervision that we are subject to, including potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities; compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other money laundering statutes and regulations; potential goodwill impairment; liquidity risk; failure to comply with debt covenants; fluctuations in interest rates; risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets; inflation and deflation; real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral; the effects of having concentrations in our loan portfolio, including commercial real estate and the risks of geographic and industry concentrations; environmental liabilities; our ability to compete with larger competitors; our ability to retain key personnel; successful management of reputational risk; severe weather, natural disasters, earthquakes, fires, including direct and indirect costs and impacts on clients, the Company and its employees from the January 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires; geopolitical conditions, including acts or threats of terrorism, actions taken by the U.S. or other governments in response to acts or threats of terrorism and/or military conflicts, including the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East, and increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, which could impact business and economic conditions in the U.S. and abroad; tariffs, trade policies, and related tensions, which could impact our clients, specific industry sectors, and/or broader economic conditions and financial market; public health crises and pandemics, and their effects on the economic and business environments in which we operate, including our credit quality and business operations, as well as the impact on general economic and financial market conditions; general economic or business conditions in Asia, and other regions where the Bank has operations; failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems; climate change, including any enhanced regulatory, compliance, credit and reputational risks and costs; cybersecurity threats and the cost of defending against them; our ability to adapt our systems to the expanding use of technology in banking; risk management processes and strategies; the impact of regulatory enforcement actions, if any; certain provisions in our charter and bylaws that may affect acquisition of the Company; changes in tax laws and regulations; the impact of governmental efforts to restructure the U.S. financial regulatory system and increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation, including any amendments to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; the impact of changes in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance assessment rate and the rules and regulations related to the calculation of the FDIC insurance assessments; the effect of changes in accounting policies and practices or accounting standards, as may be adopted from time-to-time by bank regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standards setters; fluctuations in the Company’s stock price; restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure; our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, and the potential resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; the soundness of other financial institutions; our ongoing relations with our various federal and state regulators, including the SEC, FDIC, FRB and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing items and all other factors set forth in the Company’s public reports, including its Annual Report as filed under Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within that document. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements except as required by law. Any statements about future operating results, such as those concerning accretion and dilution to the Company’s earnings or shareholders, are for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts, and actual results may differ.
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zeo Energy Corp. (Nasdaq: ZEO) “Zeo Energy” or the “Company”), announced today that, as expected, it received a notice (the “Notice”) from Nasdaq on May 22, 2025, notifying the Company that it is not in compliance with the periodic filing requirements for continued listing set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) because the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the for the three months ended March 31, 2025 (the “10-Q”) was not filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) by the required due date of May 15, 2025.
As previously reported in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on April 18, 2025, the Company received a deficiency notice from Nasdaq that the Company was not in compliance with Nasdaq’s Listing Rules as set forth in Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) given the Company’s failure to timely file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (the “10-K”). The Company subsequently filed the 10-K on May 28, 2025.
This Notice received from Nasdaq has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s shares. Nasdaq has provided the Company until Monday, June 16, 2025, to submit a plan to regain compliance. If Nasdaq accepts the Company’s plan, then Nasdaq may grant the Company an exception until October 13, 2025 to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules.
The Company continues to work diligently to complete the 10-Q, after which the Company anticipates maintaining compliance with its SEC reporting obligations.
This announcement is made in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(b), which requires prompt disclosure of receipt of a deficiency notification.
About Zeo Energy Corp.
Zeo Energy Corp. is a Florida-based regional provider of residential solar, distributed energy, and energy efficiency solutions. Zeo Energy focuses on high-growth markets with limited competitive saturation. With its differentiated sales approach and vertically integrated offerings, Zeo Energy, through its Sunergy business, serves customers who desire to reduce high energy bills and contribute to a more sustainable future. For more information on Zeo Energy Corp., please visit www.zeoenergy.com.
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are based on beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to the Company. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements that refer to projections, forecasts, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions. The words “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will,” and similar references to future periods may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements may include, for example, statements about the filing of the 10-Q, maintaining compliance with SEC reporting obligations and regaining compliance with Nasdaq listing rules. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this news release, and current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks, and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any subsequent date, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, the Company’s actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: (i) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company or others; (ii) the Company’s success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, its officers, key employees, or directors; (iii) the Company’s ability to maintain the listing of its common stock and warrants on Nasdaq; (iv) limited liquidity and trading of the Company’s securities; (v) geopolitical risk and changes in applicable laws or regulations; (vi) the possibility that the Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (vii) operational risk; (viii) litigation and regulatory enforcement risks, including the diversion of management time and attention and the additional costs and demands on the Company’s resources; and (ix) other risks and uncertainties, including those included under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in its subsequent periodic reports and other filings with the SEC.
In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by the Company, its respective directors, officers or employees or any other person that the Company will achieve its objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. The forward-looking statements in this news release represent the views of the Company as of the date of this news release. Subsequent events and developments may cause that view to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, there is no current intention to do so, except to the extent required by applicable law. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing the views of the Company as of any date subsequent to the date of this news release.
Zeo Energy Corp. Contacts
For Investors: Tom Colton and Greg Bradbury Gateway Group ZEO@gateway-grp.com
Congressman Fry Leads Push for State-Led Management of South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) led a letter from Republican members of the South Carolina delegation to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, urging the Department of Commerce to adopt a new state-led framework for managing the snapper-grouper fishery in the South Atlantic. The letter calls for putting a stop to heavy-handed federal restrictions and letting states like South Carolina take the lead in managing and tracking their own fisheries.
Earlier this month, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a similar bill giving more control of the red snapper industry to the state.
The South Carolina lawmakers expressed strong concerns over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) reliance on flawed Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data, which has driven severe restrictions, including extremely short recreational red snapper seasons and expansive bottomfishing closures.
South Carolina’s recreational fishing and boating economy generates over $6.5 billion annually and supports more than 27,000 jobs. Local anglers and business owners—from Murrells Inlet to Hilton Head—depend on fair and effective fisheries management to sustain their way of life.
