A finance business received a phone call from a person claiming to be an existing customer. They knew the name, date of birth and address of the customer and were able to mislead customer centre staff at the finance business. They obtained further personal information about the customer, accessed their account, and made changes to their password settings.
The customer noticed their account had been changed and contacted the finance business, which took steps to protect the customer’s account by applying warning notes on the account. Yet the other person was able to bypass these protections multiple times, make further changes to the customer’s information and used their account for unauthorised transactions.
The customer repeatedly said someone was accessing their account, and both using and making changes to their personal information. The finance business did not identify these concerns as privacy issues and only focussed on the fraud aspect of the customer’s concerns.
The affected customer raised a complaint with OPC.
Relevant privacy concerns
This matter raised several concerns under the Privacy Act 2020:
Principle 5 states agencies must ensure there are safeguards in place that are reasonable in the circumstances to prevent loss, misuse or disclosure of personal information.
Principle 8 states that agencies must check before using or disclosing personal information that it is accurate, up to date, complete, relevant and not misleading.
Principle 11 states that an organisation may generally only disclose personal information for the purpose for which it was originally collected. Sometimes other reasons for disclosure are allowed, such as disclosure, where an individual has consented to their information being shared or disclosure is necessary to prevent a serious threat to a person’s safety.
Section 114 requires agencies to notify the Privacy Commissioner as soon as practicable after becoming aware of a notifiable privacy breach.
Our complaint investigation
We investigated the complaint and formed a preliminary view that the finance business had breached principles 5, 8, and 11. On that basis, we worked with the complainant and the finance business to resolve the issue, with the finance business taking steps to protect the complainant’s account and agreed to financial compensation for the emotional harm caused by the breach.
Although the specific complaint was resolved, we had wider concerns about the finance business’s privacy practices and so the matter was referred to our Compliance and Enforcement Team for review.
Compliance review into the privacy breach
On reviewing the matter, we identified that the finance business’s actions amounted to a notifiable privacy breach. As the agency had failed to report it to OPC, the requirements of the Privacy Act were not met.
We raised concerns about the limited customer verification steps to confirm the customer. This deficiency allowed the individual to obtain more details about the customer’s account and make several changes to the initial settings.
We also identified a failure to follow internal procedures by staff to verify the additional security placed on the customer’s account. This failure led to missing multiple times the additional password and warning notes that were place on that account.
A lack of understanding the overlap between fraud incidents and privacy breach incidents as well as unclear privacy incident management plans led the finance business to miss its statutory obligation for reporting this privacy breach incident to OPC. They were of the belief that because the individual already had details of the customer obtained elsewhere it was not a privacy matter and as the unauthorised transactions were reimbursed there was no harm caused to the customer.
In this case, the unauthorised access to sensitive financial information created a high likelihood of harm for the customer, not only financial but also emotional harm due to the significant stress the customer experienced after seeing their account was bypassed multiple times. We determined the finance business breached the Privacy Act.
Compliance response
We considered our compliance options for the breaches of the Privacy Act using our Compliance and Enforcement Regulatory Action Framework.
In this case, the finance business engaged productively with both OPC and the affected individual. We took into consideration its willingness to learn and acknowledgement that it failed to comply with the Privacy Act. They immediately took steps to improve its processes in relation to customer verification checks as well as conducting privacy training for all staff.
We instructed the finance business to meet its statutory obligation and notify the privacy breach incident to OPC as well as review its privacy breach management plans and share the reviewed documents with OPC.
Conclusion
Fraud is a growing problem in the finance industry, and it raises significant privacy concerns, primarily due to the sensitive nature of financial information and the potential for privacy breaches. These breaches can compromise customer information, leading to financial loss, reputational damage, emotional harm, stress, anxiety and violation of privacy.
Finance businesses such as banks and lending institutions are common targets for fraud and often hold large volumes of sensitive personal information. In some cases, staff may inadvertently disclose personal information in response to fraudulent requests, potentially breaching the Privacy Act.
This incident highlights the importance of robust identity verification in high-risk sectors and compliance with statutory obligations under the Privacy Act.
Austin, TX, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A newly released presentationby bestselling author and tech entrepreneur James Altucher is drawing attention for spotlighting a potential turning point in the rollout of Elon Musk’s satellite network, Starlink.
Altucher outlines a series of developments—some public, some behind closed doors—that appear to be converging around a single date: August 13, 2025.
At the center of the story is what Altucher describes as “a multi-decade plan” to create a satellite-based communications grid that could replace traditional systems and establish a new digital foundation for the modern world.
The Architecture of a Quiet Revolution
The presentation suggests this quiet build-up may soon enter a public phase, marking a moment Altucher believes many will miss—because they weren’t paying attention.
A Meeting That Sparked Everything
Altucher first began connecting the dots after learning about a private meeting involving Elon Musk and industry insiders.
Though the contents of that meeting remain undisclosed, the timing aligns with a series of recent media statements from Musk and his team—signals Altucher says have been overlooked by the public and press alike.
Altucher’s Warning
As the presentation nears its conclusion, Altucher issues a clear message: the window may be closing.
“After this date, the window could slam shut—and you may never have this same chance again,” he writes, referring to August 13.
James Altucher is a serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and podcast host. He’s launched more than 20 companies across software, media, and finance. Altucher has authored 25+ books includingChoose Yourself,Reinvent Yourself, andSkip the Line. His writing has appeared inThe Wall Street Journal,Forbes, andTechCrunch, and he has been featured on CNBC, Fox Business, and major global platforms. His daily insights reach millions seeking clarity at the intersection of technology, power, and personal freedom.
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
WASHINGTON – Senator John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement applauding the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for entering into a 20-year lease agreement with McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., the location of the PHMSA National Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Safety (the Center). McNeese was chosen as the Center’s site earlier this year. The lease will start on August 1, 2025.
“LNG production is one of the most critical ways our nation can unleash our energy dominance and protect our national security, and Louisiana is leading the way. I’m proud to see the U.S. Department of Transportation take this major step forward in building our National Center of Excellence for LNG Safety in Lake Charles. This Center will be a game changer for our region and be the tip of the spear for LNG innovation, operations, and safety in the U.S.,” said Kennedy.
“Louisiana is at the heart of America’s growing LNG revolution. There is no better place to locate our Center of Excellence to ensure we safely transport this critical energy source,” saidU.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
The Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020 required PHMSA to establish that the National Center of Excellence for LNG Safety improve the federal government’s LNG facility expertise, serve as an information repository on best practices for LNG facilities, and facilitate collaboration among LNG stakeholders.
“We are excited to reach another important milestone in the construction of the Center, which will be a hub for advancing U.S. LNG safety,” said PHMSA Acting Administrator Ben Kochman.
“We are thrilled to finalize the long-term lease with PHMSA for a location on our McNeese campus. This project has been in the works for over two years, and it would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Senator Kennedy and his staff, our partners in Washington, D.C., and our colleagues at the University of Louisiana. We believe having PHMSA right here in Lake Charles—working alongside us—will serve as a powerful catalyst for securing the future of our region’s vital industries,” said Dr. Wade Rousse, President, McNeese State University.
Kennedy has long fought for the National Center of Excellence for LNG Safety and its presence in southwest Louisiana.
In 2020, Kennedy inserted a provision into the PIPES Act requiring the Center to be located in Louisiana. The PIPES Act, including Kennedy’s addition, became law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
In May 2024, Kennedy questioned then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg during the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD Appropriations). In response to Kennedy’s questions, Buttigieg confirmed that the Center would be located in Lake Charles, La.
During a May 2025 THUD Appropriations hearing, Kennedy questioned Secretary Duffy and confirmed that McNeese State University would be the site of the new Center. McNeese State University is the first undergraduate institution in the U.S. to offer a certificate program in the LNG Business and already hosts its own LNG Center of Excellence.
PHMSA and other federal agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Energy, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, have worked together to ensure the Center is focused on its mission of making the U.S. the leader in LNG operations.
Additional information about the National Center of Excellence for LNG Safety is available on PHMSA’s website.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
An observational study published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care looks at GLP-1 drugs vs metformin and the risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes.
Dr Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation, Alzheimer’s Society, said:
“Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer and one in three people born today will go onto to develop the condition. So, it’s exciting to see more research which shows how drugs currently being used for diabetes and weight loss – which are relatively cheap and easy to use – may also reduce the risk of dementia.
“This study found that GLP1RAs may significantly reduce some people’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and more so than those taking a second diabetes drug called metformin.
“However, they’re not a silver bullet in the fight against dementia and this study had several limitations that mean we mustn’t rush to conclusions about the effectiveness of these drugs – clinical trials will tell us more.
“These treatments didn’t reduce people’s risk of developing other types of dementia, such as vascular dementia, and there was a significant difference in risk reduction depending on patients’ ethnicity, with White patients much more likely to have a reduced risk than other racial groups.
“The study was retrospective, meaning we don’t know participants’ long-term outcomes and how many went on to develop dementia beyond the lifespan of the study. We need more dedicated research to understand whether these drugs could be used to tackle dementia while also finding therapies that benefit people from all backgrounds.
“We’re not at the finish line by any means, but we’re heading in the right direction.”
Dr Sheona Scales, Director of Research, Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“Research shows that nearly half (45 %) of dementia cases are linked to 14 risk factors, including type 2 diabetes. Recent studies suggest that some commonly prescribed diabetes medicines could help reduce the risk of dementia, but it’s still unclear which treatments are most effective. This new study adds to a growing body of evidence that GLP-1 medicines may play a role in lowering dementia risk.
“This is the first major study to compare the effect of two common diabetes treatments — GLP-1 medicines and metformin — on dementia risk, using health records from more than 174,000 people. The findings suggest that people with type 2 diabetes taking GLP-1 medicines had a lower risk of developing dementia than those taking metformin.
