FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RockED, the premier people development platform for the automotive industry, has joined forces with WrenchWay, the leading platform connecting technicians, shops, and schools. Together, they aim to revolutionize technician training by expanding access to essential onboarding and soft-skills education for over 3,100 automotive schools across the U.S.
This strategic partnership launches with a focus on technician onboarding and plans to evolve into leadership and soft-skills training—emphasizing communication, professionalism, and customer interaction. The collaboration addresses a critical industry gap: technicians often lack the behavioral skills needed for long-term success, not just technical knowledge.
“Our research shows that techs want more than just how-to—they want guidance on how to grow professionally,” said Chris Craig, RockED’s Fixed Ops Content Owner and a trusted voice in the technician community. “This partnership gives them that path from Day One.” Craig’s research and influence shaped RockED’s “Attitude, Behavior, and Knowledge” technician development model.
By leveraging WrenchWay’s extensive network of schools and industry connections, this initiative creates scalable, easy-to-implement training programs that reach technicians early in their careers. The first Technician Onboarding Certification will be offered at no cost to schools.
“Partnering with RockED enables us to not just promote technician careers—but elevate them,” said Mark Wilson, CEO of WrenchWay. “Together, we’re equipping students with the tools they need to thrive in a fast-changing industry.”
RockED’s mobile-first microlearning platform is already delivering results, with previous launches driving increases in technician productivity and sales performance through gamified, bite-sized learning. This new collaboration expands that impact to the next generation of technicians.
According to RockED’s latest industry insights, the technician shortage is not just a hiring problem—it’s a readiness problem. This partnership closes that gap, preparing future techs for successful, rewarding careers.
About RockED RockED is the premier people development platform for the automotive industry supporting the entire employee lifecycle from pre-hire and onboarding to upskilling and career transitions. With microlearning content, gamified delivery, and real-time feedback, RockED is educating the automotive workforce and solving the industry’s greatest business challenges.
RockED: Develop people. Drive performance.
About WrenchWay WrenchWay is an online community dedicated to promoting and improving careers in the automotive and diesel industry. We highlight the best shops to work at, connect shops with schools, and give technicians and industry professionals a voice.
For media inquiries, please contact: Stephanie Woelfel Head of Marketing RockED stephanie.woelfel@rocked.us 239.287.7862
Jerusalem – As international focus shifts to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, Israeli forces have ramped up their activities in the West Bank, Palestine. Increased military operations in Jenin, Nablus, and Tulkarem governorates, along with additional troop deployments, have led to heightened restrictions on Palestinians. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) warns that these actions exacerbate the already dire situation for Palestinians in the West Bank, who face significant barriers to accessing healthcare and essential services, especially since October 2023. MSF urges an immediate halt to measures that contribute to forced displacement and a system of annexation, including prolonged military presence, movement restrictions, demolitions, excessive use of force, and denial of basic services.
“On 13 June the Israeli forces raided my village in Tulkarem,” says Karim,* an MSF staff member in the West Bank. “They took over two residential buildings and turned them into military barracks, displacing the people who were living there. Since then, they have been patrolling the village regularly, conducting investigations, interrogations, arrests, searches, and detentions.”
“Over the past week, West Bank communities have seen their lives further controlled by an occupying power while the world looks away,” says Simona Onidi, project coordinator Jenin and Tulkarem. “This cannot continue.”
On 13 June, the day the escalations started, the Israeli authorities blocked all major Israeli checkpoints and road gates entrances to Hebron for four days. This forced people seeking medical care to cross between areas on foot, pushing critically ill people to walk long distances, taking the risk of being shot at, or being prevented from crossing at all.
“On 14 June, I tried to take my brother from Bethlehem to a medical appointment in Hebron – a trip that should take 25 minutes,” says Oday Al-Shobaki, MSF communications officer in the West Bank. “But due to the new Israeli restrictions, all main entrances and exits were closed. It took us three hours, and in the end, despite being very ill, he had to walk through a closed checkpoint on foot, like many others, which is not safe.”
MSF has suspended mobile clinics in Hebron and Nablus that provide mental health, sexual reproductive care, and basic healthcare due to these checkpoint closures and security concerns from the intensified military operations. In Jenin and Tulkarem, mobile clinics had to adapt working hours, running on some days, not others, because of Israeli forces’ presence in nearby villages. This has forced patients to rely on phone consultations.
Military operations and violent raids by the Israeli army have been going on for years in the West Bank. 2022 saw a then-record number of Palestinian deaths due to violence by Israeli forces or settlers. Since October 2023, Israeli forces have increased the number of coercive measures and use of extreme physical violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including severe movement restrictions, military raids, and systemic barriers to essential services.
In January 2025, the Israeli forces began the ‘Iron Wall’ military operation in northern West Bank, which is still ongoing. Violently emptying well-established camps and preventing anyone from returning, more than 42,000 people have been forcibly displaced and left without stable homes, and with limited access to food, water, and medical care.
“This latest wave of restrictions and violence over the last week, seems to be an opportunity for Israeli forces to entrench control, deepen the fragmentation of Palestinian communities, and further the system that the International Court of Justice has described as amounting to racial segregation and apartheid,” says Onidi. “We urge third states to move beyond words of condemnation and put real pressure on Israeli authorities to end excessive force and lift movement restrictions blocking access to essential services and humanitarian aid, and scaling up support for displaced and isolated communities across the West Bank.”
*name changed to protect our colleague’s identity.
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On 23 June 2025, during the the EU-Canada Summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will hold a press conference together with António Costa, President of the European Council, and Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada.
The summit is an opportunity to enhance the EU-Canada strategic partnership and for leaders to reinforce their cooperation at different levels, from trade to economic security, energy, crisis management, and justice and home affairs, in light of the rapidly changing geopolitical and economic context.
The EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership is expected to be agreed. Leaders will also issue a joint statement.
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Established in 1957 to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) is an autonomous part of the United Nations system with 180 member countries. The IAEA monitors nuclear facilities, reports on nuclear activities, oversees safety, urges diplomacy and promotes the use of nuclear technologies for a better future.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario)
WASHINGTON, D.C.– On June 22nd, using B2 bombers, 30 tomahawk missiles, and six 30,000 pound “Bunker Busting” bombs, the United States attacked three nuclear sites in Iran. The reason for the attack was to prevent Iran, a country hostile to the United States, Israel, and peace in the Middle East, from using the enriched uranium it had produced at those sites to construct an atomic bomb.
Said Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02): “I support President Trump’s decision to use our military to damage and hopefully destroy Iran’s immediate capability to produce nuclear weapons. To quote my fellow Congressman Dan Crenshaw, ‘The regime that’s spent decades chanting “death to America” just got the message: you don’t threaten the United States or our allies without consequences.’
Unless Iran immediately surrenders which is highly unlikely, this is not the end of this crisis. Therefore, every American must be vigilant and report to authorities any activity that even hints at terrorist activity. I thank the incredibly brave men and women that carried out this mission, and I pray for those currently stationed in the middle east protecting us from those who may at any time retaliate.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario)
WASHINGTON, D.C.– On June 22nd, using B2 bombers, 30 tomahawk missiles, and six 30,000 pound “Bunker Busting” bombs, the United States attacked three nuclear sites in Iran. The reason for the attack was to prevent Iran, a country hostile to the United States, Israel, and peace in the Middle East, from using the enriched uranium it had produced at those sites to construct an atomic bomb.
Said Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02): “I support President Trump’s decision to use our military to damage and hopefully destroy Iran’s immediate capability to produce nuclear weapons. To quote my fellow Congressman Dan Crenshaw, ‘The regime that’s spent decades chanting “death to America” just got the message: you don’t threaten the United States or our allies without consequences.’
Unless Iran immediately surrenders which is highly unlikely, this is not the end of this crisis. Therefore, every American must be vigilant and report to authorities any activity that even hints at terrorist activity. I thank the incredibly brave men and women that carried out this mission, and I pray for those currently stationed in the middle east protecting us from those who may at any time retaliate.”
Headline: Reliable quantum computing requires progress across the full stack, from error correction to hardware. With new 4D codes reducing error rates 1,000x, and our co-designed quantum system with Atom Computing, we’re bringing utility-scale quantum closer than ever. Read more about the latest quantum advances we announced today.
Reliable quantum computing requires progress across the full stack, from error correction to hardware. With new 4D codes reducing error rates 1,000x, and our co-designed quantum system with Atom Computing, we’re bringing utility-scale quantum closer than ever. Read more about the latest quantum advances we announced today: https://lnkd.in/gGiG8QT6
Headline: Fred Smith shaped the world of commerce and logistics as we know it today. His vision, leadership and relentless drive to innovate won’t be forgotten. Rest in peace, Fred.
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Headline: New Mu language model powers the agent in Windows Settings
We are excited to introduce our newest on-device small language model, Mu. This model addresses scenarios that require inferring complex input-output relationships and has been designed to operate efficiently, delivering high performance while running locally. Specifically, this is the language model that powers the agent in Settings, available to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Copilot+ PCs, by mapping natural language input queries to Settings function calls.
Mu is fully offloaded onto the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and responds at over 100 tokens per second, meeting the demanding UX requirements of the agent in Settings scenario. This blog will provide further details on Mu’s design and training and how it was fine-tuned to build the agent in Settings.
Model training Mu
Enabling Phi Silica to run on NPUs provided us with valuable insights about tuning models for optimal performance and efficiency. These informed the development of Mu, a micro-sized, task-specific language model designed from the ground up to run efficiently on NPUs and edge devices.
Encoder-Decoder Architecture compared to Decoder-only Architecture
Mu is an efficient 330M encoder–decoder language model optimized for small-scale deployment, particularly on the NPUs on Copilot+ PCs. It follows a transformer encoder–decoder architecture, meaning an encoder first converts the input into a fixed-length latent representation, and a decoder then generates output tokens based on that representation.