In their letter, the lawmakers urged the Department of Commerce to:
Pause implementation of Amendment 59 and similar federal closures
Support a cooperative, state-led fisheries management approach modeled after the successful Gulf red snapper program
Empower states to collect better data and deliver more balanced, accountable management
“For too long, federal mismanagement has hurt our coastal communities and undermined trust in the system,” said Congressman Fry. “South Carolina anglers deserve better than critical decisions based on bad data. It’s time to follow the successful model we’ve seen in the Gulf of America and let states lead the way, just like we did under the first Trump administration in the Gulf.”
This letter was signed by South Carolina Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, as well as South Carolina Representatives Sherri Biggs, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, William Timmons, and Joe Wilson.
Read the full letter here.
Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and X pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) highlighted the harm of President Trump’s ongoing tariff chaos at the Port of Seattle with Washington workers, businesses, and health care providers.
Tariffs are a tax on imported goods paid by American businesses and often passed along to American consumers. Since taking office, Trump has put sweeping tariffs in place against some of our closest allies and trading partners with no clear plan. In other instances, he has threatened to do so and pulled back at the last minute. This instability is extremely harmful to businesses and their customers as they cannot adequately plan for the future. This leads to more expensive business inputs, supply chain disruptions, and fewer markets available to sell goods into.
Tariffs hit Washington especially hard because the state is trade-dependent: 4-in-10 Washington jobs are tied to trade. Slowdowns at the Port of Seattle and other ports of entry can mean less work for longshoremen, truckers, and other shipping jobs, and fewer goods on shelves.
“Washington is a very trade-dependent state, and the president’s tariff chaos is hurting businesses, threatening jobs, and raising prices on families. Trump has no clear plan for his trade war, and damage is being done. As a former businesswoman, I know firsthand that businesses need stability to plan and grow,” said DelBene. “Congress must reassert its constitutional authority over trade by making clear any president must get a vote before putting in place sweeping tariffs.”
At the event, DelBene was joined by representatives from the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Port of Seattle, International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Washington Hospital Association, Overlake Medical Center, and SOGDA, a Washington-based seafood wholesaler.
“International trade and supply chains rely on predictable, consistent policy. We remain concerned about the market disruptions, cargo fluctuations, and lost business caused by the initial tariff implantation as well as the continued lack of clarity. We are deeply grateful to have Congresswoman DelBene advocating for trade policy that helps Washington businesses grow and prosper,” said Northwest Seaport Alliance and Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho.
“At the Northwest Seaport Alliance, we take pride in being a top export gateway for American agricultural goods and manufacturers. Trade wars often hit our exporters hardest, and we are closely tracking the impacts to Northwest producers. We hope our policymakers can continue working towards an outcome that lowers trade barriers and unnecessary tariffs. We thank Congresswoman DelBene for her steadfast commitment to these issues,” said Northwest Seaport Alliance and Port of Tacoma Commissioner Deanna Keller.
“We have seen a slowdown in cargo operations in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. We longshoremen need stability in long-term decisions from Washington, DC. These are 20- and 30-year decisions for international shipping companies that are being disrupted by daily changes currently. We look forward to jobs for longshoremen, trucking companies, warehouse workers, and farmers,” said ILWU President Mark Elverston.
DelBene has introduced several pieces of legislation that would ensure any president must come to Congress for a vote before any sweeping tariffs could be put in place. Republicans in Congress have hidden from votes on repealing Trump’s tariffs and voted against DelBene offering them as amendments to legislation. Two federal courts have now ruled that Trump’s tariffs are illegal but the administration has vowed to appeal.
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Efrain Estrada, 31, Onalaska, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 132 months in federal prison for possessing 400 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing firearms as a felon. Estrada pleaded guilty to these charges on March 13, 2025.
On July 22, 2024, law enforcement found approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills and 3,000 methamphetamine pills in a package mailed from Houston, Texas, to La Crosse, Wisconsin. On July 25, 2024, after replacing the pills with candy, agents conducted a controlled delivery to the recipient address and arrested the person who retrieved the package. Upon arrest, the person told agents that the package was meant for Estrada and agreed to conduct a controlled delivery to Estrada’s house in Onalaska, Wisconsin. The person then delivered the package to Estrada and agents arrested him as he left his house.
Law enforcement then searched Estrada’s house and found another 2,800 fentanyl pills, approximately 1,000 pills containing other controlled substances, and more than 600 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also found 10 firearms and ammunition of varying caliber in various locations throughout the house, some containing loaded high-capacity magazines. One firearm was a short-barreled rifle, and 2 other firearms were sawed-off shotguns with scratched off serial numbers. Some of the drugs and guns were found in a hidden compartment of a coffee table accessible only through a key card found in Estrada’s dresser.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged Estrada inherited a mature drug operation from a deceased relative, but Estrada was not an amateur and did not simply fall into drug trafficking. He said Estrada not only stepped into it but embraced it, and it constituted a very destructive financial shortcut for him. Estrada was not a low-level actor in someone else’s organization caught with a large quantity of drugs – this was Estrada’s organization for which he was fully accountable. Judge Peterson also observed that Estrada possessed a mini arsenal of firearms that had no purpose other than to protect his drug operation and that the result would have been catastrophic if he had used the firearms for that purpose.
The charges against Estrada were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation, La Crosse Sheriff’s Office, La Crosse Police Department, Madison Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Ayala and David Reinhard prosecuted this case.
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua Ray Vanreenan, 37, of Hillsboro, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vanreenan was selling methamphetamine from his home in Pocahontas County. He has prior firearms convictions, as well as a domestic violence protection order.
Vanreenan will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Wesley Shane Haggerty, 37, of Cabins, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pendleton County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a disturbance involving a firearm. When officers arrived at the home, Haggerty was arrested after a short foot pursuit. Haggerty had a pistol and is prohibited from having firearms because of seven prior felony convictions and two misdemeanor domestic battery convictions.
