Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
LOMÉ, Togo, June 5, 2025/APO Group/ —
The Board of Directors of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) (www.Ecobank.com), the parent company of the Ecobank Group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ayo Adepoju, the current group chief financial officer (CFO), to the Board as Group Executive Director, effective June 4, 2025.
Ayo brings two decades of broad-based leadership experience and deep institutional knowledge as a proud product of the Ecobank Group. His expertise spans financial management, capital markets, strategic planning, capital raising and structuring, treasury management, investor relations, business performance management, governance, enterprise transformation, financial due diligence, internal control, and risk-based audit.
As a distinguished finance executive, he has been instrumental in shaping the Group’s financial transformation, capital strategy, and long-term resilience. Since joining Ecobank in 2012, he has held several key leadership positions, including Group Financial Controller, Group Head of Business Performance and Analytics, and currently Group CFO.
Over the years, Ayo has led numerous strategic initiatives, including landmark capital market transactions such as Eurobonds, Basel III-compliant instruments, and sustainability-linked debt. These efforts have significantly enhanced Ecobank’s presence in international capital markets and strengthened transparency and investor engagement.
Prior to joining Ecobank, he worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in London and Lagos, serving in the Financial Services Practice.
Commenting on the appointment, Papa Madiaw Ndiaye, Chairman of the Ecobank Group, stated: “On behalf of my fellow directors, I commend Ayo for his outstanding performance and warmly welcome him to the ETI board. His proven leadership has fostered trusted relationships with the Board and made this appointment both natural and strategic for the Group’s future. I believe that Ayo embodies Ecobank’s renewed talent philosophy, a homegrown leader with global exposure and a compelling track record. His intellect, integrity, and impact-driven leadership have long been evident. His appointment to the Board is a testament to our belief in recognizing and elevating excellence from within.”
Jeremy Awori, Group Chief Executive Officer, added: “Ayo has played a critical role in strengthening Ecobank’s financial resilience and enabling sustainable business growth. His ability to manage complexity, innovate in financial strategy, align finance with enterprise-wide transformation, and lead collaboratively has made him a critical member of our executive team. I look forward to deepening our partnership as we drive forward our Growth, Transformation and Returns strategy.”
Ayo holds a First-Class Honours degree from the University of Lagos and is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), UK. He also holds an MBA from Warwick Business School and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University, USA.
He has completed executive education programs at Wharton, London Business School, and most recently in 2024, the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. An official member of the Forbes Finance Council, he is also a published author and respected thought leader in finance and organizational strategy.
This appointment reinforces Ecobank’s continued commitment to nurturing internal talent and promoting leadership excellence across Africa.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Strategic Grazing to Reduce the Risk of Wildfire Act, which would direct the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to collaborate with grazing allotment holders, States, Tribes, and local fire departments to create a strategy to use targeted grazing to manage hazardous fuels and reduce risks from wildfires.
“As the West continues to face the threat of wildfires, it’s essential that we look for ways to protect our communities from devastation,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bill takes a wildfire prevention and mitigation strategy that’s been proven to work and puts it in place at the federal level. We must make sure there’s an overarching plan to combat these fires that have become all too frequent.”
Lisa Levine, Director of the Nevada Rural Electric Association said, “We applaud Senator Cortez Masto for bringing forward this common-sense approach to reducing and mitigating wildfires. Nevada has a rich history of cattle grazing that this legislation utilizes for vegetation management. Delivering affordable electricity that is reliable and resilient is the mission of NREA members. Wildfires pose significant risks to communities and the power grid, preventative tools such as this are key to combatting them. That is why we strongly support this bill.”
David Cochran, Reno Fire Department Chief said, “Managing risk associated with wildfire is a collaborative effort that requires state, local, and federal agencies to work together to ensure the safety of communities in high-risk areas and protect the livelihoods of people who depend on public lands. Senator Cortez Masto’s Strategic Grazing to Reduce Risk of Wildfire Act would create a framework through which local fire departments, like the Reno Fire Department, can work with grazing allotment holders and federal land management agencies to strategically reduce hazardous fuels in areas likely to be affected by wildfire. Strategic grazing is a proven tool in the fight against wildfire and this legislation would help to promote its use.”
Vinson Guthreau, Executive Director of the Nevada Association of Counties said, “The threat of wildfire in Nevada is ever present, and our Counties are on the front lines of responding to those disasters. NACO’s statewide, 17 county membership appreciates this innovative wildfire mitigation approach to prevent fires before they start while also providing grazing opportunities to the agriculture industry which plays a significant role in our state’s economy. We commend Senator Cortez Masto for bringing this beneficial and important legislation forward.”
Martin Paris, Executive Director of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association said, “Livestock grazing is a proven and cost-effective tool to reduce both the occurrence and severity of wildfires. It helps decrease hazardous fuel loads and prevent the spread of invasive annual grasses. The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association greatly appreciates Senator Cortez Masto for addressing the needs of livestock producers while helping to prevent the devastating impacts of wildfire on rangelands, wildlife, and urban areas alike.”
Kaitlynn Glover, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Natural Resources said, “Ranchers and researchers alike know that grazing prevents wildfires. Not only is livestock grazing proven to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, but grazing also reduces the intensity and speed of fire if one breaks out. Western ranchers stand ready to be partners with the federal government in reducing catastrophic wildfire, and Senator Cortez Masto’s strategic grazing legislation is welcomed by rural communities across the West that know all too well the threat that wildfire poses.”
Historic drought conditions across the West have led to devastating fires that grow in scale and intensity every year. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, since 2015, wildfires have burned over 75 million acres across the West. In Nevada specifically, 8.8 million acres have burned in the past two decades, threatening people’s safety, homes, and livelihoods. They also pose tremendous risk to wildlife and the landscapes that serve as their habitats.
Pilot programs across the United States, including some in Nevada, have shown that the use of strategic grazing can reduce hazardous fuels and slow the spread of a wildfire. The Strategic Grazing to Reduce the Risk of Wildfire Act directs federal agencies to consider the following in the development of the strategic grazing framework:
Targeting specific high-risk areas for grazing – especially those near populated areas.
Using temporary grazing permits to reduce risks caused by annual grasses or invasive grasses like cheatgrass that burn easily and help fires spread more quickly.
Recommending the use of strategic grazing when providing technical assistance to communities and Tribes undertaking their own wildfire risk management projects.
Reimbursing States, local governments, Tribes, and local firefighting agencies who use strategic grazing on federal lands in coordination with federal land management agencies.
Read the full bill here.
Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts to support Nevada firefighters and combat the wildfire crisis in the West, securing billions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to support wildfire risk reduction and new firefighting equipment. In November, she visited the burn scar of the Davis Fire and discussed key resources she’s delivered for wildfires fuels reduction in Northern Nevada. She also ensured all federal wildland firefighters – including many working in Nevada – got a significant pay raise in 2023 and helped designate the Sierra and Elko Fronts as Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscapes for wildfire prevention efforts.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led nine of her Senate Democratic colleagues in writing a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.-04), demanding that Republicans stop their attempt to create burdensome red tape for people claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a tax credit that supports working-class Americans. Alongside gutting Medicaid and other essential federal programs, Congressional Republicans want to make the EITC harder to claim in order to pay for tax cuts for corporations and billionaires. Nonpartisan experts have confirmed the Republicans’ billionaire tax cut bill actually raises taxes on Americans making under $30,000 per year.
“As you know, the EITC is a longstanding tax credit available for low- and moderate-income Americans that aims to promote work and provide tax relief for the working class,” wrote the Senators. “As currently written, the House reconciliation bill would direct the Treasury Secretary to establish a new process requiring taxpayers to obtain precertification from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) before claiming the EITC. This new precertification program would be an additional requirement for eligible taxpayers to claim the EITC on top of existing tax filing requirements.”
They continued by outlining the hurdles that workers already face in trying to claim the EITC, writing, “nearly 20 percent of eligible workers already do not claim the EITC. Many of these workers do not claim the credit due to its complexity and because they are not aware of their own eligibility or even that the EITC exists. The House reconciliation bill’s new precertification program would thus only exacerbate the EITC’s existing shortcomings by creating more red tape and complexity for workers hoping to claim the credit. This will lead to fewer eligible workers claiming the EITC, resulting in an effective tax increase on America’s working families.”
They concluded by urging Thune and Johnson to abandon this anti-worker policy and instead improve the EITC, writing, “We urge you to work with House and Senate Republican tax writers to abandon the creation of a new precertification program and instead pursue reforms that will strengthen the EITC for American workers and families. Potential reforms include simplifying the administration of the EITC, cracking down on shady tax preparers that prey on EITC claimants, and expanding benefits for childless workers.”