“Using real health records helps us understand how these medicines might work in everyday life — not just in clinical trials. And the findings suggest a lower dementia risk in those taking GLP-1 medicines, but the study cannot tell us how these medicines affect the underlying biology that causes dementia. People with type 2 diabetes often have other health conditions, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which are also linked to dementia — so it’s hard to untangle what role these factors might have had on dementia risk in this study.
“The two-year follow-up period may also be too short to tell what longer-term benefits these medicines may have on the brain. To build on the findings, we will need longer studies and clinical trials to look in detail at how different medicines may affect the brain and risk of developing dementia, in people with and without diabetes.
“Anyone who has concerns or questions about their diabetes medications, brain health or dementia risk should speak to their GP.”
Prof Patrick Kehoe, Gestetner Professor of Translational Dementia Research and Director of the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, University of Bristol, said:
“This retrospective observational study gives more credence to the growing narrative about Alzheimer’s disease, as opposed to Vascular dementias, having a strong insulin resistance component, which happens in ageing but is thought to be more pronounced in Alzheimer’s disease.
“But, as the authors acknowledge, it would need a formal trial to prove. There are some other considerations to note from this study. Most of the GLP-1 drugs studied in this group, of which there are several, remain largely under patent protection. This means they are more expensive and therefore not as widely available in some countries, such as those with public health care systems – compared to insurance-funded healthcare provision. So there is a possibility the favourable findings for this group of drugs may relate to the people who take them having some additional socioeconomic advantages, including diet, greater or more frequent access to exercise, and maybe higher or longer levels of education, that have also offered some other forms of protection.
“A properly designed blinded randomised clinical trial could help address and counter these potential sources of bias, allowing a better head-to-head comparison. Such a trial would also enable the monitoring of drug side effects, which is also important. However, such robust research would be prohibitively costly and time-consuming, particularly when some of the GLP-1 drugs are already off patent or soon to be, making them less attractive to investigate in the commercial sector, and so it would fall to ever-tightening publicly-funded schemes, such as UKRI or Research Charities in the UK to fund them.
“It may be the case that over time, as more GLP-1 drugs fall off patent and become available in cheaper forms, doctors will prescribe more of them because they have more choice and additional evidence might have become available. They are fortunate to have several choices to treat the diabetes which would be the more immediate concern. Further evidence of benefit may emerge in a way similar to what seems to have happened when there was a huge and successful effort to improve the detection and treatment of high blood pressure, in other words hypertension, and so with the increased levels of prescribing those drugs it possibly provided some protection as well as some slowing. Accordingly, reduced rates of dementia were observed, as reported in a similar observational study reported in 2016.
“In the absence of clear findings in relation to these drugs, people still have some choices. Continued efforts to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, as well as body weight, will help not only to lessen the effects of diabetes but also improve cardiovascular health, all of which can do no harm to quality of life – and may offer additional protection against dementia.”
Dr Martin Whyte, Associate Professor in Metabolic Medicine, University of Surrey, said:
“Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is known to increase the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Two of the most commonly prescribed medications for T2D are metformin and GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 drugs), which are primarily used to control blood sugar. However, GLP-1 drugs are known to have additional effects beyond glucose lowering, including actions on inflammation and the central nervous system.
“There has been growing interest in whether GLP-1 drugs might help reduce the risk of dementia. The REWIND trial, which tested dulaglutide (a GLP-1 drug) versus placebo in people with T2D, reported a 14% reduction in the risk of significant cognitive decline, although it was not specifically designed to assess dementia risk.
“In a new observational study by Sun and colleagues, based on routinely collected healthcare data, GLP-1 use was associated with a 10% lower risk of developing dementia (of all types) compared to metformin use. Since GLP-1 receptors are present throughout the brain, it is possible that the effect is direct; or it may be indirect—for example, via reductions in systemic inflammation or metabolic risk factors.
“However, this was an observational study, which means it is subject to bias and confounding. Notably, the authors did not provide detailed information about the characteristics of patients in each group, either before or after statistical matching, and treatment duration for either GLP-1 drugs or metformin was not reported. These limitations make it difficult to draw firm conclusions, but the findings add to the growing interest in the potential cognitive benefits of GLP-1 drugs. A number of prospective randomised controlled trials are ongoing, to examine whether GLP-1 drugs can reduce the risk of dementia.”
Dr Craig Beall, Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter, said:
“It is important to note that people with diabetes have a 60% increased risk of dementia. Earlier separate studies using health records have shown that both metformin and GLP-1RAs are associated with reduced dementia risk. This study puts the two drugs head-to-head and shows that GLP-1RAs seem to be associated with a superior risk reduction for dementia.”
“However, whether these drugs only reduce the diabetes related dementia risk is not yet clear. Whether people without diabetes could benefit is still unknown. What we need to determine this are randomised control trials and there are three large randomised control trials currently running. In these trials people without diabetes but with mild cognitive impairment, are given metformin or GLP-1RAs, and metformin in Alzheimer’s disease trial and EVOKE and EVOKE+ trials. Results are not expected until 2026. These studies will give the best evidence of whether these two drugs can slow progression or prevent full blown dementia from becoming established.”
Prof Tara Spires-Jones, Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute, and Past President of the British Neuroscience Association said:
“This study adds to a series of recent papers indicating GLP-1 receptor agonists likely protect people with diabetes from developing dementia. Lin and colleagues looked at medical records from over 170,000 people with diabetes, half of whom were treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists and half treated with metformin, and the GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment was associated with 10% lower risk of dementia than metformin over a four year follow up time. As the authors point out, this type of study cannot prove that the GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment directly lowered dementia risk. The study also has limitations of relatively short follow up time of 4 years and the types of dementia diagnosed rely on physician diagnosis and were not confirmed with brain scans or other biomarkers, meaning the data on which types of dementia were prevented are not very robust. Overall, this study and many others coming out recently indicate GLP-1 receptor agonists likely lower dementia risk in people with diabetes. Further work is needed including randomised clinical trials to confirm these drugs are protective in people with type 2 diabetes and whether these drugs will be protective in people who do not have type 2 diabetes.”
‘Evaluating GLP-1 receptor agonists versus metformin as first-line therapy for reducing dementia risk in type 2 diabetes’ byMingyang Sunet al.was published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care at 23:30 UK time on Tuesday 22nd July.
DOI:doi:10.1136/ bmjdrc-2025-004902
Declared interests
Prof Patrick Kehoe: No interests to declare.
Dr Martin Whyte: “I am a site PI at King’s College Hospital for the FOCUS study which is examining the effect of semaglutide on retinopathy. I am not a grant holder for this.”
Dr Craig Beall: CB has previously collaborated with Rigel Pharmacuticals Inc. (CA, USA) on a JDRF/Breakthrough T1D-funded research project.
CB is currently studying the effects of both drug types brain cells, in the context of diabetes.
Prof Tara Spires-Jones: I have no conflicts with this study but have received payments for consulting, scientific talks, or collaborative research over the past 10 years from AbbVie, Sanofi, Merck, Scottish Brain Sciences, Jay Therapeutics, Cognition Therapeutics, Ono, and Eisai. I am also Charity trustee for the British Neuroscience Association and the Guarantors of Brain and serve as scientific advisor to several charities and non-profit institutions.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Rutherford (4th District of Florida)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05) released the following statement on the House passage of President Trump’s rescissions package:
“The House just passed legislation to slash over $9 BILLION in waste, fraud, and abuse AND end taxpayer funding for NPR, PBS, and USAID. Americans’ hard-earned money shouldn’t be used to bankroll leftist propaganda and organizations that act contrary to U.S. interests at home and abroad. That’s why I was proud to vote YES on President Trump’s rescissions package today to cut overseas and domestic spending to help get our country back on track.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) joined Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-CA) in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons expressing serious concern about large scale immigration raids conducted across multiple counties in California during the week of July 8-12:
“According to multiple reports, ICE agents conducted large-scale, coordinated raids—many targeting agricultural sites—resulting in the detention of hundreds of individuals, most of whom are long-time community members and workers, including U.S. citizens. These operations appear to have involved aggressive tactics, including warrantless intrusions, racial profiling, and denial of access to counsel. Such actions raise significant constitutional, legal, and humanitarian concerns,” wrote the lawmakers.
In their letter, the Members requested detailed information about the enforcement operations in question, including how many individuals were detained and are being held, and whether ICE is adhering to humanitarian and legal detention standards.
The lawmakers also requested information on how ICE will adhere to the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by a federal judge in Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem, which bans ICE officials from detaining individuals based on their appearance or ethnicity; speaking Spanish or speaking English with an accent; their presence at a particular location; or the work they do.
The TRO further requires ICE to only detain individuals based on a reasonable suspicion that they are in violation of immigration law — a reasonable suspicion not based on any of the factors listed above — and to provide adequate access to legal assistance to individuals who are detained.
“My district, which encompasses most of Ventura County, was recently the site of one of the largest ICE operations in the country, resulting in more than 360 detentions in a single day. The troubling way these raids have been carried out throughout California raises serious concerns about the tactics used by federal agents and their disregard for due process and the rule of law,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “This is not about public safety — it’s about instilling fear. These actions lack transparency, accountability, and basic respect for the legal rights of every person in this country. My Democratic colleagues and I are continuing to work to hold this administration accountable and to ensure that our immigration policies reflect our values and our commitment to justice.”
“The Trump administration’s zeal to reach a million deportations in a year — a meaningless, arbitrary number — is pushing ICE agents to trample basic constitutional and human rights,” said Congressman Espaillat. “It’s also putting the federal government at odds with the social and economic well-being of our communities. The Trump administration needlessly changed the rules of the game overnight and everyone is paying the price, starting with the irreplaceable skilled laborers who grow our food.”