Haggerty will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Pendleton County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Florence has returned a 13-count indictment charging Stephen Todd Greene, 55, of West Columbia, with conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material, two counts of production of child sexual abuse material, four counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, three counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual conduct.
The indictment alleges that from June 2023 through September 2024, Greene worked with a woman in Brazil, referred to in the indictment as C0-Conspirator 1, to sexually exploit her nieces, who are 3 years old and 9 years old as of the date of the indictment. Co-Conspirator 1 abused the children in person and Greene abused the children virtually, including by livestreaming their sex abuse to his home in West Columbia and by directing Co-Conspirator 1 to engage in certain abuse over livestream, according to the indictment.
Greene and Co-Conspirator 1 used Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, and FaceTime to facilitate the scheme, as well as a series of cameras installed in Greene’s home and in Co-Conspirator 1’s home in Brazil, which allowed a livestream from both locations. According to the indictment, Greene produced, received, distributed, and possessed child sexual abuse material, and he engaged in sexually explicit conduct on video and caused the minor victims to watch. During the scheme, Greene travelled twice to Brazil, where he gained direct access to the children, and he transferred money during the scheme to Co-Conspirator 1 through a wire service, according to the indictment.
Agents with the FBI Columbia field office arrested Greene and he was arraigned in federal court earlier this afternoon. He was ordered detained pending a bond hearing.
Greene faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years on the conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material and the production of child sexual abuse material charges, a mandatory minimum of 10 years on the coercion and enticement charges, and a mandatory minimum of five years on the receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material charges. Greene also faces up to a $250,000 fine, restitution payable to the minor victims for damages incurred as a result of the conduct, a special assessment of $5,000, lifetime supervision by the U.S. Probation Office following any term of incarceration, and potential sex offender registry requirements.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office and the Brazilian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Columbia field office is seeking any information regarding additional potential victims in this investigation. Tips can be provided at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
* The term “pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Spokesperson Tammy Bruce leads the Department Press Briefing at the Department of State, on May 29, 2025.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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Alberta’s strength lies in its people, and in the families that call this province home. But for many parents, especially single parents, meeting the demands of raising children and earning an income can be a significant challenge.
Through Budget 2025, Alberta’s government is committing $5.3 million to support programs that help parents find the stable, reliable work they need to ensure Alberta remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
“Parents across the province are raising Alberta’s future, and it’s our responsibility to support them in return. Helping parents find stable employment empowers families, strengthens communities and lays the foundation for long-term prosperity. Through this investment, our government is helping connect parents with the tools they need to pursue meaningful work and support their families.”
This investment is increasing employment supports for parents by more than $1 million year-over-year. As Alberta’s government builds toward a stronger future, it’s investing in practical solutions that help parents enter or return to the workforce.
“The Alberta advantage starts with giving everyone an opportunity to pursue meaningful employment. Better access to training and employment services means more parents having the means to put food on their table, raising healthy families who are proud to call Alberta home.”
Of the total $5.3-million commitment, $4.2 million is being invested in Lifemark Health Group’s Empower program, which connects single mothers in Edmonton and Calgary with employment and education opportunities. This program is available at no cost and each participant receives a customized plan to help them meet their goals. The remaining $1.1 million is supporting the Career Advancement and Resources for Employment Success (CARES) program, which provides employment supports to underemployed and unemployed parents in the Edmonton area.
Both programs provide participants with access to career and life skills workshops, employment certifications, volunteer and job placement opportunities, and access to wrap-around services like mental health supports.
“Lifemark is proud to partner with the Government of Alberta to deliver innovative employment programs. By empowering unemployed and underemployed parents with life-changing skills and opportunities to access meaningful employment, we’re helping build brighter futures for their families and stronger, more resilient communities across Alberta.”
Alberta’s government is committed to working with service providers across the province to improve employment supports for all Albertans – ensuring Alberta remains the land of opportunity.
Quick facts
The Empower program offers single mothers career workshops, access to resources such as the Clothing Closet and Community Pantry, learning activities to enhance employability skills, work experience placements and 24 weeks of follow up.
The CARES program integrates employment assistance with support for child care solutions, offering extended hours on evenings and weekends.
Related information
Alberta employment supports
Training and Employment Services
Employment services directory
Related news
Helping young Albertans find jobs (May 26, 2025)
Investing to help Albertans get hired (April 30, 2025)
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)
Headline: Carter meets with Augusta University in support of telehealth funding
AUGUSTA – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) this week met with officials at Augusta University to discuss his advocacy for the Medical College of Georgia (MCG), including the $1 million he secured in FY23 to support the College’s Center for Digital Health.
From Left to Right: David Hess, MD, Dean of Medical College of Georgia; Rep. Buddy Carter (GA-01); and Matt Lyon, MD, Director of Medical College of Georgia
“Telehealth is vital for seniors and those in rural areas. I often say that we knew how important telehealth was before the pandemic, but we didn’t realize it until after. As a health care professional, I am a strong supporter of telehealth services and am proud of the work Augusta University is doing to bring this resource to more patients. When the government supports Augusta University, we support longer, healthier lives for Georgians,” said Rep. Carter.
“The investments Congressman Carter has helped secure for Augusta University are helping us tackle some of our state and country’s most urgent challenges. From pioneering research to combat the devastating fentanyl crisis to expanding health care access through innovative technology, this support enables us to fulfill our core mission: improving the lives of people across Georgia and beyond,” said Russell Keen, President of Augusta University. “These partnerships demonstrate how targeted federal investment can create meaningful change in communities, from cities to our most rural areas. We’re deeply grateful for his vision and continued commitment.”
“I was honored to meet with Congressman Carter and share more about MCG’s expanding impact across Georgia. MCG and AU are making strategic investments throughout the state, including a new four-year medical school campus in Savannah. Our medical school is committed to advancing medical education and health care access for all Georgians— and we are excited to share our progress with our legislative partners,” said David Hess, MD, Dean of the Medical College of Georgia.
