Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
Lawmakers: “Failure to hold hearings and a markup on this reconciliation bill before it is considered on the Senate floor would be an abdication of our duty to the American people.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper joined every Democratic member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to demand Senate hearings to examine the disastrous impact of the Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill on the health and well-being of the American people and markup this legislation before it reaches the Senate floor.
“We are deeply concerned that if these policies were signed into law they would create a national health care emergency,” the lawmakers wrote. “Not only would millions of Americans lose their health insurance and tens of thousands of our constituents die as a result of the House-passed reconciliation bill, the cost of prescription drugs would go up for seniors, hospitals and community health centers in rural and underserved areas would close or shut down access to services that patients rely on, and nursing homes would be made less safe.”
The lawmakers continued: “Regardless of your views on the merits of these policies, we hope you agree with us that the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has a solemn responsibility to hold extensive hearings on the impact these policies would have on the health and well-being of the American people and our entire health care system.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of the Republican budget stated the legislation would result in 16 million Americans losing health insurance and increase our national debt by $2.4 trillion.
Nearly 80 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) nationally. Medicaid covers the care for over 60% of all nursing home residents.
The Republican budget proposal calls for extreme Medicaid cuts of more than $700 billion, which would take away people’s health benefits; make it harder for them to see their health care providers; and prevent seniors from getting nursing home care.
The Senate now must consider the House-passed budget. Hickenlooper has already voted against the Republican budget resolution on the Senate floor twice and offered amendments to prevent cuts to Medicaid. He will vote against the proposal again when it comes to the Senate.
Read the full letter HERE.
Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) rolled out six proposals for the One Big Beautiful Bill based on her decade of work to make Washington Squeal, reduce reckless spending, and save taxpayers’ money.
Ernst’s proposals would save tens of billions of dollars by eliminating bogus payments, snapping back SNAP overpayments, ending unemployment for millionaires, defunding welfare for politicians, stopping subsidies for union bosses, and selling vacant buildings.
Here is some of the coverage of the proposals:
Fox News | Republican senators roll out DOGE budget proposals for Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
“While a $9.4 billion rescissions package, a formal request from the executive branch to codify its DOGE cuts, is in the works, proponents of the Senate DOGE package say their total estimated savings would accentuate that and also surpass it in value.”
National Review |Ernst Pushes Plan to End Food Stamp Overpayments to Cut Spending in ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill
“Senator Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) is rolling out a series of measures to cut spending in the GOP’s ‘big, beautiful,’ bill including a proposal for ending mismanagement in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.”
New York Post | Sen. Joni Ernst pushes to ban taxpayer-funded union time in One Big Beautiful Bill Act
“Sen. Joni Ernst wants to tweak the House-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act to eliminate the longstanding practice of taxpayer-funded union time. Approximately $160 million of your money went toward fed workers’ union time as of 2019, the last time such data was available, and Ernst (R-Iowa) has been on a quest for more recent information.”
Breitbart | Sen. Joni Ernst Aims to Stop Fraudulent Payments as Pay-For in Big Beautiful Bill
“The Hawkeye State senator, as the chair of the Small Business Committee, aims to have her bill, the Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) in Spending Act, as a pay-for in Trump’s marquee bill to stop fraudulent and improper federal payments. The legislation could have a significant effect, as more than $160 billion in improper payments occurred in fiscal year 2024.”
The six proposals are:
Saving billions in bogus payments
Snapping back overpayments
Ernst’s Snap Back Inaccurate SNAP Payments Act strengthens the integrity of the important Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by identifying all errors, clawing back overpayments, and holding states with high payment inaccuracies accountable.
In 2023, there were approximately $10.73 billion in overpayments. However, the true cost is unknown because errors totaling $56 or less are excluded.
Ending unemployment for millionaires
Eliminating welfare for politicians
The ELECT Act eliminates the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which utilizes tax dollars to fund presidential campaigns.
This fund has been dipped into previously to reduce spending. Last year, $320 million was allocated to Secret Service and $25 million was given to the Department of Justice.
Ending the absurd practice of taxpayer-funded union time
Ernst’s Protecting Taxpayers’ Wallet Act ends the absurd policy of taxpayer-funded union time which allows federal employees to engage in union activities when they are supposed to be serving the American people.
It cost taxpayers at least $160 million per year according to the most recent report from 2019.
Selling vacant buildings
Ernst has exposed how it costs billions every year to maintain thousands of vacant government buildings and empty offices.
Selling just a handful of these buildings would generate hundreds of millions of dollars.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
Click Here to View the Original U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Press Release
A former Oklahoma man with business ties in Florida was sentenced today after pleading guilty to four counts of bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Shawn Ray Murnan, 57, of Windemere, Florida, to 33 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Hill further ordered Murnan to pay $1,641,796.47 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
“In 2020, the CARES Act funding was established to provide emergency financial assistance to help businesses that were disrupted,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Investigators and prosecutors are committed to finding those like Murnan who steal government funding and prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law.”
From April 2020 through October 2021, Murnan admitted to falsifying several CARES Act applications to the SBA. Murnan was the owner of numerous business ventures in Oklahoma, Florida, and other states. He submitted 14 applications on behalf of his businesses, including Blujett, LLC, which was based in Broken Arrow. He submitted applications claiming to have several employees and falsified his payroll expenses. Murnan requested more than two million and successfully received $1,641,796.47 from seven Paycheck Protection Program loans and two Economic Injury Disaster Loans. After receiving the funds, Murnan applied for the loans to be forgiven.
Previously released on bond, Murnan was taken into custody following the sentencing today, where he will remain pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of Inspector General for the Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
Related programs: COVID EIDL, Disaster, Pandemic Oversight, PPP
The Justice Department announced today that Teleguam Holdings, LLC (GTA) has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing fees on over 1,300 military servicemembers who terminated their cell phone service contracts because they had received military relocation orders.
“Servicemembers will not be penalized because of their patriotic service to our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously prosecute companies that refuse to abide by federal law that protects our great men and women in uniform who actively serve to protect our Nation.”