This design yields significant efficiency benefits. The figure above illustrates how an encoder-decoder reuses the input’s latent representation whereas a decoder-only must consider the full input + output sequence. By separating the input tokens from output tokens, Mu’s one-time encoding greatly reduces computation and memory overhead. In practice, this translates to lower latency and higher throughput on specialized hardware. For example, on a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (a mobile AI accelerator), Mu’s encoder–decoder approach achieved about 47% lower first-token latency and 4.7× higher decoding speed compared to a decoder-only model of similar size. These gains are crucial for on-device and real-time applications.
Mu’s design was carefully tuned for the constraints and capabilities of NPUs. This involved adjusting model architecture and parameter shapes to better fit the hardware’s parallelism and memory limits. We chose layer dimensions (such as hidden sizes and feed-forward network widths) that align with the NPU’s preferred tensor sizes and vectorization units, ensuring that matrix multiplications and other operations run at peak efficiency. We also optimized the parameter distribution between the encoder and decoder – empirically favoring a 2/3–1/3 split (e.g. 32 encoder layers vs 12 decoder layers in one configuration) to maximize performance per parameter.
Additionally, Mu employs weight sharing in certain components to reduce the total parameter count. For instance, it ties the input token embeddings and output embeddings, so that one set of weights is used for both representing input tokens and generating output logits. This not only saves memory (important on memory-constrained NPUs) but can also improve consistency between encoding and decoding vocabularies.
Finally, Mu restricts its operations to those NPU-optimized operators supported by the deployment runtime. By avoiding any unsupported or inefficient ops, Mu fully utilizes the NPU’s acceleration capabilities. These hardware-aware optimizations collectively make Mu highly suited for fast, on-device inference.
Packing performance in a tenth the size
Mu adds three key transformer upgrades that squeeze more performance from a smaller model:
Dual LayerNorm (pre- and post-LN) – normalizing both before and after each sub-layer keeps activations well-scaled, stabilizing training with minimal overhead.
Rotary Positional Embeddings (RoPE) – complex-valued rotations embed relative positions directly in attention, improving long-context reasoning and allowing seamless extrapolation to sequences longer than those seen in training.
Grouped-Query Attention (GQA) – sharing keys / values across head groups slashes attention parameters and memory while preserving head diversity, cutting latency and power on NPUs.
Training techniques such as warmup-stable-decay schedules and the Muon optimizer were used to further refine its performance. Together, these choices deliver stronger accuracy and faster inference within Mu’s tight edge-device budget.
We trained Mu using A100 GPUs on Azure Machine Learning, taking place over several phases. Following the techniques pioneered first in the development of the Phi models, we began with pre-training on hundreds of billions of the highest-quality educational tokens, to learn language syntax, grammar, semantics and some world knowledge.
To continue to enhance accuracy, the next step was distillation from Microsoft’s Phi models. By capturing some of the Phi’s knowledge, Mu models achieve remarkable parameter efficiency. All of this yields a base model that is well-suited to a variety of tasks – but pairing with task-specific data along with additional fine-tuning through low-rank adaption (LoRA) methods, can dramatically improve the performance of the model.
We evaluated Mu’s accuracy by fine-tuning on several tasks, including SQUAD, CodeXGlue and Windows Settings agent (which we will talk more about later in this blog). For many tasks, the task-specific Mu achieves remarkable performance despite its micro-size of a few hundred million parameters.
When comparing Mu to a similarly fine-tuned Phi-3.5-mini, we found that Mu is nearly comparable in performance despite being one-tenth of the size, capable of handling tens of thousands of input context lengths and over a hundred output tokens per second.
Task Model
Fine-tuned Mu
Fine-tuned Phi
SQUAD
0.692
0.846
CodeXGlue
0.934
0.930
Settings Agent
0.738
0.815
Model quantization and model optimization
To enable the Mu model to run efficiently on-device, we applied advanced model quantization techniques tailored to NPUs on Copilot+ PCs.
We used Post-Training Quantization (PTQ) to convert the model weights and activations from floating point to integer representations – primarily 8-bit and 16-bit. PTQ allowed us to take a fully trained model and quantize it without requiring retraining, significantly accelerating our deployment timeline and optimizing for efficiently running on Copilot+ devices. Ultimately, this approach preserved model accuracy while drastically reducing memory footprint and compute requirements without impacting the user experience.
Quantization was just one part of the optimization pipeline. We also collaborated closely with our silicon partners at AMD, Intel and Qualcomm to ensure that the quantized operations when running Mu were fully optimized for the target NPUs. This included tuning mathematical operators, aligning with hardware-specific execution patterns and validating performance across different silicon. The optimization steps result in highly efficient inferences on edge devices, producing outputs at more than 200 tokens/second on a Surface Laptop 7.
Mu running a question-answering task on an edge device, using context sourced from Wikipedia: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft)
Notice the fast token throughputs and ultra-fast time to first token responses despite the large amount of input context provided to the model.
By pairing state-of-the-art quantization techniques with hardware-specific optimizations, we ensured that Mu is highly effective for real-world deployments on resource-constrained applications. In the next section, we go into detail on how Mu was fine-tuned and applied to build the new Windows agent in Settings on Copilot+ PCs.
Model tuning the agent in Settings
To improve Windows’ ease of use, we focused on addressing the challenge of changing hundreds of system settings. Our goal was to create an AI-powered agent within Settings that understands natural language and changes relevant undoable settings seamlessly. We aimed to integrate this agent into the existing search box for a smooth user experience, requiring ultra-low latency for numerous possible settings. After testing various models, Phi LoRA initially met precision goals but was too large to meet latency targets. Mu, with the right characteristics, required task-specific tuning for optimal performance in Windows Settings.
While baseline Mu in this scenario excelled in terms of performance and power footprint, it incurred a 2x precision drop using the same data without any fine-tuning. To close the gap, we scaled training to 3.6M samples (1300x) and expanded from roughly 50 settings to hundreds of settings. By employing synthetic approaches for automated labelling, prompt tuning with metadata, diverse phrasing, noise injection and smart sampling, the Mu fine-tune used for Settings Agent successfully met our quality objectives. The Mu model fine-tune achieved response times of under 500 milliseconds, aligning with our goals for a responsive and reliable agent in Settings that scaled to hundreds of settings. The below image shows how the experience is integrated with an example showing the mapping from a natural use language query to a Settings action being surfaced by the UI.
Screenshot demonstrating the agent in Settings
To further address the challenge of short and ambiguous user queries, we curated a diverse evaluation set combining real user inputs, synthetic queries and common settings, ensuring the model could handle a wide range of scenarios effectively. We observed that the model performed best on multi-word queries that conveyed clear intent, as opposed to short or partial-word inputs, which often lack sufficient context for accurate interpretation. To address this gap, the agent in Settings is integrated into the Settings search box, enabling short queries that don’t meet the multi-word threshold to continue to surface lexical and semantic search results in the search box, while allowing multi-word queries to surface the agent to return high precision actionable responses.
Managing the extensive array of Windows settings posed its own challenges, particularly with overlapping functionalities. For instance, even a simple query like “Increase brightness” could refer to multiple settings changes – if a user has dual monitors, does that mean increasing brightness to the primary monitor or a secondary monitor?
To address this, we refined our training data to prioritize the most used settings as we continue to refine the experience for more complex tasks.
What’s ahead
We welcome feedback from users in the Windows Insiders program as we continue to refine the experience for the agent in Settings.
As we’ve shared in our previous blogs, these breakthroughs wouldn’t be possible without the support of efforts from the Applied Science Group and our partner teams in WAIIA and WinData that contributed to this work, including: Adrian Bazaga, Archana Ramesh, Carol Ke, Chad Voegele, Cong Li, Daniel Rings, David Kolb, Eric Carter, Eric Sommerlade, Ivan Razumenic, Jana Shen, John Jansen, Joshua Elsdon, Karthik Sudandraprakash, Karthik Vijayan, Kevin Zhang, Leon Xu, Madhvi Mishra, Mathew Salvaris, Milos Petkovic, Patrick Derks, Prateek Punj, Rui Liu, Sunando Sengupta, Tamara Turnadzic, Teo Sarkic, Tingyuan Cui, Xiaoyan Hu, Yuchao Dai.
Headline: AI at Work: Harvard’s Karim Lakhani on how AI is shifting from tool to ‘teammate’
Harvard Business School Professor Karim Lakhani doesn’t just have theories about AI transforming work—he studies how it’s actually happening.
In a groundbreaking paper called “The Cybernetic Teammate,” he and his co-authors showed how individuals working with AI can be as effective as entire teams working without it. He is also rapidly evolving Harvard’s MBA program for the age of AI, which includes the launch of a new required course called Data Science and AI for Leaders.
When I hosted Karim for a conversation at the Microsoft 365 Community Conference last month in Las Vegas, he raised a provocative question: will AI drive the marginal cost of expertise down toward zero? As AI democratizes access to specialized knowledge across domains, it follows that expertise will shift from being rare and costly to abundant and accessible. “This will dramatically impact the nature of our organizations and strategy,” he told me, “because what are companies but bundles of expertise? And all of us invest to become deep experts in a domain.”
Here’s our conversation about organizations and leadership in the AI era (edited and condensed for clarity).
It’s a pleasure to talk with one of my friends about where AI is going and what it means for leaders. Karim, I want to start with that “Cybernetic Teammate” study, done with Procter & Gamble. Could you give us the backstory?
KARIM LAKHANI: The institute I run at Harvard, the Digital Data Design Institute, is looking at generative AI like a new “drug” in the economy. We don’t know its efficacy, the right doses, the side effects, or the right diet to follow while using it. We don’t know how actual work will transform with the introduction of this technology, so we run the equivalent of “clinical trials”—randomized controlled trials.