“I am extremely grateful for Congressman Carter’s vital support of MCG’s Center for Digital Health. The funding he secured has helped integrate telemedicine training for the next generation of physicians. Through partnerships with rural Georgia hospitals, we’re now delivering critical care expertise to communities that need it most—allowing patients to receive advanced care closer to home. These investments and technologies can strengthen our rural health care network and are improving patient outcomes across Georgia,” said Dr. Matt Lyon, Director of the Medical College of Georgia’s Center for Digital Health.
For FY26, Rep. Carter submitted a $900,000 funding request to support the development of rapid fentanyl detection through Augusta University’s College of Science and Math.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28, 2025 Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Congresswoman Barragán Highlights Community Need for Food Assistance as She Continues to Oppose Largest SNAP Cuts in History
Paramount, CA — Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) visited Mother’s Nutritional Center (MNC) in Paramount to highlight the need for SNAP food assistance benefits as House Republicans and Donald Trump push the largest proposed cuts to SNAP in U.S. history. She pointed out that House Republicans voted to cut billions in food assistance for millions of Americans just last week, as they raced to pass Donald Trump’s billionaires’ tax cut bill. These cuts would be devastating for children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who receive this assistance.
The Congresswoman was joined by the Mayor of Paramount, Peggy Lemons, the Senior Outreach Manager of MNC, and a SNAP recipient who talked about the food assistance she has received from Mother’s and how it has helped to put nutritious food on the table for her family.
“No one in this country should go hungry,” said Rep. Barragán. “Yet House Republicans want to force millions of Americans to go without enough food on their table — our families, children, seniors, people with disabilities, and even our veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country. Republicans passed cuts to SNAP and food assistance in the dark of night to hide their actions from the American people and to give tax breaks to billionaires. Today, in broad daylight, we wanted to let the hardworking people of LA County know what they did and why these programs are so vitally important to so many. House Democrats will continue our fight to protect SNAP benefits and work so that families and individuals in our communities and throughout the country don’t go hungry.”
“In Paramount, we believe that no child should go hungry — especially during the summer months when school meals are no longer available. That’s why we partner with the Paramount Unified School District to offer programs like the Summer Nutrition and Activity Program which ran for several years. And through our current HEY — Healthy Eating for Youth — initiative, we provide free meals and daily recreation to all children 18 and under throughout the summer. For many families, this program fills a critical gap in both nutrition and enrichment,” said Mayor Lemons.
“SNAP helps support programs that keep our most vulnerable residents healthy and fed. In Paramount, we’ve seen firsthand the power of community partnerships in meeting basic needs. These efforts are made possible because of the support we receive from federal nutrition programs.
Negative impacts to SNAP would devastate school districts, students, and our children — not just in our city, but across the country.
As Mayor, I urge Congress to protect and invest in the vital safety net programs like SNAP that uplift our communities. The health and dignity of our neighbors depend on it.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 27, 2025 Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Rep. Barragán, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, and Carson City Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes Call Out Dangerous Delay in Implementing Multilingual Emergency Alerts
Carson, CA – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) joined Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Anna Gomez and Carson City Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes to demand that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr immediately publish the implementation requirements for the agency’s multilingual Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) rule in the Federal Register—a necessary step to activate this life-saving policy unanimously approved by the FCC in October 2023.
The delay in publishing these implementation requirements has stalled critical improvements to the WEA system that would make emergency alerts accessible in over a dozen languages—including Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
“In emergencies, every second counts—and every word must be understood,” saidRep. Barragán. “We’ve seen what happens when communities don’t get accurate information in their language. It leads to panic, confusion, and danger. Chairman Carr’s delay is not just bureaucratic, it’s reckless.”
The press conference comes after a false evacuation alert that was sent out to residents in LA County during the January wildfires, which caused widespread chaos when a technical glitch sent a county-wide warning intended for a single neighborhood. This was confusing for all 10 million LA County residents who received the alert, but especially for the 2.5 million LA County residents who are classified as having limited English proficiency. When disaster struck, many non-English speakers were left unsure of what was happening, compounding confusion and fear.
“As we see an increase in natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes, expanding access to life-saving information is becoming more and more important,” said FCC Commissioner Gomez. “We cannot play politics with public safety. It’s time for the FCC to allow this process to move forward so that more people can receive the critical information they need in their chosen language.”
“When lives are on the line, there’s no excuse for delay,” said Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes. “In a city as diverse as Carson, our residents need to receive nationwide emergency alerts in the language they understand. This is about equity, safety, and respect. I join Congresswoman Barragán and Commissioner Gomez in calling on Chairman Carr to do what’s right—act now and publish the implementation requirements.”
Rep. Barragán, Commissioner Gomez, and Mayor Davis-Holmes urged Chairman Carr to publish the implementation requirements immediately to start the 30-month compliance clock, requiring mobile service providers to install alert templates on Americans’ phones that would automatically translate alerts into the devices’ default language.
The push has strong backing from the top Democrat on the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and the current and former Chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Congressional Black Caucus, whose members represent communities most impacted by language-access failures. The group led a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on the issue, found HERE.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 29, 2025 Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Congresswoman Barragán Calls on JCI Jones Chemicals to Improve the Safety of Harbor Gateway Facility
Harbor Gateway, CA – Last week, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) sent a letter to JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. (JCI) to express concern with the company’s repeated failure to properly maintain equipment and address other unsafe conditions at their chemical plant in Harbor Gateway.
In the letter, the Congresswoman raised alarm with Clean Air Act violations and other safety issues identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during past inspections of JCI’s facility in Harbor Gateway. Unsafe conditions found during the last site inspection in 2024 included corroded pipes and valves, a dilapidated roof structure, improper storage of hazardous materials. Additionally, the Congresswoman expressed concerns with the company’s lack of progress toward meeting an updated requirement of the federal Risk Management Program (RMP) for nearly 12,000 chemical plants nationwide, including the JCI facility in Harbor Gateway, to install community notification systems.