GTA will pay $450,000 in compensation to servicemembers, including double damages to servicemembers who paid GTA’s early termination charges, and a $50,000 civil penalty; and GTA will revise its policies to ensure that eligible military servicemembers can end their cell phone service contracts without illegal early termination charges.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $482 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
The Justice Department announced today that Teleguam Holdings, LLC (GTA) has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing fees on over 1,300 military servicemembers who terminated their cell phone service contracts because they had received military relocation orders.
“Servicemembers will not be penalized because of their patriotic service to our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously prosecute companies that refuse to abide by federal law that protects our great men and women in uniform who actively serve to protect our Nation.”
GTA will pay $450,000 in compensation to servicemembers, including double damages to servicemembers who paid GTA’s early termination charges, and a $50,000 civil penalty; and GTA will revise its policies to ensure that eligible military servicemembers can end their cell phone service contracts without illegal early termination charges.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $482 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
An Oregon business owner pleaded guilty yesterday to not paying over employment taxes to the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Joyce Leard owned and operated Mr. Tree Inc., a Happy Valley-based company that provided tree removal and landscaping services to customers. Mr. Tree advertised itself as being in business for thirty years, and the company employed approximately 50 to 75 employees each year. From 2017 through 2024, Leard also owned and operated Wall 2 Wall Hardwood Floors Inc, another Happy Valley-based company.
Leard was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from the wages of her employees and then paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
From the fourth quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2020, Leard collected and withheld taxes from her employees’ wages but did not pay the funds over to the IRS or file quarterly payroll tax returns as required by law. Instead of paying over these payroll taxes, Leard used funds in her business bank account to purchase approximately $3.5 million of real estate, which was titled in her name.
In total, Leard caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $1.5 million.
Leard is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys J. Parker Gochenour and Megan E. Wessel of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An Oregon business owner pleaded guilty yesterday to not paying over employment taxes to the IRS.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Joyce Leard owned and operated Mr. Tree Inc., a Happy Valley-based company that provided tree removal and landscaping services to customers. Mr. Tree advertised itself as being in business for thirty years, and the company employed approximately 50 to 75 employees each year. From 2017 through 2024, Leard also owned and operated Wall 2 Wall Hardwood Floors Inc, another Happy Valley-based company.
Leard was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes from the wages of her employees and then paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
From the fourth quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2020, Leard collected and withheld taxes from her employees’ wages but did not pay the funds over to the IRS or file quarterly payroll tax returns as required by law. Instead of paying over these payroll taxes, Leard used funds in her business bank account to purchase approximately $3.5 million of real estate, which was titled in her name.
In total, Leard caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $1.5 million.
Leard is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys J. Parker Gochenour and Megan E. Wessel of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, delivered a powerful message of unity and peaceful coexistence during the opening of the Mano River Union (MRU) High-Level Ministerial Meeting, which officially commenced on Monday, June 16, 2025 at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Monrovia. The four-day summit, running from June 16 to 19, has convened ministers and senior government officials from MRU member states Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Liberia to initiate the formation of Joint Technical Commissions tasked with resolving longstanding boundary disputes and enhancing cross-border cooperation. In her address, Foreign Minister Nyanti emphasized the importance of fostering dialogue not only between governments but among border communities. “There must be borderless conversations between tribes within the MRU,” she stated. “Through these people centered dialogues, the union will grow stronger and more united.”
The Dean of the Cabinet underscored the significance of border peace as a foundation for national and regional peace. “A peaceful MRU is a peaceful ECOWAS, and a peaceful Africa,” she said. “This initiative represents a transformative pathway toward a collaborative, integrated, and sustainable future for the continent.” Central to the meeting’s agenda is the reaffirmation of land boundaries and the delimitation of maritime borders between the member states. The proposed Joint Technical Commissions will conduct detailed geospatial assessments, review existing treaties and agreements, and help develop new demarcation protocols consistent with international law and African Union standards. Delivering a statement on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Liberia’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, described the initiative as a “landmark step toward advancing regional integration, improving cross-border security, and promoting sustainable development across the Mano River basin.”
The creation of the commissions demonstrates the MRU’s collective commitment to diplomacy, technical cooperation, and legal clarity in resolving disputes that have historically caused tension in the region. Member states reiterated their dedication to peaceful negotiation, respect for international norms, and regional unity. The MRU Secretariat emphasized that the work of the Joint Technical Commissions will be vital in reducing border tensions, strengthening regional governance, and boosting socio-economic collaboration among the four nations. The summit continues through June 19 with technical sessions and intergovernmental consultations aimed at producing a comprehensive roadmap for boundary resolution and cross-border peacebuilding.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.
The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (https://ICD-ps.org) and Golden Global Investment Bank (the Bank) have entered into a landmark agreement to bolster economic growth in Türkiye. This new USD 20 million Commodity Murabaha Facility is designed to support private sector projects, with a special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and corporates operating in the agriculture, ship construction and leasing sectors in the Republic of Türkiye.
This strategic partnership highlights ICD’s dedication to fostering private sector development within its member countries. The facility provided by ICD will enable the Bank to fund a range of private sector projects, particularly in the agriculture, ship construction and operational leasing sectors, which will ultimately contribute to the economic development in Türkiye.
Key Highlights of the Agreement:
Funding Amount: USD 20 Million
Target Sector: Private sector projects, especially Corporates and SMEs
Objective: Enhance the SME and Corporates landscape in Türkiye by providing essential resources for business growth and development
Strategic Alignment: Supports ICD’s Private Sector Channel Development Strategy
The agreement underscores the critical role of private sector financing in economic development. By facilitating access to financial resources, the initiative will help bridge funding gaps for SMEs and corporate clients, driving innovation and fostering a more robust and diverse economy.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD).