In April, Senator Cortez Masto introduced legislation to expand the EITC. Her Tax Cuts for Workers Act would nearly triple the tax breakchildless EITC recipients receive and extend eligibility to workers under the age of 24 and over the age of 64. This expansion would give 136,000 working Nevadans an added tax break. No Republicans have supported this tax break for working people, instead choosing to push for tax breaks for corporations and billionaires.
The full text of the letter is availablehere.
Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported efforts to cut taxes and lower costs for hardworking Nevadans. She helped pass critical expansions to the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue plan, and has been fighting to permanently increase this vital relief for working families. Cortez Masto also helped pass the No Tax on Tips Act to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax through the Senate. Additionally, Senator Cortez Masto supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
*** VIDEO of Senator Murray’s questioning HERE***
Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing to consider pending education and labor nominations, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a former chair and senior member of the HELP Committee, questioned Deputy Secretary of Education nominee Dr. Penny Schwinn, and Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) nominee Kimberly Richey. Senator Murray pressed Dr. Schwinn on whether she’ll ensure the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) annual Condition of Education report, which is required by law and is overdue, is finally submitted—and NCES fulfills its requirement to administer the National Assessment of Educational Progress, (NAEP). Senator Murray pressed Ms. Richey on how firing half the staff at OCR could possibly help reduce the 25,000 case backlog.
[PENNY SCHWINN]
Senator Murray began by asking Dr. Schwinn about the Condition of Education report which the Department is required by law to publish: “For nearly 160 years, the federal government has published the Condition of Education report, which is really critical to help us understand how students and schools are doing. But this year, for the first time ever, the National Center for Education Statistics missed its June 1 deadline to publish the report, which is actually required by law. This happened after the Department fired almost all of the National Center for Education Statistics staff and canceled contracts that was needed to complete that work. Now all we have is a bare bones ‘highlight’ document with no explanation to Congress or to the public. And that is really unacceptable—students, families, teachers all deserve to see a full report. And this is not just about one report. NCES is also responsible for administering the National Assessment of Educational Progress, NAEP, which you referred to Dr. Schwinn, also required by law as you know. I have written the Secretary on this issue and not yet received an adequate response. And the Department has not yet provided a promised briefing to me on NAEP. So, Dr. Schwinn I want to ask you, if you’re confirmed, will you ensure that NCES finally, and fully, and promptly produces a complete Condition of Education report, and has the staff that it needs to carry out all of its statutory required duties, including NAEP?”
Dr. Schwinn responded, “If confirmed, I will absolutely ensure that we follow all of the laws that you all have passed and certainly want to reinforce our commitment to NAEP and its full execution.”
“Clearly, the decimation of NCES has compromised its ability to provide the data that we in Congress and the public rely on. So, I hope you will work to see that those cuts are reversed. Cause we can’t afford to fly blind when it comes to knowing how our students and our schools are doing. I look forward to working with you on that,” said Senator Murray.
Senator Murray turned to questioning Ms. Schwinn about the Department’s low rate of review for schools identified as needing additional support, following complaints: “Dr. Schwinn, the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act, which we wrote on this committee under Senator Alexander, I helped write that as well with him. It requires states to identify and support their most struggling schools. But according to the GAO now, less than half of the schools that were identified for additional support have compliant improvement plans. The Department has only reviewed three out of five states total so far this year—and with no plans for further oversight. And it’s really hard to imagine that the rate of review improves because of the massive staff cuts we’ve seen across the Department. So, I wanted to ask you what is your proposal to improve the Department’s rate of review—and therefore help our nation’s struggling schools and students?”
“I think the most important thing in your question is to say that there must be a commitment to showing our most struggling schools improve because our students deserve that. If confirmed, one of my top priorities is going to be looking at any of the departments within the Department of Education and ensuring that we know our statutory obligations, certainly to Congress, that we have the most efficient practices in place, and that we meet our obligations. And I look forward to working with you on any of those,” replied Dr. Schwinn.
“Would you commit to publicly reporting the Department’s monitoring findings and state responses, so Congress, and educators, and students, and families can see where struggling schools are?” asked Senator Murray.
Dr. Schwinn answered, “I would certainly want to discuss that with Secretary McMahon, but I would absolutely want to work with your office on that project.”
[KIMBERLY RICHEY]
Senator Murray continued her questioning by addressing the backlog of cases at OCR, “Ms. Richey, do you believe that the staff at OCR are important to protect students’ civil rights?”
“I do Senator,” replied Ms. Richey.
“And do you believe that every complaint must be investigated in a timely way?” asked Senator Murray.
“I do,” responded Ms. Richey.
Senator Murray inquired, “Well, earlier this week, Secretary McMahon, appearing before another committee, told me the current backlog is 2,500 cases. The Department later clarified to me that it is actually 25,000 backlog. This administration has fired more than half of the staff at OCR and President Trump is now asking in his budget to slash that $49 million next year. So, explain to me how those firings and that funding cut will help reduce that backlog? I want to understand how you’re going to square that circle.”
Ms. Richey avoided the question, “As you can imagine, as a nominee I do not have access to information with regard to the decisions that are being made at the Department. I am not in communication with OCR leadership or the Secretary. One of the reasons why this role is so important to me is because I am always going to advocate for OCR to have the resources it needs to do its job. I think that what it means is that I am going to have to be really strategic, if I’m confirmed, stepping into this role, helping come up with a plan where we can address these challenges.”
“I think it’s pretty clear if you have a 25,000 case backlog, and you fire half the staff and cut the budget by 36 percent, it’s going to be pretty hard to get those cases through,” Senator Murray concluded.
A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career—fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Among other things, Senator Murray negotiated the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), landmark legislation that she got signed into law, replacing the broken No Child Left Behind Act. As a longtime appropriator, she has successfully fought to boost funding to support students and invest in our nation’s K-12 schools, and she has secured significant increases to the Pell Grant so that it goes further for students pursuing a higher education. Senator Murray also successfully negotiated the FAFSA Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the financial aid application process, simplify the FAFSA form for students and parents, and significantly expand eligibility for federal aid.
This document provides a comprehensive framework for conducting disaster risk assessments (NDRAs) at national and local levels. It is designed to support practitioners in understanding and managing disaster risk in alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. These guidelines emphasize inclusivity, governance and evidence-based decision-making, offering a flexible, iterative process adaptable to various national contexts.
These guidelines update those published the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in 2017 in response to feedback from experts and practitioners who identified a need for greater engagement with regional and national governments—the primary users of the guidelines. The update takes a more adaptable and user-focused approach, allowing countries to tailor the framework to their specific contexts while aligning with broader climate adaptation efforts and sustainable development goals.
All Sonar-Global partners work in the field of “infectious threats”. Our scope of action includes preparedness and response to epidemics, vaccine hesitancy, and the prevention of antimicrobial resistance. As social scientists, we recognize that efforts to tackle these threats may be ineffective if complex social, political, economic and ecological contexts are not addressed. The Sonar-Global platform provides opportunities for social scientists to work together and to build bridges. Through this platform, we create a critical mass of social scientists with whom we can share experiences, tools, models and curricula. We also foster closer collaborations with experts from other disciplines.
“The changes being made by central government will impact the way local and regional governments operate, and how natural resources are managed under the RMA (Resource Management Act 1991). As Councillors, we want to ensure Waitaha can enjoy the opportunities – and avoid the pitfalls – that these changes may present.”
Chair Pauling said while clear national standards support greater regulatory certainty, consistency and improved compliance, there are unique issues in Waitaha that justify a more sophisticated, locally informed and evidenced approach.
“We want to make sure that any decisions made by central government value existing land uses, such as food production, and enable new opportunities and resource uses, while safeguarding the region’s environmental and cultural health for future generations.”
Council positions on government reform
Chair Pauling also referenced Council’s recent strategic work (PDF file, 105KB). “We have a set of shared positions that we agree on as a Council, that cover a range of issues impacting the region. The Council’s positions relate to managing environmental effects, managing natural resource use, economic prosperity, structure of local, regional and central government, and Treaty partnership.
“Our Council is clear about what outcomes we want to achieve for the region. Alongside Te Uru Kahika and our partners, with a view across Te Waipounamu, we welcome the opportunity to inform central government decisions and, together, make these outcomes a reality,” he said.
Watch the Council discussion on position statements from our
Canterbury Regional Council Deputy Chair Dr Deon Swiggs outlined how the national direction package is one example of Government’s work programme that puts increased pressure on regional government and ratepayers.