To address these concerns and improve the safety of the facility, the Congresswoman requested JCI to commit to the RMP regulations by maintaining all equipment on site, fully enclose the facility with proper equipment to mitigate an accidental chemical release, provide an update in the next sixty days on JCI’s plans to install a community notification system, and engage with the local community on the company’s actions to improve the safety of the facility.
“My constituents and I are alarmed that JCI has not made greater efforts to improve the safety of this facility where hazardous materials are stored and moved through for transit to other locations,” wrote Congresswoman Barragán. “These conditions are unsafe and unacceptable.”
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Summary
Company Announcement Date: May 29, 2025 FDA Publish Date: May 29, 2025 Product Type: Food & Beverages Reason for Announcement:
Recall Reason Description Presence of Undeclared Milk
Company Name: Homegrown Family Foods Brand Name:
Brand Name(s) Shore Lunch
Product Description:
Product Description Breading and Batter Mix
Company Announcement Homegrown Family Foods is recalling its Shore Lunch Oven Style Breader & Batter Mix 6oz Box due to the presence of undeclared milk. Individuals with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk risk serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume this product. For ease of identification, see photo labels below. The product was primarily distributed in retail stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin between April 29, 2024 and May 1, 2025. The product comes in 6-ounce (170g) boxes marked with Best By dates of April 23, 2025 through February 25, 2026 and UPC Code 2473912000 and Lots: RP117050, RP120012, RP120011, RP120013, RP123249, RP123389, RP129004, RP129005, RP129006. The Best By date, Lot Code is found on the top of the box and the UPC is found on the bottom of the box. One illness has been reported to date; the affected individual has recovered. On 4/23/2025, the firm was notified by a consumer whose daughter had an allergic reaction. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that product containing the milk ingredient was in packaging that did not properly label the presence of milk. Consumers who have the affected product and have a dairy allergy or sensitivity are urged not to consume the product and to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. For questions, consumers may contact Homegrown Family Foods at 706-403-5768 Monday- Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm ET or email QAinquiries@homegrownfamilyfood.com. This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
SANTA ANA, California – A former executive at a Newport Beach company that specializes in the purchase of classic cars – who also happens to be an illegal alien from Mexico – was arrested today on a federal complaint alleging he embezzled approximately $7 million from his employer.
Alexander G. Ramos, 62, of Newport Beach, is charged with wire fraud, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
A federal magistrate judge ordered Ramos jailed without bond and scheduled an arraignment for June 30.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Ramos was employed at the victim company since 2017 until his termination in September 2024 in the company’s Risk Management Department. Through his positions, he knew his employer’s loans and held relationships with title agents or other partners nationwide. He also oversaw requests by the company’s Title and Risk Department to its Accounting Department for payment to title agents, sometimes submitting the requests himself.
Ramos allegedly caused checks to be issued from the victim company to certain parties, including a Las Vegas DMV services business. The checks were supposed to cover expenses for tax, titling, and licensing associated with car purchases.
However, Ramos purposely caused his employer to send too much money to the outside entities. He then directed those entities on how to dispose of the extra money, including by sending the funds to bank accounts that he controlled.
A law enforcement review of financial records revealed that approximately $7 million in checks and wires were deposited into Ramos-controlled bank accounts from the outside entities in the car industry. The origin of some of the funds deposited into Ramos’s bank accounts showed the checks and wires were made out to the victim company and were intended as refunds to that company’s clients who had overpaid for vehicle registration fees.
Instead of being returned directly to the Ramos’s employer, Ramos allegedly moved the funds to other accounts he controlled for his personal use, including buying a home in Irvine. The illegal transfers date back to at least January 2020, according to the complaint.
Ramos is an illegal alien from Mexico who was removed from the United States in 2017 but later returned.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Fu of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
LOS ANGELES – An insurance brokerage executive was charged today with breaking federal campaign laws by making so-called “conduit” campaign contributions –contributions illegally made in the name of another person – to a joint fundraising committee that included a U.S. Senator’s principal campaign committee.
Teena Maria Hostovich, 66, of La Cañada Flintridge, is charged in a single-count information with making contributions in the name of another aggregating to more than $10,000 in a year, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of two years in federal prison.
In a related filing today, Hostovich has agreed to plead guilty to the federal criminal charge and agreed to pay a fine of $43,500.
Hostovich is expected to make her initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
According to her plea agreement, from May 2020 through 2023, Hostovich knowingly and willfully made a total of $75,700 in contributions to federal candidates’ principal campaign committees and federal joint fundraising committees in the names of other people. For the calendar years 2021 through 2023, Hostovich’s conduit contributions aggregated to more than $10,000 during each of those years.
To make these illegal campaign contributions, Hostovich used 11 different people – including employees at the insurance brokerage that employed her, family members of those employees, and individuals who performed personal services for Hostovich and her family.
As part of the scheme, Hostovich contacted one of these individuals or their family members and asked them to contribute individually or have one of their family members contribute to a particular candidate’s campaign or fundraising committee. Hostovich then paid the person the funds via PayPal either before the contribution was made or reimbursed them afterward.
To execute these conduit contributions, Hostovich sometimes explicitly stated that she would advance the money for the contribution or pay the person back for that contribution. Other times, the person had an implicit understanding that Hostovich would advance the money or reimburse them based on her history of advancements and reimbursements of political contributions. Hostovich generally advanced or reimbursed these individuals in amounts that exceeded the exact contribution amount but often the amounts were very close to the contribution amount.
Hostovich admitted in her plea agreement that one of the reasons she engaged in conduit contributions was to secure an appointment to the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees in Washington, D.C. She did not obtain this position.
The recipients of the illegal contributions included a joint fundraising committee that included a United States senator’s principal campaign committee, a principal campaign committee for a U.S. senatorial candidate, principal campaign committees for two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and a joint fundraising committee that included the principal campaign for a presidential candidate.