For further details, please contact: Nabil El-Alami Communications & Corporate Marketing Division Manager nalami@isdb.org
About Golden Global Investment Bank: Golden Global Investment Bank was established on 15 October 2019 with the permission on 29 May 2019 from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency and started its activities on 1 June 2020. The Bank performs all kinds of Investment Banking activities in accordance with the principles of interest-free finance (Sharia-compliant financing), without collecting deposits and funds through special current and participation accounts specified in the Banking Law and relevant legislation.
About the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD): ICD is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and focuses on supporting economic development and private sector growth in its member countries through Shariah-compliant financing and investment solutions. ICD also offers advisory services to foster the establishment, expansion, and modernization of private enterprises. The organization is highly rated by international credit agencies: A2 by Moody’s, A+ by Fitch, and A- by S&P.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
2 brothers and father pay over £50,000 in confiscation orders
The Environment Agency has successfully secured confiscation orders for over £50,000 for storing illegal material on a site in Skegness, Lincolnshire.
Skegness site
A Proceeds of Crime Act case was completed at Leeds Crown Court on Friday 13 June 2025.
This followed the prosecution of the trio for failing to comply with an environmental permit between June 2015 and April 2017.
On Friday (13 June), a confiscation order of £1,128 was imposed on Michael Todd, 65, of Leeds Road, Barwick-in-Elmet. He was given 3 months to pay or face a 6 week prison sentence.
At a previous hearing on February 17 2025, the court imposed the following confiscation orders on:
Thomas Todd, 36, of Steel Lane, Halifax, was ordered to pay £30,144.74 within 6 weeks or face an 8 month spell in prison.
His brother, Jamie Todd, 44, of Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Leeds, received an order for £19,336.87 within 3 months or face a 6 month period in prison.
Though the permit allowed for the processing of mixed waste, it required a fire prevention plan which was never properly implemented.
Inspections found that waste was being stacked too high and too closely together, creating a fire risk. The waste had also become a health risk following an influx of mice and a problem with flies.
As a result, the Environment Agency suspended the site’s permit, stopping new material from being brought in between December 2015 and February 2016. Despite the suspension, the Todds continued to operate.
Further visits officers between March and May 2016 found that there were no firebreaks between the waste.
The trio previously received these sentences:
In May 2023, Thomas and Jamie Todd were both sentenced to 8 months immediate custody and were disqualified from acting as a director of a business for 5 years.
In May 2023, Michael Todd was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) days and 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from acting a company director for 5 years.
A fourth man, Bryan Walker, 62, of Beckhill Vale, Leeds, was given a 12-month community order with 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days. He was also disqualified from acting as a director of a business for 5 years.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
“The case shows that we’re not just content to prosecute those who run illegal waste sites, we’ll also come after them to get back the profits they made from their illegal activities and to recoup taxpayers’ money spent on pursuing them.
“Waste crime can have a serious environmental impact which puts communities at risk and undermines legitimate business and the investment and economic growth that go with it.
“We support legitimate businesses and we are proactively supporting them by disrupting and stopping the criminal element backed up by the threat of tough enforcement as in this case.
“We continue to use intelligence-led approaches to target the most serious crimes and evaluate which interventions are most effective.
“If you see or suspect waste crime is being committed we urge you to report it immediately to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Two Community Safety Officers (CSOs), Keenan Gill from Flying Dust First Nation and Cathie Rosen from Prince Albert, were formally recognized last week at the 2025 Community Safety Officer Conference for their exceptional contributions and commitment to public safety, community engagement and collaborative partnerships.
“The CSO program was created to enhance local policing in municipalities and First Nations communities, and it is great to see these dedicated officers being recognized for the differences they are making in their communities,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod, K.C. said. “CSOs address bylaw infractions and less severe criminal offences, such as property damage, that if left unresolved, have a negative impact on their communities. We are proud to support programs that continue to build strong relationships between law enforcement and the people they serve.”
In summer 2024, CSO Gill received critical information from the Meadow Lake RCMP about an individual potentially posing a threat to attendees of the Flying Dust First Nation Pow Wow. CSO Gill was instrumental in identifying the individual, notified the RCMP and provided continuous updates while maintaining a visual on the suspect until the RCMP arrived. His efforts contributed to the RCMP’s apprehension of the individual without incident. CSO Gill played a vital role in preserving public safety through his collaborative approach, adherence to established protocol and procedures and professionalism during the incident.”
“Community Safety Officer Gill is a great partner and the CSO program an invaluable resource to the Meadow Lake Detachment,” Meadow Lake RCMP Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Carl Dinsdale said. “CSO Gill is known by the local community and our detachment as a positive contributor to many aspects of public safety and is dedicated to service. This incident is an example of how his local knowledge and relationships with the community only enhance our ability to effectively serve and keep Flying Dust First Nation safe.”
In spring 2025, CSO Rosen conducted a routine patrol of the Prince Albert downtown area when she observed three individuals that were familiar to her through years of compassionate community engagement in her role. Upon approaching, CSO Rosen identified one individual as unresponsive and quickly requested Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and police assistance. CSO Rosen remained on scene, providing important information to the police and EMS, which contributed to a prepared and coordinated response. CSO Rosen offered support to those involved and ensured a caring and professional resolution.
“The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) recognizes the strength of the CSO program in the province of Saskatchewan,” PAPS Chief Patrick Nogier said. “Locally, our policing model depends on multiple levels of response and public engagement, which includes the successful integration of CSOs in our community. We have been fortunate to attract and retain exceptional individuals within our organization, as demonstrated by the recognition of CSO Rosen’s contributions in Prince Albert. CSO Rosen has clearly embraced the vision, mission, and values of our Service and exemplifies these principles in her daily work. As Chief, I could not be prouder.”
The Government of Saskatchewan continues to promote and support the CSO program, offering municipalities and First Nations communities the opportunity to enhance existing community safety services. The program is designed to supplement local police services with uniformed presence ready to address high priority, low risk of harm issues and provide police services more time to investigate serious and emergent crimes.