“Resource management system reforms, Local Government Act amendment, changes to legislation around Te Tiriti partnership and transport funding decisions—these are all changes coming our way from central government. Whether you think they’re good or bad, these reforms all impact on elected members’ ability to make decisions for our community.
“The current structure and funding of local government across Aotearoa is unsustainable and we all agree that change is needed. We look forward to having some crunchy conversations over the coming months, within the Council and with others in the region, to develop a collective vision of what might work best for Waitaha,” he said.
Deputy Swiggs reaffirmed that the council was united in its position and agreed that change was needed.
“We need greater regulatory clarity and certainty, as well as better alignment between central, regional and local government. We are taking a strategic approach so that we can be clear, to government and our communities, about what we need and want for Waitaha.
“We need to strike an approach that values our community and environment’s needs, that allows us to adapt and explore exciting opportunities for the region such as tourism, aerospace, renewable energy and other emerging innovations,” he said.
Chair Pauling and Deputy Swiggs reinforced Canterbury Regional Council’s commitment to proactively work with its partners to improve economic and environmental outcomes for the region.
If you’d like to talk to your local Councillor about issues impacting Waitaha/Canterbury or your local area, you can
McALLEN, Texas – A Mexican illegal alien was sentenced for his role in possessing with intent to distribute nearly $3 million in methamphetamine concealed inside cabbages following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Hidalgo County Constable’s Office.
Jose Angel Ibarra-Rojas, 36, was sentenced on June 4 by U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton to serve 132 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard how the narcotics were packaged in a sophisticated manner. The heads of the cabbages were removed, and balls of methamphetamine were then inserted into the leaves in order to conceal them. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Ibarra-Rojas pleaded guilty Nov. 6, 2024.
“This sentencing sends a strong message: any criminal who colludes with terrorist organizations to smuggle dangerous drugs into our communities will face harsh consequences. Thanks to the joint efforts of HSI, CBP, and local partners, we dismantled a dangerous operation and took a major quantity of meth off the streets,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa.
According to court documents, on June 18, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a tractor trailer in Pharr. Ibarra-Rojas was the passenger. A search of the vehicle revealed 1,154 plastic-wrapped packages containing a crystal-like substance concealed within cabbages in the cargo area. Authorities determined the substance was methamphetamine and had a total weight of approximately 1,356 kilograms. The drugs had an estimated street value of over $2.8 million.
Ibarra-Rojas admitted he knew the trailer contained narcotics and was aware it had recently entered the United States. He claimed he expected to be paid $1,000 to arrange the transport of the trailer and its narcotics farther north into the United States. Ibarra-Rojas also said he had arranged similar transports several times in the past.
Ibarra-Rojas will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell from the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
The Quiet Skies Program is a redundant, corrupted program that costs US taxpayers $200 million a year
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced it is ending the Quiet Skies Program, which since its existence has failed to stop a single terrorist attack while costing US taxpayers $200 million a year. The program, under the guise of “national security,” was used to target political opponents and benefit political allies. TSA will continue performing important vetting functions tied to legitimate commercial aviation security threats to both ensure the safety of the American traveler and uphold its statutory obligations. REAL ID, implemented on May 7 of this year, will further help bolster TSA security.
DHS and TSA have uncovered documents, correspondence, and timelines that clearly highlight the inconsistent application of Quiet Skies and watchlisting programs, circumventing security policies to benefit politically aligned friends and family at the expense of the American people. In addition to its own internal investigation, DHS’s Secretary Kristi Noem is calling for a Congressional investigation to uncover further corruption through this program.
“It is clear that the Quiet Skies program was used as a political rolodex of the Biden Administration—weaponized against its political foes and exploited to benefit their well-heeled friends. I am calling for a Congressional investigation to unearth further corruption at the expense of the American people and the undermining of US national security,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “TSA’s critical aviation and security vetting functions will be maintained, and the Trump Administration will return TSA to its true mission of being laser-focused on the safety and security of the traveling public. This includes restoring the integrity, privacy, and equal application of the law for all Americans.”
DHS revealed earlier this week evidence detailing the politicization of TSA’s watchlisting program under the previous administration.
Despite William Shaheen traveling with a known or suspected terrorist three times, then TSA Administrator Pekoske gave explicit direction to exclude Shaheen from the Silent Partner Quiet Skies list. After Senator Shaheen directly lobbied then former Administrator Pekoske, on her husband’s behalf, Pekoske granted Billy Shaheen a blanket Quiet Skies exemption.
Shaheen was not the only high-profile individual that was placed on this exclusion list: this list also included members of foreign royal families, political elites, professional athletes, and favored journalists.
For more information on TSA security screening protocols, click here.
On March 18, 2025, Lloydminster RCMP received a complaint regarding an adult who was exchanging sexually explicit pictures with a minor via Snapchat. Further investigation revealed that the adult had travelled to the Lloydminster area in order to commit further sexual offences.
Lloydminster RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) took over the investigation and were able to identify the suspect. The male was originally from P.E.I., but had moved to Ontario, from where he started the Snapchat exchange. During the investigation, RCMP learned he had recently moved to Nova Scotia. A Canada-wide arrest warrant was obtained by Lloydminster RCMP GIS and executed by the Nova Scotia RCMP on May 27, 2025.
As a result of the investigation, Travis James Birt (29), a resident of Nova Scotia, was charged with:
Sexual Assault;
Sexual Interference;
Child Luring;
Possession of child pornography; and
Making sexually explicit material available to a child.
Birt was brought before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody. He is to appear before the Saskatchewan Provincial Court in Lloydminster on June 9, 2025.
“We would like to thank Nova Scotia RCMP for their assistance in arresting this individual” said S/Sgt. Nutbrown of the Lloydminster RCMP GIS. “We have sent out Birt’s picture in hopes that other potential victims will come forth and speak with their local police.”
Anyone with information regarding this incident or who has been a victim of this individual is asked to contact the Lloydminster RCMP at 780-808-8400, or your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Damisha Brown, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Brown received $15,625 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, co-defendant Kisha Sutton conspired with Brown and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans. Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on Brown’s behalf on April 25, 2021. The application listed Brown as a sole proprietor hair dresser who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, stating that the applicant had earned $75,000 in 2020. As part of her guilty pleas, Brown admitted that she never earned $75,000 as a hair dresser in one year and that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with her application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.
A PPP lender in California approved Brown’s loan application. The $15,625 in loan proceeds was deposited in Brown’s personal bank account on April 30, 2021. Brown admitted that she knew the $15,625 represented proceeds from the fraudulent PPP loan. Between April 30 and May 27, 2021, Sutton received $3,500 from Brown as her share of the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds. Brown transferred the money to Sutton using a digital wallet application. Brown admitted that she transferred the $3,500 as Sutton’s compensation for facilitating the submission of her fraudulent loan, in keeping with their agreement. Brown further admitted that she spent the remainder of the loan proceeds on ineligible personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Brown also owes $12,125 in restitution.
Brown and Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, are among seven individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. On March 25, 2025, co-defendant William Powell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and co-defendant Jasmine Spencer pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting bank fraud. Powell, 35, of Huntington, and Spencer, 32, of Charleston, are scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2025. The indictment against Sutton and the other defendants remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson have prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-192.
CARNEGIE, PA — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) celebrated that $991,758 in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds have been awarded to Crafton Borough. The grant will support theBroadhead Sewer Separation Project—a $7.4 million project that will separate the sanitary and stormwater sewer systems. This infrastructure improvement will prevent combined sewer overflows—when heavy rainfall overwhelms a sewer system and forces raw sewage into local waterways. It will improve water quality and public health in the Chartiers Creek and Ohio River watersheds.
“Everyone should have peace of mind that the water in their local creeks and rivers is clean and safe,” said Congressman Deluzio. “But our outdated infrastructure can make that hard. This federal investment will support local construction jobs and help clean up Chartiers Creek and the Ohio River, keeping dangerous pollution from getting into our water and making us all safer and healthier. I thank former Congressman Conor Lamb for his work back in 2022 in the 117th Congress supporting this project.”
Theproject includesthe installation of new storm sewer pipes, inlets, and manholes, and the reconstruction of streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and handicap ramps. Project bid documents are currentlybeing finalized.
“We are thrilled and deeply grateful to receive federal funding towards the Broadhead Ave Sewer Separation Project, which represents a crucial investment in protecting the health of our local waterways and the broader Allegheny County creek and river systems. This project will make a meaningful difference for our community’s environmental future, and we truly appreciate Congressman Deluzio’s unwavering support for Crafton and our entire region,” said John Oliverio, Crafton Borough Council President.
