ALBANY, NEW YORK –Jabree Jones a.k.a. “Breezy,” age 32, of Schenectady, New York, has been charged by indictment with crimes including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and to possess firearms, including a machinegun, in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division; and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The 16-count indictment charges Jones for his participation in a drug conspiracy from January to May 2023, that included 11 instances of drug distribution between January and May 2023, and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine on May 23, 2023, when the ATF and DEA searched a property on Western Avenue in Albany, and a property in Halfmoon, New York. Jones’ coconspirators, Anthony Luizzi and Brandon Bartley, were each found at the Halfmoon property and the Western Avenue property, respectively. Between the two properties, Jones, along with his coconspirators, possessed 39 firearms, including an illegal machinegun, along with large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Another suspect in the investigation, Anthony Zaremski, was fatally shot during the execution of a federal search warrant on May 23, 2023, at Zaremski’s apartment in Clifton Park, after Zaremski opened fire and wounded two officers.
The following defendants have also been charged in connection with this investigation:
Brandon Bartley also pled guilty to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and his possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Devon Newsome pled guilty to transferring 29 firearms to Jones that were ultimately found at the Western Avenue property, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
The DEA and the ATF are investigating the case, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), the Rotterdam Police Department, and the Henry County Police Department in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Ross Brown appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Brown Family Wine Group is thrilled to announce that Ross Brown, third generation of the family business has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the Winemaking Industry and to Tourism at the 2025 Australia Day honours.
The Order of Australia recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement.
Individuals are appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service in a particular locality or field of activity or to a particular group.
Ross is extremely humbled by the honour and said, “I feel very thankful that my passions have made a significant contribution to our industry.”
Ross has dedicated his life to the wine industry, demonstrating unwavering commitment to the success of Brown Family Wine Group.
His passion extends beyond his family business and has contributed his energy and enthusiasm to numerous boards and committees within both the wine and tourism sectors.
Over the years Ross has held board positions for Wine Australia, Wine Victoria, Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW), Regional Wine and Food Tourism, and Brown Family Wine Group.
He has also been a committee member for Australian Grape and Wine (AGW), Chairman of the North East Valleys Food and Wine Group, and the Rural City of Wangaratta Tourism Development Committee.
When asked about what his greatest impact has been, Ross shared, “One of my greatest passions is the concept of ‘co-opetition,’ which I believe is essential to both the wine and tourism industries. The idea that we can be competitors while also collaborating for the greater good of the industry is crucial for future success.”
One of Ross’ greatest achievements has been creating and sharing a compelling vision for Prosecco in the King Valley. Always attuned to customer trends, Ross observed the rising popularity of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand and saw an opportunity to harness this momentum locally. The Prosecco potential emerged, and alongside fellow King Valley producers, Ross played a key role in establishing a distinct home for Prosecco in the region.
Ross was a driving force in advocating for the growth of Prosecco, lobbying local, state and federal governments on behalf of Prosecco producers and the broader Australian wine industry. His efforts were pivotal in securing long-term protection for the Prosecco name, ensuring the future of this iconic wine variety in Australia.
Ross was a founding member of the Milawa Gourmet Region, with a vision to make the Milawa Gourmet Region one of Australia’s leading wine and food short break destinations, which it remains to this day.
Ross is a Churchill Fellow and in 1997 he travelled the world investigate the development of international benchmarking for world best practice in family owned and operated wine companies.
Ross has been a mentor for the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program and the North East Regional Executive Forum.
In recent years, Ross has contributed to Tourism Tasmania, Wine Tasmania and the Tasmanian Department of State Growth.
In 2014 Ross was inducted into the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival ‘Legend Hall of Fame’ which pays tribute to the leaders, ground breakers and visionaries of Victoria’s food, drink and hospitality industry.
In 2015 Ross was awarded ‘Legend of the Vine’ for WCA initiated the Legend of the Vine Awards to recognise an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian industry and who ‘engage, connect, learn and inspire’ within the wine industry.
Together with his wife Judy and three daughters, Ross developed the Madge Brown Charitable Trust which supports local charities, particularly those that support under privileged youth and the homeless.
Ross’ late father John Charles Brown AM received the same honour in 1989 for recognition of service to the wine industry, along with the Centenary Medal in 2001.
His brother, John Graham Brown AO has been awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia (2005), the National Medal (1998) and Centenary Medal (2001) for service to promoting rural and regional economic development initiatives in Victoria, to the community through sporting and emergency services activities, and to the wine industry.
June Brown OAM (wife to John Graham Brown) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2023 for her services to the creative arts.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Dahlen, Professor of Midwifery, Associate Dean Research and HDR, Midwifery Discipline Leader, Western Sydney University
A vaginal birth after caesarean (known as a VBAC) is when a woman who has had a caesarean has a vaginal birth down the track.
In Australia, about 12% of women have a vaginal birth for a subsequent baby after a caesarean. A VBAC is much more common in some other countries, including in several Scandinavian ones, where 45-55% of women have one.
So what’s involved? What are the risks? And who’s most likely to give birth vaginally the next time round?
What happens? What are the risks?
When a woman chooses a VBAC she is cared for much like she would during a planned vaginal birth.
However, an induction of labour is avoided as much as possible, due to the slightly increased risk of the caesarean scar opening up (known as uterine rupture). This is because the medication used in inductions can stimulate strong contractions that put a greater strain on the scar.
In fact, one of the main reasons women may be recommended to have a repeat caesarean over a vaginal birth is due to an increased chance of her caesarean scar rupturing.
This is when layers of the uterus (womb) separate and an emergency caesarean is needed to deliver the baby and repair the uterus.
Uterine rupture is rare. It occurs in about 0.2-0.7% of women with a history of a previous caesarean. A uterine rupture can also happen without a previous caesarean, but this is even rarer.
However, uterine rupture is a medical emergency. A large European study found 13% of babies died after a uterine rupture and 10% of women needed to have their uterus removed.
The risk of uterine rupture increases if women have what’s known as
complicated or classical caesarean scars, and for women who have had more than two previous caesareans.
Most care providers recommend you avoid getting pregnant again for around 12 months after a caesarean, to allow full healing of the scar and to reduce the risk of the scar rupturing.
National guidelines recommend women attempt a VBAC in hospital in case emergency care is needed after uterine rupture.
During a VBAC, recommendations are for closer monitoring of the baby’s heart rate and vigilance for abnormal pain that could indicate a rupture is happening.
If labour is not progressing, a caesarean would then usually be advised.
There are also risks with repeat caesareans. These include slower recovery, increased risks of the placenta growing abnormally in subsequent pregnancies (placenta accreta), or low in front of the cervix (placenta praevia), and being readmitted to hospital for infection.
Women reported birth trauma and post-traumatic stress more commonly after a caesarean than a vaginal birth, especially if the caesarean was not planned.
Women who had a traumatic caesarean or disrespectful care in their previous birth may choose a VBAC to prevent re-traumatisation and to try to regain control over their birth.
We looked at what happened to women
The most common reason for a caesarean section in Australia is a repeat caesarean. Our new research looked at what this means for VBAC.
We analysed data about 172,000 low-risk women who gave birth for the first time in New South Wales between 2001 and 2016.
We found women who had an initial spontaneous vaginal birth had a 91.3% chance of having subsequent vaginal births. However, if they had a caesarean, their probability of having a VBAC was 4.6% after an elective caesarean and 9% after an emergency one.
We also confirmed what national data and previous studies have shown – there are lower VBAC rates (meaning higher rates of repeat caesareans) in private hospitals compared to public hospitals.
We found the probability of subsequent elective caesarean births was higher in private hospitals (84.9%) compared to public hospitals (76.9%).
Our study did not specifically address why this might be the case. However, we know that in private hospitals women access private obstetric care and experience higher caesarean rates overall.
What increases the chance of success?
When women plan a VBAC there is a 60-80% chance of having a vaginal birth in the next birth.
The success rates are higher for women who are younger, have a lower body mass index, have had a previous vaginal birth, give birth in a home-like environment or with midwife-led care.
For instance, an Australian study found women who accessed continuity of care with a midwife were more likely to have a successful VBAC compared to having no continuity of care and seeing different care providers each time.
An Australian national survey we conducted found having continuity of care with a midwife when planning a VBAC can increase women’s sense of control and confidence, increase their chance to be upright and active in labour and result in a better relationship with their health-care provider.
With the rise of caesareans globally, including in Australia, it is more important than ever to value vaginal birth and support women to have a VBAC if this is what they choose.
Our research is also a reminder that how a woman gives birth the first time greatly influences how she gives birth after that. For too many women, this can lead to multiple caesareans, not all of them needed.
Hannah Dahlen receives funding from NHMRC, ARC and MRFF.
Hazel Keedle and Lilian Peters do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF THE FULL EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE HERE
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today questioned President Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy’s career has focused on touting disproven claims about vaccines, and he has a rapidly changing record on abortion rights.
Responding to Kennedy’s statements maligning Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, Sen. Warner said (0:05):
“Well, I have to tell you, for literally hundreds of thousands of Virginians, Medicaid is what prevents them from health crises on a daily and weekly basis. And some imaginary new plan? If there was a new plan, that was to be the basis of what Trump was going to do on repealing Obamacare… I would have thought by now we’d have seen it.”