In 2025-26, the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are investing over $3 million in the First Nations CSO pilot project to enhance public safety in First Nations communities and ensure Saskatchewan is a safe place to live, work and raise a family.
Ottawa, Ontario – Safe and reliable navigation of waterways is necessary for global trade and transportation, making accurate and accessible marine data essential. That’s why the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS), under Fisheries and Oceans Canada, is taking a leading role in validating new digital hydrographic standards.
Today, the Minister of Fisheries, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, announced the launch of the S-100 Sea Trials on the St. Lawrence River. The S-100 data model is a new global standard created by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which offers a new way of visualizing the marine environment using layered, interactive digital data that can be added to navigational charts. Unlike traditional paper or electronic charts, the new standard integrates real-time information – like depths, landmarks, tides, and currents into a single, dynamic format.
Until November 2025, Canada is offering S-100 digital navigation products and services free of charge to mariners, stakeholders, developers and other interested parties to test performance in real-life scenarios. The complex conditions of the St. Lawrence River, such as varying water depths, changing currents and navigational aids, position it as an ideal testing ground, and will provide invaluable insights for S-100’s future adoption across global waters.
Canada’s leadership in hosting the S-100 Sea Trials will advance the global transition toward consistent and reliable digital hydrographic standards. International adoption of these standards will allow mariners to enhance maritime safety, better route navigation and planning, and transportation efficiency which will reduce costs and contribute to a cleaner environment and ocean.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA)
Today, Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) and Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (D-CT) released the following statement after the Supreme Court stepped in to allow Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’ access to Social Security beneficiaries’ personal data.
“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court should alarm every American. Common sense suggests that Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE’ minions should not have unfettered access to the personal records of over 70 million Americans. Overturning two lower courts’ decisions to put their access on pause while the facts of this case are sorted, something rational minds could all agree to, only further creates suspicion and mistrust on the real intentions of ‘DOGE.’ Why do they need this access? What is the sense of urgency? In addition to the fears surrounding artificial intelligence, it only fuels the fire that ‘DOGE’ wants to dismantle Social Security from within. They have cut more than 7,000 workers, closed regional offices, slashed phone services, and fired inspectors general. They have their sights set on the $2.7 trillion in Social Security’s Trust Funds. This is the people’s money that American citizens have paid for. Elon Musk and his twenty-four-year-old proteges have not been vetted, gone through hearings, or any Senate confirmation. They have continued to dodge our inquiries and will not appear before the Ways and Means Committee, even after we filed a Resolution of Inquiry demanding answers from the Administration. They operate as if they are above the law, hiding behind President Trump’s designation of their ‘special’ status. For the Supreme Court to allow them to access Social Security numbers, income history, and medical records, is outrageous. We have been in contact with Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and are in full agreement with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s opinion that there is no reason for this. We introduced legislation to deny political appointees this type of unfettered access to sensitive beneficiary data at the Social Security Administration. Congress must act.”
Ranking Members Larson and Neal’s Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act would block political appointees, like Elon Musk and his ‘DOGE,’ from accessing sensitive data systems at the Social Security Administration. It would also establish privacy requirements in law for beneficiary data and strengthen oversight and civil penalties for any privacy and disclosure violations of Social Security beneficiaries’ personal information.
If this all feels exceptional, it should. Governors typically activate their own state troops, as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he would do on June 11 ahead of expected immigration protests.
The last example of a president federalizing troops over the objection of a state government dates to Jim Crow segregation, a period marked by legal practices that routinely denied due process and citizenship rights to Black Americans in the South. In the 1960s, numerous Black freedom struggles took stands against this authoritarianism backed by militarized law enforcement.
As a scholar of U.S. history, I’ve just completed a book on Jim Crow policing and the ways Black Americans fought back against racist law and order. I think the militarization of policing in Los Angeles opens important questions about democracy and state violence.
Jim Crow dreams
During the Civil Rights Movement, the federal government activated National Guard troops over Southern state objections when those states would neither enforce court orders nor protect protesters.
In those cases, presidents protected people with the help of troops. In Trump’s case, he’s using troops to protect the government from protesters.
The Trump administration’s vision of law enforcement aims for the type of militarized authority that state governments institutionalized under Jim Crow policing. If your political enemy is perceived more like an enemy combatant, the rules of legal procedure, especially due process, might not apply. Policing becomes war.
Before troops enforced civil rights, Black Southerners saw the National Guard as an enemy rather than a friend.
In the words of Ida B. Wells-Barnett after a white riot against Black residents in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1917, “The police were either indifferent or encouraged the barbarities. … The major part of the National Guard was indifferent or inactive. No organized effort was made to protect the Negroes or disperse the murdering groups.”
Eisenhower sends in the troops
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education changed things. It overturned the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision that legalized racial segregation and ruled that segregated public school education was unconstitutional. This significantly altered the federal government’s responsibility in the South’s legal system of white supremacy.
Seven of nine Black students walk onto the campus of Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., with a National Guard officer as an escort on Oct. 15, 1957. AP Photo/File
But state authorities had learned from the Little Rock experience. Southern governors in Alabama and Mississippi deployed the National Guard themselves. This time they intended to only minimally protect Freedom Riders to block federal law enforcement. In Mississippi, police arrested and prison guards tortured Freedom Riders in the state penitentiary. Mob violence killed no one.
James Meredith, center, is escorted by federal marshals as he appears for his first day of class at the previously all-white University of Mississippi on Oct. 1, 1962. AP Photo, File
The same was not true during the desegregation of public universities.
The occasion became a publicity stunt for Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace. He temporarily blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium, intent on stopping the court-ordered registration of three Black students.
“I stand before you here today in place of thousands of other Alabamians whose presence would have confronted you,” Wallace said to federal authorities. A National Guard general said, “Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the orders of the President of the United States.”
A National Guard general informs Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace that the guard was under federal control, as the two meet at Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on June 11, 1963. AP Photo, File
Wallace also triggered the last federal use – until now – of the National Guard. Alabama’s Selma-to-Montgomery march began as a memorial to Jimmie Lee Jackson, a young Black civil rights activist who was killed by police on Feb. 26, 1965. The march became primarily a symbol for the year’s Voting Rights Act.