The funding was awarded by an act of Congress, theFiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act,which allocated $1.47 billion for 715 water infrastructure projects administered throughEPA’s community grants. The funding bill was signed into law in December of 2022, and the EPA has now completed its reviews and formally announced grant awardees.
The Trump Administration’s efforts to freeze funding and pause federal grants has created significant uncertainty for grantees, varying by agency and program. As of now, the courts have paused many of these freezes. However, Congressman Deluzio will continue to monitor these developments and fight to make sure this congressionally-authorized funding continues going to projects that make life better for Western Pennsylvanians. If you are the recipient of a federal grant and have been notified that this funding is no longer available to you or are experiencing other issues accessing your lawfully appropriated funds, please share your concerns with Congressman Deluzio’s office atPA17Grants@mail.house.gov.
Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following statement on a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) showing 16 million people will lose coverage from the Republican reconciliation plan, including their failure to extend premium tax credits that Americans use to buy affordable health insurance:
“Millions of Americans will lose coverage, health care costs will rise, and people will get sick and lose their lives – that’s the sad reality of the Republican agenda. Congressional Republicans keep peddling lies about their plan, but the facts are the facts. This bill would dismantle the Affordable Care Act, gut Medicaid, take food away from kids, families, and seniors, and make life harder for New Mexicans.
“We should be expanding access to care – not ripping it away. I’ll keep fighting to protect New Mexicans’ health care, lower costs, and build a healthier America. The American people need to see this for what it is: an attack on their health and livelihoods. I won’t stop sounding the alarm — and I won’t stop fighting for New Mexicans.”
The letter from CBO can be found here.
CBO’s score can be found here.
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites (PEAKS)Act. The PEAKS Act would ensure Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas receive fair compensation for ambulatory services and modify distance requirements.
“As residents of the Mountain State, we are proud of our beautiful peaks, however, we are also aware of the transportation challenges—especially for ambulances—that exist due to our mountainous topography. I’m proud to introduce the PEAKS Act to address this challenge and ensure even our most rural residents can depend on ambulance services, as well as ensure our critical access hospitals are able to provide the best care possible,” Senator Capito said.
“Far too often, people in mountainous regions struggle to receive timely, affordable emergency care when they need it most,” said Senator Padilla. “California’s 37 Critical Access Hospitals help fill critical coverage gaps by providing emergency medical services in these rural areas, yet with two thirds of them operating in the red, we need to act quickly to prevent more ambulance service closures. Our bipartisan PEAKS Act would make commonsense updates to help Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas get Medicare reimbursements for the emergency care they provide.”
The Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act would:
Allow for Critical Access Hospitals, which serve residents in rural areas, located in mountainous areas to be reimbursed for their emergency medical transportation services; and
Make certain that Critical Access Hospitals would not lose their designation despite any new hospital that is built within 15 miles.
The Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites is supported by the West Virginia Hospital Association, California Hospital Association, Arkansas Hospital Association, Hospital Association of Oregon, Utah Hospital Association and Wyoming Hospital Association.
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced a bipartisan bill to improve access to care for seniors and people with disabilities who are living with eating disorders. The bipartisan Nutrition CARE Act would expand access to medical care for Medicare beneficiaries with eating disorders by including coverage of outpatient medical nutrition therapy through Medicare Part B, which will provide patients with a more comprehensive, specialized approach to combating eating disorders than what is currently offered under Medicare.
“Eating disorders can have life-threatening impacts on Americans’ health, including for older people and individuals who experience disabilities, and it’s important to ensure that all Americans have access to the tools necessary to lead healthy lives,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will better support seniors and people who experience disabilities who are struggling with eating disorders so that they can get the help that they need.”
“Eating disorders are complex and often overlooked illnesses that can severely impact Alaskans of all ages, including our seniors and those living with disabilities. We are reintroducing the bipartisan Nutrition CARE Act to enhance access to medical nutrition therapy, which is particularly important in states like mine where resources are limited. This legislation will offer tailored treatment options that address specific needs, promoting recovery and improving health outcomes. We must continue to break the stigma surrounding eating disorders and ensure that everyone receives the comprehensive care they deserve,” said Senator Murkowski.
“Eating disorders harm the health of millions of Americans, regardless of their age or background. Our bipartisan legislation will ensure that seniors and people living with disabilities who struggle with eating disorders have access to medical nutrition therapy and life-saving treatment options through Medicare, to get them on the road to recovery,” said Senator Klobuchar.
“Eating disorders can affect anyone. They can also be particularly life-threatening for elderly Americans and those living with disabilities. The Nutrition CARE Act will expand access to medical nutrition therapy services for Medicare beneficiaries with eating disorders, helping them get the care they need to begin the path to recovery and live healthy lives,” said Senator Capito.
“I am very thankful to Senator Hassan for her unwavering dedication to championing and reintroducing the Nutrition CARE Act. For far too long, individuals struggling with a mental health disorder they never chose have been left without the support they need,” said Johanna Kandel, Founder and CEO of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders. “This crucial legislation will ensure that older adults and individuals with disabilities battling eating disorders finally gain access to medical nutrition therapy, a vital component of the treatment process.”
“Eating disorders are often overlooked or undertreated. The Nutrition CARE Act increases equity in eating disorders care and will directly save lives of seniors and those with disabilities,” said Jess Rude, Executive Director, Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance. “Senator Murkowski is dedicated to efforts for lasting recovery for eating disorders, and we are grateful she is leading legislation that includes nutrition therapy, a critical component in providing effective treatment of eating disorders alongside mental and physical health care.”
The bipartisan Nutrition CARE Act would allow physicians, registered dieticians, nutrition specialists, and mental health professionals to provide medical nutrition therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. Currently, Medicare beneficiaries who have an eating disorder can access psychiatric, therapy, and medical services. The expanded services would include 13 hours of medical nutrition therapy – including a one-hour initial assessment and 12 hours of reassessment and intervention – during the first year that the beneficiary begins receiving services. The beneficiary would then be able to access four hours of medical nutrition therapy services during each subsequent year.
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to combat the obesity crisis in the United States by providing regular screenings. The bill would also prevent diseases associated with obesity through expanded coverage of new health care specialists and chronic weight management medications for Medicare recipients.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act would work to directly prevent these comorbidities.
The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.).
The following organizations have endorsed the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pas, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Group Association, American Psychological Association, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Boehringer-Ingelheim, ConscienHealth, Currax, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Eli Lilly and Company, Endocrine Society, Gerontological Society of America, Global Liver Institute, Healthcare Leadership Council, HealthyWomen, Intuitive Surgical, MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Consumers League, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Medicine Association, Ro, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, The Obesity Society, Trust for America’s Health, WW Weight Watchers International, and YMCA of the USA.
Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia were elected on Tuesday to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, with two-year terms beginning in January 2026.
They will serve through the end of 2027 on the UN body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
They will join the five non-permanent members elected last year – Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia – who will serve through 2026. The incoming members will succeed Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms end in December 2025.
The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States – who hold veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for staggered two-year terms.
Elections are held annually by secret ballot, with seats allocated by regional group. Candidates must secure a two-thirds majority in the 193-member General Assembly to be elected.
Vote tally
A total of 188 Member States participated in the election, which required only one round of balloting.
In the African and Asia-Pacific group, Bahrain received 186 votes, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) garnered 183 votes, and Liberia received 181 votes, with one country abstaining.
In the Eastern European group, Latvia received 178 votes while 10 countries abstained.
In the Latin America and the Caribbean group, Colombia received 180 votes, with eight countries abstaining.
Debut for Latvia
Latvia will take a seat on the Council for the first time in its history.
With the exception of Latvia, all the elected countries have previously served: Colombia seven times, the DRC twice, and Bahrain and Liberia once each.
Regional groups
The non-permanent seats on the Security Council are distributed according to four regional groupings: Africa and Asia; Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and the Western European and other States group.
This year’s election filled five seats: two allocated to Africa, one to Asia-Pacific, one to Eastern Europe, and one to Latin America and the Caribbean.