Sen. Warner’s questions also follow an unlawful directive from President Trump on Monday night to freeze trillions in government grants, loans, and programs. While the action was successfully blocked until Feb. 3 by a federal judge, it could still go into effect at that point, directly threatening countless federal benefits, funding for public schools and community health centers, local domestic violence shelters, firefighters and law enforcement, and much more.
Kennedy’s campaign fundraised off this unlawful directive in an email to supporters, celebrating it as a way to “prevent unelected bureaucrats from further undermining our health freedom.” Kennedy’s unsuccessful presidential campaign is $2 million in debt, and the email was an attempt to garner donations from supporters to cover that shortfall. Questioning Kennedy on these decisions, Sen. Warner said (1:20),
“So the fact that you celebrate this freeze, do you think that was a good idea to put all of this on hold for 90 days, NIH funding, and any kind of further work in your research? I’d like you to explain to a domestic violence center in Richmond that’s saying, because of this freeze, they may have to close down… where are those battered women going to go? Or to a rural nonprofit I’ve got in the Shenandoah Valley saying that freeze is going to potentially shut down their ability to operate…”
Sen. Warner also pushed Kennedy on his pledge to remove 2,200 HHS employees, and asked what departments he might be firing people from. He also touched on President Trump’s questionably legal action to offer all federal employees a “buyout” (2:41):
“Now, you’ve said publicly you want to immediately get rid of 600 workers on job one on day one… When we had our meeting, you said you actually like to get rid of 2,200 people from HHS. Which offices are you going to start cutting and ripping these 2,200 workers from? … When we’re looking at this purge and we’re looking at laying off workers, when we’re looking at potentially the president’s illegal offer to try to buy out federal employees, which I would say to any federal employees, think twice… has this individual in his business role ever fulfilled his contracts or obligations to any workers in the past? … But if you are in this position, will you pledge that you will not fire federal employees who work on food safety, work on trying to prevent things like salmonella?”
While Kennedy refused to answer any specific departments he would protect or fire, Sen. Warner pushed him to see if his determinations on worthy departments would be at his discretion or based on President Trump’s ideas. When Kennedy responded that it would be his choice, Sen. Warner answered (5:09),
“So I guess that means a lot of folks who’ve had any type of views on vaccines will be out of work.”
Sen. Warner went on to question Kennedy about protecting funding for community health centers (5:20) and continue to push him on the federal funding freeze (6:00). His full comments can be watched here.
Kennedy will face additional questioning in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) tomorrow, before the Finance Committee eventually votes on his nomination.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF SEN. WARNER’S SPEECH IS AVAILABLE HERE
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today spoke on the Senate floor about the recklessness of President Trump’s attempt to freeze all federal funding.
“President Trump got hired because he promised to bring down prices. None of this is going to bring down grocery prices. None of this is going to bring down consumer prices. None of this is going to make our government more efficient or effective… This is day 10 of the Trump administration. We have chaos on steroids… In the meantime, I implore the administration: get your act together. Don’t put out two separate statements totally contradicting each other. It just makes chaos and stress go up.”
Sen. Warner’s remarks follow an unlawful directive from President Trump on Monday night to freeze trillions in government grants, loans, and programs. The pause directly threatened countless federal benefits, funding for public schools and community health centers, local domestic violence shelters, firefighters and law enforcement, and much more.
On Tuesday evening, a federal judge halted the unlawful order. On Wednesday afternoon, OMB seemingly rescinded the order, before White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added fuel to the fire with a confusing tweet that implied the freeze was not canceled. The battle, while paused for now, is currently working its way through the federal court system.
Sen. Warner’s full remarks as prepared are below:
Mr. President, I rise to the floor today amid a great deal of confusion.
Two days ago… the Trump administration issued an order to freeze all federal spending.
Earlier today… less than 48 hours later…that order was formally rescinded.
But the story doesn’t end there.
Shortly thereafter, the White House tweeted… that the federal funding freeze remains in place… and will be rigorously implemented.
So I ask… which one is it?
Unfortunately… I’m not the only one asking that question. And I’ve got a list of stressed-out Virginians to prove it.
In Virginia, federal funding supports countless programs that serve children… seniors… community infrastructure needs… and more.
Yesterday alone, my office was flooded with outreach from organizations and local governments.
I heard from firefighters in Southwest Virginia. They’re worried that they won’t be able to replace their tanker truck without the funding that was supposed to head their way.
I heard froman affordable housing organization in Northern Virginia. They’re worried that they will need to cease operations entirely.
I heard from law enforcement in the Valley… and the greater-Richmond area. These localities rely on federal funding to pay the salaries of several police officers.
That’s right… this federal funding freeze will take cops off the streets.
I also heard from a number ofdomestic violence shelters across the Commonwealth. Without funding… they’ll have to leave battered women and children without housing support.
You’ve also got meals for low-income seniors… child care for vulnerable kids… support for teens who have been trafficked… that’s what’s on the chopping block.
As someone who ran a business… as someone who ran the Commonwealth… this is unbelievable.
This is not the way to run the most important enterprise in the world: the American government.
And the truth is: Rescinded or not… these chaotic antics have real consequences.
I know of organizations in Virginia that had to call emergency board meetings yesterday.
I’ve heard from folks who are worried that they’ll have to lay off all their employees. Without federal funding… many organizations simply won’t be able to make payroll.
One Virginian wrote in, saying “the mental and physical damage is already immense.”
It’s not right to toy with people’s lives… or with the resources that keep folks fed… police employed… fire departments stocked… and domestic violence shelters running.
As long as I’m Senator, I’m going to keep fighting back against these antics, which frankly, make the President’s first term look organized.
With that, Mr./Madam President, I yield the floor.
The Albanese Government has tasked the Productivity Commission with a review into the mental health and suicide prevention system to deliver better mental health care and support for Australians.
The National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement is due to expire in 2026 and it’s critical there is a review so all Australian governments are delivering mental health and suicide prevention services and support informed by this work.
Since coming to office, the Albanese Government has invested over $2.4 billion in mental health and suicide prevention.
We’ve made a lot of progress working closely with state and territory governments through the National Agreement, including:
Expanding and opening 61 Medicare Mental Health Centres – providing free walk‑in access to mental health services and support
Strengthening headspace – free mental health support for children and young people from 12 to 25 years with reduced wait times
Setting up the Head to Health Kids Hub network – mental health and wellbeing centres for children up to 12 years
Expanding aftercare services – immediate support for people who have recently attempted suicide
Investing in Distress Brief Intervention Services – compassionate care and short‑term support for people in distress
Bolstering Postvention support – helping people bereaved following the death by suicide of a family member or friend.
This review is about continuing to build a mental health system that’s effective, affordable, and there for Australians when they need it.
The Productivity Commission will consult with government agencies, commissioning bodies, service providers, peak bodies, people with lived and living experience of mental ill‑health and suicide, First Nations communities and other priority groups.
Public hearings will be held as part of the consultation process.
An interim report will be delivered ahead of the final review due October 2025.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler MP
“Mental health and suicide prevention have been at the forefront of Australian Government action and investment.
“We have worked closely with state and territory governments to ensure people of all ages have access to appropriate and affordable services no matter where they live.
“This review will ensure any future arrangements are underpinned by a solid analysis of the current mental health and suicide prevention arrangements.”
Quotes attributable to Treasurer, Dr Jim Chalmers MP
“Mental health touches every family and every community in Australia and is at the core of our national well‑being.
“We have invested billions in Medicare and mental health has been a big part of that so that services are more accessible and more available across the country.
“While the impacts on people are our primary concern, mental ill‑health also costs the economy tens of billions a year and these steps to strengthen the system help more broadly.”
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride MP
“The Albanese Government continues to have a strong focus on improving the mental health of all Australians.
“As part of our plan to strengthen Medicare we have expanded access to mental health support, including through our national network of Medicare Mental Health Centres.
“Through this review, we can make sure that our national mental health and suicide prevention agreements meet the growing need for affordable, accessible and timely care.”
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging.
“This Government slashed school lunch funding and handed the job to a global corporation instead of supporting local suppliers—now kids are stuck with worse meals,” Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.
“Their choice to prioritise cuts over proper nutrition for our kids is a disgrace.”
Parents and teachers have been sharing stories of inferior meals that kids could not eat, meals arriving hours after they were needed, and mislabelled packaging.
A Cabinet Paper in March 2024 informed the Government that changes to the school lunch programme would risk achievement, attendance, nutrition, and wellbeing of children, as well as having wider impacts on reducing child poverty. They made these changes anyway.
“Sadly, this was entirely predictable. Instead of investing in children’s nutrition and supporting local food suppliers, this government chose cost-cutting ahead of quality,” Jan Tinetti said.
“Proper nutrition is essential for kids to focus and learn. Rather than showing leadership and prioritising our kids’ wellbeing, Christopher Luxon followed David Seymour’s reckless advice and chose cuts over quality. As an educator, I have heard similar horror stories from my former colleagues, and I am deeply concerned that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Children should not have to suffer because of the Government’s poor choices,” Jan Tinetti said.
