Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)
Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Lou Correa (CA-46) sent a letter to Nancy Ward, Director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal EOS), demanding retroactive grant support for Orange County in the wake of last year’s Airport Fire. In the immediate wake of the fire, the County’s Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) request submitted was denied—and has since had significant consequences for local residents and emergency response capabilities.
Despite the fire’s aggressive behavior, widespread evacuations, and the threat to residential structures, the FMAG request was placed “on hold.” The rationale cited—insufficient threat level and lack of residential impact—was inconsistent with the on-the-ground conditions reported by first responders.
“We are concerned that the denial of this FMAG request reflects a misjudgment of the situation’s urgency and impact,”Kim and Correa lambasted.“The Airport Fire posed a clear and present danger to life and property, and the County of Orange acted swiftly and in good faith to seek state support. It is important to note that Riverside County, which was also impacted by the Airport Fire, received their FMAG declaration on September 11 despite less structure loss than Orange County.”
The Orange County Fire Authority and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department continued to engage with Cal OES through multiple revised submissions, then through additional follow up. These efforts were met with either no response or continued denial, despite mounting evidence of the fire’s severity and the financial burden placed on local agencies.
“We respectfully request that Cal OES reconsider and approve the FMAG request retroactively,”they added, “acknowledging the critical need for federal assistance in mitigating the effects of this disaster and supporting our local emergency services.”
Question for written answer E-002111/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Tom Berendsen (PPE), Jeroen Lenaers (PPE)
Nowhere in Europe are there as many attacks with powerful fireworks and explosives as in the Netherlands. In 2024, there were as many as 1543. In addition, we see this trend spreading further in Europe to Germany, Belgium, France and Sweden. At issue, in particular, are flash bangers (as sold under the brand name Cobra) – fireworks belonging to category F4, intended for professional use only. Flash bangers indeed fall under this category but are rarely, if ever, used professionally and mainly end up in the hands of criminals.
Legal production and storage take place largely outside the Netherlands. Flash bangers from abroad then enter the black market through criminal networks and are then resold cheaply and easily, for example on online platforms.
To counter the worrying developments, European action is necessary. Both trade in and production of powerful fireworks such as flash bangers need to be more strictly regulated and controlled.
In view of the above:
1.Is the Commission prepared to introduce a ban on the production of powerful, loud-bang fireworks such as flash bangers, as they are not being used for professional purposes?
2.In the meantime, what action will the Commission take to prevent this type of explosive from entering the black market?
Based on their national or subnational climate risk assessments, Member States can use Cohesion Policy to support disaster risk management, particularly by financing prevention, response and resilience measures in islands or coastal areas. This may also include measures to address soil erosion.
Specifically for Greece, over EUR 726 million in public funding is allocated to prevent and manage climate-related flood risks, including coastal and land erosion management . Under the shared management principle governing these funds, national authorities are responsible for selecting projects for funding and overseeing their implementation.
Furthermore, Greece’s Recovery and Resilience Plan[1] invests in anti-erosion and flood protection across Greece in response to the floods and wildfires in 2023 (measure 16849). The related interventions include the construction of dams, stream stabilisation structures and rainwater retention systems, with the aim to improve soil retention, biodiversity conservation and agricultural production. By end-2025, a total area of 5 000 hectares of anti-erosion works and 175 000 square meters of flood protection works is expected to be completed.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KYIV, June 4 (Xinhua) — The document listing the terms of the ceasefire that Russia handed over to Ukraine on June 2 is not a memorandum of understanding, but an ultimatum, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a briefing on Wednesday, Interfax-Ukraine reported.
According to him, in the memorandum, Moscow set out demands in an ultimatum form, the fulfillment of which is obviously impossible. First of all, we are talking about Russia’s territorial claims. V. Zelensky emphasized that these claims contradict the UN Charter, the Constitution of Ukraine and “common sense.”
The Ukrainian leader added that the demand for the country’s neutrality is also unfulfillable.
On June 2, the second round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia since 2022 took place in Istanbul. At this meeting, Kyiv received a memorandum from Moscow on the terms of a ceasefire. –0–
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $6,764,854 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for the Terrebonne Parish School Board.