Victor Aguilar, head of research and development for Procter & Gamble, wanted to understand how generative AI could radically transform the innovation process at P&G. In innovation, there’s often this interaction between R&D and commercial people: R&D comes up with the technical ideas, but the commercial team asks, “is there a market for this or not?” The best practice is to have them collaborate in a team.
We designed this study of 758 professionals as what we call a two-by-two design: We had commercial and marketing folks work on challenges given by their business leaders—one group working without AI and one with AI. We also tested individuals under the same conditions. Then we randomized who was in which treatment and had them solve their problems with those tools.
Let’s talk about the results. This is the study that showed an individual equipped with AI could perform at least as well as—and sometimes outperform—entire teams of people without AI. It’s a landmark finding. Can you tell us about that?
LAKHANI: What does a teammate provide? They provide you with functional expertise, help you with coordination, and give you a sense of camaraderie. We measured these three elements remotely using Microsoft Teams as the platform.
The first finding was that when you look at pure performance, the quality of the ideas being created, individuals with AI were as good as a team without AI—and often as good as a team with AI. That was remarkable from our perspective.
The other interesting thing we saw was that individuals without AI tended to veer toward their functional expertise: marketing people gave marketing-based solutions, R&D people offered R&D-based solutions. But individuals with AI produced balanced solutions—comparable to the balanced solutions we saw from teams. That was a big moment for us.
Were there any other surprises in how people used AI, reframed their work, or wanted to use it going forward?
LAKHANI: We had done various studies before showing the productivity effects of AI, in terms of both quality and time. The time compression was actually quite remarkable. Teams normally experience a time penalty [because coordination takes time]. But with AI, that time penalty disappeared.
That was a big surprise. Another surprise was how people felt while using AI. They reported more positive emotions and fewer negative ones as they were doing the work.
The big aha for us was that AI shifted from being a tool to a teammate. This is unprecedented. We now have intelligence and expertise on tap.
I imagine what’s on people’s minds is, “I get it. I understand where the technology is…but what does this mean for me? What do I do as a leader?” What advice might you have for the group?
LAKHANI: Do you remember debates about whether we should have Wi-Fi in our offices? I’m sure some of you participated in them. The question maybe went up to your boards. Or remember the question, “Should employees have browsers? Access to global information?”
Those things didn’t fundamentally change the nature of work. But intelligence on demand, expertise on demand—these technologies are about work itself. You need to drive as much organizational transformation as technical transformation. We often say it’s 30% tech, 70% organization. Staple yourselves to your HR teams. Or have Copilot teach you the things about HR that you should know. It creates great tutorials, as you know. That’s the first thing.
Second: People are worried—really worried—about these technologies. That’s part of the conversation you need to have. How do we have an abundance mindset around this? What are the capability unlocks? Again, these are things that technology leaders have not typically been asked about. But you need to own it and engage in a conversation with your leaders and teammates about it.
Third: This type of change has to come from the top. I came up in the era of Wired magazine and Fast Company in the 1990s, when the internet came to workplaces. Fast Company was all about change agents. But change agents get massacred in most corporations. Why? Because if there’s no top-down buy-in, the change agents die on the vine. The key for us here is to make sure our top leaders understand this and see AI as a work and business technology, not as an information technology. Leaders in companies need to “do AI” (use Copilot as a thought partner all the time, build their own agents) as much as they “talk AI.”
Is there any last concept or idea that you feel has been left unsaid?
LAKHANI: Well, if I was good at predicting the future, I would be in the stock market, not academia. I tend to be very much an empiricist: I’ll come in with a discovery mindset, we’ll run the experiment, and then we’ll get the facts. But I’d love to offer a framing around this intelligence view.
I decided to become an academic in the 1990s when I discovered open-source software. We’re at the same juncture now. This stuff works in practice, but our management theories or economic theories don’t know how to handle this kind of technology.
Think back to the ‘90s again, when the browser became available. What did the browser and the internet really do? Essentially, they lowered the marginal cost of information transmission. If you go on a Teams call today with a global or national team, you don’t think twice about all the videos that are coming in. Thirty years ago, every one of us would have needed a camera operator, a sound operator, a satellite truck uplink, and a downlink. This would be prohibitively expensive. But today, the marginal cost of information transmission has gone down to zero, and we can seamlessly connect with anyone or any device globally.
In this moment, we’re predicting the same thing for expertise: the marginal cost of expertise is going to zero.
The clinical trials with our collaborative partners (Boston Consulting Group and P&G) are pointing in this direction, and this will dramatically impact the nature of our organizations and strategies. Because what are companies but bundles of expertise? We have finance, marketing, sales, R&D, and brand. You have all this expertise. As that cost of expertise drops, what a company does—what all of our roles are—is all up for invention and reinvention.
The direction of this change is up to all of us. We can’t just be the receivers of it; we have to understand what’s happening and then set the direction for ourselves and our companies.
Listen to Karim Lakhani’s recent appearance on the WorkLab podcast. For more insights about AI and the future of work, subscribe to this newsletter
The Marianne Association for Human Rights Defenders was created to federate the actors involved in our country (State, organisations and associations for the promotion of human rights and reception, local authorities, qualified personalities, etc.) and to carry the initiative’s support pillar in France, for the benefit of about fifteen laureates per year (reception, personalised support, networking, etc.).
“France is and will remain a land of welcome for human rights defenders
Après la réception d’une première promotion exclusivement féminine en 2022, trois nouvelles promotions mixtes se sont suite ensuite succédées, en 2023, 2024 et plus récemment 2025.
Some fifteen men and women from every continent have been welcomed to France for six months as part of the Initiative. The winners benefit from a training program designed to strengthen their skills and commitment in their home country or in France, whether in favor of civil and political rights, women’s rights, minority rights or environmental rights.
A look back at past years
“The protection of human rights is more than ever a topical battle, in a context where repression is multiplying in every corner of the world”.
Emmanuel Macron – President of the Republic, at the launch of the second promotion
“Fundamental human rights are under increasing threat around the world. On this international day, I wanted to launch the Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders. To take these rights everywhere. To protect and support its defenders.”
Emmanuel Macron – President of the Republic, on Human Rights Day 2021
Today marks a historic milestone as we, the leaders of the European Union and Canada, met to renew our enduring commitment and take a pivotal step to further reinforce the strategic partnership between the European Union and Canada. Our strong partnership is deeply rooted in trust and common values and shaped by a shared history of human connection and robust economic ties. Most importantly, our partnership is grounded in the core values we share: democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and open, rules-based markets. In a rapidly changing world marked by geopolitical uncertainty, shifting economic dynamics, and the accelerating impacts of climate change, this partnership is more important than ever.
We stand united in our objective to forge a new ambitious and comprehensive partnership that responds to the needs of today and will evolve to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future. This marks the beginning of a long-term effort that will help us promote shared prosperity, democratic values, peace and security. To do this, we have decided to further build on existing ties and launch a process that will move Canada and the EU closer together and that lays out immediate and long-term actions outlined in an ambitious agenda at the end of this document. We also agreed today on an EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership.
Our citizens are looking for responses to the unprecedented challenges we face. This is why it is more important than ever to work together to promote our shared values and the rules-based international order. We will also pursue our common interests, while continuing to promote and deepen our vibrant trade and investment relationship, and our strong people-to-people contacts. We will stand together even more firmly in support of peace, stability, and prosperity in the world, including in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
We confirm our unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order with the United Nations and its charter at its core. The EU and Canada will continue to cooperate closely in promoting international peace and security. Our commitment to sustainable development remains a key pillar of our relationship. We will continue to be key partners in promoting democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, gender equality and the rule of law globally. We will take further action to ensure respect for the rights of women and girls, and to end to all forms of discrimination, including against LGBTI persons. We will continue supporting the implementation of the UN Pact for the Future and the ambitious reforms sought under the UN80 Initiative. We reaffirm our steadfast support for the independent functioning of the international criminal justice system, particularly the International Criminal Court. We condemn threats to the independent functioning of the ICC, including measures against individual officials.
We are determined to continue working together in responding to the growing challenges to the international economic and trade order. We reiterate our mutual commitment to sustainable, fair and open trade, grounded in the rule of law and in respect for internationally agreed trade rules, as embodied by the World Trade Organization. This is essential to maintain global economic stability and to safeguard our supply chain resilience.
We reaffirm our resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter and international law. Our commitment to ensuring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders is unshakeable. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to providing continued political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed, in full respect of the security and defence policy of certain EU Member States and taking into account the security and defence interests of all EU Member States. We support the conclusion of a just and lasting peace agreement, in full compliance with the principles of the UN Charter and international law, and join the call for a full, unconditional ceasefire of at least 30 days, which Ukraine has unilaterally committed to. We will continue to support the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children co-chaired by Ukraine and Canada, and we reiterate our urgent call on Russia and Belarus to immediately ensure the safe return of all unlawfully deported and transferred Ukrainian children. We will continue our close coordination of efforts to provide military equipment and training to the Ukrainian Armed Forces —including through the work of the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM Ukraine) and Operation UNIFIER.
We will increase pressure on Russia, including through further sanctions and taking measures to prevent their circumvention, and by ensuring that Russian sovereign assets remain immobilized until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused by this war. We are committed to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and other serious crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression, including by the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. We also remain committed to supporting Ukraine’s repair, recovery and reconstruction including through the Ukraine Donor Platform and in-country coordination mechanisms. We welcome Canada’s continued support, through the extension of an expert deployment to the Ukraine Donor Platform. The Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome in July 2025 will be particularly relevant in that context.[1]
We also reaffirm our continued support for the Republic of Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, enhancing the country’s resilience in dealing with the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the hybrid activities by Russia to undermine Moldova, in particular in the run-up to the Parliamentary elections.