Well, there was a bit of good news yesterday and don’t we all need it? Inflation is down. In fact, some economists are declaring the worst of inflation is behind us. The figures released yesterday have Australia’s underlying inflation rate at around 3.2 per cent. That’s a three‑year low, which is fantastic. And there’s further good news because, with the inflation down, it’s now more than likely that the RBA will offer a rate cut in February. Economists are suggesting that’s what will happen. And joining me on the line now to discuss it is the federal Treasurer, Jim Chalmers. Treasurer, a very good morning to you.
Jim Chalmers:
Good morning to you, Pete. How are you doing?
Fegan:
I’m very well, my friend. Before we get into the facts and figures of inflation and the economy, can I just briefly get your comments on yet another antisemitic attack in Sydney? This is abhorrent behaviour. Look, fingers crossed and touch wood, Treasurer, we haven’t seen a lot of it here in Queensland, but it is absolutely and utterly unacceptable in our society.
Chalmers:
Completely disgraceful, despicable, unacceptable, as you say, and unfortunately not the first time that we’ve seen this. This is why we work so closely with state governments, with the police, with the authorities, because there’s no place in a country like ours for antisemitism or for violence or for these kinds of incidents which have unfortunately become more frequent.
Fegan:
The underlying inflation rate is at 3.2 per cent. It was a great result. So, are you now confident, Treasurer, that economists are saying the RBA will offer some more mortgage relief? Are you confident, as Treasurer of Australia, that we will see that relief in February?
Chalmers:
I try not to make predictions about interest rates because the Reserve Bank will come to their view independently in the middle of February and they’ll announce their decision then. What I try and do is to focus on my part of this. We’ve got the same objective as the Reserve Bank to get this inflation down. We’ve made really quite substantial progress in the fight against inflation now and those numbers showed that. And my part of the job is to get inflation down, get wages up, and keep unemployment low, and on all 3 of those fronts Australians should be really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve together in meeting those objectives.
I know that when your listeners are listening to this, that many, if not most of them are still under a lot of pressure and that’s why we don’t get carried away when we get these great numbers. We know that these cost‑of‑living pressures haven’t disappeared, but they are easing and that’s the encouraging thing about yesterday’s numbers.
Fegan:
If the RBA doesn’t, will you demand that Michele Bullock provide a ‘please explain’ to Australians? I think we all deserve it because it has been so long now since we’ve had a rate cut. And as you mentioned, the cost‑of‑living crisis is hurting all of us, and mortgage holders are really feeling the crunch.
Chalmers:
I acknowledge that one of the big pressures on household budgets has been these higher interest rates. Interest rates haven’t gone up since November of 2023, but they’re still –
Fegan:
They haven’t gone down either.
Chalmers:
– so, they’re putting pressure on people. One of the things that I’m really pleased about, Pete, is one of the changes I made to the Reserve Bank with the support of Governor Michele Bullock – she actually explains every decision. She comes out publicly and makes herself available to explain a decision whether interest rates go up or stay steady or go down. And so, people can expect whatever the decision that they take independently in February, Governor Bullock will make herself available after that to talk people through it.
Fegan:
Treasurer, we’re not far off from an election. I’ve suggested it may be mid‑April. I’m sure you have some idea, but look, everyone’s keeping their cards close to their chest. I understand that. I’ve got a fair bit of –
Chalmers:
I’m not sure if you can hear me, Pete, but I can’t hear you, my friend. My phone is playing up today.
Fegan:
Have you got me there, Treasurer? You still got me. I can hear you. Treasurer, can you hear me?
Chalmers:
I’ve got you now.
Fegan:
Sorry, Treasurer.
Chalmers:
That’s on my end, I apologise.
Fegan:
No, that’s okay. No dramas. Just talking about the election. It’s upcoming. I think we suggest it might be in April sometime. You’re keeping your cards close to your chest. We understand that as Australians. So, that’s what politics is. I’ve got a little bit of feedback here, questions from our listeners to ask you, Treasurer, but I want to ask you this, and I think this is a very, very fair question. Is Australia in a better position than we were 3 years ago under a Labor government? And just hear me out here for a moment because we’re currently experiencing a cost‑of‑living crisis. National debt is at a record high, energy prices are through the roof, as most people have mentioned on the text line this morning. Household living standards for working Australians are down by about 18 per cent. A typical mortgage holder of that $600- and $700-thousand range is paying around $50,000 more in interest. That’s just to name a few so, Treasurer, is Australia in a better position than we were 3 years ago?
Chalmers:
Well, let’s run through each of those, Pete, because I think in running through each of those, you get a good answer. Think about inflation, that when we came to office it was higher than 6 per cent and rising. Now it’s got a 2 in front of it and it’s falling. Similarly with living standards – they were falling fast when we came to office. We’re seeing a recovery in living standards, acknowledging that people have still got a lot of ground to make up in their household budgets. You mentioned energy prices numbers that we got yesterday. Energy’s gone down a little over 25 per cent in the year.
Fegan:
But have our prices gone down, though, Treasurer? I mean, we were offered, we were promised at the election, promised that our energy prices would go down. And I know there has been some relief. I know the state’s offered some relief, but federally, I have to say that you’ve let us down.
Chalmers:
No, we’re offering relief as well, Pete. I think we need to acknowledge that. There’s energy bill relief at the federal level, not just the work of the –
Fegan:
Is that the $275 that’s gone missing, though?
Chalmers:
Three hundred dollars, $300 electricity bill rebate – and because of that, but not just because of that. If you look at yesterday’s numbers, one of the most heartening things is electricity went down I think 25.1 per cent. A lot of that is the rebates that we’re providing federally, but not all of that would have gone down without it. Happy to front up to your listeners and to you this morning, Pete, and say that I know that the cost‑of‑living pressures aren’t over, but what we’ve been able to do together as Australians is get that inflation down and get wages up and keep unemployment low. And that does give me a bit of confidence about the year ahead because a lot of these indicators which you ran through and then I ran through, were much worse in May of 2022 when we came to office. We’ve worked around the clock to try and turn things around, but we know that it’s not yet mission accomplished because so many of your listeners are still under the pump.
Fegan:
Just on some of those listeners, we’ve got some – this is just a fraction of what we’ve got here this morning, Treasurer, but it’s good to have this feedback because a lot of people do want to talk to you. And this is Mark at Park Ridge. He says ‘Hi, Peter. Can you please ask the Treasurer did they lose their plan to lower our electricity bills?’ John at Thornland says, ‘Morning, Peter. A question for the Treasurer. The drop in electricity prices was one of the stated reasons for the drop in rate of inflation, as this was artificially achieved by government’. Another one from Steve. This is just another one. It says, ‘Can you ask the Treasurer and ask him to be honest, no spin. Can he look Australians in the eye and say that we are financially better off under an ALP government?’ I mean, think they’re all very fair questions, Treasurer?
Chalmers:
Yep, yep. And one of the reasons I like coming on is because I like feedback questions. It’s one of the reasons why I perch myself outside the supermarket on a Saturday in my local community so that people can give me feedback in a characteristically blunt and Aussie way. I like that. Yeah, I welcome that. Welcome those questions. And so, if you run through the ones that I can recall from your list on energy –
Fegan:
It’s energy essentially.
Fegan:
Yes, energy bills. We did provide that $300 rebate. That’s the second time we’ve done that. But that’s not the whole reason that electricity prices have come down in that year to December. They would have gone down a bit even without our efforts, but I don’t see that as artificial, Pete. I think helping people with the bills which are putting pressure on family budgets, there’s nothing artificial about that. That’s what we’re doing proudly as a Labor government – helping people take some of the edge off these cost‑of‑living pressures, doing that at the same time as we get inflation down and get the budget in better nick. And so, for all of these reasons, whether it’s the progress we’re making together on inflation or employment or wages, 2 surpluses in the budget, less Liberal debt in the budget, rolling out this cost‑of‑living relief, we found a good combination of ways to deal with these cost‑of‑living pressures.
And I think we saw yesterday the progress that we’re making together, very welcome, very encouraging, but we don’t get carried away because we know, whether it’s people calling into your show or texting into your show or right around Australia that people are still under pressure. That’s why our cost‑of‑living help is so important. And that’s why it would be, I think, important that we remind your listeners that at the election, it’s a choice, really. We have been providing people with cost‑of‑living help and we want to build the future of this country. Our opponents didn’t want to see this cost‑of‑living help. And because of that, if Peter Dutton had his way, people would be thousands of dollars worse off and they’ll be worse off still if he wins and that’s because his nuclear insanity will push electricity prices up, not down.
Fegan:
Treasurer, thank you for your time this morning, and let’s chat before the election.
Welcoming the delivery from tonight of increased speed limits – an ACT coalition commitment – ACT Leader David Seymour says:
“Sensible speed limits are a triumph for common sense and democracy. Instead of being dictated to by a faceless bureaucratic minority, the people are in charge again.
“People often asked me where blanket speed limit reductions came from. Who asked for this, whose idea was it, why don’t my views count? The previous Government’s traffic engineering was thinly disguised social engineering that just made people mad.
“The government’s job is to make life easier, if a road is safe to drive 100, 110, or 120 km/h, people should be allowed to drive that fast. It sounds simple, and it is, but the last Government’s ideological anti-car project made life harder than it needed to be.
“The last government had an anti-car, anti-speed ideology. They didn’t care if they made life less convenient for the vast majority who drive to get around, in fact they seemed to relish slowing people down.
