We’ve officially kicked off #MarineWeekNashville! Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz, Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps, the Silent Drill Platoon, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing band, and #Marines with Marine Forces Reserve participated in multiple events in and around the Nashville Superspeedway.
The 250th Marine Corps birthday campaign continues with the next stop in Nashville, TN. We just wrapped up Day 1, engaging with the community and honoring our legacy. The Marine Corps stands proud and mission-ready to share the Corps’ story across the nation. Stay tuned for more birthday celebrations the rest of this week!
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies marks a major step toward ocean sustainability by prohibiting harmful fisheries subsidies, which are a key factor in the widespread depletion of the world’s fish stocks. With over 100 WTO members having deposited their instruments of acceptance, the Agreement is close to entering into force. Here’s why this matters — and how the Agreement will make a difference.
Download this video from the WTO website:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
On 2 June, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala received Nicaragua’s instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies from Nicaragua’s WTO Ambassador Rosalía Bohorquez Palacios. Just ten more acceptances are needed for the Agreement to enter into force.
Download this video from the WTO website:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala met with Vice-President Mutale Nalumango, of Zambia, on 2 June at the WTO. They talked about Zambia’s strategy for critical minerals, agriculture negotiations and the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
Download this video from the WTO website:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm
Non-time critical (NTC) payments in TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) would be a new functionality which allows for a tailored payment processing based on the criticality of the payment. Discover what benefits this would bring to payment service providers (PSPs) and the purpose for implementation.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Day two at the #GoldenAgeGames is all about Veterans showing their strength, resilience, and dedication to staying active. Every event brings fierce competition and big wins for fitness and wellness at every age. Let’s keep the momentum going!
Video Message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the World Environment Day (5 June).
“This World Environment Day focuses on solutions to beat plastic pollution.
And rightly so.
Plastic pollution is choking our planet – harming ecosystems, well-being, and the climate.
Plastic waste clogs rivers, pollutes the ocean, and endangers wildlife.
And as it breaks-down into smaller and smaller parts, it infiltrates every corner of Earth: from the top of Mount Everest, to the depths of the ocean; from human brains; to human breastmilk.
Yet there is a movement for urgent change.
We are seeing mounting public engagement…
Steps towards reusability and greater accountability…
And policies to reduce single-use plastics and improve waste management.
But we must go further, faster.
In two months, countries will come together to hammer-out a new global treaty to end plastic pollution.
We need an ambitious, credible and just agreement this year.
One that covers the life-cycle of plastic, through the perspective of circular
economies…
That responds to the needs of communities…
That aligns with broader environmental goals, the sustainable development goals, and beyond…
And that is implemented fast and in full.
I urge negotiators to return to talks in August determined to build a common path through their differences and deliver the treaty our world needs.
Together, let’s end the scourge of plastic pollution and build a better future for us all.
Thank you.”
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Summary
World Environment Day joins the UNEP-led #BeatPlasticPollution this year to mobilize communities worldwide to implement and advocate for solutions. World Environment Day will spotlight the growing scientific evidence on the impacts of plastic pollution and drive momentum to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink plastics use to build a cleaner and more sustainable future.
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Related links:
World Environment Day – Website:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day
On the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, marked today (29 May) Peacekeeping Chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said, “we are committed to maximising our own cost effectiveness,” but at the same time, he said “it is imperative that peacekeeping should be provided with the resources that are needed to deliver on the mandate.”
Speaking to reporters in New York, Lacroix said the 2025 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin brought together “more than 150 delegations,” 60 of them at ministerial level.
He said there “many expressions of support,” as well as “many pledges that were made to support peacekeeping.”
The main takeaway, Peacekeeping Chief was that “peacekeeping remains very strongly supported by Member States.”
He said, “we have a great amount of work to do to operationalise all the commitments and also to continue with the many bodies of work that we’re currently working on in different areas, such as safety and security of peacekeepers; performance; conduct and discipline; relation with the host government; how to introduce and make the best possible use of digital technology in peacekeeping and so many other bodies of work.”
Lacroix said, “Member States requested a broad review of all peace operations at the Summit for the Future last September. And we’re currently working on this with our sister department, the Department of Peacebuilding and Political Affairs. And, of course, we are working to operationalise UN80 initiatives, the Secretary-General initiative, within the peace and security pillar.”
Faced with financial constraints, he said, “peacekeeping is constant adapting” and “looking for innovative ways to deliver while remaining both an effective and really a low cost option compared to many other multinational deployments.”
Lacroix stressed that “we are committed to maximising our own cost effectiveness, but at the same time, we want to insist that it is imperative that peacekeeping should be provided with the resources that are needed to deliver on the mandate.”