In relation to the situation and latest developments in the Middle East, we reaffirm our commitment to an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and the resumption of unimpeded humanitarian aid at scale into Gaza in line with humanitarian principles, in order to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation on the ground. We reiterate our strong condemnation of the escalation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, following increased settler violence, the expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law, and Israel’s military operation. We emphasize the importance of pursuing a lasting and sustainable peace based on the implementation of the two-state solution. We see no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.
We express our deepest concern at the dangerous escalation following Israeli strikes on Iran, and Iran’s response. We reiterate our strong commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East, including the security of Israel, and call on all sides to show restraint and abide by international law. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. A diplomatic solution remains the best way to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. The EU and Canada stand ready to contribute to a negotiated deal, which imposes verifiable constraints on Iran’s nuclear program, with the International Atomic Energy Agency in charge of monitoring and verification. We also remain committed to addressing Iran’s destabilizing behaviour, including its nuclear proliferation risks, military support for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, backing of regional armed groups, transnational repression, and systematic human rights violations.
Security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is increasingly interconnected. We reaffirm our shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, including in the East and South China Seas and across the Taiwan Strait. We will continue working with regional partners, including ASEAN, to uphold a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region based on international law. We continue to be deeply concerned by DPRK’s ongoing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and condemn Russia-DPRK military cooperation, which violates UN Security Council resolutions and undermines international security.
We will continue deepening our cooperation and dialogue, together with partners from around the world, to address key regional issues, in particular in relation to the broader Middle East – notably Lebanon and Syria. We will also continue engaging with each other on issues related to Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean, including Haiti. We will stay engaged in fragile and conflict-affected countries, facing instability or in complex settings, to support populations, in particular the most vulnerable.
The Arctic will remain an area of close collaboration to foster peace and security, stability, and sustainable economic development, in particular of the blue economy, in full respect of the interests, priorities and rights of Indigenous Peoples in line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The EU and Canada will continue to be reliable and responsible partners. We reiterate our steadfast commitment to advancing global sustainable development, working with partners across the globe. We are determined to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, together with international partners and in multilateral fora. We look forward to the upcoming 4th International Conference on financing for Development (FfD4), which will take place in Seville from 30 June to 3 July 2025. We will continue to deepen our cooperation and dialogue on humanitarian aid, including on respect for International Humanitarian Law and response to humanitarian crises.
We recognize the existential threat of the interdependent crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution. The EU-Canada Green Alliance is our steadfast, joint commitment to ambitious environment and climate action on the global stage. Carbon pricing, carbon removal and industrial decarbonization are key to reaching net-zero and decarbonization goals, while a high integrity carbon market can contribute to enhancing the global ambition. The EU is a dedicated participant in Canada’s Global Carbon Pricing Challenge (GCPC). At COP30, the EU and Canada aim to further promote carbon pricing as a tool to combat climate change, foster innovation and to modernize our industries. COP30 will also be an opportunity to highlight the importance of decarbonizing the transport sector and to promote sustainable transportation solutions. We reiterate our commitment to the swift and full implementation of the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including through the Nature Champions Network.
We agree that the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) and the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) are at the core of the EU-Canada relationship. Through these agreements we are developing and deepening our partnership continuously in response to an evolving global context. We will continue to ensure their effective implementation and remain committed to achieving their full ratification. The SPA and CETA have allowed us to boost our cooperation over the past eight years.
We are committed to further enhancing our EU-Canada trade and investment relationship, to advance and diversify our trade, promote our economic security and resilience, create investment opportunities and ensure our long-term security and prosperity. Our relationship is underpinned by CETA and its benefits are clear: bilateral trade has increased by over 65% compared to pre-CETA levels. We welcome the efforts being made to remove barriers to interprovincial trade in Canada and reduce barriers within the EU Single Market as they will further ease trading and doing business for our companies.
Ensuring reliable and sustainable supply chains is a mutual priority and we have a shared interest in diversifying our supply chains and strategic investment. We will foster a closer cooperation on targeted industrial matters driving global competitiveness and strategic autonomy, such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, space, cyberspace, aeronautics, biotechnologies, new energies, minerals and critical metals, advanced manufacturing and cleantech. We intend to maintain a secure transatlantic supply chain on key technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), supercomputers and semiconductors. We welcome the recent announcement of a Canadian strategic nickel project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and will work to identify opportunities for co-investment in projects of mutual interest. We welcome the G7 Global Critical Minerals Action Plan agreed under Canada’s Presidency.
We also remain committed to pursuing mutually beneficial collaboration on digital and tech policy issues and bolstering the bilateral digital trade relationship. Through the Canada-EU Digital Partnership, we are already working hand in hand on concrete projects in crucial areas for a robust digital economy, such as research in cutting-edge technologies, and we look forward to Canada hosting the first EU-Canada Digital Partnership Council later this year. We intend to enhance cooperation on AI innovation, including collaboration on AI Factories, to link our high-performance computing infrastructure and to deepen research cooperation in strategic technology areas such as AI and quantum. We also intend to align our frameworks and standards in the regulatory field, to make online platforms safer and more inclusive, to develop trustworthy AI systems and to establish interoperable digital identities and digital credentials to facilitate interactions between our citizens and our businesses.
We have agreed today an EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership, which provides a coherent, high-level political framework for our joint efforts in this field and will strengthen and widen the scope of cooperation and dialogue between the EU and Canada. We remain committed to continuing our strong cooperation, notably through Canada’s contributions to EU missions and operations, and welcome possible further collaboration on crisis management in the future. Canada will strengthen its defence relationship with the EU by posting a defence representative to the EU. We underscore the value of Canada’s participation in the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects and look forward to pursuing additional initiatives within this framework. In line with our shared security interests, we attach particular importance to collaboration on defence. For Canada and those EU Member States who are NATO Allies, NATO remains the cornerstone of their collective defence. Our aim will be to help deliver on our capability targets, including through our defence industries, more quickly and economically and with enhanced interoperability in ways that deliver mutual benefit and reinforce the European contribution to NATO. All of the above is without prejudice to the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain EU Member States, and taking into account the security and defence interests of all Member States, in accordance with the EU Treaties. We appreciate Canada’s continued commitment to European security, which includes the largest deployment of Canadian Armed Forces overseas.
Recognizing the importance of the Women, Peace and Security as well as the Youth, Peace and Security agendas, we will continue supporting the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and youth in conflict prevention, mediation, resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconstruction. We recognize that an enabling environment, is fundamental to ensuring the safe participation of women, and remain committed to fostering such environments. We will ensure that Women, Peace and Security is integrated in all aspects of cooperation on security and defence. Gender equality is a shared political and security priority, and we will collaborate to counter setbacks against gender equality and the rights of women and girls.
To ensure comprehensive and sustainable progress, Canada and EU senior officials will meet at regular intervals to review progress and identify opportunities to deepen cooperation, in line with existing CETA and SPA consultation mechanisms, and in view of the next EU-Canada Summit.
Annex – The New EU-Canada Strategic Partnership of the Future
Together, we will:
Increase trade flows and promote economic security
Support businesses to grow and diversify markets by fully and effectively implementing CETA.
Modernize our approach to trade by launching work towards a Digital Trade Agreement that would complement CETA.
Create tools for businesses to better support trade diversification, such as facilitating B2B matchmaking, cluster-to-cluster cooperation, and supporting the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Advance our collaboration in the EU-Canada Economic Security Dialogue. Political and technical exchanges will allow us to identify trends and risks of mutual concern that could affect our economic security, and cooperation on possible policy responses.
Reduce barriers and strengthen agriculture and agrifood trade.
Prepare ourselves for the energy needs of the future, by cooperating more closely and exploring options to work together on more resilient, diversified, reliable energy supply chains, including clean tech value chains, LNG, renewables, safe and sustainable low-carbon hydrogen and other safe and sustainable low-carbon technologies, in view of increasing bilateral trade and strengthening energy security.
Continue the existing cooperation on nuclear technologies, including fuels and fuel cycle services, through the negotiation of a modernized and comprehensive Canada-Euratom Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.
Strengthen labour mobility by facilitating the movement of highly skilled workers, and explore shared interests in exchanging information about immigration partnerships.
Foster competitiveness and resilience through strengthened cooperation in strategic value chains
Launch a new EU-Canada Industrial Policy Dialogue to boost industrial and supply chain cooperation in strategic sectors.
Promote projects and investments that reduce supply chain risks and foster resilience and the competitiveness of our industries and critical goods (e.g. semiconductors), including by promoting projects that abide by environmental, social and governance standards.
Work together closely to ensure security and diversity in the supply of minerals and metals critical to our mutual security and the green and digital transitions, including by exploring new opportunities to facilitate the two-way flow of investment, materials and expertise through the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials.
Complete the negotiations for a renewed Canada-EU Competition Cooperation Agreement, providing a legal framework to coordinate enforcement activities and share information obtained through investigative powers in full respect of data privacy guarantees in both jurisdictions, as soon as possible.
Deepen regulatory alignment
Identify opportunities for increased regulatory alignment between Canada and the EU, including through advancing work under CETA’s Protocol on the Mutual Acceptance of the Results of Conformity Assessment.
Bolster formal consultative mechanisms on EU and Canadian legislation and regulations, including CETA’s Regulatory Cooperation Forum.
Increase transatlantic security through a new era of EU-Canada security and defence cooperation, including the full implementation of the EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership
Bolster our bilateral dialogue and operational cooperation in all areas of joint interest in support of peace, security and defence – such as maritime security, cyber issues and hybrid threats.
Advance cooperation on the climate-security nexus and expand joint efforts in maritime security by identifying opportunities for coordinated naval activities.