A team from Auburn University took top honors in NASA’s 2025 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition Forum, where undergraduate and graduate teams competed to develop new concepts for operating on the Moon, Mars and beyond. Auburn’s project, “Dynamic Ecosystems for Mars Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER)” advised by Dr. Davide Guzzetti, took home top prize out of 14 Finalist Teams from academic institutions across the nation. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University took second place overall for their concept, “Adaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM),” advised by Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh. The University of Maryland took third place overall with their project, “Servicing Crane Outfitted Rover for Payloads, Inspection, Operations, N’stuff (SCORPION),” advised by Dr. David Akin, Nich Bolatto, and Charlie Hanner. The first and second place overall winning teams will present their work at the 2025 AIAA Accelerating Space Commerce, Exploration, and New Discovery (ASCEND) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in July.
The RASC-AL Competition, which took place from June 2-4, 2025, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, is a unique initiative designed to bridge the gap between academia and the aerospace industry, empowering undergraduate and graduate students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world challenges in space exploration. This year’s themes included “Sustained Lunar Evolution – An Inspirational Moment,” “Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign,” and “Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot.” “The RASC-AL Competition cultivates students who bring bold, imaginative thinking to the kinds of complex challenges we tackle at NASA,” said Dan Mazanek, RASC-AL program sponsor and senior space systems engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “These teams push the boundaries of what’s possible in space system design and offer new insights. These insights help build critical engineering capabilities, preparing the next generation of aerospace leaders to step confidently into the future of space exploration.” As NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, the RASC-AL Competition stands as an opportunity for aspiring aerospace professionals to design real-world solutions to complex problems facing the Agency. By engaging with the next generation of innovators, NASA can collaborate with the academic community to crowd-source new solutions for the challenges of tomorrow. Additional 2025 Forum Awards include: Best in Theme: Sustained Lunar Evolution: An Inspirational Moment
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Project Title: Project Aeneas
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh
Best in Theme: Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign
Auburn University
Project Title: Dynamic Ecosystems for Mars ECLSS Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER)
Advisor: Dr. Davide Guzzetti
Best in Theme: Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Project Title: Adaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM)
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh
Best Prototype: South Dakota State University
Project Title: Next-gen Operations and Versatile Assistant (NOVA)
Advisor: Dr. Todd Letcher, Allea Klauenberg, Liam Murray, Alex Schaar, Nick Sieler, Dylan Stephens, Carter Waggoner
RASC-AL is open to undergraduate and graduate students studying disciplines related to human exploration, including aerospace, bio-medical, electrical, and mechanical engineering, and life, physical, and computer sciences. RASC-AL projects allow students to incorporate their coursework into space exploration objectives in a team environment and help bridge strategic knowledge gaps associated with NASA’s vision. Students have the opportunity to interact with NASA officials and industry experts and develop relationships that could lead to participation in other NASA student research programs. RASC-AL is sponsored by the Strategies and Architectures Office within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and by the Space Mission Analysis Branch within the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate at NASA Langley. It is administered by the National Institute of Aerospace. For more information about the RASC-AL competition, including complete theme and submission guidelines, visit: http://rascal.nianet.org. National Institute of Aerospace
Earth scientist Compton J. Tucker has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his work creating innovative tools to track the planet’s changing vegetation from space. It’s research that has spanned nearly 50 years at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he is a visiting scientist after retiring in March. Tucker’s research began with identifying wavelengths of light that are absorbed or reflected as plants undergo photosynthesis, and has evolved into calculating the health and productivity of vegetation over time with satellites. “I’m honored and surprised,” Tucker said of his election. “There were opportunities at the Goddard Space Flight Center that have enabled this work that couldn’t be found elsewhere. There were people who built satellites, who understood satellite data, and had the computer code to process it. All the work I’ve done has been part of a team, with other people contributing in different ways. Working at NASA is a team effort of science and discovery that’s fun and intellectually rewarding.”
Tucker earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Colorado State University, where he worked on a National Science Foundation-funded project analyzing spectrometer data of grassland ecosystems. In 1975, he came to NASA Goddard as a postdoctoral fellow and used what he learned in his graduate work to modify the imager on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) meteorological satellites and modify Landsat’s thematic mapper instrument. He became a civil servant at the agency in 1977, and continued work with radiometers to study vegetation – first with handheld devices, then with NOAA’s Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer satellite instruments. He has also used data from Landsat satellites, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instruments, and commercial satellites. His scientific papers have been cited 100,000 times, and one of his recent studies mapped 10 billion individual trees across Africa’s drylands to inventory carbon storage at the tree level. “The impact of Compton Tucker’s work over the last half-century at Goddard is incredible,” said Dalia Kirschbaum, director of the Earth Sciences Division at NASA Goddard. “Among his many achievements, he essentially developed the technique of using satellites to study photosynthesis from plants, which people have used to monitor droughts, forecast crop shortages, defeat the desert locust, and even predict disease outbreaks. This is a well-deserved honor.”
The National Academy of Sciences was proposed by Abraham Lincoln and established by Congress in 1863, charged with advising the United States on science and technology. Each year, up to 120 new members are elected “in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research,” according to the organization. In addition his role as a visiting scientist at Goddard, Tucker is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland and a consulting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania’s University Museum. He was awarded the National Air and Space Collins Trophy for Current Achievement in 1993 and the Vega Medal by the Swedish Society of Anthropology and Geography in 2014. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Geophysical Union, and won the Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service in 2017, among other honors. By Kate Ramsayer NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
What happens when the universe’s most magnetic object shines with the power of 1000 Suns in a matter of seconds? Thanks to NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), a mission in collaboration with ASI (Italian Space Agency), scientists are one step closer to understanding this extreme event. Magnetars are a type of young neutron star – a stellar remnant formed when a massive star reaches the end of its life and collapses in on itself, leaving behind a dense core roughly the mass of the Sun, but squashed down to the size of a city. Neutron stars display some of the most extreme physics in the observable universe and present unique opportunities to study conditions that would otherwise be impossible to replicate in a laboratory on Earth.
The magnetar 1E 1841-045, located in the remnants of a supernova (SNR Kes 73) nearly 28,000 light-years from Earth, was observed to be in a state of outburst by NASA’s Swift, Fermi, and NICER telescopes on August 21, 2024. A few times a year, the IXPE team approves requests to interrupt the telescope’s scheduled observations to instead focus on unique and unexpected celestial events. When magnetar 1E 1841-045 entered this brighter, active state, scientists decided to redirect IXPE to obtain the first-ever polarization measurements of a flaring magnetar. Magnetars have magnetic fields several thousand times stronger than most neutron stars and host the strongest magnetic fields of any known object in the universe. Disturbances to their extreme magnetic fields can cause a magnetar to release up to a thousand times more X-ray energy than it normally would for several weeks. This enhanced state is called an outburst, but the mechanisms behind them are still not well understood. Through IXPE’s X-ray polarization measurements, scientists may be able to get closer to uncovering the mysteries of these events. Polarization carries information about the orientation and alignment of the emitted X-ray light waves; the higher the degree of polarization, the more the X-ray waves are traveling in sync, akin to a tightly choreographed dance performance. Examining the polarization characteristics of magnetars reveals clues about the energetic processes producing the observed photons as well as the direction and geometry of the magnetar magnetic fields. The IXPE results, aided by observations from NASA’s NuSTAR and NICER telescopes, show that the X-ray emissions from 1E 1841-045 become more polarized at higher energy levels while still maintaining the same direction of propagation. A significant contribution to this high polarization degree comes from the hard X-ray tail of 1E 1841-045, an energetic magnetospheric component dominating the highest photon energies observed by IXPE. “Hard X-rays” refer to X-rays with shorter wavelengths and higher energies than “soft X-rays.” Although prevalent in magnetars, the mechanics driving the production of these high energy X-ray photons are still largely unknown. Several theories have been proposed to explain this emission, but now the high polarization associated with these hard X-rays provide further clues into their origin.
The results are presented in two papers published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, one led by Rachael Stewart, a PhD student at George Washington University, and the other by Michela Rigoselli of the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics.. “This unique observation will help advance the existing models aiming to explain magnetar hard X-ray emission by requiring them to account for this very high level of synchronization we see among these hard X-ray photons,” said Stewart. “This really showcases the power of polarization measurements in constraining physics in the extreme environments of magnetars.” Rigoselli, lead author of the companion paper, added, “It will be interesting to observe 1E 1841-045 once it has returned to its quiescent, baseline state to follow the evolution of its polarimetric properties.” IXPE is a space observatory built to discover the secrets of some of the most extreme objects in the universe. Launched in December 2021 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on a Falcon 9 rocket, the IXPE mission is part of NASA’s Small Explorer series. IXPE, which continues to provide unprecedented data enabling groundbreaking discoveries about celestial objects across the universe, is a joint NASA and Italian Space Agency mission with partners and science collaborators in 12 countries. IXPE is led by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. BAE Systems, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, manages spacecraft operations together with the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder. Learn more about IXPE’s ongoing mission here: https://www.nasa.gov/ixpe Media Contact Elizabeth LandauNASA Headquarterselizabeth.r.landau@nasa.gov202-358-0845 Lane FigueroaMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov256.544.0034
A lot can change in a year for Earth’s forests and vegetation, as springtime and rainy seasons can bring new growth, while cooling temperatures and dry weather can bring a dieback of those green colors. And now, a novel type of NASA visualization illustrates those changes in a full complement of colors as seen from space.