“Driving is important for New Zealanders. It liberates us from our homes and opens up the country for ordinary people to explore and do business. If we want productivity, we should be able to use roads we’ve paid for to their maximum safe capacity.”
Just keep in mind, interest rates went up and up and up. We expect them to come down in February, and everyone’s also expecting the Prime Minister to call an election for April. Well, not everybody, but a lot of people.
The federal Treasurer is Jim Chalmers. Treasurer, good morning.
Jim Chalmers:
Good morning, Raf, how are you?
Epstein:
I’m okay. What are you doing on April the 12th?
Chalmers:
On April the 12th? I’ll have to check the diary. But –
Epstein:
Is it clear?
Chalmers:
Usually if that’s Saturday, I’ll be perched outside a supermarket in my electorate talking to the people I represent.
Epstein:
That’s the speculated election date. Three weeks until the bank meets, the Reserve Bank. Is that the longest wait of your life?
Chalmers:
I don’t know about that, and I’m very careful not to engage in commentary or make predictions about the conversation around the board table at the Reserve Bank in the middle of February. I am focused on my part of this, my job. And I see my job as really 3 things: getting inflation down, getting wages up, keeping unemployment low. Australians collectively can be proud of the fact that we have been able to do all 3 of those things. Not every other country has been able to make the kind of progress that we’re making on inflation which we saw in yesterday’s numbers without seeing a big spike in unemployment. We’ve been able to manage that. That’s really important. We should all be proud of that. But we should also not get too carried away when we get these good inflation numbers because, as you said rightly in your introduction, people are still under pressure. The cost‑of‑living pressures haven’t disappeared but they have eased. They are easing, and we saw that in the numbers yesterday.
Epstein:
So the pressures are there. We all notice it, no matter how much – how good our income is. Twelve interest rate rises – it’s really tough. It is a very blunt instrument. Has that been worth the pain?
Chalmers:
First of all, Raf, there were 13 –
Epstein:
Oh, sorry.
Chalmers:
– and the reason I point that out to you is because the first one happened before the change of government. Our political opponents always neglect to mention the first one, which was during the Morrison government. But overall your point, I think, is broadly right, that those interest rate rises have put a lot of pressure on people and they have slowed our economy considerably, a point that I’ve made in different ways over the course of the last year or 2. I think it’s self‑evident that those rate rises the put pressure on people and slowed the economy.
It’s part of the Reserve Bank’s efforts to get on top of this inflation challenge, and we’ve got different responsibilities here, me and the Reserve Bank Governor, but we’ve got the same objective. And together we’ve got inflation from where it was at the election, which was higher than 6 per cent and rising fast; now it’s got a 2 in front of it. It’s had a 2 in front of it for a couple of consecutive quarters now –
Epstein:
So are you saying that you do think it’s worthwhile? I mean, I don’t want to ask you about the alternative ways like GST yet, but do you think – like, it’s the only instrument we’ve got. It was worth the pain? Yes or no.
Chalmers:
Well, I don’t really do those kind of yes or no questions, Raf – and the reason for that is, whether it’s after decisions taken by the bank independently or before they take decisions, I don’t see myself as a commentator on that. My job is different. My job is to be a helpful part of getting on top of inflation, and the government has been helpful – 2 surpluses, the way we’ve designed our cost‑of‑living help to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. I’m focused on getting on top of inflation without sacrificing jobs and getting wages growing again, getting the budget in better nick, rolling out the cost‑of‑living help. These are the things that I focus on because they are my job. What we saw in those inflation numbers – and all Australians should take the credit for the progress that we’ve made together – what we saw was a really quite remarkable moderation in inflation. The improvements are now quite sustained. And that is a factual point, and the Reserve Bank will weigh all of that up. They’ll come to a decision independently, and I’m not going to colour that in for them in advance.
Epstein:
Okay.
Chalmers:
And I’m not going to second guess the decisions that they’ve already taken.
Epstein:
The federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers is with you on 774. It’s 18 minutes to 9. The Treasurer is on the National Security Committee of Cabinet. I might get to those issues in Sydney in a moment. But, Treasurer, just another really important but general point: the ABS says inflation is coming down. Maybe we’ll get a rate cut. We probably will. When is it going to feel better at the supermarket?
Chalmers:
I think we’ve seen a lot of those prices, goods prices, in the inflation numbers, they’ve come off pretty substantially. One of the reasons why we’ve been so tough on the supermarkets, why we are cracking down on anything which looks like anti‑competitive behaviour, why we’ve put so much effort into the changes we’ve made to get a fair go for families and farmers is because when the prices come down, we want to see that passed on at the checkout. And in those numbers yesterday we saw that goods inflation had come down a lot.
Again, I come back to the point I made a moment ago, and that is that we recognise that even with this very substantial, very sustained progress on inflation, it doesn’t always translate immediately into how people are feeling or faring. The cost‑of‑living pressures haven’t disappeared, but they have eased considerably, and we want to see that passed on at the checkout.
Epstein:
We lost little bits of that Treasurer, but we did get the gist of the answer, so I’m going to pursue the interview with that phone line. I do want to get to a few issues in Melbourne, including the Suburban Rail Loop, and I know a lot of people texting about a fire around Bentleigh and Moorabbin. If you can see that, if you know what’s going on, we’ll come to that as well.
Treasurer, the really disturbing story, we’ve only learnt in the last few days that there was a caravan found with explosives in New South Wales. It was actually found almost 2 weeks ago. So it had explosives in it and a list of Jewish organisations. That was found on January the 19th, a Sunday. We didn’t know that. We only heard this in the last few days.
I’m just asking sort of a timing question, because the day after the caravan was found you had the opposition demanding a National Security Cabinet Meeting on antisemitism. The Prime Minister resisted that and then sort of relented a day later. Did – was the government told? Was the federal government told about the discovery of that caravan on January the 19th, the Sunday or on the Monday?
Chalmers:
A couple of things about that, Raf. First of all, these revelations and these reports are chilling. they are incredibly disturbing. We know that some of the fears that Jewish Australians have right now are not unfounded when we get these kinds of reports, and we know from the authorities that this was a potential mass casualty event. This is why it’s so important that we work so closely with the police and other authorities, the states and territories and others because obviously there is no place for violence or antisemitism in country like ours.
You asked me about the timing, and the reason I’m going to be reluctant to get into that, Raf, is because there are important operational and other reasons why we don’t speak publicly about some of these briefings that we receive from time to time. I know that people would like to know more about that. I do genuinely understand that. I don’t begrudge you asking me that, but there are very important operational reasons not to go into that, and that’s why I won’t go into it today.
Epstein:
But there’s nothing to divulge in simply – we now know the caravan was found by police. Surely it’s just a matter of transparency to ask when did the federal government get told about the discovery of the caravan. Did – I mean, I’m really asking in some ways a very political question – did you guys know about the caravan when the Opposition’s demanding a big meeting on antisemitism, a National Cabinet Meeting?
Chalmers:
I understand the question. I’m not dark at you for asking it. But the advice that we get in the briefings that we receive is that it is unhelpful to go into the nature or the timing of those briefings. I understand the answer that you’re after, but unfortunately that’s the best answer that I can give.
Epstein:
I’m sure it’s a question the Opposition will pursue. Okay, I’m grateful for your time. Something that’s really significant – and I could actually ask you – I could spend the whole interview on it – is the Suburban Rail Loop Project. The federal – the plan from the state government is that the federal government funds one‑third of that project. I realise a lot of that is in years where you may well not be Treasurer, even if Labor wins the next few elections. Do you prefer the Suburban Rail Loop over Airport Rail, or are you very keen for Airport Rail to proceed ahead of the Suburban Rail Loop?
Chalmers:
I think the best way to describe our position on that is I know in some of the commentary about those 2 projects that it is often presented as if they are very closely linked. And we haven’t really proceeded with our thinking about those projects as if they are 2 sides of the one coin. We’ve thought about them in separate and distinct ways. We’ve made commitments and provisions to both, subject to the responsible work that goes into stacking up these business cases. We’ve made a couple‑of‑billion‑dollar commitment to the Suburban Rail Loop. We’ll work closely with the Victorian government – I know my wonderful colleague, a fine Victorian, in Catherine King, speaks to her counterparts down your way frequently about these projects – to see if we can get at this time built. But we’ve made big provisions. We’re enthusiastic about building more Victorian infrastructure, and we work with the Victorian colleagues to make that a reality.
It’s not talking out of school to say that I caught up with the new Victorian Treasurer yesterday afternoon in Melbourne, had a cup of coffee and talked about some of these sorts of issues, and that’s because we work closely with the governments around the country.
Epstein:
Okay, so can I – let me ask you the blatant question, if I can. It’s very much the feeling amongst some in both your government and the state government that it’s a game of chicken – you won’t really commit to the Suburban Rail Loop until the state government tips in more on airport rail. Is that what’s going on? You’re sort of – you won’t let the dollars flow further on the SRL until the state commits further to airport rail?
Chalmers:
I can genuinely say to you, Raf, that I’ve never been in a conversation of that nature. I haven’t seen it that way. I haven’t considered it that way. Nobody’s put it to me that way. We’re big and enthusiastic investors in Victorian infrastructure. We do as much as we responsibly can to work with the states to fund these projects. We’ve made a big provision for Suburban Rail Loop subject to the usual kinds of processes and pressures. And I haven’t thought of it the way that you’ve just described it.