Expand cooperation on defence capabilities, in particular by creating opportunities for increased defence industrial cooperation.
Secure and protect our democratic institutions by preventing and countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) through increased cooperation through relevant EU, Canadian and multilateral initiatives, such as the Canada-hosted G7 Rapid Response Mechanism.
Consider Canada’s further participation in EU Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects, with an aim towards joint development of capabilities and greater interoperability.
Increase defence procurement cooperation through Canadian collaboration with ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030:
launch work towards a bilateral agreement related to the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument
explore the possibility of establishing an administrative arrangement between Canada and the European Defence Agency
Shape the digital transition and promote exchanges in education and on innovation for technologies of the future
Deepen cooperation in the framework of the EU-Canada Digital Partnership, and hold the first EU-Canada Digital Partnership Council later this year to drive this process forward.
Advance cooperation on AI, cybersecurity, secure digital communication and advanced connectivity, secure and trusted communications infrastructure (including 5G and subsea cables), the transparency and resilience of global tech supply chains, digital identity, quantum science, data spaces, online platforms and fighting FIMI.
Advance regulatory cooperation under the Digital Partnership, notably in AI and cybersecurity, so as to work towards the mutual recognition of AI and cybersecurity product certification including under the CETA Protocol on Conformity Assessment.
Deepen collaboration by leveraging Canada’s association to Horizon Europe, including on high priority topics, and exploring its potential participation in EU’s 10th Framework Programme.
Expand cooperation for access to world-class high-performance computing infrastructure through Horizon Europe.
Support research and industrial collaboration in research security, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum sciences, cyber security, climate change, oceans, circular economy, polar research and researcher mobility and training, including through the Canada-EU Digital Partnership and under the EU-Canada Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement.
Promote and defend the freedom of academic and scientific research and the protection of scientists.
Increase people to people ties, improve mobility and recognition, including in higher education and research through Erasmus+, the European Research Council and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.
Fight climate change and environmental degradation and facilitate the transition to climate neutrality
Support for carbon pricing and industrial decarbonization as priority cooperation areas to combat climate change.
Bolster competitiveness through cooperation on carbon pricing systems and carbon border measures.
Work with international partners to promote the full, swift and effective implementation of the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Collaborate to achieve an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution covering the full lifecycle of plastics at INC 5.2.
Collaborate on the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnerships.
Jointly call for ambitious action to implement the Paris Agreement, in line with efforts to keep the 1.5°C warming goal within reach.
Continue working with other international partners to promote relevant international instruments to combatting climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Welcome Canada joining the Global Energy Transition Forum launched by the European Commission to deliver on the goals of tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity and doubling the global annual rate of energy efficiency improvement by 2030 in parallel to a transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
Work together as co-conveners of the Global Methane Pledge to deliver on the goal of reducing global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.
Advance cooperation on the climate–security nexus by exploring a Climate-Security Dialogue.
Crisis management
Advance public and private investments, notably in sustainable, inclusive, resilient and quality infrastructure, including through our shared G7 commitment under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment and the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. At the same time, we recognize that investments in human development are a key enabling factor for just and sustainable digital and green transitions.
Strengthen cooperation on international crisis response and enhance cooperation on emergency management with the signing of an Administrative Arrangement between the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada and the European External Action Service on international cooperation in emergency planning and crisis response.
Respond more effectively to humanitarian crises and explore the possibility of a humanitarian administrative arrangement to align priorities and facilitate coordination.
Build health security and resilience through enhanced partnerships, including an administrative arrangement on medical countermeasures.
Building on the sale of 22 Canadian-built DHC-515 water bombers to the EU and Member States, explore further opportunities to share mutually beneficial technology and expertise in combating disasters.
Justice and Home Affairs
Explore cooperation between Eurojust, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Canadian authorities in the field of criminal justice.
Advance the implementation, ratification and entry into force of the-EU-Canada Passenger Name Record Agreement.
[1]We note the reservations of one Member State regarding the strategic direction of certain EU policies towards Ukraine.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA)
Neal Statement on Trump’s Unilateral Military Action in Iran
Springfield, MA, June 21, 2025
Congressman Richard E. Neal released the following statement:
“Tonight, President Trump offered the American people no strategy and no justification for his attack on Iran — only the prospect of another war that the American people do not want. That’s why Congress, as the voice of the people, is entrusted with the constitutional authority to decide matters of war.
“I pray for the safety of our troops and the American lives that have been put in harm’s way in the region.
“Congress must return to Washington to assert its authority and prevent any further unchecked escalation. The only path to peace in the region is one where we exhaust every avenue of diplomacy.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA)
Today, Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement on the 2025 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports:
“Social Security and Medicare are essential commitments to the American people, earned with every paycheck and promised to all who work hard and play by the rules. Right now, they are under attack as Republicans plot the greatest loss of health care in American history with their signature legislation and weaken the Social Security Administration every chance they get. By working overtime to tear Social Security and Medicare from the fabric of our nation, Republicans are attempting to balance the budget on the backs of those who can least afford it—all while giving more tax cuts to those who don’t need them.
“At President Trump’s direction, Elon Musk and his DOGE operation have taken a wrecking ball to the Social Security Administration—gutting staff, closing offices, slashing phone service, and compromising Americans’ most sensitive personal data. All while refusing to adequately fund basic customer service. Seniors are being forced into long lines, and some are so fearful of benefit cuts or mishaps that they’re claiming early just to get in the door while it still opens. This is not a glitch or a misstep. It’s a feature of the Republican playbook, and it’s a backdoor benefit cut.
“Republicans have made their goals clear: undermine trust in Social Security, sabotage its administration, and hand it over to their Wall Street allies for profit. But Democrats won’t let that happen. We will never stop fighting to defend and strengthen Social Security and Medicare for every worker, every retiree, and every generation to come.”
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., 39, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 75 months in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy which distributed hundreds of thousands of lethal fentanyl-laced pills from Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including Washington D.C. Allen was one of 24 co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Allen, aka “21,” pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 75-month prison term, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Allen to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Allen entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, co-defendant Hector David Valdez, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Allen was introduced to Valdez by D.C.-based fentanyl traffickers who were co-conspirators of Allen.
Allen’s role was to travel to Southern California in order to facilitate the sale of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills from the wholesaler to D.C.-based fentanyl redistributors. Allen most frequently brokered the purchase of the pills in person, taking approximately 65 flights from the DMV to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Allen used his commissions from the sales he brokered to fund a lavish lifestyle and routinely boasted of his spending habits and wealth on social media.
The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case, law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Division.
DEFENDANT
AGE
LOCATION
CHARGES/SENTENCE
Hector David Valdez,
aka “Curl”
27
Santa Fe Springs, California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Craig Eastman
21
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
Charles Jeffrey Taylor
21
Washington, D.C.
Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Raymond Nava, Jr.
21
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Ulises Aldaz
28
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Max Alexander Carias Torres
27
Bell Gardens,
California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”
35
Washington, D.C.
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Marvin Anthony Bussie,
aka “Money Marr”
22
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Marcus Orlando Brown
29
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Columbian Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda”
27
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden
35
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Andre Malik Edmond,
aka “Draco”
23
Temple Hills, Maryland
Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Treyveon James Johnson,
aka “Treyski”
21
Alexandria, Virginia
Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Karon Olufemi Blalock,
aka “Fat Bags”
30
Alexandria, Virginia
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Ronte Ricardo Greene,
aka “Cardiddy”
29
Washington, D.C.
Pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”
39
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced June 20, 2025, to 75 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Darius Quincy Hodges,
aka “Brick”
34
Glen Allen, Virginia
Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Lamin Sesay,
aka “Rock Star”
28
Alexandria, Virginia
Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Paul Alejandro Felix
26
Glendale,
California
Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Omar Arana,
aka “Frogs”
27
Cudahy,
California
Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”
27
San Diego,
California
Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Raul Pacheco Ramirez
31
Long Beach,
California
Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Giovani Alejandro Briones
31
Victorville, California
Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez
26
Rosarito, Mexico
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shannon Lee Samlalsingh (46, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to making false statements to a firearms dealer on June 20, 2025. Samlalsingh faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2020 and 2021, Samlalsingh purchased several firearms and firearms components from federally licensed firearms dealers in Hillsborough County and Miami-Dade County where she falsely stated on ATF 4473 forms that she was the actual transferee or buyer of said firearms. In reality, Samlalsingh had received money via international wire transfers from members of a Trinidadian transnational criminal organization with instructions to purchase specific model firearms and firearms components, then transfer them to other members of the transnational criminal organization already in Florida, to smuggle them back to Trinidad. Samlalsingh kept a percentage of the wire transfer funds as compensation. The firearms were smuggled back to Trinidad and Tobago by concealing them in a large wireless speaker and punching bags.
On or about April 21, 2021, authorities at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago seized a shipment from the United States containing two punching bags and other goods. Concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes. Specifically, Samlalsingh purchased a SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Ruger-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol which were all traced to the April 21, 2021, seizure in Trinidad and Tobago.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security (Transnational Organized Crime Unit) and Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Special Investigations Unit), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Richard Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 17, 2025, a federal indictment was returned alleging that Brandon M. Boogren (age: 29) of Shawano, Wisconsin, used a minor child to produce child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).
According to court documents, in May 2019 Boogren created several videos of himself and a then two-year-old child involved in sexually explicit conduct. Boogren then is alleged to have distributed the images to an individual in Houston, Texas, via the internet.
If convicted of the charge alleged in the indictment, Boogren faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Stanley Pophal, 63, Wausau, Wisconsin, with wire fraud and money laundering. Pophal was arrested Saturday and made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday. He was detained pending further proceedings.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in 2019, Pophal solicited investors to purchase promissory notes from him with supposedly guaranteed rates of return. In order to lure investors into the scheme, Pophal falsely represented that he was a wealthy businessman. Between May of 2019 and March of 2025, Pophal received more than $15,000,000 from at least 120 investors.