“Hurricane Ida hit Houma hard, but the community has worked tirelessly to rebuild. This $6.8 million grant will help cover the costs of demolishing, relocating and renovating school facilities due to severe damage from the storm,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
$6,764,854 to the Terrebonne Parish School Board to relocate the Hurricane Ida-damaged Louis Miller Vo-Tech campus to its Fletcher Building in Houma, La., and demolish its Ida-damaged School for Exceptional Children facility and renovate its existing Elysian Fields campus.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, Rep. Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after an influx of reports of violence around aid distribution sites.
“I condemn rising violence around aid distribution sites in Gaza. The killing of individuals around humanitarian aid distribution sites is unacceptable. There must be an end to violence in the region and no individual should have to confront violence while seeking desperately needed humanitarian assistance.
“Israel bears the responsibility to ensure that critically needed and long overdue aid makes it into Gaza reaching those who need it most. The Palestinian people are suffering horribly. Not nearly enough food and humanitarian assistance is being delivered to Gaza and effectively and safely distributed. This must be fixed immediately.
“While it is a positive step that Israel lifted the blockade on aid to Gaza, the distribution of aid under this new plan seems haphazard and plagued by chaos and violence. The Israeli government must recognize these shortcomings and immediately fix their plan to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ensure aid is widely and safely delivered to Palestinian civilians. It is also of the utmost importance that Hamas and other actors are condemned for attempts to disrupt the distribution of aid.
“Israel must take every opportunity to reduce tensions, improve access to aid, and prevent human suffering. Fundamentally, the priority for the region must remain a ceasefire, a return of the Israeli hostages, and the delivery of necessary aid to the people of Gaza. A ceasefire will be an instrumental step to improve the flow of humanitarian aid and achieving sustainable peace and stability in the region.”
EL PASO, Texas — A New Mexico man is in federal custody after being indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso in 2021 and expelled to the United States by Mexican authorities on May 27. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
Jaime Renteria-Fernandez, 31, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is charged in a superseding indictment with nine counts related to alleged offenses committed in support of the Barraza drug trafficking organization. Co-conspirator Alex Barraza was the leader of the DTO and was sentenced to life in federal prison Oct. 24, 2024.
“Jaime Renteria-Fernandez tried to evade justice by fleeing the country, but the law has a long reach,” said Jason T. Stevens, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso. “HSI is relentless in its mission to seek out members of drug trafficking organizations who wreak havoc on the security and well-being of our border community.”
Renteria-Fernandez made his initial appearance in federal court May 29. The indictment includes multiple counts related to drug possession and trafficking, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, as well as discharging firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and murder resulting from the use and carrying of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, with a maximum of life in federal prison, and possibly the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Johnston, Andres Ortega and Susanna Martinez are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio with Scott Jennings on SiriusXM Patriot
Interview
February 10, 2025
QUESTION: Scott Jennings sitting here on SiriusXM Patriot 125, normally the David Webb Show. I am guest hosting for Mr. Webb today, and it is our honor to welcome to the airwaves this morning the Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio, former senator from Florida, and now, thanks to President Trump, the United States Secretary of State.
Mr. Secretary, welcome to the show.
SECRETARY RUBIO: Hey, thanks for having me.
QUESTION: I appreciate you being on this morning. You’re on the move. You have just returned from your first foreign trip. You went to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. I want to jump right in this morning and just ask how was the trip, what did we accomplish, and what’s the disposition in those countries towards the United States now that we have a new administration?
SECRETARY RUBIO: I think the disposition is very positive. I think these are countries that want to be aligned with the United States. That’s why we picked them. They also happen to be countries that are on the migratory route, on the drug routes, and face tremendous challenges because of that. These are the places people cross in order to come to the U.S., so each of them are very different.
Like in the case of Panama, obviously we have an issue with the canal and foreign influence over it, and so we raised that. And I think we’re going to make a couple of announcements. We saw the – Panama pulled out of the Belt and Road Initiative with China, which is the first country in the Western Hemisphere to actually pull out of that. And I think we’ll hear more things. They’ve got to work through their own processes there, but I think we’ll see even more in the days to come. So, it’s very positive.
Costa Rica is an advanced economy. They’re doing very well, of course, but they do have some challenges where drug rings are running through there, and so we partner with them to stop that. But that’s a very pro-American government, and we wanted to interact with them. They’re very good partners and, also, have been very strong at standing up to the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in the region, and so that’s been great.