Responding to a reporter’s question on the matter, he said, “I think it’s clear that most of our top financial contributors have constraints in terms of their public finances. Now, of course, we expect all of them to pay what they have to pay on time and in full, but at the same time, we live in a real world, and we know what those constraints are. So, we want to have a very productive dialogue with them, in addition of course to making sure that as far as we’re concerned, we work on cost effectiveness.”
Later in the day, Secretary-General António Guterres laid a wreath to honour the more than 4,400 United Nations peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the line of duty since 1948.
During an awards ceremony at the ECPOSOC Chamber, Guterres said, “over the decades, more than 2 million women and men have served in 72 UN missions across four continents. And I’m deeply grateful to all Member States for these invaluable contributions. In the communities and countries in which they serve, UN peacekeepers are an important symbol of the United Nations at its best. And together, they’ve helped improve millions of lives, protecting people, preserving peace and providing hope, rebuilding infrastructures, repairing institutions, and ensuring life-saving assistance. With their support, nations around the world have made the transition from war to peace.”
The Secretary-General presented awards to the Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme of Ghana and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year, Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone. Both of them serve with our peacekeeping mission in Abyei.
Lethal autonomous weapon systems — AI-powered machines that can select and kill targets without human oversight — are no longer science fiction. This eye-opening explainer breaks down the risks of killer robots and why the United Nations is calling for a global ban.
Featuring UN Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu, Mary Wareham (Human Rights Watch), Nicole van Rooijen (Stop Killer Robots), and Thompson Chengeta (AI & Human Rights Expert) we explore:
What autonomous weapons really are
How they could change the future of warfare
Why they risk violating human rights and humanitarian law
The push for a legally binding treaty
This is not just about technology. It’s about the future of warfare—and who gets to decide who lives or dies. With momentum building and lives at stake, the world faces a critical decision: How do we control AI weapons?
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Killer drones and UAVs
01:40 – What are lethal autonomous weapons?
03:16 – AI-enabled weapons and decision making
04:27 – International Humanitarian Law
06:07 – A new framework: Prohibition & Regulation
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Secretary-General/Africa Dialogue
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Sudan
South Sudan
Cyprus
Security Council
Haiti – Hurricane Season
International Days
Programming Note – Monday
Deputy Secretary-General/Travels
SECRETARY-GENERAL/AFRICA DIALOGUE
The Secretary-General will speak at the Africa Dialogue at 3 pm today and will focus on reparations, which is also the African Union’s theme for 2025.
He will say that for too long, the colossal injustices inflicted by enslavement, the transatlantic slave trade, and colonialism have been left unacknowledged and unaddressed.
And he will argue that reparatory justice frameworks are critical – to redress historic wrongs, address today’s challenges, and ensure the rights and dignity of all.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVELS
Today, in Tajikistan, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed participated in the High-Level International Conference on Glacier Preservation, taking place in Dushanbe. She underscored the urgent need to preserve glaciers and keep the 1.5°C climate target within reach — not only to protect ecosystems and water sources, but to ensure the livelihoods of people and prospering communities.
The Deputy Secretary-General called for bold, coordinated action ahead of COP30 rooted in cooperation, solidarity, and science. She later held a series of bilateral meetings with senior government officials, delegations, and youth constituents. She also met with the UN Country Team to acknowledge the UN’s continued support in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in Tajikistan.
Tomorrow, the Deputy Secretary-General will travel to Marrakech, Morocco, to attend the 2025 Ibrahim Governance Weekend.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell says that the catastrophic situation in Gaza is the worst it has been since the war began.
Strikes have continued across Gaza, particularly in North Gaza, where the last remaining partially functioning hospital, Al Awda, was forced to evacuate last night after repeated strikes on and around the facility in recent days. Attacks also continued farther south in Deir al Balah, in areas of Al Bureij and An Nuseirat camps.
IHH, an international aid organization that runs community kitchens and nutrition points, reported on Wednesday that five of its workers had been killed and two injured in the previous two days.
OCHA underscores once again that civilians, including aid workers, must always be protected.
Displacement continued across Gaza, with nearly 200,000 people displaced in the last two weeks alone. Yesterday, Israeli authorities issued a renewed displacement order covering about 30 per cent of Gaza’s total territory in North Gaza, eastern parts of Gaza City and Deir al Balah.
To date, displacement orders have covered the entirety of the northernmost and southernmost governorates, as well as the eastern parts of each of the three governorates in between. Partners note that the limited movement of people observed in recent days appears to be driven by the search for food and necessities, rather than displacement orders.
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to provide support to people in need, despite the immense challenges on the ground and the crippling restrictions on the amount and type of assistance being allowed into Gaza. Yesterday, the UN and the humanitarian partners only managed to collect five truckloads of cargo from the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom. The other 60 trucks had to return to the crossing due to intense hostilities in the area.
Meanwhile in Gaza City, our partners working to address shelter needs managed to distribute 45 emergency shelter kits to families as part of a pilot initiative aimed at pooling resources to respond to some of the most critical needs.