The history of the National Guard in the South is an important part of what’s unfolding in Los Angeles and across the nation.
For most of the National Guard’s history in the South, political leaders used domestic military power to preserve the interests of racial authoritarians, not racial egalitarians. Little Rock, Tuscaloosa, Selma: Those moments when troops protected racial justice protesters at home stand out as some of America’s most hopeful moments.
Recent statements by Trump administration officials help illustrate how it envisions using military power in domestic law enforcement. On June 8, 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “to arrest rioters” – a request beyond the original order to protect ICE agents.
And on June 12, Noem said that “the military people that are working on this operation … are staying here to liberate the city from the socialist and burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country.”
But the calls to constrain ICE follow an American tradition of fighting authoritarianism.
Justin Randolph does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced theMedical Supply Chain Resiliency Actalongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.
To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.
The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.
“If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,”said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,”said Senator Thom Tillis.
“During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,”saidSenator John Cornyn.
“Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,”saidSenator Chris Coons.
“The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,”said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,”saidNational Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).
Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced theSupply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced theMedical Supply Chain Resiliency Actalongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.
To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.
The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.
“If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,”said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,”said Senator Thom Tillis.
“During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,”saidSenator John Cornyn.
“Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,”saidSenator Chris Coons.
“The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,”said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,”saidNational Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).
Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced theSupply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced theMedical Supply Chain Resiliency Actalongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.
To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.
The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.
“If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,”said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,”said Senator Thom Tillis.
“During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,”saidSenator John Cornyn.
“Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,”saidSenator Chris Coons.
“The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,”said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,”saidNational Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).
Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced theSupply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis introduced theMedical Supply Chain Resiliency Actalongside Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Michael Bennet (D-CO). This bicameral and bipartisan legislation would authorize the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, aimed at reducing barriers that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and partner countries. These agreements would also promote regulatory cooperation and other key trade provisions.
To qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries must demonstrate a commitment to global health security, uphold trade agreement compliance, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take steps to reduce trade barriers while promoting sound regulatory practices. Some potential candidates include Singapore, Indonesia, Ireland, Poland, and Switzerland.
The legislation aims to strengthen global medical supply chains, enhancing U.S. national security and public health while ensuring preparedness for future pandemics. It empowers the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements, reducing barriers like tariffs and quotas that discourage manufacturing in the U.S. and allied nations. Additionally, it promotes regulatory cooperation and expands access to government procurement opportunities.
“If COVID taught us anything it is that it’s crucial that we reduce our reliance on foreign nations, especially adversaries like Communist China, for essential lifesaving supplies such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Strengthening domestic production will enhance national security, ensure a stable supply of critical medications and medical equipment, and protect Americans from future disruptions,”said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is a critical step toward ensuring that America’s healthcare providers have reliable access to the essential supplies they need, by strengthening trade partnerships with our allies and expanding domestic manufacturing, we can enhance our nation’s preparedness for future health challenges. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to reinforce our medical supply chains and protect public health,”said Senator Thom Tillis.
“During the pandemic, the U.S. faced severe shortages of medical supplies due to overreliance on foreign adversaries like China, this legislation would allow the U.S. to engage in trade negotiations with trusted allies for medical goods and services, helping ensure we’re better prepared to respond to future global health crises,”saidSenator John Cornyn.
“Life-threatening shortages of testing kits, drugs, and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how fragile our medical supply chains are. If we are caught off-guard like we were during COVID once again, more Americans will die, working with our most trusted trading partners to make our supply chains more resilient will strengthen our response to future public health emergencies while ensuring health care providers have access to essential medical products and patients have access to life-saving care,”saidSenator Chris Coons.
“The Chamber strongly supports the Medical Supply Chain Resilience Act, which will strengthen supply chains for medical goods and services while bolstering manufacturing in the U.S. and among our close allies and partners. Enhancing the resilience of medical supply chains is important to both our public health and our national security,”said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy.
“The Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act is the type of positive approach to trade America must embrace to deepen its economic partnerships with key allies. By empowering the United States Trade Representative to negotiate new agreements with trusted trade partners, the United States has the opportunity to strengthen supply chain security, support U.S. innovation and jobs, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. It is critically important that the United States collaborate with its allies to support the public health demands of our populations and prepare to meet the challenges of the next global health emergency. NFTC applauds Senators Tillis, Coons, Cornyn, and Bennet for championing this legislation, and urges Congress to support its swift passage,”saidNational Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).
Earlier this year, Malliotakis reintroduced theSupply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would leverage Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) to facilitate a rapid movement of critical U.S. supply chains to Puerto Rico from less desirable and unreliable locations such as China with Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Resident Commissioner Pablo Hernandez (PR-AL).
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Civil Nuclear Constabulary welcomes new PSD team leaders
The Constabulary welcomes new leadership to its Professional Standards Department bringing, adding decades of experience to promote integrity and accountability
Superintendent Alastair Stenner (left) and Chief Inspector Aidan Donohoe (right).
The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) welcomes new leadership to our Professional Standards Department (PSD) as two new officers join, bringing a wealth of experience.
Superintendent Alastair Stenner served for over 30 years with Gloucestershire Constabulary. During his career he has worked both in uniform and as a detective, on Counter Terrorism policing and most recently as the Head of Professional Standards, Vetting, Anti-Corruption and Public Feedback.
Reflecting on his approach to building standards, Alastair said: “How people treat one another is key to me. It is the foundation to how we build the right environment and culture. Alongside this, the organisation has to provide the right leadership and support so that all can flourish.
“I would like our PSD and Vetting work to be as open as possible, and I would ask that if anyone has any questions or needs any advice that they make contact with a member of the team.”
Chief Inspector Aidan Donohoe first served in the Royal Air Force before beginning his policing career at the City of London Police, then Thames Valley Police (TVP) where the majority of his 31-year career was spent.