“The Trump administration is using immigration enforcement as a political weapon, targeting working families to score political points,” said Congressman Carbajal. “This is not how you keep people safe. In fact, this kind of chaos only makes communities more insecure. I’ll continue working with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to push back on ICE and the Trump administration’s cruel and inhumane immigration enforcement tactics.”
The full letter can be found here and below:
The Honorable Kristi Noem Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2707 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE Washington, DC 20528-0525
Mr. Todd M. Lyons Acting Director U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 500 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20536-5010
Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons,
We write to express serious concern regarding the recent series of enforcement actions reportedly carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across multiple counties in California, including Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and Kern, among others, during the week of July 8–12, 2025.
According to multiple reports, ICE agents conducted large-scale, coordinated raids—many targeting agricultural sites—resulting in the detention of hundreds of individuals, most of whom are long-time community members and workers, including U.S. citizens. These operations appear to have involved aggressive tactics, including warrantless intrusions, racial profiling, and denial of access to counsel. Such actions raise significant constitutional, legal, and humanitarian concerns.
These enforcement actions also target individuals who are essential to local and state economies. The immigrant workers detained during these raids are overwhelmingly hard-working individuals who contribute daily to California’s agricultural industry and food supply chain. Many have lived in the United States for decades, raising families and building deep ties in their communities. Targeting these essential workers not only harms families but disrupts vital economic sectors that depend on their labor and dedication.
In light of these events, and in view of the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued on July 11, 2025, in Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem, we respectfully request the following detailed information about these enforcement operations:
How many individuals were detained during ICE operations in California from July 8 to July 12, 2025?
Where are those individuals currently being held? Please provide facility names and addresses.
Are individuals in your custody being provided with reliable access to basic needs? Please include when they are being provided water, food, sanitation, and hygiene.
What was the legal basis for the initial stops, arrests, and detentions, particularly in light of the court’s prohibition on reliance upon race, ethnicity, language, or occupation as justification?
Were administrative warrants obtained and presented prior to entering any private areas, including worker housing or vehicles? Please include a copy of the warrant.
Did ICE coordinate or communicate with any local or state law enforcement agencies during the planning or execution of these operations? If so, please detail the nature and scope of that cooperation.
How will ICE adjust its operational practices in California in light of the court’s TRO, which restricts stops lacking individualized suspicion and mandates access to legal counsel?
We also request confirmation that individuals currently detained, as a result of these raids, are being granted regular and confidential access to legal representation, in accordance with the court’s ruling.
Furthermore, we want to reiterate that Members of Congress have both the constitutional authority and the responsibility to conduct oversight of federal agencies, including ICE. This includes the right to observe enforcement operations and inspect detention facilities without prior notice, as affirmed by federal law and agency policy. Any attempt to obstruct congressional access during enforcement activities or to withhold information from elected representatives will be regarded as a serious violation of that duty and rights.
These raids have caused widespread fear and disruption across communities, and they raise deeply troubling questions about ICE’s commitment to due process and constitutional norms. As Members of Congress, we will be closely monitoring any future enforcement actions to ensure they comply with federal court orders, respect individual rights, and uphold the rule of law.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We respectfully request a response by July 25, 2025.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tom Tiffany (WI-07)
WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Congressman Tom Tiffany’s (WI-07) Wabeno Economic Development Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. H.R. 3937 will expedite the conveyance of 14 acres of land in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix for fair market value.
After years of not making progress with the U.S. Forest Service, Tony—the owner of Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix—turned to Congressman Tiffany’s office for help. His business is running out of nearby aggregate materials like stone, sand, and gravel, and they will exhaust supply in approximately 2 years. The adjacent parcel is critical for the business’s future and ability to stay in operation.
“This conveyance will deliver long-term economic growth and protect local jobs for the people of Wabeno and Forest County,”said Congressman Tiffany.“It will ensure Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix stays open and continues serving the community for years to come.”
Background:
Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix has been serving the community for 25 years and currently employs 17 people. The company provides concrete for both contractors and homeowners across a 50-mile radius. Projects include large-scale work for the Forest County Potawatomi Community, local fire and rescue stations, town shops and offices, agricultural projects for local farmers, and residential construction and remodeling.
Tony first began working with the Forest Service on this land exchange more than eight years ago. However, the agency made it clear the project was not a priority and lacked the resources to complete it. With much of Forest County under federal ownership as part of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, there is limited private land available for small business expansion.
This legislation is supported by the Wabeno Area Chamber of Commerce, the Forest County Economic Development Partnership, and the Town of Wabeno. Tom Tallier, Forest County Board Supervisor for District 8, offered key testimony in favor of the bill last year.
You can view Rep. Tiffany’s comments on the House floor here, and Rep. Debbie Dingell’s (MI-06) floor statement of support here. You can read the full text of the bill here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tom Tiffany (WI-07)
WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Congressman Tom Tiffany’s (WI-07) Wabeno Economic Development Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. H.R. 3937 will expedite the conveyance of 14 acres of land in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix for fair market value.
After years of not making progress with the U.S. Forest Service, Tony—the owner of Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix—turned to Congressman Tiffany’s office for help. His business is running out of nearby aggregate materials like stone, sand, and gravel, and they will exhaust supply in approximately 2 years. The adjacent parcel is critical for the business’s future and ability to stay in operation.
“This conveyance will deliver long-term economic growth and protect local jobs for the people of Wabeno and Forest County,”said Congressman Tiffany.“It will ensure Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix stays open and continues serving the community for years to come.”
Background:
Tony’s Wabeno Redi-Mix has been serving the community for 25 years and currently employs 17 people. The company provides concrete for both contractors and homeowners across a 50-mile radius. Projects include large-scale work for the Forest County Potawatomi Community, local fire and rescue stations, town shops and offices, agricultural projects for local farmers, and residential construction and remodeling.
Tony first began working with the Forest Service on this land exchange more than eight years ago. However, the agency made it clear the project was not a priority and lacked the resources to complete it. With much of Forest County under federal ownership as part of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, there is limited private land available for small business expansion.
This legislation is supported by the Wabeno Area Chamber of Commerce, the Forest County Economic Development Partnership, and the Town of Wabeno. Tom Tallier, Forest County Board Supervisor for District 8, offered key testimony in favor of the bill last year.
You can view Rep. Tiffany’s comments on the House floor here, and Rep. Debbie Dingell’s (MI-06) floor statement of support here. You can read the full text of the bill here.
On 1 July 2025, the general transfer balance cap (TBC) was indexed, increasing from $1.9 million to $2 million. This increase impacts members with a personal TBC. Members who started a pension before 1 July 2025 and haven’t previously reached or exceeded their personal cap are eligible for a proportional increase, based on their highest ever transfer balance and the amount of unused cap space.
Members starting a pension for the first time on or after 1 July 2025 are entitled to a personal TBC of $2 million.
Display of updated transfer balance caps
Updated personal transfer balance caps are now available and members can view their updated personal TBC in ATO online services.
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Jacarandas are a favourite street tree in Australia, but also one of the major culprits for drain blockages due to their aggressive root systems that spread many metres.
Researchers at the University of South Australia are calling for a major shift in how cities manage tree root intrusions into household sewer systems that cost millions of dollars in repair bills each year.
A new study by UniSA’s Sustainable Infrastructure and Resource Management (SIRM) team reveals that current maintenance strategies are falling short, resulting in repeated pipe blockages, environmental contamination, and mounting damage bills.
Instead, the engineering researchers propose a smarter, preventative approach using predictive analytics to identify high-risk areas before damage occurs.
In a new paper published in Sustainability, the UniSA team reviewed global literature and maintenance practices, concluding that removing tree roots using mechanical and chemical measures is not the best solution. Roots can grow back, and the damage is costly to fix.
In Adelaide alone, SA Water reported more than 30,000 cases of tree root intrusion in 2020, accounting for nearly 60% of all sewer failures. Each year, the utility spends approximately $5 million on repair works and maintenance caused by blocked sewer pipes.
Tree root intrusions are a global headache, costing countries millions of dollars each year. Worldwide, remediation options include mechanical and chemical techniques to clear pipe systems and control root growth, as well as proactive approaches such as planting trees well clear of pipes.
But the traditional responses are only temporary fixes, according to UniSA Water Science and Engineering Professor Chris Chow, a senior author on the paper.
“Tree roots are the most common cause of pipe failures in many cities around the world,” Prof Chow says.
“The challenge is that cutting roots or applying chemicals are not permanent solutions. The chemicals can contaminate the soil, and the roots often grow back more aggressively.”
Instead, his team is advocating for a predictive approach, analysing key risk factors – such as pipe age, material, diameter, soil type, tree species and climate conditions – so that water utilities can model where tree root problems are most likely to occur.
“It’s essentially an early warning system,” says lead author Oliver Yang, a Master of Research graduate at UniSA.
“We can map out high-risk zones and guide smarter planting choices, better pipe materials and targeted maintenance,” Yang says.
While predictive models already exist for pipe failures based on material or age, few incorporate environmental or vegetation factors. This gap is significant, the researchers say, given the complex interactions between roots, soil, moisture and infrastructure.
Fast growing species such as eucalyptus, poplars, willows, jacarandas and desert ash are particularly aggressive, with root systems that can spread many metres in search of water – especially in dry or compacted soils.
Trees such as hackberry, varnish or lacquer species, brush box, willow myrtle and kurrajong trees are less intrusive and better choices for street planting.