Humanitarian needs have exploded in Gaza following nearly 80 days of a total blockade of all supplies.
The limited amounts of aid now entering the Strip are nowhere near sufficient to support 2.1 million people in desperate need of assistance.
As conditions on the ground further deteriorate and public order and safety break down, looting incidents continue to be reported. Today, a group of armed individuals stormed the warehouses of a field hospital in Deir al Balah, looting large quantities of medical equipment, supplies, medicines and nutritional supplements intended for malnourished children.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=30%20May%202025
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
The 2025 National Veterans #GoldenAgeGames Parade of Athletes was nothing short of breathtaking. The energy in the room was enough to light up the whole City of Memphis, with a mix of pride, anticipation and unshakable determination. These #Veteran athletes 55 and over are here to win, and we are here for it!
Let the #GoldenAgeGames begin! @sports4vets #Sports4vets
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Watch our at-large arrest of Guatemalan criminal alien Miguel Tamup-Tamup May 15.
You may remember him from the early-release photos — he’s responsible for breaking an ICE agent’s leg during an earlier apprehension attempt.
ICE officers risk their lives to protect the American public and enforce our laws. If an ICE agent tries to apprehend you, don’t resist, fight or flee.
Ultimately, you’ll still be arrested — but you’ll also face criminal charges.
Water systems are reaching a tipping point, with increasing floods and droughts affecting multiple regions globally. In five years, it is estimated that half the world will face water stress, jeopardizing productivity, public health and food security, and threatening $1.6 trillion in assets.
How can we leverage technology, governance and finance innovations to avoid or manage water tipping points?
This is the full audio from a session at the Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos.
Watch it here: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/water-at-a-tipping-point/
Speakers:
Fajer Mushtaq, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Oxyle Christophe Beck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ecolab Sherry Madera, Chief Executive Officer, CDP Fabrizio Palermo, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Acea Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, European Commission
Catch up on all the action from the Annual Meeting 2025 at wef.ch/wef25 and across social media using the hashtag #WEF25.
Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts: YouTube: – https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts Radio Davos – subscribe: https://pod.link/1504682164 Meet the Leader – subscribe: https://pod.link/1534915560 Agenda Dialogues – subscribe: https://pod.link/1574956552 Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub
Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
The Petitions Committee has scheduled a debate relating to decriminalising abortion.
Tony Vaughan MP has been asked by the Committee to open the debate. The Government will send a Minister to respond.
Read the petition:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/700014
Find petitions you agree with, and sign them: https://petition.parliament.uk/
What are petition debates?
Petition debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.
Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means that MPs will not vote on the issues raised in the petition at the end of the debate.
The Petitions Committee can only schedule debates on petitions to parliament started on petition.parliament.uk
Find out more about how petition debates work: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/content/194347/how-petitions-debates-work/
Stay up-to-date
Follow the Committee on Twitter for real-time updates on its work: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
About the U.S. Army: The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force. Interested in joining the U.S. Army? Visit:
spr.ly/6001igl5L
Connect with the U.S. Army online: Web:
https://www.army.mil
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
X: Tweets by USArmy
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
#USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Army
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
“With the help of patriots like you, we’re going to produce our own metal, unleash our own energy, secure our own future, build our country, control our destiny, and we are once again going to put Pennsylvania steel into the backbone of America like never before.” –President Donald J. Trump
160th SOAR training with the USCG Advanced Helicopter Rescue School.
About the U.S. Army: The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force. Interested in joining the U.S. Army? Visit:
spr.ly/6001igl5L
Connect with the U.S. Army online: Web:
https://www.army.mil
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
X: Tweets by USArmy
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
#USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Army
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
MAGA MOMENTUM
Consumer Confidence High Home Sales Surge Majority: America on Right Track MAHA Skittles Win Gold Standard of Science West Point Memorial Day Cancelling Harvard Contracts DOGE Wins $14B Steel Deal & 70K Jobs
Watch Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s MAGA Minute!
0:14 – Want your shrimp healthy and antibiotic-free? This start-up has a solution to help shrimp farmers identify diseases early so they can cure their shrimp without overusing antibiotics.
1:58 – This app uses games to teach young people the skills they need for the future. Goodwall has helped more than 3 million people in 150 countries through gamified challenges, allowing users to sharpen their skills in AI, problem-solving and communication to prepare for success in the rapidly changing world of work.
4:56 – Too calm for catastrophe: there’s a problem with climate data, say experts. This phenomenon is called ‘shifting baseline syndrome’ or ‘the boiling frog’. Experts say it reduces public pressure for climate action because the slow pace of change obscures the urgency of the crisis.
6:47 – What if your medicine was never tested on someone like you. There is a gender disparity in medical research. This leaves millions of women facing health decisions without evidence-based options. Here are 5 ways policy-makers can start to close these gaps.
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The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.