Epstein:
I appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for joining us.
Content type: Media Release Published: Topic(s): Sex Discrimination
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Dr Anna Cody has raised concerns on the pause in Stage One and Two hormone therapies for people under 18 years through the Queensland’s public health system while an independent review is undertaken.
“A fundamental human right is access to healthcare, and gender affirming healthcare is part of this right,” she said. “Trans and gender diverse children and young people should feel supported to affirm their gender by the adults in their lives and health care providers.
“This pause has the potential to harm the physical and mental wellbeing of children in Queensland who are currently awaiting care. We note that these treatments are supported by evidence and the Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines for Trans and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents that are endorsed by medical experts*. Above all, we must ensure we are putting the wellbeing of trans and gender children and young people first.
“The Australian Human Rights Commission will be contacting the Queensland Government with our concerns and to seek further information. Our concern is that restricting access will create trauma to young people who will be unable to access treatments in a timely manner.”
-Ends-
* Australian Professional Association for Trans Health, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Australian Endocrine Society.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises State Highway 15 is expected to reopen between Maungatapere and Otaika around 2pm this afternoon.
The road has been closed since yesterday morning (Wednesday 29 January) to allow NZ Police to investigate following the unexplained death of a motorcyclist.
NZTA thanks everyone for their patience during the closure.
We seek applications now, from experienced and adventurous artists for our 2025 park based artist’s residency. The selected artist will live by the sea, in Barr Cottage, Little Huia – an ideal base for exploring the surrounding Waitākere parkland.
The artist in residence will create site-specific art about a habitat, creature, character or feature of the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park. The artist’s residency work will be shared with our park visitors in some way – usually through a performance, event, workshop, exhibition, recording, publication or on-park storyboard.
Artists living within parks 24/7, witness things our visitors often miss. For eight weeks they delve into the nature of a place and get a sense of sites or species of significance. Embedded within a park, they serve as our ears and eyes and draw on what they see and hear to create art which reflects these immersive experiences.
This regional park residency offers a two month stay on the shores of the Manukau Harbour from November-December 2005 and is open to innovative, experienced and professional artists. We welcome proposals from writers, filmmakers, composers, choreographers, sculptors, painters, printmakers and other creatives.
View towards Manakau heads.
Applications close 21 February 2025. More information and documents to guide your application are available here.
Moon and sun prints
Kate van der Drift our 2024 artist enabled us to see ‘her park’, Waitawa, in a new light – with her suite of photos taken by the light of the moon. Some of Kate’s ethereal moonlit photos now grace the gritty façade of Magazine 4 (an old industrial explosives warehouse) at Waitawa Regional Park.
Kate van der Drift our 2024 artist in Residence.
Another tranche of Kate’s residency work, camera-less prints of plants, which harnessed the sun and water as ‘developers’ will be exhibited as part of the Festival of Photography in May 2025. One of Kate’s plant-based prints and interpretation of her experimental process to make it, will stay permanently where it was created – at the bach at Waitawa, for future users of the bach to enjoy.
Over three nights, Kate explored the park in this ethereal moonlight, and some of these photographs are presented here.
To see the range of projects artists have produced and the benefits to both artist and park visitor please visit here.
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress.
“Open season on renters has begun, as this Government for landlords creates more insecurity and pain for renters,” says the Green Party’s Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.
“No-cause evictions mean that renters can be removed from their homes without reason, undermining housing stability and perpetuating insecurity. It’s another cruel step which favours landlords and erodes renters’ rights in Aotearoa. There will be many families who will suffer acutely as a result of the uncertainty this creates.
“No-cause evictions have flow-on impacts for children of families who are plunged into housing instability – it undermines their health and education, and compounds mental health problems linked to inadequate housing and unhealthy homes.
“Landlords will be able to kick out renters on a whim – it may be because of the renter’s disability or even the way they dress – but the landlord doesn’t have to provide a reason, it’s open season.
“Housing is a human right, but this Government is treating it like a business. Housing forms the foundation for our communities to thrive, it is something we can afford to provide to everyone.
“The Government has ignored the overwhelming public opposition to this Bill. A massive 97 per cent of submitters on the no clause termination provision opposed it, including 53 per cent of landlords themselves.
“Everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home. The Green Party will continue to fight for stronger renters rights, and that includes removing no-cause evictions,” says Tamatha Paul.
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today released the following statement after the Laken Riley Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Senator Katie Boyd Britt (R-Alabama), and Graham is an original cosponsor.
“This is a bittersweet day for America. I appreciate President Trump signing the Laken Riley Act into law, which will require illegal immigrants charged with theft and other crimes to be detained. If this law had been in place, it would have prevented Laken Riley’s murder.
“The man who killed Laken Riley was released from custody because of lack of detention space and had previous arrests for theft that were ignored by the Biden Administration.
“Congratulations to Senator Britt who spearheaded this in the Senate. It is my hope and prayer that this legislation will be a deterrent and save lives.”
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF KAINE’S FLOOR SPEECH IS AVAILABLE HERE.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke on the Senate floor to discuss President Trump’s alarming pardon of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, the world’s largest online drug marketplace. Trump pardoned Ulbricht, who was serving life in prison, on his second day in office. In 2015, Ulbricht was convicted on seven counts, including distributing narcotics and conspiring to launder money, for his involvement with Silk Road. Government investigators identified six individuals whose lethal overdoses were caused by drugs purchased on the site, one of whom was 16 years old.
“On Inauguration Day, January 20, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border of the United States, and I want to read two sentences from that declaration,” said Kaine. “Hundreds of thousands of Americans have tragically died from drug overdoses because of the illicit narcotics that have flowed across the southern border…As Commander in Chief, I have no more solemn duty than to protect the American people.”
Kaine continued, “Those two sentences are why I was so surprised at an action the President took the next day, January 21, 2025: the pardon of drug kingpin Ross Ulbricht.”
“Mr. Ulbricht launched Silk Road in 2011 and turned it into one of the most popular outposts of the so called Dark Web, a hidden corner of the internet that people can access only through a special browser. Silk Road facilitated over 1.5 million transactions, generating more than $200 million in revenue from the sale of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and other drugs,” Kaine said. “At least six deaths were attributed to drugs bought on Silk Road.”
“I just want to raise the obvious question. If illicit narcotics trafficking is sufficient to declare a national emergency, then why, one day later, was it a justifiable, appropriate, laudable use of presidential power to give a pardon to somebody who had set up an online global digital drug trafficking network that had generated $200 million in revenue, 1.5 million transactions of sales of illicit drugs, six overdose deaths of individuals, and other challenges?” Kaine asked.
“I would assert that the pardon of Mr. Ulbricht undercuts the legitimacy of the claim of what Mr. President Trump is worried about is drug trafficking,” Kaine concluded. “…If the only thing that can be done is to put it on the public record so that people can be aware, less than 24 hours after this emergency declaration, this drug trafficker was pardoned, I feel like that’s an important thing that needs to be made visible to the American public.”
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, questioned Howard Lutnick at the confirmation hearing on his nomination to be Secretary of Commerce.
During the hearing, Senator Fischer’s exchange with Lutnick focused on federal spectrum management and its critical role in national security, the impact of retaliatory tariffs on agriculture and manufacturing, the need to expand export markets, preserving critical broadband funding, and strategies to counter threats from China in technology markets.
Click the image above to watch a video of Senator Fischer’s questioning
Click here to download audio
Click here to download video
On the Role Spectrum Plays in Protecting National Security:
Senator Fischer: If confirmed, you will lead a massive federal agency across 13 bureaus. And to start with, I want to highlight one that you’ve already heard of—the NTIA. It has critical influence over the U.S. economy and over our security, as well. Among its roles . . . NTIA coordinates spectrum management, ensuring that federal airwaves are being used most effectively. But, as spectrum becomes more scarce, critical federal operations, especially those essential for our national security, have been seen as obstacles. At the onset, I want to make it clear to you that DOD airwaves are not lying dormant and that proposals to clear them would jeopardize our national security.
We have constellations of DOD satellites that rely on spectrum. Our nuclear command and control relies on spectrum. Advanced fighter aircraft like F-35s rely on spectrum. And we are investing tens of billions of dollars in developing sixth-generation aircraft that will rely on spectrum. We have radar systems on our Navy ships tracking incoming missiles around the world. These allowed us to help defend Israel from over 300 missile and drone attacks last year. They rely on spectrum. I can go on and on, as my colleagues know, but this is all to say that I hope we can work together so that we can come up with a really strong strategy for federal spectrum management in the future.
On Protecting Nebraska’s Industries From Retaliatory Tariffs:
Senator Fischer: I’m from Nebraska, and Nebraska’s agricultural and manufacturing industries rely on our strong export markets for our products. You and I talked about trade and about the need under this administration for trade to be front and center. We know that we didn’t see much of that happen in the previous administration. We also know, though sir, that other countries may try to retaliate against our agricultural and our manufacturing industries. So, if confirmed, will you work with your colleagues at other agencies to understand the impact of retaliatory tariffs on agriculture and manufacturing?
Howard Lutnick: I will.
On Opportunities To Expand Export Markets:Senator Fischer: Thank you. Can you also talk a little bit about what opportunities you view that are out there so that we can expand certain export markets over the next four years under this administration?