And then moved on to El Salvador. We have a great partner there in Nayib Bukele. I’ve known him for a long time, and he made a very generous offer. I don’t know if it can happen because of our own laws, but he offered to not only take in gang members that are illegally in the country but also any Americans who are in our jails – almost like outsourcing. So, it was an interesting offer from him. But he’s a great pro-American leader and, again, someone that has been very popular in his country by the way. He’s like 90 percent approval rating.
Guatemala is a country that obviously is right on the border with Mexico. They struggle with the migration. They’re a source country, but they’re also a transit country for drugs and people. And so, they’re trying to – they’re doing the best they can with their limited resources, and we’re helping them to stop the drugs and the migration. But they’ve also – they’re going to almost double the number of deportation flights they’re going to take, and they’re also going to accept third-country people, people from other countries that are not from Guatemala, as part of this process, and then from there move them on to the – their nation of origin.
And then we finished in the Dominican Republic, which really the biggest challenge they face there are two-fold. The one is what’s happening right across their border with Haiti, which they’re deporting people back to Haiti every day. That – we can’t really visit Haiti right now, but that’s as close as we could get. And so, we wanted to talk about that from there, and that’s important because that also poses a threat to the United States that there’s a mass migration event. And it’s just a horrifying situation with these gangs taking over Port-au-Prince or large parts of it.
And then they’re also a great partner stopping drugs. A lot of drug rings are – bring – try to bring drugs into the Dominican Republic because from there, over the Mona Passage, they get to Puerto Rico. And once you get into Puerto Rico, you’re in the U.S. There’s no more customs after that. There’s no more border protection after that. So, it’s something we’re going to work with them on.
So, it’s a good start to the trip, and then we finished off on Friday going to Southern Command, which is the Pentagon’s command for the whole region, and talked through some of these issues with them and the partnerships they have in the region. So, it’s a good way to start my – I guess my second – end my second week as Secretary of State.
QUESTION: Yeah, most folks when they start a new job in the second week are still looking for the bathroom, and here you are in all these other countries. It’s a really good way to get going.
SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah, well, we’re still looking for the bathrooms but – finding out where everything is at in the building, but it was important to get out there and visit these countries early.
QUESTION: So, you raised an issue that I think Donald Trump, President Trump, deserves a lot of credit for tackling immediately, and that is the concept of the United States combatting Chinese influence in this region, in this hemisphere. And obviously, this has been an issue with Panama and the Panama Canal, but it’s really an issue everywhere. Can you talk a little bit about this? Is this one of your principal missions to make sure that the United States, and not China, is the dominant superpower at a minimum in this region and in the world?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah, look, China is a rich, powerful country and that’s what they’re going to be. Like that’s not going to change, right? They’ve got over a billion people. They’ve got a big economy, second-largest economy in the world. I mean, and we’re going to be competing with them for the rest of the century and beyond. And I think the story of the 21st century is going to be about what happened between the U.S. and China.
What we can’t allow is for that to come at our expense. What we can’t allow is an imbalance, a dangerous imbalance, to build up where they’re more powerful than we are, and then – or we become dependent on them. And that danger is already there that we’ve become dependent on them for supply chains, for manufacturing, economically, all these sorts of things.
So, what’s happened in part of the region is that they swoop in. And look, they’re doing what I would do. If I was in charge of China, I would do exactly what they’re doing. But I have to – I I’m not in charge of China. I run the State Department for the United States and I’m an American citizen, so I’ve got to do what’s good for America. That’s what President Trump is for. And that includes not getting run out of the Western Hemisphere, not waking up one day and finding out that China has more influence over our neighboring countries than we do, that China has more presence in our neighboring countries than we do. That’s – it’s – geography is real and it’s right on top of us, and these are countries that are our neighbors, and we just – we can’t live in a world in which they have more influence and more presence than we do in the countries closest to us.
QUESTION: So, on the prospect of American influence in the world – and I wholeheartedly agree with you about our need to stand up to China – a lot of people are wondering about the reorientation of American soft power in the world. Obviously, President Trump and his administration and working with you have made some dramatic shifts in the way we distribute foreign aid and the bureaucracy, the USAID bureaucracy, which you are now also simultaneously in charge of.