The criminal complaint also alleges that Pophal did not actually invest the majority of the money he obtained from his investors. Instead, Pophal used the money to live an extravagant lifestyle, including the purchase of over 300 snowmobiles. To keep the fraud scheme going, Pophal also used new investor money to make “lulling payments” to previous investors to make it appear as though those investors were earning investment returns.
The charges against Pophal are a result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in a criminal complaint or indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Austin, TX , June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pocket Knife Software, Inc. has announced the public launch of ANNIE, its proprietary AI-powered stock trading platform, after nearly a decade of private development and real-world testing. The system, originally built for personal use, is now available to independent investors via subscription at AI-StockTrading.com.
Rick Cockerham, Founder of Pocket Knife Software
Unlike traditional predictive models, ANNIE employs a hybrid of neural networks and genetic algorithms to evolve trading strategies based solely on real-world performance, leveraging real-world trading data since April 2024. The AI reviews over 1,200 U.S. equities daily and generates trade recommendations designed for consistency rather than speculation. Recent iterations of ANNIE have demonstrated performance levels approximately twice as strong as earlier versions, according to Pocket Knife Software’s internal data.
“ANNIE isn’t trying to guess where the market is going tomorrow,” said Rick Cockerham, creator of ANNIE and founder of Pocket Knife Software. “It’s designed to make sound trading decisions based on what works, using evolved strategies that continuously adapt to changing market conditions”.
And when ANNIE gives out recommendations, they’re exactly that. Because ANNIE delivers trade ideas – not automated trades – users stay in control of their money, their account, and their decisions.
Originally conceived while Cockerham was studying AI at Iowa State University in the 1990s, ANNIE has undergone years of iteration. These iterations led him to make ANNIE available to other independent investors seeking an alternative to traditional financial services.
The subscription service delivers daily buy and sell signals through email or text message approximately one hour before market close. Subscribers maintain full control over their investment accounts, allowing them to manually execute trades based on ANNIE’s recommendations. The platform also includes portfolio tracking and risk management signals such as stop-loss alerts.
“Most AI stock pickers rely on predictive models that can’t consistently outperform the market,” said Rick. “ANNIE is different because it evolves – discarding what doesn’t work and refining what does through live market results. That evolutionary engine is what sets ANNIE apart”.
ANNIE’s public release comes at a time when individual investors face mounting challenges competing against institutional capital and increasingly complex markets. Cockerham emphasizes that the platform is designed for serious, self-directed investors seeking a transparent and disciplined system that complements their own trading decisions.
About Pocket Knife Software
Founded by Rick Cockerham, Pocket Knife Software develops AI-powered financial tools for independent investors. The company’s flagship product, ANNIE, combines neural networks and genetic algorithms to evolve trading strategies based on real-world market performance. Operating from Austin, Texas, Pocket Knife Software is committed to making hedge-fund-grade technology accessible to self-directed investors. Learn more at AI-StockTrading.com.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and 29 of her Senate colleagues in putting forward legislation to provide qualified Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients a path to legal permanent residency. The Senators’ introduction of the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act comes as the Trump Administration and the Supreme Court undermine TPS, a program that has for years provided refuge to those living in America who have fled natural disasters, violence, and political insecurity.
“After escaping horrific violence and persecution in their home countries, TPS and DED recipients come to this country in search of a better life,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These hardworking men and women have been living in and contributing to our communities for years, and it’s common sense to give them the certainty they need to fulfill the American Dream.”
The Trump Administration has revoked TPS for an estimated 563,000 recipients from five countries – Venezuela, Haiti, Afghanistan, Cameroon, and Nepal – and while there have been legal challenges filed against this action, the Supreme Court has temporarily allowed the revocation to stand – putting hundreds of thousands at risk of deportation to their home countries where they would face serious danger.
The SECURE Act will provide long-term stability for these individuals and their communities by giving them the ability to apply for legal permanent residency. Under the bill, all TPS recipients – current and past – and TPS and DED eligible individuals who have been continuously present in the United States for at least three years would be eligible to apply for legal permanent residency.
Additionally, under the SECURE Act:
A spouse, domestic partner, child, or unmarried child of a qualifying non-citizen would be eligible to obtain permanent resident status (upon meeting certain requirements).
Individuals with a pending TPS application will receive work authorization and be eligible for travel authorization.
Non-citizens who have a pending application or is prima facie eligible for permanent status under the bill and intends to apply are shielded from deportation.
Information from an applicant’s application may not be shared or used for immigration enforcement purposes, with limited exceptions, such as for the identification of fraudulent claims.
DHS must report to Congress when terminating a country’s TPS designation with an explanation to justify the termination.
The first and only Latina senator, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada, calling on both administrations to protect TPS holders and other immigrants, as well as leading commonsense legislation to fix our broken immigration system. She has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a path to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.),John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the Survivors Assistance for Fear-free and Easy (SAFE) Tax Filing Act. This bipartisan bill would work to end economic coercion in abusive marriages by making it easier for survivors of spousal abuse or abandonment to file their taxes.
“Survivors of domestic violence should not have to worry about contacting their abuser – putting themselves and their children at risk of serious physical harm – just to file their taxes,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will help keep Nevada families safe and help survivors on the road to recovery.”
The SAFE Tax Filing Act allows spousal abuse survivors to file their taxes as if they are unmarried. Currently, laws require survivors to either file their taxes jointly with their abuser or to file as Married Filing Separately, a disadvantageous status that could reduce their tax refund. This bill ends the requirement that survivors must contact their abusers to get the biggest tax refund they’re eligible for to support themselves and their families.
“The SAFE Tax Filing Act of 2025 is more than tax reform—it’s a lifeline,” said Pamela Jacobs, JD, CEO, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. “It recognizes that survivors of abuse deserve safety, autonomy, and freedom from financial entanglement with those who’ve harmed them. This legislation honors the reality of survivors’ lives and removes another barrier on their path to healing and independence.”
“There is no safety without economic security. Survivors of domestic violence often face substantial tax liability as a result of their abusive partner, and the act of filing taxes can expose survivors to further risk to their physical safety,” said Erika Sussman, Founder & Executive Director, Center for Survivor Agency and Justice. “The SAFE Tax Filing Act will lift that burden by providing survivors with the chance to attend to their tax responsibilities without subjecting themselves to further economic and physical harm. We owe this to survivors.”
The SAFE Tax Filing Act is endorsed by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the Center for Survivor Agency and Justice, Futures Without Violence, and Just Solutions.
The full bill text is available here.
Senator Cortez Masto is an outspoken advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. She was a cosponsor and vocal supporter of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act to help address gender-based violence and provide services and protections for survivors. The reauthorization included Cortez Masto’s bipartisan Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act to require state programs to allow sexual assault victims to file for compensation without being unfairly penalized for delays due to rape kit backlogs. She helped pass the bipartisan Safer Communities Act to narrow the “dating partner” loophole and prevent convicted domestic violence abusers from purchasing and possessing firearms.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the Safe and Open Streets Act to make it a federal crime to purposely obstruct, delay, or affect commerce by blocking a public road or highway.
“In America, people have the right to peacefully gather and make their voices heard. They do not have the right to obstruct roads, riot, and undermine people’s livelihoods,”said Dr. Cassidy.
“The emerging tactic of radical protestors blocking roads and stopping commerce is not only obnoxious to innocent commuters, but it’s also dangerous and will eventually get people killed. It needs to be a crime throughout the country,”said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud to introduce the Safe and Open Streets Act so that radical activists who resort to these reckless and dangerous tactics are held accountable under the full weight of the law for endangering public safety.”
“Blocking major roads to stop traffic flows is nothing short of lawlessness that should not be tolerated,” said Senator Blackburn. “These activists are not only intentionally creating a dangerous situation for themselves, but perhaps for a citizen who is awaiting an ambulance or a hard worker who will lose their job for being late. The Safe and Open Streets Act is critical to stopping this reckless behavior, particularly by Hamas sympathizers, in our U.S. cities.”“For nearly a week, we watched as domestic terrorists assaulted ICE and law enforcement officers, set fire to cop cars, and blocked the streets of Los Angeles—all while Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass sat on their tails and did nothing,” said Senator Tuberville. “This is a prime example of what happens when lawlessness goes unpunished. The First Amendment gives us the right to freedom of assembly, but it doesn’t give the right to block our streets and put American lives at risk. I’m proud to join the Safe and Open Streets Act that penalizes and holds radical protestors accountable who put citizens in danger by purposely blocking our roadways.”
“Protestors who willfully block traffic pose a serious threat to public safety by impacting the flow of emergency vehicles and personnel,”said Senator Budd. “They can also significantly inconvenience Americans trying to get to and from work, school, or important personal business. The First Amendment protects the right to assemble and protest peacefully, but it does not permit such behavior. I’m proud to join Sen. Tillis and our colleagues in ensuring America’s streets are kept clear for everyone.”
The Safe and Open Streets Act is in direct response to radical tactics of anti-ICE protestors who have intentionally blocked roads and highways across the country, including in Los Angeles, stranding drivers and compromising the free flow of commerce. The Safe and Open Streets Act would penalize lawbreakers through fines or up to five years of imprisonment.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
State/DHS Letter Text (PDF) | GAO Letter Text (PDF)
Washington (June 20, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today led their colleagues in two letters about the government’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to determine whether an individual poses a national security risk.