“Globally, cities are spending millions each year fixing the same problems over and over,” says Yang. “With the right data and modelling, we can address this, saving money, protecting infrastructure and still enjoying the benefits of urban greenery.”
The researchers are calling for more region-specific studies and the development of locally-calibrated predictive tools that incorporate tree, pipe, soil and environmental factors.
Around 50 young women from across the state recently took part in the ‘Girls on Fire’ program at CFA’s training ground at Bangholme, aimed at engaging more women in the emergency services sector.
The program offers women aged 14 to 19 the opportunity to participate in an action-packed day of interactive fire and emergency service simulations.
Guided by experienced emergency personnel, participants build confidence and leadership skills in a safe, inclusive space, by trying new things, and discovering how they can support their communities during a crisis.
Over the course of the action-packed day, CFA ran the teens through the Breathing Apparatus and Thermal Imaging Cameras used for search and rescue, along with live fire demonstrations on the gas pad.
Participants also explored radio communications using the Edithvale Mobile Command Vehicle and its crew, giving them deeper insight into CFA operations.
The event brought together representatives from CFA, Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria State Emergency Service, Forest Fire Management Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, and Emergency Management Victoria to support the activities.
Shandelle Ross, a volunteer with Keysborough Fire Brigade and one of the trained CFA mentors, said the event was an incredible opportunity for the participants.
“CFA is grateful for the chance to be part of a program that uplifts young girls from across Victoria,” she said.
“To see the smiles on their faces as they tried new things was heartwarming, and we hope to see them return as the next generation of emergency service volunteers and workers.”
CFA was invited by Girls on Fire to deliver fire-based activities for the day, coordinated by Southeast Region Volunteer Sustainability Team member Olivia Duffy and District 8 Brigade Administration Support Officer Megan Angel, with support from volunteers across the district.
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 07/22/2025 07:00 PM EDT
07/22/2025 06:43 PM EDT
ALAMEDA, Calif. —T he crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) returned to their Alameda home port Wednesday following a 20,000-nautical-mile, 121-day deployment patrolling the Bering Sea. Munro departed Alameda mid-March and operated throughout the Bering Sea during a months-long Alaska Patrol in support of the Coast Guard’s Arctic District.
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 07/22/2025 07:00 PM EDT
07/22/2025 06:43 PM EDT
ALAMEDA, Calif. —T he crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) returned to their Alameda home port Wednesday following a 20,000-nautical-mile, 121-day deployment patrolling the Bering Sea. Munro departed Alameda mid-March and operated throughout the Bering Sea during a months-long Alaska Patrol in support of the Coast Guard’s Arctic District.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) announced the Trump Administration is fulfilling his request for disaster relief aid following multiple rounds of severe weather and tornadoes this past May. President Trump personally called Senator Marshall to share that he was allocating $6.7 million in public assistance for the affected communities.
“This past May, several of our communities experienced devastating EF3 tornadoes, causing widespread destruction. Entire towns were leveled and significant damage was sustained to Interstate 70, public infrastructure, and private property,” said Senator Marshall. “I am very grateful to President Trump and his administration for quickly fulfilling our request to provide the much-needed assistance to our Kansas communities.”
The following Kansas counties will be eligible for public assistance: Bourbon, Cheyenne, Edwards, Gove, Kiowa, Logan, Pratt, Reno, Scott, Sheridan, and Stafford.
Senator Marshall led a letter in June asking for this public assistance.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) sat down with Fox News Digital to discuss the nearly 30 bipartisan bills he has proposed for his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) legislative package. Senator Marshall is the chairman of the MAHA Caucus.
Read the full article HERE or below:
GOP Senator Reveals the ‘Dirty’ Secret to Trump’s Make America Healthy Again Movement
Alex Miller
Fox News Digital
July 18, 2025
For one lawmaker, the path to making Americans healthier starts in the dirt.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., has styled himself as an early adopter of the Make America Healthy Again movement, a political slogan born on the 2024 campaign trail that has since seen major companies tweak their products to nix artificial additives.
But Marshall sees the initiative, commonly known as MAHA, as one that can start sooner than switching the oil in deep friers or swapping out high-fructose corn syrup for cane sugar in soda.
He has his own four pillars of MAHA, which include dialing up efficiency in agriculture; healthier, more nutrient-rich food; affordable access to primary care healthcare; and addressing mental health challenges among young people.
But it all starts below the surface with soil health.
“Soil is a dirty topic, you know, pun intended,” Marshall told Fox News Digital in an interview.
MAHA diehards and farmers are, at a surface level, at odds with one another, he said. For example, returning to an entirely organic food production process devoid of fertilizers would create healthier food, but also crank up the costs on consumers and strain farmland.
Earlier in the week, Marshall held a roundtable with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to try and bridge that gap.
“Soil health seems to be the common ground,” he said. “So healthy soil meets healthy food meets healthy people. Rather than MAHA telling these farmers what you can and can’t do, we wanted to say, ‘What’s our goal here?’ If we have the same goals, then we’re going to figure this out. Well, the goal is healthy soil.”
Getting those two in a room together, along with experts on regenerative agriculture, which is a more holistic approach to farming that targets soil health by restoring and enhancing ecosystems, is just a part of his plan.
He also intends to drop a massive package of bills that is divided up into categories that echo his four pillars, including legislation geared toward health care, mental health, nutrition and agriculture.
Among the nearly 30 bills and amendments in the package is one Marshall is particularly keen to see codified. The Plant Biostimulant Act would spur usage of organisms that can be placed into the soil and that latch onto the roots of plants that absorb nitrates and more water, he said.
The bill ties in directly with his passion for regenerative agriculture, which uses fewer fertilizers, water and other status-quo farming techniques to produce healthier foods on more sustainable farmland, which, in turn, would yield a cheaper, more nutritious diet for Americans.
“It’s growing more with less,” he said.
Among the various, bipartisan pieces of legislation from both chambers are bills that would push mobile cancer screenings with grant funding, add mental health warnings for kids scrolling through social media, require more transparency in food ingredients, expansion of employer healthcare coverage for chronic diseases, and measures that would allow bleeding edge soil health technology and processes to be considered conservation practices and eligible for Farm Bill funding, among others.
Most bills need to get 60 votes to pass in the Senate, Marshall noted, and that led to a desire to incorporate as many bipartisan measures in the package as possible. It’s also a topic that, in spite of the political polarization in Washington, “unites us, rather than divides us.”
Still, with President Donald Trump in office, he sees the chance for the measures to pass as a kind of now or never moment.
“We’re seeing a time in our lives where the incidence of cancer, the age of cancer, is growing younger and younger, the age of Alzheimer’s onset is growing younger and younger, and we believe it’s an inflammatory reaction to the food that we’re eating that leads to all that,” he said.
“We think heart disease, hypertension, is really an inflammatory reaction… to the food we’re eating and the constantly high sugar levels in our blood system,” he continued. “So absolutely, I think, seize the moment. This is it.”
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today submitted a Statement for the Congressional Record excoriating President Trump for withdrawing from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In his statement, Senator Welch called the withdrawal from UNESCO ill-conceived, and warned this move will allow the Chinese government to expand its influence in the United Nations.
Read Senator Welch’s Statement for the Congressional Record below:
“Mr. President, of all the uninformed, ill-conceived, and self-inflicted errors of this Administration, the just-announced decision to withdraw from UNESCO stands out.
“The justification given by the State Department spokeswoman was a recitation of outdated, vague, and inaccurate criticisms of an organization that has seen dramatic reforms over the past seven years under the outstanding leadership of Director General Audrey Azoulay. Since her initial appointment in 2017, Director General Azoulay has made numerous trips to Washington to meet with leaders in the Congress and the Administration. I have heard consistently positive reactions to her leadership of UNESCO by Republicans and Democrats alike, including regarding UNESCO’s efforts to address antisemitism.
“Given Director General Azoulay’s success in focusing UNESCO on its mission of promoting international cooperation and peace in a manner consistent with democratic values and human rights and dignity, one can only conclude that the Administration officials behind this short-sighted decision never bothered to do their homework. Or they were guided purely by Project 2025’s mindless opposition to multilateralism, regardless of the facts. As far as I am aware they did not bother to consult anyone in Congress, including those who have regularly engaged with Director General Azoulay and her professional staff.
“Mr. President, most Republicans and Democrats have long recognized that it is far better for the United States to be in the room, rather than remain outside and cede our influence to those who don’t share our interests or values. The Chinese Government is looking for any opportunity to expand its influence in the United Nations, and UNESCO is no exception. We rejoined UNESCO in 2023 after a five-year absence, and now we are withdrawing again. It sends a terrible message that the United States can no longer be counted on. It is a message the Chinese will applaud.”
Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) Introduces Legislation to Codify President Trump’s Executive Order on Showerheads
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) introduced the Saving Homeowners from Overregulation With Exceptional Rinsing (SHOWER) Act, a bill to codify President Trump’s clear and consistent definition of “showerhead” and put an end to the federal government’s overregulation of household water fixtures.
Under the 2016 Trump Administration, the Department of Energy (DOE) rightly clarified that each nozzle in a multi-head shower system could be treated as a separate showerhead, each allowed to flow at up to 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM), consistent with the original intent of the 1992 Energy Policy Act.
But in 2021, the Biden Administration reversed course, reinstating a burdensome interpretation that limited the combined flow of all nozzles in a system to 2.5 GPM—effectively reducing water pressure and restricting consumer choice. That rule was widely criticized as overreach and emblematic of a broader regulatory agenda targeting everyday household appliances.
President Trump issued an Executive Order in April of 2025 directing DOE to eliminate the Biden-era rule, and DOE followed through in May by repealing the restrictive definition entirely. The SHOWER Act now ensures this rollback is enshrined in law and cannot be reversed by future administrations.