He has served as an Authorised Firearms Officer, Operational Firearms Commander, and as an armed surveillance officer. Aidan joins us from his most recent role as Detective Chief Inspector, Head of Investigations for the force’s Professional Standards Department.
“My focus at TVP was always to try and support officers who had perhaps made genuine errors in judgement and who showed reflection and a willingness to change. I know the importance of professional development and I’m a strong advocate of giving opportunities to learn and improve.
“That said, for that minority who bring disgrace, at a time when trust is already low, I am committed to ensuring they have no place in policing.”
Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – Today, June 17, protests erupted in the central business districts of Nairobi and Mombasa, with hundreds of young people taking to the streets to demand justice for Albert Ojwang, the 31-year-old teacher and blogger who died in police custody.Security forces attempted to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas canisters, while gangs of plainclothes motorcyclists attacked the demonstrators.At the center of the protests is Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. Albert Ojwang was arrested on June 6 at his home in Kakot, Homa Bay district, for posting a social media post allegedly defaming Lagat.He was transported over 350 kilometers to the central police station in Nairobi and charged with publishing false information under cybercrime laws. On June 8, Albert Ojwang was found unconscious in his cell during a routine medical examination. Initially, authorities ruled Ojwang’s death a suicide; then, in the face of protests from his family and civil society, President William Ruto himself admitted that the blogger’s death was the work of the police, thus denying previous statements (see Fides, 12/6/2025).So far, two police officers, Samson Talaam of the Central Police Station and James Mukhwana, have been arrested in connection with the teacher’s death, while the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) continue their investigations. In addition, a technician was arrested for allegedly tampering with the video surveillance system at the Central Police Station in Nairobi on the night of June 7-8, allowing officers to take Ojwang from his cell to Karura Forest, where he was tortured to death.Eliud Lagat himself has since resigned, but this has not calmed the spirits of the population, especially the youth, as Ojwang’s murder has reignited national outrage over police brutality and renewed calls for reforms in the security sector. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 17/6/2025)
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In 2025, Europe marks two major milestones: 40 years of the Schengen Area and 30 years of the Schengen Information System (SIS) — the IT backbone that helps keep this border-free zone both secure and operational.
Since its launch in 1995, SIS has enabled real-time cooperation between national authorities across Europe, safeguarding citizens while supporting one of the EU’s greatest achievements — the freedom to travel without internal borders.
SIS is more than just a system — it is a cornerstone of trust, cooperation, and security in Europe.
A System at the Heart of European Security
SIS is much more than a database — it is an operational tool vital to public safety, judicial cooperation, and migration management across the EU.
Every day, SIS helps authorities locate missing persons, intercept criminals at borders, recover stolen assets, and support cross-border investigations — reinforcing trust between Member States.
At eu-LISA, we are committed not only to keeping SIS running reliably, but also to ensuring it evolves to meet future needs — by expanding capabilities, integrating new technologies, and supporting the EU’s broader interoperability objectives.
What is SIS?
The Schengen Information System (SIS) is Europe’s largest and most frequently used information-sharing platform for border security and law enforcement. It allows participating countries to issue and consult alerts related to:
By enabling instant data exchange, SIS helps police officers, border guards, customs officials, immigration authorities, and judicial actors to make fast, informed decisions across national borders.
Who Uses SIS?
As of 2025, SIS is used by 30 European countries, including all EU Member States (with both Ireland and Cyprus now connected), as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
In addition, EU agencies such as Europol, Frontex, and Eurojust have access to the system to support their operational mandates.
The countries connected to SIS are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Across Europe, more than 250,000 authorised users access SIS, including:
Prosecutors and judges
Each participating country operates a SIRENE Bureau (Supplementary Information Request at the National Entry), which coordinates follow-up actions when SIS alerts are triggered.
How is SIS Managed?
Since 2013, eu-LISA — the EU Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice — has been responsible for the management and further development of SIS.
eu-LISA’s tasks include:
A major upgrade, known as the SIS Recast, went live in March 2023. It introduced new features to better support counter-terrorism efforts, child protection, and the fight against irregular migration.
SIS in Numbers – 2024 Highlights
According to the SIS Annual Report 2024, the system continues to be a cornerstone of operational cooperation:
While alerts on individuals make up less than 2% of all entries, they are among the most critical. These include:
Colchester County District RCMPis investigating a fatal house fire that occurred in Alton.
On June 16, at approximately 6:30 a.m.,Colchester County District RCMP, fire services and EHS responded to a structure fire on Alton Rd. near the 4000 block. When RCMP officers arrived at the scene, the home was fully engulfed in flames.
Once the fire was extinguished, humanremains were located inside the home.
At this time, from the information and evidence gathered, the fire is not believed to be suspicious in nature.
The investigation remains ongoing and is being assisted by the Nova Scotia Fire Marshal’s Office and the Medical Examiner Service.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contactColchester County District RCMPat 902-896-5000. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip atwww.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced on June 12, 2025, to 2 years and 7 months in federal prison for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machine gun.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Caleb Pace, 29, was sentenced to 2 years and 7 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a Glock, Model 17, 9-millimeter pistol; a Kel-Tec, Model P50, 5.7 x 28-millimeter pistol; a Glock Switch (machine gun conversion device); and ammunition.
On March 22, 2024, LMPD Detectives were conducting surveillance at 314 N 43rd Street. Pace was observed on a surveillance camera armed with firearms. Detectives conducted a vehicle stop, and a search of the vehicle produced three firearms including the firearms that Pace was observed possessing on the surveillance camera. Pace was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On December 17, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Pace was convicted of burglary in the second degree.
On February 10, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Pace was convicted of burglary in the third degree, complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree (seven counts), complicity to criminal mischief in the first degree, and assault under extreme emotional disturbance.
“This is great work by ATF and LMPD to take another dangerous felon off the streets of Louisville. Equally important, a pistol capable of automatic fire was seized by law enforcement and will no longer be passed around among those wishing to do significant harm to others,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner.