At no time did Hostovich reveal to any of these candidate committees or joint fundraising committees that she was the true source of the funds donated by the 11 individuals. Hostovich further admitted that she knew it was unlawful to make conduit contributions and that, before executing this scheme, she made numerous political contributions to federal candidates and served as a host for political fundraisers.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas F. Rybarczyk of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting this case.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla Joins Entire California Democratic Delegation in Urging Trump Administration to Protect Head Start Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined the entire California Democratic Congressional Delegation in urging President Donald Trump and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to safeguard federal funding for the Head Start program. The letter comes in response to alarming reports that the Trump Administration has considered eliminating Head Start funding during recent federal budget discussions.
California’s Head Start program is the largest in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, Head Start and Early Head Start programs served more than 94,000 children across the state. These programs offer critical support to children by integrating early education with health, nutrition, and family services, providing targeted support to those facing poverty, housing insecurity, and systemic inequities.
“From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability,” wrote the lawmakers. “These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.”
“The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic,” continued the lawmakers. “In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children — disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities. Thousands of parents would also lose their ability to go to work or school, and otherwise participate in the economy.”
Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has served over 40 million children and families nationwide. Decades of research confirm that the program improves school readiness, boosts long-term academic and employment outcomes, and helps break the cycle of poverty.
“Head Start is not optional — it is a national commitment that must be honored,” concluded the lawmakers. “For these reasons, we urge you to reject any future attempts to weaken or eliminate this program and to ensure its continued success for the children and families who rely on it every day.”
U.S. Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44) led the letter. In addition to Senator Padilla, the letter was also co-signed by Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), and Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.-33), Ami Bera (D-Calif.-06), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Gilbert Cisneros (D-Calif.-31), Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21), Lou Correa (D-Calif.-46), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Adam Gray (D-Calif.-13), Josh Harder (D-Calif.-09), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.-16), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.-32), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14), Mark Takano (D-Calif.-39), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04), Norma Torres (D-Calif.-35), Derek Tran (D-Calif.-45), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43), and George Whitesides (D-Calif.-27).
Senator Padilla has been a leading advocate in condemning the Trump Administration’s attacks on Head Start and child care. Last month, Padilla and Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led 25 Senators in slamming the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC) and demanding Secretary Kennedy immediately reinstate these employees. Padilla also joined 41 Senators in another letter blasting the Trump Administration’s direct attacks on the Head Start program.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
President Trump and Secretary Kennedy:
We write today to express serious concern over reports that your Administration considered proposals to eliminate federal funding for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Head Start program in recent budget discussions. While we are relieved that the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Fiscal Year 2026 proposal did not include this cut, that such an action was even contemplated underscores the vulnerability of this vital program under your Administration. As members of the California Congressional Delegation, we urge you to safeguard this critical program, which plays an irreplaceable role in supporting California’s children and families, especially those facing economic hardship and systemic barriers.
California is home to one of the largest populations of Head Start children in the nation. In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, more than 94,000 children and pregnant women in California were served by Head Start and Early Head Start programs. These services are not just beneficial—they are essential. From Los Angeles County to the Central Valley to rural tribal lands, Head Start provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to children who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and housing instability. These essential services support our state’s economy by allowing parents to work and go to school, while giving our future workforce the strong start that they need to be successful later in life.
Since its founding in 1965, Head Start has supported more than 40 million children and their families nationwide—and millions in California alone. Research continues to confirm what educators and parents have long known: Head Start works. It boosts school readiness, improves long-term academic outcomes, increases high school graduation and employment rates, and helps break cycles of generational poverty.
The elimination or reduction of Head Start funding would be catastrophic. In California, it would shut the doors of 1,835 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers and eliminate access to early education for tens of thousands of children—disproportionately children of color, English learners, children with disabilities, and those living in low-income and rural communities. Thousands of parents would also lose their ability to go to work or school, and otherwise participate in the economy.
Head Start is not optional—it is a national commitment that must be honored. For these reasons, we urge you to reject any future attempts to weaken or eliminate this program and to ensure its continued success for the children and families who rely on it every day.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Warren, Waters Lead Fight to Continue Funding for Emergency Housing Voucher Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, along with Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, led nearly 100 lawmakers in urging Congressional Appropriations leadership to include robust funding for the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program as part of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding legislation. Tens of thousands of Americans depend on this vital program for safe, stable, and affordable housing. The letter comes as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced in March that the program will soon run out of money due largely to rents rising at the fastest pace in decades.
“[Public Housing Agencies] in every state have benefited from the improved voucher issuance and utilization that the EHV program provides, as have the people and communities they serve,” wrote the lawmakers. “Congress must provide sufficient and robust funding to ensure that the families who rely on EHVs don’t lose their housing.”
“The EHV program provides rental assistance to help end and prevent homelessness,” continued the lawmakers. “At a time when housing costs and homelessness continue to rise, we respectfully request that you provide adequate funding in the FY26 THUD Appropriations bill to renew all EHVs to ensure that those who have been served by the program do not lose their housing support and to ensure landlords continue receiving the rental payments they depend on to maintain their properties.”
As of April, this critical program supports 107,000 individuals who are mostly children under five years old, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and domestic violence survivors. California received 15,417 of the 70,000 emergency housing vouchers authorized by Congress, but the program is now at risk. Support for the program is especially important as the Trump Administration cuts vital HUD funding and support staff.
The EHV program was established in 2021 through the American Rescue Plan. Congress originally authorized $5 billion in funding for 70,000 vouchers through September 2030, with increased flexibilities for public housing authorities that made the program more successful than typical housing vouchers.
Several leading national housing groups — including the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), Public Housing Authorities Directors Association (PHADA), National Association of Housing Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the Moving-to-Work (MTW) Collaborative, and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) — wrote a separate letter to Congressional appropriations leadership pushing for adequate funding and flexibilities for the EHV program.