Specifically, the bill:
Codifies the definition of “showerhead” using the ASME A112.18.1–2018 industry standard.
Clarifies that each individual nozzle in a multi-nozzle unit may operate independently at up to 2.5 GPM.
Excludes safety showerheads used for emergency purposes.
Directs the DOE to revise existing regulations within 180 days to reflect the updated statutory definition.
Prevents future reinterpretations that would restrict water flow and limit consumer options.
“Washington bureaucrats have gone too far in dictating what happens in Americans’ own homes,” said Congressman Fry. “The SHOWER Act is a smart fix that reaffirms each shower nozzle is just that—its own showerhead—and should be treated accordingly under the law. This is about defending consumer choice, pushing back on regulatory overreach, and standing up for commonsense policy.”
“For far too long federal regulations and red tape have limited consumer choice and forced Americans to live with limited water pressure,” said Chairman Guthrie. “Low pressure showers waste time and increase water usage. By codifying how different nozzles are categorized, the SHOWER Act offers a commonsense fix that will allow households to choose what meets their needs, not what Washington mandates. Thank you to Representative Fry for leading this legislation and for your work to deliver results for consumers across the country.”
Full text of the bill can be found HERE.
Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and X pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the joint Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) high-level dialogue on adequate housing, today:
It is a privilege to join you today for this important dialogue. I thank the President of the Economic and Social Council and UN-Habitat for convening us at such a critical moment.
Let me begin with a simple question: What did it take for us to be here today? We woke up somewhere safe. We had an address where documents could reach us, where our families knew to find us. We had a place to eat a meal, charge our phones and prepare for this day. For almost 3 billion people on our planet, none of that is guaranteed.
This is why today’s dialogue — at this critical moment during the High-Level Political Forum — matters so urgently. Housing is not simply about a roof over one’s head. It is a fundamental human right and the foundation upon which peace itself rests. Sustainable development and sustainable peace are inseparable.
Today, in an increasingly urbanized world, almost 3 billion people still live in inadequate conditions, in informal settlements, overcrowded housing or with no shelter at all. Among them are more than 120 million refugees and internally displaced persons — families torn from their homes by conflict, persecution and violence.
When homes are destroyed, when families are forced to flee, when communities are uprooted, we witness how housing becomes both a casualty and weapon of war. In Gaza, in Ukraine, in Sudan, in Yemen, in Myanmar and beyond, we have seen this time and again.
There is no safe housing in rubble, and without shelter, we lose the very basis of social cohesion and stability that makes peace possible. This crisis touches every Sustainable Development Goal we’ve committed to achieving by 2030.
We often say that home is where the heart is. Our work on housing sits at the very heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, and when we secure adequate housing for all, we nurture the conditions where every other goal can flourish.
We know that when people have access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing, children perform better in school. Workers are more productive. Health outcomes improve dramatically. Decent work becomes accessible. Communities become more resilient to the forces that fuel conflict and division. And while adequate housing cannot eliminate gender-based violence within the home, it reduces women and girls’ exposure to violence in public spaces.
So, the reality is that the ambition of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind begins with something as fundamental as a safe place to call home. By 2030, 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities, rising to nearly 70 per cent by 2050.
We have the tools and the commitment to grow cities, not slums, guided by the New Urban Agenda’s call for planned, inclusive urbanization that ensures housing, services and dignity for all. Success or failure to deliver on our commitments will depend on our ability to act urgently and work together.
At the Financing for Development Forum, Member States rightly called for bold reforms and investments to strengthen the social contract. That must include housing, not as a stand-alone project, but as a driver of inclusive development.
The Pact for the Future reaffirmed the 2030 Agenda and gave us a mandate to make multilateralism deliver in the lives of people, in the neighbourhoods where they live. It also gave us a mandate to prevent conflict and sustain peace — and housing sits at the intersection of both.
Later this year, the Second World Social Summit offers us an opportunity to reaffirm that housing is critical for social protection, decent work, access to services, and essential to building a just and cohesive society. It is also an opportunity to recognize housing as a pillar of conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
As Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, I see how country teams are working every day with governments, civil society and local and regional governments to advance these goals.
But we need to do more. Concretely, that means aligning political commitment and financing with the urgency and scale of the challenge. It means investing in adequate housing, not just as development infrastructure, but peace infrastructure.
We also need to bring to the centre those who are too often pushed to the margins: women, young people, older persons, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, displaced populations and people living in homelessness.
Their voices and experiences must inform the policies and solutions because they know what works, what’s missing, and they can inform the solutions we need to scale. They also know intimately the connections between displacement, insecurity and conflict. Their involvement is the best measure of our commitment to equity, dignity and human rights.
The first place where opportunity begins or where it is denied is not an office building or a school – it’s a home. Together, let’s deliver not only shelter, but lasting solutions that offer security and a path to prosperity. Not only four walls and a roof, but the opportunity to live in dignity.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business Network to highlight some of President Trump’s many wins since taking office six months ago, including historic tax cuts, increased military recruitment, protecting female athletes, securing the southern border, and making our food healthier.
Excerpts from the interview can be found below and the full interview can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.
KUDLOW: “So Senator Tuberville, I think one of the themes here—this is something we’ve talked about. Victor Davis Hanson has been writing about this. The experts were wrong. Trump got this stuff done. In particular, the southern border—which is virtually flat now, virtually empty—no crossings. We didn’t need new legislation, right? Remember that push? We just needed somebody who was tough enough to enforce the laws. Let’s start with that one, okay? Immigration. How about that? Maybe his greatest achievement.”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, you’re exactly right and one of the repercussions of the immigration stoppage of keeping very few illegals coming to our country—we’re saving $40 billion dollars to this point in this budget. $40 billion dollars. And that’s going to count up. We could not afford for Kamala Harris to win this election because it would have been a disaster, just for the immigration alone, which would [have] just stair-stepped everything to becoming a disaster when it come to the economy.”
KUDLOW: “And you know Senator, the Democrats have to be crazy and just out of their minds to oppose this, okay? They’re still defend[ing]—and they’re still in the business of defending sanctuary cities and of defending the worst of the worst criminals. And we just had this awful shooting of a border agent in New York City. And DHS secretary Kristi Noem correctly just blasted New York City Democrats. They got a mayor—the Socialist mayor, Communist mayor, whatever he is—Mamdani the Commie. He wants to keep ICE agents out. He wants to keep Netanyahu out. He wants to keep Trump out. I mean, how can the Democrats be so stupid? I call them experts. They’re really just deep state people who arejust on the wrong side of all these issues.”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, the wrong side, and that’s the only side they can reach to, Larry, for votes. They have to have votes, and they’re looking for somewhere to get votes. This sanctuary city nonsense—it’s unlawful. People are going to get hurt more and more when you hang out in these sanctuary cities. But all they’re doing is pushing socialism, and all socialism is just—it’s communism without a gun, at the end of the day. And so, we need to understand the direction this country’s going if the Democrats have an opportunity to get a leg back into this country in terms of leadership. That’s not going to happen. As you just said, I was at that dinner in the White House Friday night when President Trump was going through all those wins that we’ve had. It’s just amazing to me that it takes so long to go through them, our dinner got cold. But at the end of the day, it was so fun to listen to all that. It’s just amazing what he’s done in six months.”
KUDLOW: “So the experts were wrong, tariffs are not inflationary, real wages are actually going up, the stock market is now hitting new record highs. I believe today, both the NASDAQ and the SMP hit new record highs. But here’s one for you, which I think is very important: in six months, military recruitment—new military recruitment—Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary, Donald Trump, President of the United States and Commander in Chief—new military recruitment has gone sky high, record levels. What do you make of that, Senator?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, I’ll tell you why, people—these young men and women—are feeling good about our country again. They’re not being told that they’re woke, and they need to be social justice warriors. They’re doing it for the right thing. They’re doing it to protect our country. But it’s also a great way to get an education. It’s a great job. But it wasn’t sold that way by the Democrats. It was sold by the Democrats as ‘Hey, be part of a basically a clown show,’ and that’s what it was turning into. I’m on Armed Services. I’ve never seen anything like the recruiting that was going on. The books that our generals were telling our troops to read, whether it was on ships or in in some of these camps—it’s just amazing to me the direction where we were going.”
KUDLOW: “Well, here’s another one then. We obliterated Iran, but the deep state experts said, ‘No. No. No. If we hit Iran, it would cause a massive blow-up and war throughout the Middle East and the rest of the world.’ What I don’t see is any of that stuff. In fact, we’re—I guess, we’re at a ceasefire, de facto, if not de jure. But the point is he obliterated the Iran nuclear program. None of them under the Bidens or the Obamas or anybody else had the backbone, I’ll call it, to do such a thing. You know what I mean? Here—tough wins, okay? Tough always wins.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yep. President Trump’s a peacemaker. He understands sometimes you have to take the tough decision. Don’t listen to everybody else around you. Go by your instincts. He understood that, hey, there is no possible way we can allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. And if they’re getting this close as his experts were telling him, we’ve got to do something. And so go in, go out. He set them back probably a year and a half, two years. They can always build back. But who’s to say we won’t go back in there in two years and destroy it again? And it’s cost them a trillion dollars to build this infrastructure up. […]”
KUDLOW: “Here’s another one: no men in women’s sports. How about that? Commonsense, you wouldn’t have thought. This was like a major battle—a major battle. This was like the Democrats’ last stand, but no men in women’s sports.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. Of course, I’ve been on this ever since it started. This was my first vote when I got here four years ago. And there’s [been] no Democrats in four years vote on any of my bills about no men and women sports. It’s absolutely insane what they’ve tried to do. And it’s an attack on women. And it doesn’t—I don’t understand this. I must be talking to people from a different planet sometimes when they talk about [how] they need the opportunity to do whatever they want to do. No, they don’t. Men and women have separate identities in terms of physical ability, and they need to be separate in sports and that’s the reason we’ve had it this way for 249 years.”