[embedded content] Researchers have now gathered a complete year of PACE data to tell a story about the health of land vegetation by detecting slight variations in leaf colors. Previous missions allowed scientists to observe broad changes in chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green color and also allows them to perform photosynthesis. But PACE now allows scientists to see three different pigments in vegetation: chlorophyll, anthocyanins, and carotenoids. The combination of these three pigments helps scientists pinpoint even more information about plant health. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite is designed to view Earth’s microscopic ocean plants in a new lens, but researchers have proved its hyperspectral use over land, as well. Previous missions measured broad changes in chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green color and also allows them to perform photosynthesis. Now, for the first time, PACE measurements have allowed NASA scientists and visualizers to show a complete year of global vegetation data using three pigments: chlorophyll, anthocyanins, and carotenoids. That multicolor imagery tells a clearer story about the health of land vegetation by detecting the smallest of variations in leaf colors. “Earth is amazing. It’s humbling, being able to see life pulsing in colors across the whole globe,” said Morgaine McKibben, PACE applications lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It’s like the overview effect that astronauts describe when they look down at Earth, except we are looking through our technology and data.”
Anthocyanins are the red pigments in leaves, while carotenoids are the yellow pigments – both of which we see when autumn changes the colors of trees. Plants use these pigments to protect themselves from fluctuations in the weather, adapting to the environment through chemical changes in their leaves. For example, leaves can turn more yellow when they have too much sunlight but not enough of the other necessities, like water and nutrients. If they didn’t adjust their color, it would damage the mechanisms they have to perform photosynthesis. In the visualization, the data is highlighted in bright colors: magenta represents anthocyanins, green represents chlorophyll, and cyan represents carotenoids. The brighter the colors are, the more leaves there are in that area. The movement of these colors across the land areas show the seasonal changes over time. In areas like the evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest, plants undergo less seasonal change. The data highlights this, showing comparatively steadier colors as the year progresses. The combination of these three pigments helps scientists pinpoint even more information about plant health. “Shifts in these pigments, as detected by PACE, give novel information that may better describe vegetation growth, or when vegetation changes from flourishing to stressed,” said McKibben. “It’s just one of many ways the mission will drive increased understanding of our home planet and enable innovative, practical solutions that serve society.” The Ocean Color Instrument on PACE collects hyperspectral data, which means it observes the planet in 100 different wavelengths of visible and near infrared light. It is the only instrument – in space or elsewhere – that provides hyperspectral coverage around the globe every one to two days. The PACE mission builds on the legacy of earlier missions, such as Landsat, which gathers higher resolution data but observes a fraction of those wavelengths. In a paper recently published in Remote Sensing Letters, scientists introduced the mission’s first terrestrial data products. “This PACE data provides a new view of Earth that will improve our understanding of ecosystem dynamics and function,” said Fred Huemmrich, research professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, member of the PACE science and applications team, and first author of the paper. “With the PACE data, it’s like we’re looking at a whole new world of color. It allows us to describe pigment characteristics at the leaf level that we weren’t able to do before.” As scientists continue to work with these new data, available on the PACE website, they’ll be able to incorporate it into future science applications, which may include forest monitoring or early detection of drought effects. By Erica McNamee NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps retired May 30, after nearly 16 years of service with the agency. Epps most recently served as a mission specialist during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission, spending 235 days in space, including 232 days aboard the International Space Station, working on hundreds of scientific experiments during Expedition 71/72. “I have had the distinct pleasure of following Jeanette’s journey here at NASA from the very beginning,” said Steve Koerner, acting director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Jeanette’s tenacity and dedication to mission excellence is admirable. Her contributions to the advancement of human space exploration will continue to benefit humanity and inspire the next generation of explorers for several years to come.” Epps was selected in 2009 as a member of NASA’s 20th astronaut class. In addition to her spaceflight, she served as a lead capsule communicator, or capcom, in NASA’s Mission Control Center and as a crew support astronaut for two space station expeditions. “Ever since Jeanette joined the astronaut corps, she has met every challenge with resilience and determination,” said Joe Acaba, NASA’s chief astronaut. “We will miss her greatly, but I know she’s going to continue to do great things.” Epps also participated in NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operation) off the coast of Florida, conducted geologic studies in Hawaii, and served as a representative to the Generic Joint Operations Panel, which addressed crew efficiency aboard the space station. The Syracuse, New York, native holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Le Moyne College in Syracuse. She also earned master’s and doctorate degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland in College Park. During her graduate studies, she became a NASA Fellow, authoring several journal and conference articles about her research. Epps also received a provisional patent and a U.S. patent prior to her role at NASA. Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- Chelsey Ballarte Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 chelsey.n.ballarte@nasa.gov
Jack Kaye [NASA HQ—Associate Director for Research, Earth Science Division (ESD)] has decided to retire on April 30, 2025, following 42 years of service to NASA – see Photo 1. Most recently, Kaye served as associate director for research of the Earth Science Division (ESD) within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD). In this position, he was responsible for the research and data analysis programs for Earth System Science that addressed the broad spectrum of scientific disciplines from the stratopause to the poles to the oceans.
A New York native, Kaye’s interest in space was piqued as a child watching early NASA manned space launches on television. He would often write to NASA to get pictures of the astronauts. In high school, he started an after school astronomy club. Despite a youthful interest in Earth science, as he explained in a 2014 “Maniac Talk” at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Kaye pursued a slightly different academic path. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in chemistry from Adelphi University in 1976 and a Ph.D. in theoretical physical chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1982. For his graduate studies, he focused on the quantum mechanics of chemical reactions with an aim toward being able to understand and calculate the activity. Following graduate school, Kaye secured a post-doctoral position at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where he studied the chemistry of Earth’s atmosphere with a focus on stratospheric ozone. It was while working in a group of meteorologists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center that Kaye returned to his roots and refocused his scientific energy on studying Earth. “NASA had a mandate to study stratospheric ozone,” Kaye said in an interview in 2009. “I got involved in looking at satellite observations and especially trying to interpret satellite observations of stratospheric composition and building models to simulate things, to look both ways, to use the models and use the data.” Kaye has held numerous science and leadership positions at NASA. He began his career at GSFC as a researcher for the Stratospheric General Circulation and Chemistry Modeling Project (SGCCP) from 1983–1990 working on stratospheric modeling. In this role, he also worked on an Earth Observing System Interdisciplinary proposal. His first role at NASA HQ was managing as program scientist for the Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP), as well as numerous other missions. In this role, he was a project scientist for the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) series of Shuttle missions. While managing ATLAS, Kaye oversaw the science carried out by a dozen instruments from several different countries. He also managed several other Earth Science missions during this time. See the link to Kaye’s “Maniac Talk.” Kaye entered the Senior Executive Service in 1999, where he continued to contribute to the agency by managing NASA’s Earth Science Research Program. In addition, Kaye has held temporary acting positions as deputy director of ESD and deputy chief scientist for Earth Science within SMD. Throughout his career he has focused on helping early-career investigators secure their first awards to establish their career path—see Photo 2.
On numerous occasions, Kaye spoke to different groups emphasizing the agency’s unique role in both developing and utilizing cutting-edge technology, especially remote observations of Earth with different satellite platforms – see Photo 3. With the launch of five new NASA Earth science campaigns in 2020, Kaye stated, “These innovative investigations tackle difficult scientific questions that require detailed, targeted field observations combined with data collected by our fleet of Earth-observing satellites.”