“Funding the EHV program was, and remains, the right thing to do, and is a smart use of federal dollars. It would be more expensive to rehouse or provide services for these individuals after becoming homeless again than it would to keep them housed with additional EHV funding,” the letter from the housing advocates reads. “Without these critical provisions and continued investment, PHAs will face major funding shortfalls in 2027, putting thousands of households at risk of losing their homes. Families who were previously at risk of homelessness and found stability through the EHV program could once again face housing insecurity.”
In addition to Padilla, Warren, and Waters, the bicameral letter was also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), as well as Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.-03), Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio-03), Donald Beyer (D-Va.-08), Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.-02), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.-05), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), André Carson (D-Ind.-07), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), Gilbert Cisneros (D-Calif.-31), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.-05), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.-09), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.-03), Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.-07), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.-03), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas-37), Cleo Fields (D-La.-06), Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.-04), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.-04), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas-29), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.-02), Al Green (D-Texas-09), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05), James Himes (D-Conn.-04), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04), Val Hoyle (D-Ore.-04), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.-01), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio-01), John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.-16), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.-03), James McGovern (D-Mass.-02), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.-05), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.-04), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.-14), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.-07), Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.-AL), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.-03), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.-13), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Derek Tran (D-Calif.-45), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.-05), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.-24).
Senator Padilla believes everyone deserves access to affordable and safe housing and recognizes the need to drastically increase the affordable housing stock to address the homelessness crisis facing California and the country, including through his Housing for All Act. Padilla has fought against the Trump Administration’s proposals to cut HUD staff and field offices who help provide crucial housing services. Padilla and U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II recently led more than 100 Democrats in the Senate and House in condemning staffing cuts and potential closures of HUD field offices across the country. Earlier this year, Senator Padilla sounded the alarm that these wide-ranging cuts would hamper HUD’s ability to support vulnerable communities and address the housing and homelessness crises. He also helped secure a Government Accountability Office investigation into how these cuts will impact the federal government’s ability to enforce the Fair Housing Act.
Full text of the bicameral letter requesting robust funding in the FY 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Related Agencies Appropriations bill is available here and below:
Dear Chair Hyde-Smith, Ranking Member Gillibrand, Chair Womack, and Ranking Member Clyburn:
As you develop the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we respectfully request that you include funding to ensure that the nearly 60,000 households who are currently being served by the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program do not fall into homelessness.
During the pandemic, Congress appropriated $5 billion in mandatory funding for the EHV program to help people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence and victims of human trafficking, access safe, stable and affordable housing during a moment of crisis.
Since 2021, the success of the EHV program and its design, which includes critical administrative flexibilities that are responsive to a tumultuous housing market, cannot be overstated. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that EHVs are leasing at a rate faster than any previous housing voucher program within HUD and drove unprecedented collaboration among public housing agencies (PHAs), homeless services organizations, and victim services organizations to provide rapid and effective housing assistance to vulnerable populations. PHAs in every state have benefited from the improved voucher issuance and utilization that the EHV program provides, as have the people and communities they serve. Congress must provide sufficient and robust funding to ensure that the families who rely on EHVs don’t lose their housing.
We understand that the Subcommittee must make difficult decisions. However, the EHV program provides rental assistance to help end and prevent homelessness. At a time when housing costs and homelessness continue to rise, we respectfully request that you provide adequate funding in the FY26 THUD Appropriations bill to renew all EHVs to ensure that those who have been served by the program do not lose their housing support and to ensure landlords continue receiving the rental payments they depend on to maintain their properties. Thank you for your consideration of this request and your continued support for the most vulnerable Americans.
The UConn Foundation created the award, which honors top academically achieving Black male seniors at the University of Connecticut. The award is a source of inspiration for many at UConn. The recipients this year were Noah Sneed, Mason Bickham, and Josiah Mendez.
Noah Sneed had a 3.93 GPA and has a major in Animal Science and a second major in Pathobiology.
Mason Bickham had a 3.81 GPA, and is a Psychological Sciences major, with a concentration in Africana Studies, Human Dev, and Family Sciences
Josiah Mendez had a 3.58 GPA, and is a Computer Science & Engineering Masters major, with a concentration in Software Design and Development.
ScHOLA²RS House is a Learning Community designed to support the scholastic efforts of male students who identify as African American/Black through academic and social support, access to research opportunities, and professional development.
UConn senior Mason Bickham being awarded.
Throughout his career, Laurencin has devoted his life to pioneering research and clinical care. He has also been passionate about his work mentoring young people in engineering, science, medicine, and the humanities. At UConn he has created and established a number of mentoring/educational programs, including the UConn Young Innovative Investigator Program, the UConn Pre-K Scholars Program, and the Presidential M1 Mentorship Award Program. He has been the Principal Investigator of UConn’s NIH T32 Pre-Doctoral Program in Regenerative Engineering, an NIH Diversity Award Pre-Doctoral Training Grant, an NIH Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Grant Award, a National Science Foundation Research, Experience and Mentoring Grant, and a grant award from the Department of Education focused on K-12 mentoring.
Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin, MD, Ph.D., earned a B.S.E. degree in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University. He completed Harvard Medical School earning his M.D. Magna Cum Laude and completed his Ph.D. in biochemical engineering/biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
UConn senior Josiah Mendez with Dr. Laurencin.
At UConn Laurencin is the University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine, professor of Chemical Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is chief executive officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute created in his honor at the University of Connecticut.
Laurencin is the recipient of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS Mentor Award, the Beckman Award for Mentoring and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Engineering and Math Mentoring. Besides the Scholars House Award named for him, the Society for Biomaterials created the Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D. Travelling Fellowship, the W. Montague Cobb/NMA Institute and the National Medical Association created the Cato T. Laurencin Lifetime Research Achievement Award, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers created the Cato T. Laurencin Regenerative Engineering Founder’s Award, honoring his work as the pioneer of the field of Regenerative Engineering.
In the past few days, discussion around whether Israel is committing acts of genocide in Gaza has intensified. On May 28 The Guardian reported that “380 writers and groups” had signed an open letter calling Israel’s military campaign in Gaza “genocide”. The letter reads, in part:
The use of the words ‘genocide’ or ‘acts of genocide’ to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organizations.