KUDLOW: “How about this one? I didn’t put it in my riff, but alright, fancy colleges and universities—no more antisemitism. No more racism. No more affirmative action. And if you don’t play ball, you’re gonna lose your grants, your federal grants. Now that is a tough President doing the right thing. Is he not?”
TUBERVILLE: “Exactly. Our education is going to hell in a handbasket. And here’s the reason why: it’s become a business, Larry. It’s become a business of making money and doing things to where they can pay their presidents $2 or $3 million dollars each and have their private planes. It’s really gone overboard. But let me give you one: 35-40% of the companies in this country have cut out this poison that we’re putting in our food. And of all the people I talk to, this is one of the major wins that President Trump’s had. We don’t talk about it enough. I’m having dinner with Dr. Oz and some of the people of MAHA tonight, and it’s gonna be a celebration of making a lot of progress in just a short period of time and cleaning up our food.”
KUDLOW: “Well, I love that. Look, we had Bobby Kennedy on the show. He was absolutely terrific. I gotta stop eating ice cream because they’re always weird dyes. I can’t do that anymore. I’m gonna stick to my—”
TUBERVILLE: “Eat vanilla. Eat vanilla, Larry.”
KUDLOW: “I don’t know. Even vanilla, I can’t be sure anymore. He really shook everybody up. But finally, Senator—and this is a tragedy. Today a Border Patrol agent got shot in New York City. I think people, alright. Kristi Noem—DHS Secretary Noem—is blasting this as part of the New York City problem. This is part of the sanctuary city problem. This is part of the blue city Democratic problem. This is Mamdani the Commie problem. He’s gonna make it worse. I mean, this poor guy got shot for no good reason. Now, this stuff has gotta stop.”
TUBERVILLE: “It really does have to stop. And again, law enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol, whoever is in authority—protect yourself. President Trump has given them authority to protect themself. It’s unfortunate this young person got shot and shot in the face [is] my understanding. Hope he’s fine. But again, this is not gonna be the end of it, Larry. It’s gonna get worse and worse as we go from here. But they have to protect themselves, give them the right to shoot back if they shoot at them…”
KUDLOW: “And so, let me ask you. I mean, Democrats defunding the police again. I haven’t heard that this is what Mamdani the Commie wants to do. Defund the police, put social workers in their place. By the way, he’s got a clone who just got the Democratic nomination for mayor out in Minneapolis, unbelievable to me. How can they actually argue that? You got your Mayor Bass. You got your Governor Newsom. You got all these people, okay? They may not come out for defund the police, but they don’t want any law and order when it comes to chasing the worst of the worst of the illegal criminals who should be deported. I mean, honestly, this is the Democratic position. I think I saw poll today. The Democratic Party has an approval rating, Senator, of 19%. How about those apples? 19%.”
TUBERVILLE: “It’s gonna get worse. Can you imagine [in] Minneapolis, and Chicago, and Detroit, and New York, San Francisco, LA—social workers being the police? What uniform are they gonna wear, first of all? And then are they gonna be armed? It will be a total disaster and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. But [radical Democrats] believe in this. I don’t understand it, but it’ll all get straightened out at the end of the day. They’re not gonna win any of the elections coming up [that] they think they’re gonna win. And President Trump’s gonna keep hammering them every day in terms of making sure we take this social justice nonsense out of everything that we do.”
KUDLOW: “Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Absolutely. Senator Tommy Tuberville, as always, sir, thank you for your wisdom.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act. The legislation would add rioting to the list of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) predicate offenses, giving the U.S. Department of Justice authority to use the full suite of RICO tools against entities who fund or coordinate violent interstate riots, such as the ones recently seen in Los Angeles, California.
“77 million Americans voted for President Trump and his America First policy agenda – and that includes arresting and deporting illegal aliens,” said Senator Tuberville.“Democrats don’t like that – so they are rioting in the streets and violently attacking law enforcement officers. This cannot stand. My colleagues and I are introducing a bill to make sure the Department of Justice has the tools it needs to go after anti-American terrorist groups and their funders who are protecting illegal rapists, murderers, and criminals. We have to cut these violent riots off at the source. The adults are back in charge, and law and order will prevail.”
“Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence,” said Senator Cruz.“Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans. My legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to hold them accountable, and I urge colleagues to pass it expeditiously.”
U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Lee (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) also joined the legislation. U.S. Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This bill is supported by Heritage Action and National Right to Work Committee.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke with Vice Admiral Frank Bradley, President Trump’s nominee to be Admiral and Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, President Trump’s nominee to be General and Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) during their Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) nomination hearing. They discussed SOCOM’s military operations in Panama and Latin America to combat narco-terrorism and secure our southern border, along with the strategic need for having a military presence in Africa.
Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning.
Thanks [to] both of you. Thanks for what you’ve done for our country over your careers—you and your family. What a sacrifice it’s been, but you’ve done an outstanding job.
ON SOCOM EFFORTS TO COMBAT NARCO-TERRORISTS:
“Admiral, I think [for] far too long, we’ve had our eyes on other things and not on our hemisphere—whether it’s illegal migrants, drugs, or both. So, what is [the] Special Operations community doing to assist the militaries and governments in our hemisphere like Panama to combat narco-terrorists?”
BRADLEY: “Senator, in my current capacity, I’m not privy to all of the activities that SOCOM is engaged in, in the Southern Hemisphere. But in listening and watching General Fenton and his leadership over these last three years, I know that the partnerships that our teams have been engaging in and developing remain critical to being able to help them build capacity, to be able to defend themselves, but also to provide security locally, which, of course, helps to prevent and secure our Southern border as well.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, I’m sure you’re up on the point of the Darién Gap and the problems that’s caused over the years, and relationship with our Special Ops, down in that area—training people—that will probably be in your forte going forward. What’s your thoughts about cooperation activities with Latin America as [you’re] going into this job?”
BRADLEY: “Yes, sir. I think as the counterterrorism fight informs us, it is far better to find the root of the problem well away from our borders than it is to have to defend them internal to the United States. And so, if confirmed, making it a priority to provide assistance to all of our combatant commanders as far forward as possible, and with those partnered forces to help them to be able to secure their own territory.”
ON AMERICAN MILITARY PRESENCE IN AFRICA:
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, and we and we have problems all over the world. But if we don’t watch our back door, then we’re gonna [really have] problems within our country, which we already have. General, I think we need to be reinforcing our military presence in Africa. Unfortunately, under the previous administration, we seemed like we were doing just the opposite. Niger—you and I talked about this in a meeting in my office—the vacuum that was caused there. China, Russia, Iran, were all too happy to feel the things that we were doing there. What’s your assessment of our withdrawal from Airbase 201? And have we learned from these lessons? And your thoughts about maybe the future there?”
ANDERSON: “Senator, I appreciate that question and there was a significant investment that went into that airbase. It was in a key area for us to be able to monitor the threat. So, the loss of that is one that we have to find creative ways to continue to get the indicators and warnings of what the terrorists are doing in that area. I think we also have to understand that there is some volatility across the continent. So how do we make smart investments with the partners that we can continue to sustain. I will say that the relationships that we built in Niger with the military over several decades are still there. There is—when the time is right—I believe there will be an opportunity, but that time will have to be determined. And if confirmed, I’ll look at what that is.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. After your confirmation, I guess, by telling committee and people even watching at home—why do we need to have [a] presence in Africa? What [are] your thoughts?”
ANDERSON: “So, Africa is key to any strategy. It’s just on strategic terrain. It’s just the waterways that it forms between the Strait of Gibraltar all the way down to the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. It [has] critical minerals and resources that are on the continent that we need for the future economy. Both China and Russia see their strategies going through the continent, and they are going to engage there and so we can cede that ground or we can compete in that ground. And I think we have a very powerful tool to compete with. As Admiral Bradley mentioned, nobody brings more credibility to the counterterrorism fight than the U.S. As a matter of fact, when we rescued that hostage in Niger, the next morning [there was an] influential blogger that posted, ‘The Americans came like the lion in the night. They killed their enemies and rescued their own.’ No other nation on Earth could do that.And that is a powerful symbol across the continent and around the world of what our military and what the United States is capable of. And I do think that some level of engagement in Africa does matter. I’d agree it’s an economy of force, but a small investment goes a long way so that we don’t have a strategic surprise that then distracts the United States from focusing on the rising threats in the Pacific and other areas.”
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Thanks Mr. Chairman.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Newsmax’s Chris Salcedo Show to discuss DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s recent report exposing the FBI’s involvement in covering up then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of classified information. Sen. Tuberville and Salcedo also discussed the Senate’s effort to continue advancing President Trump’s America First policy agenda as well as the Radical Democrat Socialist Party’s violence against law enforcement.
Excerpts from the interview can be found below and the full interview can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.
SALCEDO: “Senator Tommy Tuberville. Senator, it’s always good to see you. DNI Gabbard releases revelations about Obama, Comey, Brennan, and that gang. Now, we learn that James Comey’s FBI rigged the Hillary Clinton investigation so we would never know how badly she damaged our national security when they didn’t probe those crucial thumb drives. Senator, where is your party’s push for accountability?”
TUBERVILE: “Well, thanks for having me on, Chris. What a colossal cover up this has been. I got here right after Joe Biden took office, and it has been a disaster of […] most Republicans watching this go down. It is a huge cover up.