Kaye has also represented NASA in interagency and international activities and has been an active participant in the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), where he has served for many years as NASA principal of the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. He served as NASA’s representative to the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and chaired the World Meteorological Organization Expert Team on Satellite Systems. Kaye was named an honorary member of the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society in 2015. He previously completed a six-year term as a member of the Steering Committee for the Global Climate Observing System and currently serves an ex officio member of the National Research Council’s Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability and the Chemical Sciences Roundtable, as well as a member of the Roundtable on Global Science Diplomacy. NASA has honored Kaye with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal in 2022 and the Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service in 2004, 2010, and 2021. In 2024 he was awarded the NASA-USGS Pecora Individual Award honoring excellence in Earth Observation. He was named a Fellow by the American Meteorological Society in 2010 and by the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2014. Kaye was elected to serve as an office of the Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Science section of the AAAS (2015–2018). AGU has recognized him on two occasions with a Citation for Excellence in Refereeing. Over the course of his career Kaye has published more than 50 papers, contributed to numerous reports, books, and encyclopedias, and edited the book Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase Chemistry for the American Chemical Society. In addition, he has attended the Leadership for Democratic Society program at the Federal Executive Institute and the Harvard Senior Managers in Government Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. “The vantage point of space provides a way to look at the Earth globally, with the ability to observe Earth’s interacting components of air, water, land and ice, and both naturally occurring and human-induced processes,” Kaye said in a November 2024 article published by Penn State University. “It lets us look at variability on a broad range of spatial and temporal scales and given the decades of accomplishments, has allowed us to characterize and document Earth system variability on time scales from minutes to decades.”
Dr. Stanley Sander dedicated more than five decades to atmospheric science at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, beginning his JPL career as a graduate research assistant in 1971. A leading figure in atmospheric chemistry, Stan made foundational contributions to our understanding of stratospheric ozone depletion, tropospheric air pollution, and climate science related to greenhouse gases. His pioneering work in laboratory measurements—particularly of reaction rate constants, spectroscopy, and photochemistry—was designed to forge consensus among often disparate measurements. His steadfast application of the scientific method was essential for furthering scientific research, as well as for providing sound advice for use in air quality management and environmental policies. His expertise extended beyond Earth’s atmosphere, with studies of methane chemistry on Mars, halogens on Venus, and hydrocarbons in Titan’s atmosphere. Stan’s scientific output was vast. He authored over 180 peer-reviewed publications, beginning with his 1976 paper on sulfur dioxide oxidation. His work spans major aspects of atmospheric chemistry—from chlorine, bromine, and nitrogen oxides to sulfur compounds and peroxides. The rate constants, cross-sections, and photochemical data produced in his lab form the cornerstone of atmospheric modeling crucial to the scientific foundation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. He played a central role in the widely used JPL Chemical Kinetics and Photochemical Data for Use in Atmospheric Studies reports, which have collectively garnered over 10,000 citations. His spectroscopic research, which included development of novel spectrometers and polarimeters, resulted in insightful data from sites at JPL, the Table Mountain Facility as well as the California Laboratory for Remote sensing (CLARS). These activities have contributed significantly to the calibration and validation of satellite missions like TES, OCO, OMI, and SAGE, helped advance remote sensing technologies, and informed local air quality metrics. Stan was not only a brilliant scientist but a deeply respected mentor and leader. He guided 40 postdocs at JPL, 14 graduate students at Caltech, and 14 undergraduate researchers. At JPL, he held key leadership roles including Supervisor of the Laboratory Studies and Modeling Group, Chief Engineer and Acting Chief Technologist in the Science Division, and Senior Research Scientist. Those of us lucky enough to be fostered by Stan in this capacity will always remember his kindness first approach and steadfast resolve in the face of challenges. Stan’s contributions were recognized with numerous honors, including two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals, a NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and elected as a fellow for both the American Geophysical Union (2021) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2024). Although the announcement of his AAAS Fellowship came posthumously, he was informed of this honor before his passing. Stan was a rare combination of scientific brilliance, humility, and kindness. He was not only a leader in his field, but also a generous collaborator and cherished mentor. His loss is profoundly felt by the scientific community and by all who had the privilege of working with him. His legacy, however, will endure in those he mentored and the substantial contributions he made to scientific knowledge.
Headline: FEMA Assistance Extended To July 25 for Kentuckians Affected by April Storms
FEMA Assistance Extended To July 25 for Kentuckians Affected by April Storms
FRANKFORT, Ky
– Kentucky homeowners and renters who suffered uninsured or underinsured damage to their property from the April severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides now have until July 25 to apply for FEMA assistance
Survivors are encouraged to file insurance claims for damage to their homes, personal property and vehicles before they apply for FEMA assistance
FEMA Individual Assistance cannot duplicate insurance benefits or other sources of assistance
How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceThere are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance:Online at DisasterAssistance
gov
Visit any Disaster Recovery Center
To find a center close to you, visit fema
gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”)
Use the FEMA mobile app
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362
It is open 7 a
m
to 10 p
m
Eastern Time
Help is available in many languages
If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service
FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis
FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs
When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security Number
A general list of damage and losses
Banking information if you choose direct deposit
If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name
Survivors should keep their contact information updated with FEMA as the agency may need to call to schedule a home inspection or get additional information
Disaster assistance is not a substitute for insurance and is not intended to compensate for all losses caused by a disaster
The assistance is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts
For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www
What you need to know:California is launching the CalAssist Mortgage Fund on June 12, 2025, to provide $105 million in relief offering up to $20,000 to homeowners whose homes were destroyed in recent disasters, including the Los Angeles firestorms.
LOS ANGELES—California is launching the CalAssist Mortgage Fund on June 12, 2025, to provide grants up to $20,000 to homeowners whose homes were destroyedor left uninhabitablein recent fire, floods, and other disasters. This includes those individuals whose homes were destroyed by the LA-area firestorms earlier this year.
“Homeowners whose home was destroyed in a recent fire, flood or other disaster deserve support in their recovery. We know that recovery takes time, and the state is here to support. Today, California is extending this ongoing support to disaster victims in Los Angeles and beyond, by assisting with mortgage payments to relieve financial pressure and stress as families rebuild and recover.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
This new disaster mortgage relief program, managed by the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), will be paired with $25 million in additional housing counseling support through CalHFA’s National Mortgage Settlement Housing Counseling Program, and none of the funds impact the proposed 2025-2026 budget.
The CalAssist Mortgage Fund provides relief for the most vulnerable homeowners whose homes have been destroyed or left uninhabitable as the result of a disaster that received a State of Emergency proclamation by the Governor or a Major Disaster Declaration approved by the President between January 2023 and January 2025, such as the Eaton Fire, Palisades Fire, Park Fire and San Diego floods.
When applications open on June 12, eligible homeowners can apply for grants covering up to three months of mortgage payments, up to $20,000 total.
“When disaster strikes and families lose their homes, every step toward recovery makes a meaningful difference,”said Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of California’s Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.“The CalAssist Mortgage Fund will provide more than $100 million in valuable support to help ease the financial pressure survivors face, giving them a little more breathing room as they navigate the challenging path of rebuilding their lives.”
How to access funding
To provide time for affected homeowners to get prepared to apply, application and eligibility information about the CalAssist Mortgage Fund is now available atCalAssistMortgageFund.org. These grants do not have to be repaid and applying to the program is free. Grants will be sent directly to the approved homeowner’s mortgage servicer.
“For communities affected by disasters, the CalAssist Mortgage Fund will provide homeowners with financial assistance that allows them to focus on healing and recovery,” said Rebecca Franklin, Chief Deputy Director at CalHFA. “Hard-working families across the state, from Altadena to Chico, deserve relief as they work to recover from these devastating events.”
Homeowners can call the CalAssist Mortgage Fund for in-depth, one-on-one assistance with preparing and completing their application. Call 800-501-0019 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Additionally, homeowners can also access free support and services fromHUD-certified housing counselingagencies.
The Governor previously hadsecured commitmentsfrom more than 400 financial institutions, including five major lenders (Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo), to offer homeowners impacted by the L.A. wildfires a 90-day forbearance of their mortgage payments, without reporting these payments to credit reporting agencies or charging late fees.
Fast-tracking rebuilding efforts
Governor Newsom has provided unprecedented support to assist Los Angeles’ recovery from this year’s firestorms. In addition to recently announcing anew AI toolto supercharge the approval of building permits, Governor Newsom issued an executive order tostreamline the rebuilding of homes and businessesdestroyed — suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act. The Governor also issued an executive orderfurther cutting red tapeby reiterating that permitting requirements under the California Coastal Act are suspended for rebuilding efforts and directing the Coastal Commission not to issue guidance or take any action that interferes with or conflicts with the Governor’s executive orders. Additionally, he signed an executive order tocut more red tapeand continue streamlining rebuilding, recovery, and relief for survivors. The Governor alsoissued an executive orderremoving barriers, extending deadlines, and providing critical regulatory relief to help fire survivors rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly.