This followed news of a letter to the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, signed by more than 800 lawyers, including former supreme court justices, calling on the prime minister to impose sanctions on the Israeli government.
“There is mounting evidence of genocide, which is either being perpetrated or at a minimum at serious risk of occurring,” the letter stated, adding that a recent statement from Israel’s finance minister Belazel Smotrich that the Israel Defense Forces would “wipe out” what remains of Palestinian Gaza was an indication of genocidal intent.
One of the signatories was Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill, a senior research fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, who has a track record of expertise in international humanitarian law. The Conversation spoke with him to discuss the issue. He said:
There is no doubt in my mind that war crimes have been committed and although genocide is basically an extreme form of war crime, it can be notoriously difficult to establish intent to destroy a people, in part or in whole.
The task of proving genocide is hard enough, but [in this case] the evidence can be gathered from the facts on the ground – they speak for themselves. And intent can be inferred from what politicians and officials actually say, especially when it is not denied or qualified.
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But he said he had “reservations about whether, at an inter-state level, a charge of genocide would be levelled against Israel by more than a few states. And if it succeeded, the legal and political consequences.”
But individual prosecutions for war crimes and genocide are “always a distinct possibility,” he added.
In fact, the crime of genocide has only been recognised on a handful of occasions since it was first established in 1948. James Sweeney, an expert in international law from Lancaster University has written a brief history of genocide.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank city of Jenin, IDF forces sparked international outrage when they fired “warning shots” closer to a group of 25 diplomats on a fact-finding visit in the wake of an Israeli military offensive there.
Andrew Forde, an expert in international humanitarian law at Dublin City University, considers that this act “crossed the Rubicon”, which is the convention, universally accepted over millennia, of the inviolability of diplomats and their staff. It’s a clear breach, he writes of article 29 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, to which Israel is a signatory, which states that the host state “shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on [their] person, freedom or dignity”.
Israel responded by offering an apology, but claimed that the diplomats in question had “deviated from the approved route” by entering a restricted area”.
The incident forced the group of diplomats to scramble for cover and hindered their work in Jenin, Forde writes. As such it is a flagrant breach of Israel’s duty of care. And it sets a dangerous precedent: “Diplomatic protections work effectively when they are reciprocal. Without trust, the system quickly unravels.”
Israel’s campaign in Gaza is a factor in a hugely complex situation being played out at present in the Middle East, which is straining the relationship between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump. The US president is talking up the idea of signing a new nuclear deal with Iran to replace the one he withdrew from in 2018. The Israeli prime minister is bitterly opposed to an US-Iran deal and has proposed launching strikes against Iran’s nuclear installations. The pair reportedly clashed over the issue in a phone call this week.
But Trump recently returned from a trip to the Gulf States, none of which want the sort of regional conflagration that Israeli strikes on Iran could cause. And, as Scott Lucas of University College Dublin writes, he is also very keen to burnish his credentials as a dealmaker, especially in light of his failure to bring the Ukraine war to a close within 24 hours and the failure of the ceasefire in Gaza for which he has claimed much of the credit.
As Lucas writes, “even as Trump does what he wants over Iran to Netanyahu’s chagrin, the Israeli prime minister is finding that Trump is not restricting what he does closer to home in Gaza”.
Volodymr Zelensky flew to Berlin this week where he met the German chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Germany would work with Ukraine to develop long-range missiles to attack targets inside Russia. It’s part of an overall plan to expand Germany’s military into the “strongest conventional army in Europe”.
Stefan Wolff believes Germany’s decision to step up both its military capabilities and its support for Ukraine is highly significant when considered in the context of Donald Trump’s recent threats to abandon his efforts to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
Wolff, an expert in international security from the University of Birmingham, who has written regularly for The Conversation about the war in Ukraine, says here that “Berlin has the financial muscle and the technological and industrial potential to make Europe more of a peer to the US when it comes to defence spending and burden sharing.” Given the US decision to downscale its security presence in Europe, this could be of enormous consequence for Nato, he writes.
This is also an important development coming, as it does, just a few weeks before Nato’s summit in The Hague on June 24-25. As Amelia Hadfield writes, most of Nato’s members will be only too aware of Trump’s disparagement of Nato and many of its members in recent times and will be considering the potential for a future without US leadership.
Hadfield, the head of the department of politics at the University of Surrey, notes the irony of Washington calling on the European Nato members to pay more for their own defence. Over much of the lifetime of the alliance, she writes, the US has actively discouraged European defence autonomy. Now, she says, the focus of Nato’s 31 other members must be to prepare for the likelihood that the US plans to at least significantly reduce its support for the alliance in Europe. “A clear mandate is needed, to ensure that being US-less does not render Nato itself useless,” she writes.
This is already starting to happen, as countries join the “coalition of the willing” spearheaded by Britain and France. But Hadfield believes that boosting European capabilities within Nato is the most sensible way forward and should be the focus of next month’s summit.
Donald Trump’s on again off-again relationship with Vladimir Putin is confusing enough for casual followers of world affairs. It must present a considerable headache for the foreign ministers and other diplomats tasked with calibrating their policies around the US stance on Russian aggression.
But history suggests that the US president’s apparent willingness to allow Russia to grab Ukrainian territory in direct contravention of international law is storing up trouble for the future, writes Tim Luckhurst.
Luckhurst is the principal of South College, Durham University, and has made a study of the way some governments were happy to allow Hitler to get away with naked aggression in the run-up to the second world war. He sees direct parallels with the way Trump and his senior officials have proposed allowing Putin to have his way with the Crimea and the four provinces of Ukraine which Russia already occupies.
“Chamberlain’s version of appeasement failed to prevent Adolf Hitler’s aggression in the 20th century,” he writes. “Trump’s version appears equally incapable of deterring Vladimir Putin’s territorial ambitions in the 21st.”