The lawmakers write to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, urging the Trump administration to reverse its decision to expand its social media screening of visa applicants. Those policy changes appear intended to chill dissent, discriminate against particular viewpoints, and punish individuals for speech the Administration finds objectionable. In another letter, the lawmakers wrote to the Government Accountability Office, requesting that it investigate how the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice are using AI technologies to label individuals as potential threats to the public, including automated analysis of content people post online. The letters were also signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
In their letter to Secretaries Rubio and Noem, the lawmakers write, “Although the national security benefits of social media screening may be unproven, the costs are very real. The wide-scale collection of social media information violates the free expression rights of foreigners and American citizens, infringes on applicants’ personal privacy, creates unnecessary processing delays, and creates risks of abuse and discrimination…Even in an administration intending to conduct social media screening in a fair and unbiased manner, the risks of mistakes are high. In an administration with malign intentions, these social media screening tools guarantee abuse.”
The lawmakers continued, “We are deeply concerned that State and DHS’s respective new policies around social media screening are a thinly veiled effort to discriminate against visa applicants and other noncitizens seeking to pursue their studies or obtain asylum or lawful residence in the United States.”
The lawmakers request answers by July 9, 2025, to questions including:
Please provide any studies, analyses, audits, or other examination of the social media collection, screening, and vetting programs at State or DHS conducted between December 15, 2015, and the date of this letter.
Is the State Department or DHS using artificial intelligence (AI) or any other automated system to collect, process, analyze, or otherwise review information collected from social media accounts of visa applicants and applicants for an immigration benefit?
How many visa applicants or individuals seeking an immigration benefit have had their application denied solely or primarily due to the social media screening and vetting process, including those denied for failing to provide a social media identifier?
Please provide any State Department and DHS memos, guidance documents, or other written policies intended to guide career staff in interpreting social media indicia for a visa applicant or applicant for an immigration benefit.
Has the State Department, DHS, or any other agency or component conducted any legal analysis or First Amendment review of the March 25 State Department memo or the April 9 DHS announcement?
What safeguards, if any, are in place to ensure that personal bias, political viewpoints, or cultural misunderstandings do not influence visa adjudications or immigration benefit decisions based on social media content?
Did the State Department’s Office of Civil Rights or DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties or Privacy Office review the respective policies before their implementation?
In their letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the lawmakers raise serious concerns about DHS and DOJ’s use of “technologies that make dubious automated inferences about individuals’ emotions, attitudes, and intentions,” including the administration’s deployment of “AI to scan the social media accounts of tens of thousands of student visa holders and flag some as supposedly supporting terrorist organizations.”
The GAO letter is also cosigned by Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash).
The lawmakers write: “It is particularly dangerous to use AI for inferring mental states in law enforcement contexts, where false positives can subject individuals to baseless investigation and detention. Furthermore, since many criminal statutes require proof of intent or other state of mind, using AI in this way could lead prosecutors to bring more severe charges against individuals on the basis of pseudoscientific evidence. This technology is also ripe for deliberate abuse, providing a pretext for government officials to target groups they disfavor.”
The lawmakers request that GAO produce a report that addresses questions including the following:
How many people have been the subject of an automated analysis conducted by DOJ or DHS personnel using AI technologies that infer people’s emotions, attitudes, or intentions?
What kinds of law enforcement actions have been guided by DOJ and DHS personnel’s use of these technologies?
What tests of these technologies did DOJ and DHS conduct before using them for law enforcement purposes?
What DOJ and DHS policies govern the uses of these AI technologies to prevent violations of due process, freedom of expression, equal protection, and other constitutional rights?
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Washington (June 20, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), co-chairs of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, today issued the following statement applauding the U.S. District Court of Maryland’s decision vacating the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s termination of grants awarded under the Thriving Communities Grantmaker (TCGM) Program. The court ruled that the EPA violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) in terminating funds that Congress appropriated for environmental justice programs.
“Wednesday’s court decision is vindication not just for environmental justice grantees, but for the communities they work with every day in pursuit of a livable future for all,” said the Senators. “Environmental justice grants, such as the TCGM Program, improve the health and well-being of communities in red and blue states that for generations have been last in line for federal investment. This administration’s vendetta against environmental justice, which Congressional Republicans have doubled down on in their Big Billionaire Boondoggle budget reconciliation bill, will only extend these legacies of harm and neglect. We urge Administrator Zeldin to follow the court’s order to reverse these grant terminations and resume funding reimbursements immediately.”
When Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, it statutorily authorized the creation of environmental justice grants, including the TCGM Program, and directed the EPA to administer the grants. Despite this mandate, the Trump administration’s EPA has fueled chaos and uncertainty for environmental justice grantees, blindsiding these organizations with illegal and baseless terminations, freezes, and lock outs. As a result, grantees have been forced to pay for project costs out of pocket or cancel grantmaking projects altogether. In addition to cutting funding, the EPA terminated agency staff responsible for administering the funds, shutting off grantees’ access to information regarding the status of their awards. The judge’s decision included the following statement: “EPA contends that it has authority to thumb its nose at Congress and refuse to comply with its directives. That constitutes a clear example of an agency acting ‘in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right,’ and thereby violating the APA.”
The Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program was created under the Inflation Reduction Act to break down barriers that small, under-resourced community organizations face in securing federal funding. The program selected 11 regional grantmaking organizations to administer funds to thousands of projects that address environmental and climate justice challenges in their communities, including projects that enable fenceline air quality monitoring, water quality sampling, residential energy and water use efficiency upgrades, and lead and asbestos remediation.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Washington (June 20, 2025) — Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA-36) to introduce the “World Refugee Day Resolution” to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to supporting the safety, health and welfare of refugees and forcibly displaced persons worldwide as they flee persecution, conflict and violence. The resolution was cosponsored by 23 Senators and 49 Representatives.
“On World Refugee Day, I am reminded of our nation’s history of welcoming those who have been forced to flee from violence, persecution, disease, famine, and climate disaster,” said Senator Markey. “The United States must honor that history and remain a beacon of hope and safety. It is unconscionable that the Trump administration has turned its back on refugees and halted funding to resettlement agencies. Due to these cruel actions, refugees who have been rigorously vetted are being denied entry into the United States and forced to remain in dangerous conditions. While the world is dealing with the growing threats of climate change and ongoing conflicts, the United States mut remain a beacon of hope and safety. I am calling on the Trump administration to resume the resettlement of refugees without any further delays. Today and every day, we must say loudly and clearly that refugees are welcome here.”
“Conflict, persecution and violence continue to force millions of people from their homes – with more than 123 million people forcibly displaced at the end of 2024, including Afghans, Burmese Rohingya and Sudanese,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “The United States has long been a leader in supporting refugees overseas and welcoming the most vulnerable, promoting stability around the world and boosting the U.S. economy through refugees’ contributions. Yet the Trump Administration is turning its back on this bipartisan legacy of support, slashing U.S. foreign aid programs that help refugees and host communities and indefinitely suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. On this World Refugee Day, our resolution honors the resilient spirit of forcibly displaced persons globally and calls on the Trump Administration to recommit to supporting refugees and displaced persons.”
“There used to be more consensus among Democrats and Republicans that the world’s wealthiest nation has an obligation to help those seeking refuge from violence, persecution, human rights abuses, and other dangers,” said Representative Lieu. “A strong U.S. foreign aid program was once considered both morally correct policy, and a smart return on investment that engendered good will and protected our national security. Now, Trump has turned his back on the world’s most vulnerable people by banning refugees and pulling funding for foreign aid programs. This is a terrible abdication of our duty to help those who need it the most. On World Refugee Day, those of us who want the world to be a more peaceful, prosperous place for everyone reiterate our call to help refugees who are fleeing unimaginable circumstances. Everyone deserves to live freely and safely.”
“With an ongoing refugee ban leaving so many with no path to protection – it is imperative we take this opportunity to stand in solidarity with all those forced to flee their homes around the world,” said Erol Kekic, Chief Strategy Officer at Church World Service. “CWS thanks Senator Shaheen and Representative Lieu for honoring refugees and leading this year’s congressional World Refugee Day resolution. From 80 years of walking alongside newcomers, CWS knows that refugees and immigrants enrich our communities – culturally, artistically, religiously, and economically. They are our neighbors and friends. They are mothers and fathers working to build better futures for their children.”
“Today, more than 123 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced from their homes—the highest number in recorded history,” said Myal Greene, President and CEO of World Relief. “On World Refugee Day, we remember that behind every statistic is a person made in the image of God, longing for safety, stability, and hope. This crisis should stir the conscience of lawmakers and citizens alike–particularly those, like me, motivated by the Christian faith. We urge Congress to champion policies that protect the persecuted, restore dignity, and uphold America’s long legacy of welcoming those fleeing violence and oppression.”
“On World Refugee Day, we are reminded that the right to seek safety is both a legal commitment and a moral imperative,” said Sharif Aly, President of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). “The United States has the capacity, and the obligation, to uphold its commitments to refugees and asylum seekers. Yet today, tens of thousands of people who were promised protection under the U.S. resettlement program remain stranded due to unlawful and discriminatory policies. We commend this resolution for reaffirming the values enshrined in our Constitution and refugee laws and urge our leaders to restore U.S. leadership in protecting the rights and dignity of those forced to flee.”
“There has never been a more urgent moment for Congress to reaffirm America’s support for refugees, both at home and abroad,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, President of Refugees International. “On World Refugee Day, we must renew our pledge to advance refugee protection, including by ensuring refugees have a role in shaping policy; to uphold the right to seek asylum; and to generously welcome those who seek safety and the chance to rebuild their lives with dignity and opportunity.”