“Machine gun conversion devices – commonly known as ‘Glock switches’- are illegal to possess under federal law. These devices enable a semi-automatic pistol to fire fully automatic, discharging approximately 30 rounds in just two seconds. Their possession presents a serious threat to public safety and to law enforcement officers. The ATF remains committed to working closely with the United States Attorney’s Office and our local partners to prioritize investigations and enforcement actions targeting individuals who possess or use these dangerous devices,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the Louisville Division.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts prosecuted the case.
This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is also a part of the Prohibited Firearm Possessor Initiative (PFP), a collaborative partnership between all levels of law enforcement and prosecutors to reduce violent crime and firearm offenses. On January 23, 2024, Louisville Metro initiated a gun crime reduction initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting illegal firearm possession. The PFP partners include the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)
Jason Steinke, deputy director of the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Lab (RCFL) and detective for the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, describes how he was able to extract forensic information from a damaged mobile phone that helped corroborate information in a case.
More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/rcfls-fight-violent-crime-and-protect-national-security-one-byte-at-a-time
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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)
Josh Clevenger, a Kansas City, Missouri Police Department detective, describes the process of extracting forensic data from devices at the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Lab (RCFL) in Kansas City.
More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/rcfls-fight-violent-crime-and-protect-national-security-one-byte-at-a-time
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The Proposed Settlement Requires a Substantial Divestiture Package That Will Preserve Competition for Critical Flight Control Components
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Safran, S.A. and Safran USA Inc. (Safran) to divest its North American actuation business and related assets to resolve antitrust concerns arising from its proposed $1.8 billion acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s actuation and flight control business from RTX Corporation (RTX) (formerly Raytheon Technologies). The divestiture resolves concerns that the transaction would recombine assets that were divested as part of the Division’s settlement of United Technologies Corporation’s (UTC) acquisition of Rockwell Collins in 2018. UTC merged with Raytheon Company in 2020, forming Raytheon Technologies.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.
“Today’s settlement is a structural solution to an acquisition that would have harmed competition for important aircraft components that are critical to passenger safety. The proposed divestiture to Woodward, an established provider in the aerospace industry, ensures that American customers will continue to benefit from competition, and the incentives of Woodward, the merging parties, and their customer base are aligned with the remedy’s success,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This settlement is another example of our commitment to transparency and relief that secures robust and enforceable commitments from the merging parties that account for industry dynamics. The Antitrust Division will apply heightened scrutiny to transactions that propose to recombine assets divested in response to the Division’s prior enforcement actions, taking appropriate consideration for changes in competitive conditions.”
As detailed in the complaint, Safran and RTX are two of the leading suppliers in the market for trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators (THSAs) for large aircraft. A THSA helps an aircraft maintain the proper altitude during flight and is critical to the safety and performance of the aircraft. Safran and RTX compete head-to-head to develop and sell this critical component. Without the proposed divestiture, Safran’s acquisition of RTX’s actuation and flight control business would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers. The proposed divestiture of Safran’s North American actuation business includes the assets Safran had acquired under the Division’s 2018 settlement with UTC and Rockwell Collins. Safran has since operated these assets as a viable competitor in the market for THSAs.
The proposed settlement requires Safran to divest its North American actuation business, including THSAs and secondary flight control actuators, and its Canada-based electronic control unit, to Woodward Inc., an American company with significant experience in the aerospace industry, including serving large aircraft manufacturers. The divestiture assets also include the tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell THSAs, secondary flight control actuators, and electronic control units. Woodward is expected to hire certain key Safran employees that today support the divested business lines.
The Antitrust Division, the European Commission, and the Competition and Markets Authority cooperated closely throughout the course of their respective investigations.
Safran is a French multinational company with its headquarters in Paris, France. Safran produces a wide range of products for the aviation, space, and defense sectors. In 2024, Safran had revenues of approximately €27 billion.
RTX is an American multinational company, incorporated in Delaware and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. RTX is a major provider of aerospace and defense products and systems. In 2024, RTX had revenues of approximately $80 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Soyoung Choe, Acting Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.DIA.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon finding that it is in the public interest.
The Proposed Settlement Requires a Substantial Divestiture Package That Will Preserve Competition for Critical Flight Control Components
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Safran, S.A. and Safran USA Inc. (Safran) to divest its North American actuation business and related assets to resolve antitrust concerns arising from its proposed $1.8 billion acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s actuation and flight control business from RTX Corporation (RTX) (formerly Raytheon Technologies). The divestiture resolves concerns that the transaction would recombine assets that were divested as part of the Division’s settlement of United Technologies Corporation’s (UTC) acquisition of Rockwell Collins in 2018. UTC merged with Raytheon Company in 2020, forming Raytheon Technologies.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.
“Today’s settlement is a structural solution to an acquisition that would have harmed competition for important aircraft components that are critical to passenger safety. The proposed divestiture to Woodward, an established provider in the aerospace industry, ensures that American customers will continue to benefit from competition, and the incentives of Woodward, the merging parties, and their customer base are aligned with the remedy’s success,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This settlement is another example of our commitment to transparency and relief that secures robust and enforceable commitments from the merging parties that account for industry dynamics. The Antitrust Division will apply heightened scrutiny to transactions that propose to recombine assets divested in response to the Division’s prior enforcement actions, taking appropriate consideration for changes in competitive conditions.”
As detailed in the complaint, Safran and RTX are two of the leading suppliers in the market for trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators (THSAs) for large aircraft. A THSA helps an aircraft maintain the proper altitude during flight and is critical to the safety and performance of the aircraft. Safran and RTX compete head-to-head to develop and sell this critical component. Without the proposed divestiture, Safran’s acquisition of RTX’s actuation and flight control business would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers. The proposed divestiture of Safran’s North American actuation business includes the assets Safran had acquired under the Division’s 2018 settlement with UTC and Rockwell Collins. Safran has since operated these assets as a viable competitor in the market for THSAs.