They’ve tried to push a narrative that, basically, they wanna change our country [into] something that it’s not. They wanted to take all the ability of us as Republicans, as Americans, to try to keep our country going in the right direction. But the mainstream media, the Democrats, and a few Republicans have pushed this narrative of ‘let’s do it the right way. Let’s make sure we’re doing the right thing.’ It has been something that I’ve been shocked at since I’ve been here. And now we’re finally seeing things start to leak out, the truth of really what happened.
The American people are going to find out. It is going to be fun up here to watch all this start taking a narrative, a true narrative, of what really happened of the Democrats trying to change this country into a socialist-communist country for the last four years. These people need to lawyer up, and they need to find out what it’s really like to be under the gun. Putting their hand up, testifying in front of people all over this country because it’s gonna be much-watched as we look at all this narrative being brought forward.”
SALCEDO: “Well, Senator, you know, getting real Americans put into prosecutorial positions would help bring this accountability to these lawless Democrats. There are a number of confirmations for U.S. Attorney backed up in the United States Senate right now. Some have been waiting for months. Has leader Thune committed to you that this backlog will be done away with before the August recess?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, we’ve talked about that. We’re trying to catch up. The problem, Chris, is the Democrats are playing four corners of basketball here. Slow play. They don’t get back anytime.
It’s a lot of fundamental errors that have happened, not just from here in the Senate, but also the White House. We have to have some firepower. We have to be able to fight back. But at the end of the day, we’re gonna get this done, even if we have to stay up here weekends through August. The Democrats don’t think that we’ll stay up here and work. Guess what? We’ll stay up here and work. We’ll have enough people up here to get a quorum to make sure that we push the agenda. And if they don’t wanna take a vacation, we don’t have to take one.”
SALCEDO: “Wow. I think you’re breaking some news right there. ‘The Senate actually works.’ That’s some big news, Senator. Look, over the weekend, an off-duty CBP officer was shot in the face by an illegal alien suspect. In Wisconsin, an illegal alien was finally arrested by ICE after he allegedly decapitated a woman and stored her body three months after a nut job Illinois judge let him walk free on those gruesome charges. And then there’s Hunter Biden. He’s upset with Americans for trying to stop illegal immigration and the effort to deport illegal aliens.” […]
TUBERVILLE: “This is coming from somebody that’s never had a job, Joe Biden’s son. He’s lived off his dad for many, many years. And so whatever you get from him, you can take [with] a grain of salt. Again, but he’s coming back even at his Democrat team, the members that have actually pushed everything towards the Republicans. But 800% surge of assault on our law enforcement officers in this country. Our justice system, Chris, is in shambles.
Judges taking people that are arrested, letting them go in the front door, go out the back door. That is stopping as we speak, but we have to continue to push that. Again, the Democrats pushed a lot of these judges out in the last few years. They’re overwhelmed all over the country of being very lax on crime. But if we don’t take our neighborhoods back and our streets back, we do not have a country […] but we’ve gotta protect our law enforcement people. They get up every day, ICE, Border Patrol. They get up every day, put a badge on, a gun on their side, and not knowing whether they’re gonna come back or not.
President Trump gave them authority, and they need to take that authority. That [if they’re] shot at, they need to shoot back. We need to take advantage of what’s going on right now and make sure we take our streets back because the Democrats […] could[n’t] care less about that. They want their voters to vote for them, that’s the voters for the Democratic Party. These people are breaking all these laws all over the country.” […]
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
“I deeply regret President Donald Trump’s decision to once again withdraw the United States of America from UNESCO,” Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the Paris-based agency, said in a statement.
In New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the Secretary-General joins Ms. Azoulay “in deeply regretting the decision by the United States.”
The US first withdrew from UNESCO in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan and didn’t rejoin for two decades. Fourteen years after re-entry, the first Trump administration withdrew from the organization in 2017, but the decision was reversed under President Joseph Biden in 2023.
Ms. Azoulay underscored that “this decision contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism,” and she highlighted that this decision would affect UNESCO partners in the United States, including communities seeking site inscription.
A White House press statement on the withdrawal said the decision had been taken to protect American interests from UNESCO’s work to advance “divisive social and cultural causes.”
The statement also said the organization is focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which it described as “a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy.”
The statement also specifically cited UNESCO’s decision to admit the State of Palestine as a Member State as problematic, contrary to US policy and fuelling the United Nations’ “anti-Israel rhetoric”.
Ms. Azoulay in her statement denied these claims that UNESCO is “anti-Israel,” highlighting the organization’s work in Holocaust education and combating antisemitism.
“UNESCO is the only United Nations agency responsible for these issues, and its work has been unanimously acclaimed by major specialized organizations,” she said, including American organizations such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
Diversifying funding in preparation
Ms. Azoulay stressed that this announcement was anticipated, and the organization has prepared accordingly, highlighting major structural reforms in recent years, including the diversification of funding sources.
“The decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset,” she explained. Despite the US now representing eight per cent of the organization’s budget, UNESCO’s budget has steadily increased thanks to donations from member states and private contributors, the latter of which have doubled since 2018.
“Today, the Organization is better protected in financial terms,” she said.
Continuing US partnerships
“UNESCO’s purpose is to welcome all the nations of the world, and the United States of America is and will always be welcome,” Ms. Azoulay emphasised.
The organization will continue to work with its US partners in the private, academic and non-profit sectors, and it will pursue discussions with the US Government.
Over 380,000 people are currently displaced there, and the plan aims at increasing assistance for communities over the next three months.
It focuses on food, healthcare, water, sanitation, shelter and protection, and requires $120 million for implementation, according to the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA).
Spread of diseases
The health situation in North Darfur has also been deteriorating, with humanitarian partners on the ground warning that cholera, measles, malaria and trauma cases are surging in El Fasher and other displacement camps in the region.
As insecurity has forced the over 32 health facilities in the region to close, the lack of rapid diagnostic tests and the widespread Internet outage in the El Fasher area are also severely hindering disease surveillance.
Critical shortages of surgical supplies, essential medicines and vaccines are “pushing the health system to the brink, leaving thousands without access to the care that they need to stay alive,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said during his daily press briefing from New York.
Deadly civilian toll
Displacement continues to take a deadly toll on civilians seeking safety, with markets in South Darfur reeling from sharp price increases due to flooding and seasonal rivers cutting off supply routes from Chad and Northern State.
Meanwhile, the UN remains “deeply concerned over escalating violence in the Kordofan region,” Mr. Dujarric said, after five civilians were reportedly killed and several others injured in drone strikes on fuel markets in Al Fula and Abu Zabad towns in West Kordofan state.
The UN called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel, unimpeded access across conflict lines and borders, and increased international support to address the spiraling humanitarian needs across Sudan.
The report, to be released later this month, reveals how between 2020 and 2024, the world experienced a dramatic increase in food prices driven by a combination of COVID-19 inflation, the war in Ukraine restricting movements on food and commodities, and increasing climate shocks.
“The episodes described in this publication bring up what we call a perfect storm,” said Mr. Torero Cullen.
Máximo Torero Cullen speaks to journalists at the UN HQs via video link.
First, he explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, governments launched fiscal stimulus and relief packages, which increased demand and, thus, global inflation.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine compounded this crisis. Before the war began in 2022, Ukraine was a key exporter of wheat, sunflower oil and fertilisers. The war not only restricted these exports but disrupted trade routes and pushed up fuel and input costs, which amplified inflation across the world.
Additionally, increasingly frequent and intense climate shocks in major producing regions – such as droughts, floods and heat waves – further aggravated food inflation.
Worldwide impacts
Only in 2024 did prices return to pre-COVID levels, meaning that households struggled for multiple years to afford food, with major consequences.
As real wages fell while food prices increased, household purchasing power was eroded. Households responded by buying cheaper and less nutritious food, reducing meal frequency, and often prioritising meals for certain family members and reducing intake for women and children.
Mr. Torero Cullen also explained that an increase in food prices directly correlates to an increase in moderate and severe food insecurity. The impacts of this were particularly harsh in Africa and Western Asia, where food imports, dependence and currency depreciation made food even more expensive.
Moreover, as food prices increased, nutrition outcomes among children under five worsened. The SOFI report illustrated that a 10 per cent food price increase led to a 2.7 to 6.1 per cent increase in moderate to severe wasting, which has long-lasting effects on child development and public health systems.
Notably, these grave impacts were uneven, mostly affecting low-income and African countries – many of which are still seeing worsening figures. During the peak of the crisis in January 2023, some low-income countries experienced food price inflation of up to 30 per cent, compared to 13.6 per cent globally.
Policy recommendations
Mr. Torero Cullen finished his briefing by outlining the policy prescriptions detailed in the SOFI report.
He first underscored targeted fiscal support. “Social protection measures are the most effective response to food price spikes,” he explained. “This will protect vulnerable populations without creating long-term fiscal risk or market distortions.”
He also highlighted avoiding trade disruptions, coordinating monetary and fiscal policies, improving market transparency, and institutional preparedness as essential components for avoiding future crises.
“This SOFI underscores that inflation can undermine progress. It underlines our vulnerabilities, and it also brings the importance of strengthening resilience, inclusiveness and transparency to be able to avoid and minimize the risk of these problems,” he concluded.
The text, sponsored by Pakistan and adopted unanimously, reiterated that all States “shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means through dialogue, diplomatic engagement and cooperation in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.”
It also reiterated that nations must “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
Highlighting the need to prevent disputes from arising and escalating, the resolution further called on Member States to take “necessary measures for the effective implementation of Security Council resolutions for peaceful settlement of disputes.”
Mediation and preventive diplomacy
The text encouraged the Secretary‑General to ensure that the United Nations can “lead and support mediation and preventive diplomacy efforts,” while continuing to deploy his good offices.