“RCUSA reminds the Trump administration of the incredible contributions that refugees have made in the 45-year history of the refugee resettlement program,” said John Slocum, Executive Director of Refugee Council USA. “We stand in solidarity with those forced to flee their homes due to violence and persecution – families and individuals continue to seek safety, dignity, freedom, and opportunity in the face of unimaginable hardship. As global displacement reaches historic highs, the United States must lead with compassion and courage. That means rejecting fear-based policies and recommitting to a system that upholds the rights of all people to seek safety. Congress must invest in our nation’s capacity to welcome refugees and asylum seekers — and safeguard the use of public resources in good faith. RCUSA calls on all people of conscience to stand with refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants, not only today but every day. Our work is far from over.”
The resolution is also cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The House resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Gabe Amo (RI-D), Yassmin Ansari (AZ-D), Becca Balint (VT-D), Joyce Beatty (OH-D), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-D), Judy Chu (CA-D), Gil Cisneros (CA-D), Steve Cohen (TN-D), Danny Davis (IL-D), Diana Degette (CO-D), Suzan DelBene (WA-D), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-D), Adriano Espaillat (NY-D), Chuy Garcia (IL-D), Robert Garcia (CA-D), Sylvia Garcia (TX-D), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-D), Pramila Jayapal (WA-D), Hank Johnson (GA-D), Ro Khanna (CA-D), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-D), Summer Lee (PA-D), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-D), Stephen Lynch (MA-D), Jennifer McClellan (VA-D), Betty McCollum (MN-D), Jim McGovern (MA-D), Robert Menendez (NJ-D), Gwen Moore (WI-D), Seth Moulton (MA-D), Kevin Mullin (CA-D), Jerrold Nadler (NY-D), Eleanor Norton (DC-D), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-D), Ilhan Omar (MN-D), Nancy Pelosi (CA-D), Mark Pocan (WI-D), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (IL-D), Darren Soto (FL-D), Shri Thanedar (MI-D), Dina Titus (NV-D), Rashida Tlaib (MI-D), Jill Tokuda (HI-D), Paul Tonko (NY-D), Derek Tran (CA-D), Nydia Velazquez (NY-D), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-D) and Nikema Williams (GA-D).
The resolution is supported by the following organizations: Church World Service, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, Center for Victims of Torture, Climate Refugees, Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Franciscan Action Network, Friends Committee on National Legislation, HIAS, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Just Neighbors, National Partnership for New Americans, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Refugee Advocacy Lab, Refugee Council USA, Refugee Congress, Refugees International, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, United Church of Christ, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), World Relief and Women’s Refugee Commission.
Full text of the resolution is available HERE.
In a significant gesture of remembrance and cooperation, India’s Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Roselinda Soipan Tuya, on Monday, jointly unveiled the India-Africa Commemorative Pillar at Mile 27 in Taita Taveta County, Kenya. The ceremony honoured the courage and sacrifice of unknown Indian and African soldiers who died during World War I in the East African theatre.
The commemorative initiative was conceptualised by the High Commission of India in Kenya and materialised with the financial support of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The project was implemented in close collaboration with the Kenya Defence Forces and officials from Taita Taveta County.
The pillar serves as a powerful symbol of shared military history and solidarity between India and Kenya. It not only pays tribute to the fallen soldiers but also reinforces the longstanding and growing defence ties between the two nations. These ties are rooted in mutual respect, shared democratic values, and a joint commitment to peace and global security.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Kenya Defence Forces, representatives from Taita Taveta County, members of the Indian Ministry of Defence delegation, and other dignitaries from the diplomatic and military community.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has released its latest update on the progress of kharif crop sowing across the country as of June 20. The figures indicate a promising start to the kharif season, with the total area sown reaching 137.84 lakh hectares — an increase of nearly 13 lakh hectares compared to the corresponding period in 2024.
According to data compiled by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, rice sowing has seen a substantial rise, with 13.22 lakh hectares covered this year, compared to 8.37 lakh hectares last year — a gain of 4.86 lakh hectares.
Pulses have also witnessed a significant uptick. A total of 9.44 lakh hectares have been brought under pulses cultivation, marking an increase of 2.80 lakh hectares over 2024. Among individual pulse crops, urd bean saw a rise of 0.77 lakh hectares, and moong bean surged by 1.77 lakh hectares. However, arhar saw a marginal decline of 0.13 lakh hectares. Other pulses like mothbean, kulthi, and sesamum registered slight increases.
Coarse cereals — grouped under the newly rebranded “Shri Anna” category — recorded sowing over 18.03 lakh hectares, up by 3.25 lakh hectares compared to last year. Maize led this segment with 12.32 lakh hectares sown, reflecting a growth of 2.01 lakh hectares. Bajra and jowar also saw increases, while ragi and small millets recorded slight declines.
In contrast, oilseeds saw a slight decrease overall, with 5.38 lakh hectares sown this year as against 5.49 lakh hectares in 2024. Groundnut and soybean sowing declined marginally, while crops like sesamum and sunflower posted small gains.
Sugarcane continued its strong presence, with an area coverage of 55.07 lakh hectares — up by 0.20 lakh hectares from last year. Jute and mesta, however, saw a decrease of 0.17 lakh hectares in area sown.
Cotton has shown a healthy rise in sowing activity, with 31.25 lakh hectares covered this year as against 29.12 lakh hectares last year — a significant increase of 2.14 lakh hectares.
Overall, the kharif season of 2025 is off to a positive start, with total sowing across all major crops covering 137.84 lakh hectares compared to 124.88 lakh hectares in the same period last year.
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has released its latest update on the progress of kharif crop sowing across the country as of June 20. The figures indicate a promising start to the kharif season, with the total area sown reaching 137.84 lakh hectares — an increase of nearly 13 lakh hectares compared to the corresponding period in 2024.
According to data compiled by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, rice sowing has seen a substantial rise, with 13.22 lakh hectares covered this year, compared to 8.37 lakh hectares last year — a gain of 4.86 lakh hectares.
Pulses have also witnessed a significant uptick. A total of 9.44 lakh hectares have been brought under pulses cultivation, marking an increase of 2.80 lakh hectares over 2024. Among individual pulse crops, urd bean saw a rise of 0.77 lakh hectares, and moong bean surged by 1.77 lakh hectares. However, arhar saw a marginal decline of 0.13 lakh hectares. Other pulses like mothbean, kulthi, and sesamum registered slight increases.
Coarse cereals — grouped under the newly rebranded “Shri Anna” category — recorded sowing over 18.03 lakh hectares, up by 3.25 lakh hectares compared to last year. Maize led this segment with 12.32 lakh hectares sown, reflecting a growth of 2.01 lakh hectares. Bajra and jowar also saw increases, while ragi and small millets recorded slight declines.
In contrast, oilseeds saw a slight decrease overall, with 5.38 lakh hectares sown this year as against 5.49 lakh hectares in 2024. Groundnut and soybean sowing declined marginally, while crops like sesamum and sunflower posted small gains.
Sugarcane continued its strong presence, with an area coverage of 55.07 lakh hectares — up by 0.20 lakh hectares from last year. Jute and mesta, however, saw a decrease of 0.17 lakh hectares in area sown.
Cotton has shown a healthy rise in sowing activity, with 31.25 lakh hectares covered this year as against 29.12 lakh hectares last year — a significant increase of 2.14 lakh hectares.
Overall, the kharif season of 2025 is off to a positive start, with total sowing across all major crops covering 137.84 lakh hectares compared to 124.88 lakh hectares in the same period last year.
Tensions in the Middle East have reached a critical point following a direct strike by the United States on three of Iran’s major nuclear facilities. Explosions rocked Tehran, including a reported Israeli missile strike on the entrance to the capital’s notorious Evin Prison, in what officials are calling a coordinated Israeli campaign targeting both military and governmental sites across Iran.
The attacks on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, described by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as involving ground-penetrating munitions and cruise missiles, have escalated into a broader regional conflict. Iran retaliated with waves of missiles and drones, striking multiple cities in Israel. While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, the strikes mark a dramatic escalation of hostilities and a direct confrontation among Iran, Israel, and the United States.
In a rare move that signals a widening of military objectives, the Israeli Defense Forces targeted Evin Prison, a high-security facility housing political prisoners, dual nationals, and government critics. The operation marks a shift in Israeli strategy, extending beyond purely military targets to the symbolic and institutional pillars of the Iranian regime.
Amid the spiraling crisis, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf announced that the legislature is weighing legislation to suspend all cooperation with the IAEA. Qalibaf insisted that Iran has no intention of pursuing non-peaceful nuclear activity but accused the UN nuclear watchdog of failing to maintain its neutrality and professionalism, alleging it had become politicized.
In Vienna, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi convened an emergency session of the agency’s Board of Governors. Grossi confirmed that key Iranian nuclear sites had been significantly damaged, though off-site radiation levels remained unchanged. He warned that the conflict presents a grave threat to the global non-proliferation regime and called for the immediate restoration of IAEA access to Iranian facilities, including those housing uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. Grossi also revealed that inspectors remain in Iran and are ready to resume oversight operations.
“The current trajectory is deeply concerning for international security,” Grossi told the assembled board members. “We must prioritize diplomacy and the technical role of the IAEA, not allow it to be undermined by geopolitical agendas.”
The regional impact has already begun to ripple outward. Major energy companies, including Eni, BP, and Total Energies, began emergency evacuations of foreign staff from Iraqi oilfields. Iraq’s state-run Basra Oil Company confirmed the move amid fears of broader conflict. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued an urgent advisory instructing American citizens to remain indoors due to the volatile security situation.
In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, expressing strong support for Tehran and condemning the strikes by the U.S. and Israel as an “unprovoked act of aggression.” Putin reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to its strategic alliance with Iran, while noting that he had held recent consultations with U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UAE President Mohammed Al Nahyan, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Araghchi, in turn, thanked Russia for its support and denounced the attacks as illegal violations of international law. He emphasized Iran’s right to defend its sovereignty and stated that Tehran would continue to work closely with Moscow amid the growing crisis.