The proposed settlement requires Safran to divest its North American actuation business, including THSAs and secondary flight control actuators, and its Canada-based electronic control unit, to Woodward Inc., an American company with significant experience in the aerospace industry, including serving large aircraft manufacturers. The divestiture assets also include the tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell THSAs, secondary flight control actuators, and electronic control units. Woodward is expected to hire certain key Safran employees that today support the divested business lines.
The Antitrust Division, the European Commission, and the Competition and Markets Authority cooperated closely throughout the course of their respective investigations.
Safran is a French multinational company with its headquarters in Paris, France. Safran produces a wide range of products for the aviation, space, and defense sectors. In 2024, Safran had revenues of approximately €27 billion.
RTX is an American multinational company, incorporated in Delaware and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. RTX is a major provider of aerospace and defense products and systems. In 2024, RTX had revenues of approximately $80 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Soyoung Choe, Acting Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.DIA.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon finding that it is in the public interest.
Detectives investigating a murder in Hackney are now able to name the victim, as their enquiries continue into the circumstances of her death.
Annabel Rook, aged 46, died early this morning, Tuesday, 17 June, having been found with stab wounds.
A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Officers are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Police were called at 04:57hrs to reports of a gas explosion with a person trapped inside an address in Dumont Road, Hackney.
Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Annabel sadly died at the scene.
Her family continue to be supported by specialist officers.
Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who leads policing in the local area, said: “This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are with the victim’s family at this very difficult time.
“Our officers arrested a man on suspicion of murder at the scene and will be conducting interviews as soon as possible, to establish the full circumstances that led to Annabel’s death. While enquiries continue, at this early stage we do believe this to be a domestic-related incident.
“We understand what happened will cause concern within the Hackney community and residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area, along with a crime scene, as we carry out the investigation. We are working closely alongside our partners at Hackney Council to help support those residents locally who have been impacted by this.”
The man arrested was taken to hospital with slash wounds where he currently remains. His condition is not life-changing or life-threatening.
Two children, aged nine and seven, were also been taken to hospital as a precaution but are not believed to have been inside the property at the time of the gas explosion.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 926/17June or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iPower Inc. (Nasdaq: IPW) (“iPower” or the “Company”), a technology-driven eCommerce and supply chain platform, today announced a major strategic shift approved by its Board of Directors. The Company intends to reposition itself as a crypto treasury and blockchain infrastructure services company, with an initial and central emphasis on building a Bitcoin treasury strategy as a foundational component of its future growth.
As part of this transformation, iPower intends to start accumulating Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset, with the aim of creating a long-term store of value and serving as a key element in enhancing iPower’s financial resilience and strategic optionality.
“Our entry into Bitcoin represents a strategic allocation decision grounded in our long-term view of digital assets as a viable treasury component,” said Lawrence Tan, CEO of iPower. “We believe Bitcoin offers strong potential as a reserve asset, and this initial focus aligns with our goals of enhancing balance sheet resilience and positioning the Company in emerging financial ecosystems.”
Alongside its treasury initiative, iPower plans to expand into blockchain-related retail services, leveraging its operational expertise and infrastructure to deliver a range of consumer-facing offerings:
Acting as a retailer of cloud mining power, enabling broader access to mining participation
Serving as a distributor and retailer of home-use mining equipment, supporting retail and SMB miners
Launching a new line of cold wallets and personal digital asset custody tools to support secure ownership
iPower plans to integrate these new services into its proprietary SuperSuite platform, which will continue to evolve to support both eCommerce and blockchain-aligned business solutions.
This strategic pivot reflects iPower’s broader goal of aligning its operations with future-facing technologies and market demand. While the Company will continue to support its existing operations during the transition, iPower’s primary focus will increasingly shift toward the digital asset economy, infrastructure enablement, and consumer access to blockchain-powered tools.
iPower expects to release additional updates regarding its treasury activities, new product offerings, and partnerships in the coming months.
About iPower Inc.
iPower Inc. is a tech and data-driven online retailer, as well as a provider of value-added ecommerce services for third-party products and brands. In addition to its plans to expand into the crypto treasury and blockchain infrastructure services company, iPower’s capabilities include a full spectrum of online channels, robust fulfillment capacity, a nationwide network of warehouses, competitive last mile delivery partners and a differentiated business intelligence platform. iPower believes that these capabilities will enable it to efficiently move a diverse catalog of SKUs from its supply chain partners to end consumers every day, providing the best value to customers in the U.S. and other countries. For more information, please visit iPower’s website at www.meetipower.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements other than statements of historical fact in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about iPower’s financial condition, business strategy, development, financial needs and general market conditions. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. iPower undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although iPower believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and iPower cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results and performance in iPower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its other SEC filings.
Northeast Traffic Services – Cape Breton (NETS) is investigating a fatal collision in Groves Point involving an impaired driver.
On June 14, at approximately 7 a.m., RCMP officers, Cape Breton Regional Police Service,fire services, and EHS, responded to a reportof a two-vehicle collision on Hwy. 105. Officerslearned that a sedan and a Harley Davidson motorcycle had collided. The sedan then fled the area.
The lone rider of the motorcycle, a 40-year-old man from Bras D’Or, suffered life-threatening injuries. He was transported by EHS to hospital where he was succumbed to his injuries the following day.
From the information gathered, officers located the sedan involved in the collision on Brady Dr., in Groves Point, and safely arrested the driver, a 42-year-old man from Sydney mines, who was exhibiting signs of impairment.
The 42-year-old man was transported to the North Sydney RCMP detachment where he provided breath samples that registered 90mg%. He was later released and will appear in Sydney Provincial Court at a later date.
An RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the scene and the investigation is ongoing.
Criminal charges are anticipated.
The highwaywas closed for several hours but has since reopened.
Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contactNortheast Traffic Services – Cape Bretonat 902-794-5800. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip atwww.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