It also took note “with appreciation” of the work of the UN’s Mediation Support Unit (MSU) and urged the Secretariat to ensure the availability of “well-trained, experienced, independent, impartial, and geographically and linguistically diverse mediation experts at all levels.”
The MSU is the UN system-wide focal point on mediation expertise and support, providing tailored operational support to peace and dialogue processes globally.
Participation of women and youth
The resolution also underscored the importance of integrating inclusive approaches to peaceful settlement of disputes; ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, and meaningful participation of youth in conflict prevention and dispute resolution efforts.
It also highlighted the role of regional and subregional organizations in complementing UN efforts, calling for enhanced information-sharing and cooperation.
The Council further requested that the Secretary‑General present “concrete recommendations for further strengthening the mechanisms for peaceful settlement of disputes” within one year, alongside plans for an open debate to review progress.
July 22, 2025 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, was in British Columbia (B.C.) from July 17 to 21, to meet with provincial and industry leaders, as well as Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) clients in the defence, aerospace and agriculture sectors.
During a keynote address at a Surrey Board of Trade event, Minister Sidhu outlined Canada’s economic priorities, including strengthening and diversifying trade relationships worldwide. He spoke about the significance of the Government of Canada’s Team Canada Trade Missions, a key initiative under the Indo-Pacific Strategy that helps Canadian businesses export to new international markets.
The minister also met with his newly appointed B.C. counterpart, the Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, Ravi Kahlon. They explored collaboration opportunities between the federal and provincial governments to create market connections for Canadian companies, including through Canada’s TCS. Following their meeting, Minister Kahlon joined Minister Sidhu at a round-table discussion with Business Council of British Columbia members, where they shared Canada’s and B.C.’s priorities for continued growth in the energy sector.
While in the Vancouver area, Minister Sidhu toured the Port of Vancouver and saw first-hand how the harbour contributes to Canada’s international supply chain, facilitating the flow of exports to Asia and connections to essential goods from around the world. He also visited OSI Maritime Systems Ltd., a successful TCS partner, where he gained valuable insights into the unique export challenges faced by Canadian defence companies. The Minister then met with Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO of the Vancouver International Airport to discuss key priorities, including cargo capacity and enhancing international connectivity.
In Kitimat, he visited LNG Canada, the country’s first export-oriented liquefied natural gas facility, where he learned about the company’s exports to Asia. As a world leader in the energy sector, Canada is a partner of choice for clean energy solutions and is ready to become a conventional and clean energy superpower.
Minister Sidhu concluded his visit to B.C. in Kelowna. He participated in a discussion with business leaders at the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, where he highlighted the role the TCS can play to help B.C. companies reach new export markets. While in Kelowna, the minister also visited Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing, Hillcrest Farms, and KF Aerospace, local businesses, to gain insights into their experiences, discuss challenges they face, and explore how the TCS can support them.
“It’s fabulous to see so many people getting out into nature and making the most of conservation areas and facilities like campsites, huts and tracks,” says DOC Heritage and Visitors Director Catherine Wilson.
“Huts and campsite fees ensure people make a fair contribution when they stay in these places and help keep facilities available into the future.”
DOC today released its summer visitor insights report looking at the busiest months to identify visitor needs and any issues. DOC’s visitor insights reports inform staff about who’s getting out in nature, where they are going and how they rate their experiences. This helps DOC’s management approaches, particularly at busy sites says Catherine.
“Landscapes and scenery remain top attractions for international visitors and short walks are still the most popular outdoor activity across the board.
“Over summer, international visitor numbers were back to 93 percent of pre-COVID figures with more than 50 percent heading to a national park during their visit.”
“Fiordland and Aoraki Mount Cook are the two most popular national parks and are on the itineraries of more than 20 percent of international tourists.
“Almost 75 percent of international visitors enjoy walks or tramps during their time in New Zealand and 99 percent rated New Zealand’s natural scenery as good or very good.”
DOC’s bookings data shows between December 2024 and February 2025, nearly 60,000 people did a Great Walk, 60 percent of whom were New Zealanders. For bookable DOC facilities other than the Great Walks, more than 450,000 bednights* were booked at campsites and 70,000 in huts over this period.
Coastal areas and marine reserves were popular with New Zealanders, with Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve in Auckland top of DOC’s most-visited destinations.
“Sadly, there was also persistent illegal fishing or collecting shellfish in marine reserves with 101 confirmed offences and 79 infringements between October 2024 to March 2025,” says Catherine.
Te Whanganui-o-Hei (Cathedral Cove), Horoirangi (near Cable Bay), and Long Bay-Okura (Auckland) were the marine reserves which saw the highest number of offences.
“Marine reserves are vital for protecting our precious marine wildlife as well as ensuring fish stocks into the future,” says Catherine.
“This behaviour is truly disappointing, and we’ve seen wider issues across the country this summer. This includes dogs attacking wildlife, people driving through endangered river-bird colonies and irresponsible camping harming vulnerable natural areas like alpine wetlands.”
“Nature is at the core of our wealth and wellbeing in New Zealand and we harm it at our peril.
“It’s heartening to see recent DOC research shows 92 percent of New Zealanders agree nature is an important part of our national identity.”
Tourism on public conservation land is worth $3.4 billion each year and supports around 2000 tourism businesses.
The summer report looks at information from a range of sources including from the International Visitor Survey, DOC’s visitor surveys and bookings data.
It’s been nearly six months since the Fast-track Approvals system opened for business, and updated statistics show the one-stop shop is on track to make it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs for economic growth, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.
“The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas and opened for project applications on 7 February this year,” Mr Bishop says.
“The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth.
“In Fast-track’s first six months, more than 50 projects have made applications. We expect the first eight projects to have completed the full end-to-end Fast-track process including final consent decisions by the end of this year.”
Projects before Expert Panels
“The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panels consider each application, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals,” Mr Bishop says.
“Since 7 February when the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime officially opened for project applications, we’ve seen good progress for a range of applications for projects that, if approved, will help address our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time as so often happens under the RMA.
“Eight projects are now before expert panels for consideration, with the first expert panels’ final decisions expected by mid-September this year. These projects, if approved, will contribute billions of dollars to New Zealand’s economy and create thousands of jobs.”
Projects before the Panel Convenor
“The Panel Convenor will shortly establish expert panels for a further six projects that have lodged substantive applications,” Mr Jones says.
“Projects currently before the Panel Convenor include expansions to Kings Quarry and Drury Quarry. These quarries provide much-needed aggregate which supports the construction of major infrastructure projects.
“It is heartening to see applications for mining and quarrying projects working their way through the system.”
Project referrals
“Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral into the Fast-track process,” Mr Bishop says.
“These applications go first to me as Infrastructure Minister for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before deciding whether to refer the project for Fast-track.
“To date I have referred seven projects to the Fast-track process, meaning they can now submit substantive applications to the EPA.
“The latest three referrals are Stage 2 of the Auckland Surf Park community which would include a large artificial intelligence data centre, a residential development of about 400 homes, and a village centre; the Waitākere District Court’s new courthouse project; and The Point Mission Bay which would see 252 new retirement homes and amenities for residents and visitors.
“Other projects have also applied to me for referral into Fast-track, including from the renewable energy, housing and infrastructure sectors. 16 of these applications are under consideration or being circulated to other Ministers for feedback. Decisions will be made in due course.”
Note to editor:
Fast-track project statuses to date:
Expert Panels are currently considering:
Bledisloe North wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension
Delmore (residential)
Maitahi Village (residential)
Milldale (residential development)
Tekapo Power Scheme (power scheme consent renewal)
Waihi North (mining extension)
Drury Metropolitan centre
Sunfield (residential development)
Panel Convener will shortly appoint panels for:
Drury Quarry
King’s Quarry extension
Rangitoopuni (residential and retirement units)
Ryans Road (industrial subdivision).
Stella Passage (wharf extension and related work)
Taranaki VTM (seabed mining)
Six projects have been ‘referred’ into the Fast-track process by the Minister for Infrastructure:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Greene County, Mo., and possessing firearms.
Russell Lee Deck, Jr., 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian C. Wimes to a total sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, followed by three years of supervised release.
On Nov. 8, 2024, Deck pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Deck admitted he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County from June 1 to Aug. 25, 2022, and to possessing firearms.
The drug trafficking conspiracy ended when a Springfield police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Deck on Aug. 18, 2022. When the officer pulled behind Deck’s vehicle in a hotel parking lot and activated his lights, Deck put the car in reverse and rammed the officer’s vehicle. The officer got out of his vehicle, pulled his duty weapon, and ordered the vehicle’s occupants to stop. Instead, Deck drove forward, then put his vehicle in reverse and rammed the officer’s vehicle again before fleeing the parking lot.
A police pursuit ensued, with Deck driving at a high rate of speed in a residential neighborhood, while Deck’s passenger shot at the officer’s vehicle. The pursuit ended when Deck crashed into a Jeep SUV at an intersection. While the Jeep suffered significant damage, the innocent driver appeared to be unharmed. Deck’s passenger fled the crash on foot and was arrested after Greene County deputies found the passenger hiding under a car. Shell casings and damage from gunfire were located throughout the neighborhood.
Officers removed Deck from the wrecked vehicle and found two bags containing a total of 46.2 grams of methamphetamine in Deck’s pockets. Inside Deck’s vehicle, officers found two handguns on the front passenger side floorboard.
Deck’s passenger who fired the shots during the pursuit, Blake Basten, was sentenced in federal court to a total sentence of 10 years for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm on Feb. 27, 2024.
Deck’s co-defendant in the drug trafficking conspiracy, Justin Hollingsworth, was sentenced to a total sentence of 18 years for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on June 24, 2024.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.