Howard Lutnick: I think our farmers, ranchers, and fishermen are treated with disrespect.Senator Fischer: Always, the fish.Howard Lutnick: Always, you have to include them. You know, how often do we eat seafood? Come on. So they are treated with disrespect around the world. They are our farmers, our ranchers, and our fishermen are treated with disrespect. The countries take advantage of American kindness, American gratitude, that we used to rebuild the world after the World Wars, and after the Korean War, and after the Vietnam War.
We need that disrespect to end. And I think tariffs are a way to create reciprocity, to be treated fairly, to be treated appropriately. And I think it will help our farmers, our ranchers, and our fishermen to flourish. And that’s what I expect this administration is going to drive. And that’s why I am honored to serve President Trump in his pursuit of that reciprocity and that fairness, and the end of the disrespect.
These countries have reliance on the American economy, and they need to start respecting us and respect us now.
On Understanding the Importance of the BEAD Broadband Program:Senator Fischer: Thank you. You heard about the BEAD funding from Senator Thune and other members of this committee as well. And I hope you will take that to heart and help our states get through some of those regulations that are out there. It has been an impediment to us.
On Bolstering American Competitiveness Against China: Senator Fischer: I’d like to talk a little bit here in the last few seconds about technology and competitiveness. I think I have Senator Wicker’s time.
In previous hearings, this committee has discussed the United States’ AI capabilities and that we are in a dead heat with China. This week, we heard about DeepSeek, and I think it’s having us to examine kind of where we are right now with that.
If confirmed, given the Commerce Department’s breadth of influence on that issue, how will you address different threats that we see coming from the CCP within these information and technology markets?Howard Lutnick: I take a very jaundiced view of China. I think they only care about themselves and seek to harm us. We need to protect ourselves, we need to drive our innovation forward, and we need to stop helping them.
Open platforms—Meta’s open platform, let DeepSeek rely on it. Nvidia’s chips, which they bought tons of and they found their ways around it, drive their DeepSeek model. It’s got to end.
If they are going to compete with us, let them compete, but stop using our tools to compete with us. So I’m going to be very strong on that. I am thrilled to oversee BIS and I’m thrilled to coordinate and empower BIS with tariffs that will improve the strength. When we say no, that answer’s got to be no.Senator Fischer: I look forward to working with you, sir. Thank you.Howard Lutnick: Thank you.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after voting against Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Lee Zeldin is not qualified to lead an agency tasked with protecting the air and water of millions of Americans. His deep ties to the Koch brothers and Big Oil are clear conflicts of interests, and I’m not confident he has hardworking Nevada families’ best interests at heart. That’s why I voted no on his confirmation.”
WASHINGTON – Today, at the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing on the nomination of the Honorable Kelly Loeffler to serve as the Small Business Administration (SBA) administrator, Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) highlighted the need to reform the agency.
Ernst asked Loeffler about her plans to refocus the SBA on its mission to empower entrepreneurs and unleash the small business economy by increasing transparency, slashing red tape, and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.
Click here to watch Chair Ernst’s remarks.
During Ernst’s questioning, Loeffler committed to a “collaborative and responsive” relationship with Ernst to improve transparency at the SBA.
After the agency had a 66-day disaster funding shortfall last year and failed victims in desperate need, Ernst asked Loeffler how she would work with Congress to improve critical relief programs at the agency.
As part of her plan, Loeffler noted that she will make sure that the agency is accountable to taxpayers, that she will get it back to work, and be committed to the success of small businesses and responsible to taxpayers.
WASHINGTON—The Trump administration issued yet another dangerous executive order that aims to withhold federal funds to schools that teach the whole history of America.
NEA President Becky Pringleissued the following statement in response to the latest Trump executive order that attempts to restrict educators’ ability to teach an honest and accurate curriculum and create schools where students feel safe, seen, and valued:
“Every student, of every race and in every place, deserves the freedom to learn from a quality educator in a safe and welcoming public school. At a time when our students need us most and when parents and educators are working together tirelessly to do everything we can to support them, this administration continues to take action that aims only to distract and divide us. This unnecessary and punitive executive order does nothing to help educators inspire their students to learn and to give them the resources needed to succeed.
“Instead of lifting students, Trump and his allies are shamelessly trying to restrict the freedom of educators to teach and students to learn, while also punishing educators for ensuring schools are a safe space where all students—regardless of gender identity or race—have a sense of belonging.
“Educators won’t be silent as anti-public education politicians hurt our students, our families, and our communities across America. Together with parents and allies, we will continue to organize, advocate, and mobilize so that all students have well-resourced schools that provide an honest, accurate, and inclusive curriculum that prepares them for the future.”
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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org
It’s a new year and brand-new home for the New England Sickle Cell Institute and Connecticut Bleeding Disorders Center at UConn Health.
CEO Dr. Andy Agwunobi leading a round of applause for Dr. Biree Andemariam on Jan. 29.
The Institute held a large, festive celebratory grand opening and ribbon-cutting for leadership, supporters, and its patient community on January 29.
The newly renovated multi-million-dollar, patient-friendly 12,840 sq. ft. comprehensive care space is located on the fully renovated fourth floor of UConn Health’s Main Building in the Connecticut Tower of UConn John Dempsey Hospital.
Sickle cell and bleeding disorder patients at UConn Health now have a combined Institute as a dedicated place to call home for all their outpatient care needs. The Institute brings the latest innovative care, medications, supportive services, and clinical trials to its patients all in one space that patients can call their home away from home.
“Dedicating a new brick and mortar medical home– a place of healing, a place of nurturing, a place of expertise, a place of guidance, and, honestly, a place of love– will ensure that individuals with sickle cell disease and bleeding disorders will always have a safe place to receive top-notch care into the infinite future—including those not yet born!” shared Dr. Biree Andemariam, founder and longtime director of the Institute at the celebration event attended by over 400 guests including 150 patients and their family members.
Large patient room of New England Sickle Cell Institute and Connecticut Bleeding Disorders Center.
The new space marks a formal beginning of a joint home for the care of individuals with sickle cell disease as well as those with inherited bleeding disorders. Both conditions affect the blood, both are hereditary, both are relatively rare and largely without a lot of doctors and nurses and social workers with experience or comfort in taking care of them. Together, the two programs at UConn Health provide care for patients from all over Connecticut and serve as both a regional and national referral base from physicians across many disciplines, including other hematologists.
The new location has all new equipment such as apheresis technology used for blood transfusions, ultrasound, and EKGs. It has six large patient rooms, ten infusion rooms, and even a large common area for patients and their families to use.
The Institute, founded in 2009, has served the majority of adult sickle cell patients in the state. Part of the renovation project was supported with a $75,000 generous grant from CHEFA. Uniquely, the Institute with the help of UConn Health’s art curator Andre Rochester hand-selected original artwork of artists from across Connecticut to decorate and brighten its new hallway and room spaces. The artists hail from across the state in Hartford, Bloomfield, Bridgeport, New Haven, Wolcott, and beyond. Plus, one Oakland, California artist shared a beautiful terra cotta sculpture.
Dr. Genice Nelson embracing sickle cell patient Lola Odesina on Jan. 29.
“Our new Institute home is absolutely amazing, and the high-quality space definitely matches the high-quality care our patients always receive,” shared the Institute’s Nursing Director Dr. Genice Nelson. “The old hospital space has been completely renovated down to his studs to be a very modern, comfortable, patient-centered, and colorful, warm inviting space for our patients who often spend a great amount of time receiving therapeutic treatments here.”
“We sincerely thank Caryl Ryan, RN, COO of John Dempsey Hospital, Dr. Andy Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health, Dr. Pramod Srivastava, director of the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Dr. Bruce T. Liang, dean of the UConn School of Medicine. Without their strong leadership this new, dream home for our Institute would not be possible. Thank you!” says Andemariam.
Andemariam also pays tribute to her former UConn Health mentor Dr. Robert Bona who was a longtime director of the bleeding disorders program: “This year marks the 50th year since the start of UConn Health’s first Hemophilia Center. Without him, the bleeding disorders program would not have continued to thrive for so many decades, and I would not have been able to launch our sickle cell program back in 2009 without his support and encouragement.”
Dr. Biree Andemariam on Jan. 29 hosting the opening of the New England Sickle Cell Institute and Connecticut Bleeding Disorders Center.
UConn Health’s Bleeding Disorders Center is one of the longest-running specialty clinical programs in the institution’s history. In fact, it has long been recognized as a premier center for the care of patients with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders and one of only two adult bleeding disorder programs in the state.
“Biree is the visionary that has made this all possible! I want to thank everyone who has come together to make this Institute possible. The number and excitement of the people here today is a true testament to the work of the Institute,” shared Dr. Andy Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health, in the full Keller Auditorium.
“This Institute opening is a major milestone for us. Congrats to Dr. Andemariam and all of your team,” shared Dr. Bruce T. Liang, dean of the School of Medicine. “For patients, and future patients, hope is right here, right now at UConn Health.”
In 2009, Andemariam first established at UConn Health the New England Sickle Cell Institute after witnessing first-hand the health care disparities experienced by sickle cell disease patients. The Institute is the first and only dedicated outpatient regional center of its kind for managing the painful inherited red blood cell condition to help adults combat the daily suffering associated with sickle cell disease and improve their overall quality of life.