I think there’s a lot of misinformation out there and a lot of political attacks out there of people trying to score points. I just kind of want to set the record straight here about what we’re doing. And we’ve eliminated some bureaucracy, but you’re in charge of American soft power and you’re in charge of our influence around the world. Can you kind of give us an idea of how this is going to work, and why the American people should be reassured that American influence is going to be top of mind for your State Department?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, first of all, we’re not walking away from foreign aid. We will be involved in foreign aid. I believe that foreign aid done right is good for the country, but it has to be done right. Now, the idea that somehow we spend between $40 and $60 billion on foreign aid and all that money is well spent or on things that make sense is absurd. There’s a lot of it that isn’t. And so the goal is very simple: Go through all of our foreign aid – a lot of it is through USAID, some of it is through State Department; identify the foreign aid that makes sense, the foreign aid that actually supports our country and that supports our national interests, and continue to do that; and then get rid of the ones that are a waste of money, or in some cases or run counter to our foreign – to our national interest and to our interests around the world. And that’s what we’re going through right now.
The problem is that this foreign aid industrial complex has built up of NGOs and all kinds of groups that benefit from these programs, and argue that you can’t get rid of a single one of them; if you cut any of them, if you even ask questions about them, you’re undermining American soft power. So, this is not – despite some of these reports, this is not about walking away from foreign aid. This is about doing the aid that makes sense and getting rid of the aid that does not make sense. That’s it. That’s what this is about.
So we were in Guatemala, right? And they have a program where we help them to improve their police department so they can stop and identify fentanyl before it gets into America. That’s foreign aid we’re going to support. In fact, I issued a waiver so we can continue that program. There are other things that we’re not going to do. We shouldn’t be sponsoring LGBTQ operas. I don’t know how that foreign – furthers the national interest.
And this is taxpayer money. Look, if someone wants to pay for that stuff, you’re more than happy to go out, go ahead. It’s legal. Go out and raise all the money, private-sector money, and spend it on that. But we shouldn’t be spending taxpayer money or using American Government agencies to sponsor things that make absolutely no sense. So, we put a pause on all foreign aid, and now we’re going through it project by project. We’re going to get rid of the ones that don’t make sense, and we’re going to keep or even build on the ones that do make sense.
QUESTION: So, the things that make sense in your mind – fighting drugs, fighting illegal immigration. What about lifesaving issues? There’s been a lot of back and forth in the media about things that we do from a humanitarian perspective that are lifesaving medical-type programming, particularly in Africa with PEPFAR and malaria and such. How do you view those things?
SECRETARY RUBIO: I’m a supporter of PEPFAR. I have been in Congress. I am now as Secretary of State. It’s a program we want to continue. Obviously, we’re going to have questions about it. Look, if PEPFAR is working well, it’s a program that should be getting smaller over time, not bigger, right? Because you’re preventing HIV, you’re preventing the spread of HIV, and so people aren’t testing positive because their viral load gets down, they’re not passing it on to their children.
So ideally, it’s a program that over time shrinks, not expands, because less and less people are getting HIV or are transmitting it to their children. That was always the goal was an AIDS-free generation, so no child was born with HIV. And – but it’s a program I’ve supported, and we want to continue to do it. And things like are people going to starve to death, are we going to have a famine? Is it going to destabilize a country in a way that would be negative to our national interest and open the door for radical jihadists or others to take advantage? We’re going to continue to do those. But the problem is that the definition of humanitarian has expanded beyond that – to all kinds of other things that do not make sense. That doesn’t mean they’re bad ideas. Someone should do it. It just shouldn’t be the American taxpayer.
So that’s the kind of things that we’re going through right now and identifying. And by the way, we issued a waiver which allowed all these lifesaving programs to continue. And obviously, there’s – any time you have a pause or some hiccups about how to restart the payment programs, but all that’s going to get taken care of here very quickly, and those programs will continue. We’re not walking away from foreign aid. We are walking away from foreign aid that’s dumb, that’s stupid, that wastes American taxpayer money. We’re just not going to continue to do those.