Giving survivors a stronger voice in recovery
To help provide the Los Angeles community with a stronger voice in the rebuilding and recovery efforts, Governor Newsom launchedEngaged California, a new platform that gives Californians a unique opportunity to share their thoughts and connect with other people on topics that are important to them. It creates new opportunities for Californians to connect with their government to inform and shape policy through honest, respectful discussions. The program was launched in February with the first use case focusing on the impacts of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Press releases, Recent news
Recent news
Jun 4, 2025
News What you need to know: California added a record of nearly 7,000 megawatts of new clean energy capacity in 2024, marking the largest single-year increase in state history and the third consecutive year of unprecedented growth. SACRAMENTO – California has achieved…
Jun 4, 2025
News What you need to know: California leads the nation in strong gun safety laws, correlating with thousands of lives saved. Sacramento, California – Year after year, California is ranked as the #1 state in the country for its strong gun safety laws — along with some…
Jun 4, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – For the second year in a row, California ranks highest on Fortune 500’s list as the state with the most corporations generating the largest revenues. As host to 58 Fortune 500 companies, California leads the nation – followed by Texas with 54 and New…
DS636: China — Additional Import Duties on Certain Agricultural and Fishery Products from Canada
Canada submitted its first request for the establishment of a dispute panel regarding additional import duties imposed by China on certain Canadian products pursuant to a domestic “antidiscrimination investigation.” The additional duties, including a 100% tariff on canola seed oil, canola meal, and peas and a 25% tariff on certain fish, seafood and pork products, came into effect on 20 March.
Canada said China unilaterally suspended concessions to Canada without first seeking recourse at the WTO or obtaining the authorization of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body. Consultations with China took place on 23 April but unfortunately failed to resolve the matter, Canada said. Canada noted it remains open to continuing dialogue with China in a manner that will address Canada’s concerns and fully restore market access for Canadian agricultural, fish and seafood products in a timely fashion.
China replied that it regretted Canada’s decision to seek the establishment of a panel. Canada imposed discriminatory and unilateral restrictions on Chinese imports despite opposition from all sides, China said. The impositions of tariffs on certain Canadian products are legitimate measures taken in accordance with Chinese domestic law following a fair, impartial and transparent investigation process, China added. In opposing Canada’s request, China said it believes it is still premature to establish a panel in this dispute.
The DSB took note of the statements and agreed to revert to the matter should a requesting member wish to do so.
Next meeting
The next regular DSB meeting will take place on 23 June.
On Friday, May 30th, Samsung Galaxy and Doechii, – both innovators pushing boundaries in music and technology – united for a private performance at the Edge NYC in Hudson Yards. To celebrate, Samsung hosted a private event 1,100 feet above the ground at the iconic venue.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 30: A view of the atmosphere during Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch at Edge at Hudson Yards on May 30, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Samsung Galaxy)
The exclusive performance marked the debut of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, a category-defining slim smartphone with pro-level performance and advanced AI capabilities.
In response to President Trump imposing a new discriminatory travel ban on visitors from Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, and a partial ban on people from another seven countries, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:
“President Trump’s new travel ban is discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel. By targeting people based on their race, religion, or nationality, from countries with predominantly Black, Brown and Muslim-majority populations, this blanket ban constitutes racial discrimination under international human rights law. It also spreads hate and disinformation, reinforcing the notion that these populations are more likely to pose security risks or engage in acts of violence.
“This arbitrary travel ban also violates the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution and the US obligation to protect them under international and national refugee law. With the right to seek asylum already non-existent at US borders, it will further inflict terrible suffering on people who are fleeing war-torn regions, massive human rights violations and other dangerous situations and seeking safety in the United States.
This travel ban is yet another iteration of the Trump administration’s persistent trampling on the rights of immigrants and those seeking safety.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General
“Through targeting and detaining immigrants for exercising practicing their right to free speech, separating families, mass deportations and more, President Trump’s actions have already put tens of millions of people in the United States at risk. And now, this travel ban is yet another iteration of the Trump administration’s persistent trampling on the rights of immigrants and those seeking safety.
“Communities thrive when governments prioritize the safety of all people, regardless of nationality, religion, or race. Amnesty International will never stop fighting for a world in which everybody is treated with dignity, immigrants and people seeking safety are welcomed and recognized for their contributions to society, and communities are united.”
Collectible figurines on display at Pop Mart in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, on April 29, 2025.(Shutterstock)
If you’ve seen videos of people tearing into tiny toy packages online, or noticed teens obsessing over pastel-coloured figurines at the mall, you’ve probably encountered the global craze for blind box toys.
These small collectibles — usually figures of cartoonish characters — are sold in sealed packaging that hides which specific item is inside. You might get the one you want, or you might not. That uncertainty is part of the thrill.
Unlike traditional toys, these figures are marketed as collectibles. Many are part of themed series, with some designs labelled as “rare” or “secret,” appearing in as few as one in every 144 boxes. This sense of exclusivity fuels repeat purchases and has spawned a resale market where rare figures can command hundreds of dollars.
Popular among children and adults alike, blind box toys have grown into a billion-dollar industry. One of the more popular brands is Pop Mart, a Chinese toy company founded in 2010 known for its collectible designer toys sold in mystery packs.
Gen Z consumers, in particular, have embraced blind box toys both as a nostalgic pastime and as a form of legitimate collecting. The proliferation of unboxing videos on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where creators open dozens of blind boxes on camera, has added to their appeal.
For many fans, these toys offer more than just cuteness: they also provide suspense, surprise and a rush of dopamine with every box opened. But how did this niche product become a global obsession?
From Tokyo streets to western malls
The origins of blind box toys trace back to East Asia. Capsule toy vending machines called gashaponoriginated in Japan in the 1960s. By the 1980s, they had become a cultural fixture. These machines dispense small toys in opaque plastic balls, with customers never quite sure which item they’ll receive.
A tourist uses a gashapon machine in Osaka, Japan, in 2024. Gashapon machines are similar to the coin-operated toy vending machines seen outside grocery stores and other retailers in North America. (Shutterstock)
Pop Mart’s success helped transform the blind box into a mainstream commercial phenomenon. Characters like Molly, Skullpanda and Dimoo became instant hits, combining Japanesekawaii esthetics with western pop art sensibilities.
Pop Mart figures have since developed a cult-like following. Many consumers treat the toys as affordable art objects, displayed in cabinets, on purses or traded online.
You never know exactly when you’ll score the item you’re after, but the possibility that the next box might contain it keeps people coming back. This unpredictability keeps people engaged, especially when the potential reward is framed as rare or valuable.
Cconsumer psychology research also suggests that anticipation plays a major role. Studies show that dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, spikes not just when we get what we want, but when we anticipate it. The sealed packaging, the suspense of unwrapping and the hope for a rare figure all heighten this effect.
Sonny Angels on display in a store in Shenzhen, China, in March 2019. (Shutterstock)
For younger collectors, the excitement of “the chase” can foster compulsive buying habits. This effect is amplified by the social influence of watching unboxings online or seeing friends complete their sets, and it becomes a powerful loop.
Even when buyers don’t get the figure they want, the sunk cost fallacy — the feeling that they’ve already invested too much time or money to walk away — keeps them buying more.
The hidden costs of blind boxes
As blind box toys surge in popularity, they have drawn criticism from consumer advocates, psychologists and environmentalists alike.
Several countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, have regulated loot boxes under gambling laws. Blind boxes, though currently unregulated, may be next in line for scrutiny.
There are also environmental concerns. Many blind box toys come in excessive packaging — plastic wraps, foil bags, cardboard boxes — most of which is discarded immediately. The collectibles themselves are often made of non-recyclable plastics, raising questions about sustainability in an era of rising consumer awareness over waste.
Even among adult fans, some critics question whether blind boxes are designed less to bring joy and more to trigger compulsive consumption. The joy of collecting, they argue, is increasingly overshadowed by the mechanics of engineered desire.
What should we make of the blind box boom?
Blind box toys are not inherently harmful, and for many, they’re a source of fun, nostalgia and self-expression. They also offer an accessible way for consumers to engage with designer art in a collectible, miniature form, as many of them are created by individual artists.
But blind box toys also raise deeper questions about how modern marketing leverages psychological triggers associated with gambling, especially when it comes to children.
As these toys continue to gain traction in the West, it’s worth asking more critical questions, like: are we buying into mystery or are we being sold obsession and compulsion?
The blind box trend reflects broader shifts in how products are marketed, how value is perceived and how consumer behaviour is shaped in a digital, attention-driven economy. Understanding the forces at play may be the first step toward more informed — and perhaps more mindful — collecting.
Eugene Y. Chan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