Waiting room of the New England Sickle Cell Institute and Connecticut Bleeding Disorders Center.
Continued mentorship and support were vital to Andemariam’s ability to develop the world-class Institute, and she credits her chairman and mentor, Dr. Pramod Srivastava, for playing that role, “every single day and every step of the way.” She says, “Most hospital systems don’t have the courage to do what we have done. Dr. Srivastava assured me that we would find a way, and together, we did.”
Andemariam and her team have tirelessly worked to identify more and more sickle cell patients in the surrounding communities to help them better manage their health, reduce their pain symptoms and disease complication risks, and to keep them out of the hospital so they could enjoy their lives more.
The once small program has grown to serve the Institute’s hundreds of patients and has a national referral base. Plus, the Institute’s global collaborations have published evidence-based, best practice guidelines, and the research team is conducting clinical trial testing for promising experimental drugs aimed at reducing the disease’s trademark cell sickling, blood vessel blockages, organ damage, frequent hospitalizations, and premature deaths.
Andemariam concludes, “It was the willingness of UConn Health and School of Medicine leaders, Dr. Agwunobi, Dr. Liang, and Caryl Ryan, who heeded our call to do something extraordinary for the community of individuals with sickle cell disease who had long been abandoned by the medical community.”
Lola Odesina sharing her sickle cell success story at the celebration.
Patient Success
One of the many patient success stories of the Institute include Lola Odesina, 40, of Wethersfield. She was born with the painful, inherited red blood cell disease of sickle cell and has been treated by UConn Health since 2007. As a result of her regular, comprehensive care at the Institute she reports that she is thriving.
“In my adulthood I definitely have hit a stride with my health,” says Odesina. “It has a lot to do with the comprehensive care I have received at the Institute.”
Odesina is a pharmacist. Her career path was inspired by her health experience and to work in the health care world to help other people just like her.
“We are all so very excited for the Institute’s new home and the opportunity for sickle cell patients to be served in an enhanced way, and the greater capacity to serve even more patients,” says Odesina. “It is very reassuring to know people here at UConn Health care and always want to help. The Institute has an amazing supportive team that is always there for us and in anyway.”
Sickle cell patient Lola Odesina celebrating at the Institute’s grand opening. She is thriving thanks to the Institute’s longtime care.
Odesina is a mom of two young children. She is very grateful and credits the Institute’s care team for helping her safely through each of her pregnancy journeys with excellent coordinated care and communication with her maternal care providers.
For blood disorder condition care at the Institute’s Connecticut Bleeding Disorders Center, one of the many grateful patients is Robert Hoyt, 66, of Naugatuck. He has long turned to UConn Health’s expertise for his blood disorder care since 2008.
He was first diagnosed at 9 months old after hitting his head on his baby crib and the bleeding just wouldn’t stop. He has the most severe form of hemophilia called hemophilia A with inhibitor.
“I have the worst of the worst type of hemophilia. I spent half of my first 11 years of life in the hospital. Back then there were no good treatments. But I survived!” he happily shares. “At about 40 years of age I needed a knee replacement, but another center wouldn’t do the operation due to its dangers. So, I went to UConn and Dr. Andemariam and the care team guided me through. It was so successful I had my second knee replaced.”
Robert Hoyt sharing his successes thanks to the longtime care of Dr. Andemariam for his severe form of hemophilia.
Hoyt adds, “Dr. Andemariam is the doctor I have been looking for my whole life. I want to live life to the fullest, to do that you need to take chances. Her and the Institute’s care has allowed me to do that!”
“UConn Health is really on the cutting-edge of helping the bleeding disorder community,” Hoyt concludes. “With today’s medications and technology, life with hemophilia is much easier.”
Hoyt also shared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony other successful health news thanks to the close management of his bleeding disorder condition care by UConn Health’s Andemariam: “I had the first in the nation mitral valve clip repair at Mount Sinai for a hemophilia patient.”
He concluded, “We will see generations of patients succeed at this new clinic.”
Looking to the Future The Institute, in collaboration with the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program directed by Dr. Kapil S. Meleveedu, is working diligently to bring bone marrow transplant offerings to sickle cell patients.
Minister Shevalle T. Kimber, M.Div. sharing her invocation for the new Institute and its sickle cell and bleeding disorder patients.
Also, they are working in earnest to soon bring access to the newly FDA-approved sickle cell gene therapy currently available right now only at a few centers nationwide. They also have several clinical trials open at UConn Health.
Plus, the Institute will continue to train and educate the next generation of health care providers for sickle cell and bleeding disorders.
“We are going to take sickle cell disease treatment to new heights,” shared the Neag Cancer Center’s Dr. Pramod Srivastava with the large crowd of attendees.
The grand-opening event also included a special invocation for the Institute’s new home by the sister of Dr. Genice Nelson. Minister Shevalle T. Kimber, M.Div. shared a special blessing and prayer for all patients of the Institute to continue to thrive in 2025. Kimber is co-pastor of The First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven and serves as the First Lady of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
“We are filled with gratitude and reverence,” shared Kimber. “We ask for your blessing on the lives these programs will touch. May this be a safe place of healing and hope.”
The doors are open at the New England Sickle Cell Institute and Connecticut Bleeding Disorders Center. It was opened by Dr. Genice Nelson, Caryl Ryan, RN, Dr. Andy Agwunobi, Janel Simpson, Dr. Pramod Srivastava, Dr. Biree Andemariam, and Dr. Bruce T. Liang (UConn Health Photo/Tina Encarnacion).
Airmen from the 51st Security Forces Squadron trained alongside soldiers from the U.S. Army Correctional Facility-Korea, 94th Military Police Battalion during Beverly Herd 25-2 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea Jan. 27, 2029.
Beverly Herd exercises are held throughout the year and designed to test the wing’s ability to survive and operate in a contested environment on the Korean Peninsula.
Integrating with joint partners during wing exercises helps foster relations and allows the two services to share tactics, techniques and procedures.
As rising seas lap at its shore, Tuvalu faces an existential threat. In an effort to preserve the tiny island nation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, its government has been building a “digital twin” of the entire country.
Digital twins are exactly what they sound like – a virtual double or replica of a physical, real-world entity. Scientists have been creating digital twins of everything from molecules, to infrastructure, and even entire planets.
It’s also now possible to construct a digital twin of an individual person. In other words, a “digital doppelganger”.
A doppelganger is someone who looks spookily like you but isn’t. The word originated in German, and literally means a “double walker”. A number of industries are now using digital doppelgangers for a range of reasons. These include enhancing athletic performance, offering more personalised healthcare and improving workplace safety.
But although there are benefits to this technology, there are significant risks associated with its development. Having digital doppelgangers also forces us to reflect on which of our human attributes can’t be digitally replicated.
Modelling complex systems
The development of digital twins has been enabled by advances in environmental sensors, camera vision, augmented reality and virtual reality, as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).
A digital twin allows us to build and test things in cyberspace – cheaply and without risk – before deploying in the real world.
For example, we can build and stress-test infrastructure such as bridges or water supply pipes under a variety of conditions. Once built, we can use digital models to maintain the infrastructure proactively and prevent disastrous and costly structural breakdowns. This technology is a game-changer for planning and engineering, not only saving billions of dollars, but also supporting sustainability efforts.
Of course, replicating individual humans requires much more complex modelling than when building digital twins of bridges or buildings.
For a start, humans don’t live in a structured world, but rather inhabit complex social and physical environments. We are variable, moody and motivated by any number of factors, from hunger to tiredness, love to anger. We can change our past patterns with conscious thought, as well as act spontaneously and with creativity, challenging the status quo if needed.
Because of this, creating perfect digital twins of humans is incredibly challenging – if not impossible. Nevertheless, digital doppelgangers are still useful for a number of purposes.
The digital patient
Clinicians increasingly use scans to create virtual models of the human body, with which to plan operations or create artificial body parts.
By adding extra biometric information (for example, blood chemistry, biomechanics and physiological responses), digital models can also mirror real-world bodies, live and in real time.
Creating digital patients can optimise treatment responses in a move away from one-size-treats-all healthcare. This means drugs, dosages and rehabilitation plans can be personalised, as well as being thoroughly tested before being applied to real people.
Digital patients can also increase the accessibility of medical expertise to people living in remote locations. And what’s more, using multiple digital humans means some clinical trials can now be performed virtually.
Scaled up further, this technology allows for societal-level simulations with which to better manage public health events, such as air pollution, pandemics or tsunamis.
The digital athlete
Imagine being able to train against a digital replica of an upcoming opponent.
Sports scientists are increasingly working with digital athletes to trial and optimise strength and conditioning regimes, as well as test competitive play. This helps to increase the chances of winning as well as prevent injuries.
Researchers at Griffith University have been pioneers in this space, creating models of real athletes. They have also trialled wearable sensors in patches or smart clothing that can measure a range of biomarkers: blood pressure and chemistry, temperature, and sweat composition.
As well as building virtual replicas of sports people, scientists at CSIRO have also being building virtual simulations of employees in various workplaces, including offices and construction sites.
This is helping them analyse movements, workflows and productivity – with the broader aim of preventing workplace injuries. For example, scientists can use a model of a digital worker to assess how heavy items are lifted in order to better understand how this puts strain on different parts of the body.