QUESTION: I think that what you’re doing is long overdue. This whole bureaucracy existed, and it really existed with very little political oversight. And really all that the Trump Administration, at your direction, is doing is making sure that whatever money we spend somehow helps the national interest. And I think every American taxpayer wants the money we spend to help the national interest. And Trump and you, Mr. Secretary, on the right side of what I think is an 80-20 issue here. And so, you see this amazing disconnect in the media, people fussing about this.
But some of these projects that you’ve identified are patently ridiculous. And so, by moving this into your office and by taking personal political oversight over it, not only are you saving us money, but you’re just aligning our spending with what’s in direct interest of the United States foreign policy under the direction of the President of the United States. I mean, that’s the point of elections. That’s the point of having a government, not to let unelected bureaucrats determine our national direction but to let our political leadership do it.
Mr. Secretary, in the time that we have, I want to move ahead. You’re about to embark on your second foreign trip. You’re going to the Munich Security Conference, and then you’re going to the Middle East. I think you’re going to Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia – obviously a hot spot or region. What is your mission here? What are we trying to accomplish in the Middle East? What’s your message at the Munich Security Conference later this week?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, in Munich, I think it’s just to reaffirm to everybody – even though it’s located in Europe – obviously, that’s where the forum is – it’s not just about Europe. People from all – leaders from all over the world go that conference. But the top of mind for everyone is going to be war in Ukraine, and the President has been very clear. President Trump has been clear that the war in Ukraine needs to end. There’s a – he’s going to sort of begin to lay out a broad path forward, and he wants that war to end. It’d be in the interest of everybody for that war to end, and so obviously we’ll be discussing that with foreign ministers and other leaders there.
And then in the Middle East, beyond just the – what we know has happened with – after October 7th, there’s some potentially exciting opportunities to really change the dynamic in that region, and that’s the things we want to talk about. We’ve seen in Lebanon where a new government is now in place and Hizballah has been – I mean, imagine a region where you have a stable Lebanese government and Hizballah is no longer controlling the southern part of Lebanon and threatening Israel every day. Imagine potentially – we’ve got to wait and see, right? – but a Syria no longer under Assad, no longer with Iranian or Russian influence, no longer with ISIS, sort of no longer a security threat to Isreal. Imagine a region where Israel now feels secure because of what’s happened in Lebanon and in Syria that they can enter into a peace deal with Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf kingdoms; a Sunni-Israeli peace deal akin to the Camp David Accords with Egypt and the peace with Jordan. Suddenly you have a very different region where all kinds of things that were not possible before are now possible.
And that’s the opportunity that we hope to explore and see if it’s possible. We have an obligation to explore, at the end. I mean, President Trump has made very clear that part of his agenda is promoting peace in the world; and if there’s a chance to create conditions for peace, that’s certainly something we’re going to do our best to try to foster and be a part of.
QUESTION: I want to ask you briefly about the hostage deal that was in place as Biden was exiting and President Trump was coming in. Obviously, a few hostages have been released. Some of the video of the hostages is, frankly, horrific. What they had done to them in captivity at the hands of Hamas is nothing short of barbaric. I saw that President Trump last night on the way to the Super Bowl made a comment about this and said he’s seen some of these abductees coming out. He said, “They look like Holocaust survivors. I know there’s an agreement that Hamas releases a little every week, but I don’t know how long I’ll continue to endure this. My patience is running out.”
Is this something you’re going to discuss when you’re in the Middle East? Are we – is our patience running thin here, and are these hostages being more mistreated than we could have even imagined before?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, I don’t think there’s any coincidence in the schedule that they’re being released where they obviously released the ones, they thought were in the best condition first, then over time you’re starting to see the impact of this. But I also think it’s very revealing of who Hamas is and what Hamas is.
You look at these images of what they – first of all, the humiliation that they have to go through. Just put aside for a moment the horrifying conditions they were kept and the horrifying things that happened to some of those hostages, on top of the fact that these were innocent civilians. I mean, none of these were soldiers. These are not combatants. These are just people that were abducted for purposes of being used as leverage. And they’re getting, what, 200 certified killers in exchange for one innocent hostage. But it reveals who Hamas is.