With 6.1 million Australians impacted by musculoskeletal conditions, preventing workplace injuries can not only improve lives, but save the economy billions of dollars.
Building a digital doppelgangers requires a lot of very personal data. This can include scans, voice and video recordings, or performance and health data.
The power of this technology is inspiring. But ensuring a future in which we live happily alongside our digital doppelgangers will require governments, technology developers and end-users to think hard about issues of consent, ethical data management and the potential for misuse of this technology.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The directors of Oxfam International, Amitabh Behar, and Oxfam Intermón, Franc Cortada, meet with Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, to discuss the global challenges of the concentration of wealth and extreme poverty.
Oxfam International and Oxfam Intermón met with Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, to address the global challenge that the extreme concentration of wealth poses to our democracies, international cooperation and multilateralism. Spain must lead an international commitment to fight extreme inequality during the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, which will be held in Seville this coming June.
“We recognize Spain’s determination to fight inequality and the firm commitment it has demonstrated in various international forums. But 2025, with the consolidation of an oligarchy in power, calls for even more ambitious and decisive measures.”
Amitabh Behar, Executive Director
Oxfam International
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development is an historic opportunity that brings the world’s countries together. There is a pressing need to address the inequalities between the Global North and South. Economic governance must also be reformed for the countries of the Global South while taking into account the domestic challenges specific to each country.
“Spain must be not only a host but also a leader that pushes for tangible commitments to close the gap between rich and poor.”
Franc Cortada, Director
Oxfam Intermón
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez agreed to make the fight against inequality a key part of the Seville conference agenda.
Oxfam urged Prime Minister Sánchez to press for an initiative to reduce international inequality. Any such initiative must include a commitment led by the United Nations for fair taxation that applies to the ultra-rich and ensures effective taxation of large corporations on their international operations; that promotes a mechanism for global debt governance that does not prevent countries from the Global South from investing in essential services such as health and education; and finally, that makes a radical shift to measure development in a way that goes beyond using GDP as the only indicator of progress. “If we want to end inequality and poverty, we cannot continue using indicators that measure everything strictly in economic terms, without accounting for social issues,” said Behar.
In its latest report published in the context of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Oxfam noted its concern for the rise in extreme poverty and accumulation of wealth in the hands of the richest people in the world. “Multilateralism and global cooperation are tools to combat inequality and guarantee global justice. Spain must be a decisive leader during the upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development,” said Behar.
“Oxfam Intermón reiterates its commitment to working with the Spanish Government to ensure that this conference marks the start of a new era in the fight against inequality and for tax justice, global economic governance and the defence of human rights,” said Cortada.
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
01.29.25
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed Lee Zeldin as the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Lee Zeldin has the right experience and record to lead the EPA and make sure that the agency’s regulations work in the real world. He’s committed to roll-back unnecessary regulations like the Waters of the U.S. and others that have tied the hands of our energy producers, farmers, ranchers and private property owners. We all want clean air and water, but the EPA under the previous administration has gone overboard. We look forward to working with Administrator Zeldin to rein in the EPA’s overreach.”
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.– At the U.S. Senate Finance Committee’s hearing today to consider the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) praised Mr. Kennedy’s commitment to ending the chronic disease epidemic and working with Congress to create a more effective, affordable and transparent health care system.
At the end of the hearing, Crapo concluded, “Thank you for appearing before this Committee. You have been accessible to the members and staff on both sides of the aisle throughout a rigorous process, and I want the whole world to know that you spent hours in meetings answering questions outside of this hearing, and providing documents and responses on issue after issue. You have gone through the most thorough vetting process that any committee in this Congress puts anybody through, and I think that you have come through well and deserve to be confirmed.”
Click here to watch Chairman Crapo’s opening statement.
Click here to watch Chairman Crapo question Mr. Kennedy.
On fixing the American health care system:
In his opening remarks, Crapo highlighted opportunities for Mr. Kennedy, if confirmed as HHS Secretary:
“Mr. Kennedy, if confirmed, you will have the opportunity to chart a new and better course for the federal approach to tackling both the drivers and the consequences of our ailing health care system. Your commitment to combatting chronic conditions that drive health care costs will be critical to our success.
“Prioritizing disease prevention and addressing the factors that fuel conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, Alzheimer’s disease, COPD and cancer will save lives, reduce costs and build a healthier, stronger country.
“Private-sector breakthroughs, from groundbreaking cancer medications to curative gene therapies, offer hope. But misguided government initiatives and market volatility risk eroding American leadership in lifesaving R&D.
“Your advocacy for health care transparency has the potential to empower consumers across the country, promoting competition to enhance quality while cutting excessive spending, both for patients and for taxpayers.”
On how nutrition is critical for prevention:
Crapo questioned Mr. Kennedy on the importance of nutrition in preventing chronic disease, reducing health costs and improving health outcomes. Mr. Kennedy clarified his beliefs on the government’s role in food regulations, saying:
“I don’t want to take food away from anybody. If you like a McDonald’s cheeseburger, Diet Coke—which my boss loves—you should be able to get them. If you want to eat a Hostess Twinkie, you should be able to do that, but you should know what the impacts are on your family and on your health.”
In early January, high trapping lines between Dart Valley and the west Matukituki Valley were checked by Matukituki Charitable Trust volunteers and Southern Lakes Sanctuary staff, who found the entrances to all 45 traps blocked off by strategically placed rocks.
Staff have since found all the traps from Shelter Rock hut to Dart hut and down the Rees valley have also been triggered or had rocks placed in front of their doors.
“This means someone has made the effort to disarm more than 150 remote traps in total across two locations,” says DOC Operations manager Whakatipu David Butt.
“At this time of the year this line of traps catches numerous predators, including stoats.
“This is a critical time to have protection for native species through trapping. The people who have done this to the traps will be responsible for an increase in the death of many individuals from our taonga species.”
“We have a team of hardworking DOC rangers, Southern Lakes Sanctuary staff and volunteers who put in a lot of hard graft to ensure our trapping network is effective,” says David.
“It is very concerning someone – or potentially several people – covered challenging terrain and clambered through bush to find these traps and block them off so predators cannot enter. It means we will see an increase in predators.”
DOC’s Takahē Recovery Group is working to establish a new population of the birds on and around Mt Aspiring. There are concerns those birds will be at risk if traps in the area are found to be compromised as well.
Trapping is considered a humane method of removing introduced predators from our National Parks to protect native birds, lizards, and invertebrates.
Nature in New Zealand is unique and special. Most of it is only found here, and evolved without the introduced predators DOC and other conservation organisations strive to control. Once our species are gone from here, they’re gone from everywhere.
If anyone has any information about the traps that have been targeted, we urge them to call call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).
Some 204.39 million inter-regional trips were made in China on Tuesday, the Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve, according to official statistics. Of the total, 194.18 million trips were taken by road, 7.76 million by rail, 1.86 million by air and 587,000 on water, according to a special work team established to facilitate the sound operations of this year’s Spring Festival travel rush. The Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important holiday in China and an occasion for family reunions. It falls on Jan. 29 this year. Chinese authorities expect an unprecedented 9 billion inter-regional trips during this year’s Spring Festival travel period, which began on Jan. 14 and will continue to Feb. 22. The figure is forecast to rise by 7 percent from the peak travel season of the last year’s Spring Festival. Around 197.02 million inter-regional trips are expected in China on Wednesday, according to the work team.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES (30 JANUARY 2025) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million policy-based loan to help the Philippine government expand labor market programs designed to improve the productivity and employability of Filipino workers, while supporting reforms that will transform the investment environment to become more conducive to job creation.
The Business and Employment Recovery Program-Subprogram 2 is assisting the government in pursuing reforms and initiatives to achieve inclusive economic growth by equipping the country’s labor force, including vulnerable youth, with the skills required to meet evolving industry needs. It also aims to increase women’s participation in the workforce via technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and provide better access to livelihood and employment opportunities through government job facilitation programs.
“While job recovery in the Philippines has been encouraging in the post-COVID-19 period, the quality of jobs remains a critical concern, with many workers still facing challenges such as underemployment, informality, and limited access to decent work opportunities,” said ADB Country Director for the Philippines Pavit Ramachandran. “This new program addresses that need and will help in preparing Filipino workers for higher-skilled jobs such as in analytics and artificial intelligence, software development and security, and business process management—industries where Filipinos have a proven potential to excel.”
Under the program, the government is targeting to increase the formal employment in the private sector by an average of 600,000 to 700,000 jobs per year, with the share of private sector jobs to total employment rising to 51% against 49% in 2019, or prior to the COVID-19 pandemic which led to massive job losses and contraction in industry output.
Other targets include skills training for 5,000 workers, including those displaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, through private sector-led programs such as the SkillsUpNet Philippines or similar workplace skills training program piloted by the government with ADB support. The government also wants to raise the number of job placements through public employment service offices (PESOs) in local government units (LGUs) across the country by 120,000 annually and expand the number of LGUs implementing the JobStart Philippines skills training program for the youth not in education, employment, or training.
This program builds on the ADB-financed Facilitating Youth School-to-Work Transition Program, which supported previous labor market reforms and initiatives, including JobStart Philippines and the institutionalization of PESOs. It also complements the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine TVET System, which is helping upgrade and modernize TVET training institutes managed by the government’s Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.