Look at these humiliation, they put them through before they’re released, where they do these big public displays of force. Do any of those Hamas fighters look like they’ve been skipping meals? Do any of those Hamas fighters that you see look like they’ve been suffering over the last year and a half? Clearly, these people are – the ones suffering are the people from Gaza, but not them. And then the conditions they’re held in. So, it’s incredibly revealing about what we’re dealing with. This is an evil organization. Hamas is evil. It’s pure evil. These are monsters. These are savages. That’s a group that needs to be eradicated.
And let me tell you, if they still are the dominant power in Gaza when all this is done, there is not going to peace in the Middle East, as long as a group like Hamas physically controls territory and is the most dominant power in Gaza or anywhere in the Middle East. And I hope people can see who these people actually are, in the condition of these hostages – not just the conditions that they’re in when they’re released, but what they have to endure on the way out.
QUESTION: You raise the issue of Gaza, and before you go, obviously President Trump made some news on this last week. And it strikes me that what you’re executing is a realistic foreign policy. I mean, we’re in the common-sense doctrine era of the United States, which people are saying thank goodness, finally.
On Gaza, on the idea of a two-state solution, is this no longer the policy of the United States? It seems to me that you all are injecting realism into this situation and that most of the people the Israelis have had to deal with over time simply don’t want peace, and we’ve been trying to put a square peg in a round hole here.
What is our policy? That people that run Gaza eventually are going to have to accept peace? And that’s not what – that’s just not been the disposition of the folks we’ve been dealing with heretofore.
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, the big challenge for this whole two-state solution has not been Isreal. It’s been: Who’s going to govern that second state? Who’s going to be in charge of it? If the people in charge of it are Hamas or Hizballah or anybody like that, these are groups that – whose goal is the destruction of the Jewish state.
So, I don’t know how you’re going to have peace if you’re turning over territory to a group whose stated purpose is the destruction of the Jewish state. Why would any country in the world agree to create a second state on their border that is governed by armed elements who kidnap babies and murder babies and rape teenage girls and abduct innocents and whose stated goal and purpose for existing is the – is your destruction? Who would agree to that? So that’s the fundamental challenge.
On the broader challenge of Gaza, the President’s just pointed to the obvious. I mean, Gaza is a place that, in addition to all the damage it suffered in the war – Hamas hides in the tunnels. It’s the civilians who they hide behind and underneath that have suffered the consequences of this. But that’s a place where there’s all kinds of unexploded munitions and bombs that Hamas has, that’s been used in the conflict. Someone’s got to go in – for anybody to be able to live there, someone’s got to – you’ve got to clean it up. You’ve got to clean all that out of there even before you begin the process of removing rubble and debris and rebuilding housing, like permanent structures. Who’s going to do that?
And right now, the only one who’s stood up and said I’m willing to help do it is Donald Trump. All these other leaders, they’re going to have to step up. If they’ve got a better idea, then now is the time. Now is the time for the other governments and other powers in the region, some of these very rich countries, to basically say, okay, we’ll do it. We’re going to pay for this; we’re going to step forward; we’re going to be the ones that take charge. None of them is offering to do it. And I think that you can’t go around claiming that you’re a fighter for, an advocate for the Palestinian people, but you’re not willing to do anything to help rebuild Gaza. And so far, we haven’t seen a lot of – they’ve all – they’ll all tell you what they’re not for. But we’re still waiting for more countries to step forward and say here’s what we’re willing to do. And right now, they’ve not been willing to do anything and – or at least anything concrete.
So that’s a challenge that President Trump’s put out there. And it’s outside the box, but that’s what he always is. I mean, he is going to state the obvious. It’s the one thing about Donald Trump – he doesn’t hide behind silly, traditional lies and things of that nature. He’s going to put out blunt truth. And the blunt truth is that the Middle East has, for too long, been a region of places all of whom love to talk but don’t want to do. So, it’s time – if they don’t like Donald Trump’s plan, then it’s time for these countries in the region to step forward and offer their solution.
QUESTION: Well, I think under President Trump’s leadership, under your leadership, we’re living in a common-sense era, we’re in an aspirational era, and we’re in a realistic era. And I think the American people are grateful for it. You have had an amazing run already, just in the first few weeks of being in office. You had an amazing first foreign trip. You’ve got one coming up this week.
The foreign affairs wins of the Trump Administration are already piling up, with Mexico agreeing to send troops to their border; Canada playing ball on their border issues; Colombia accepting the repatriation flights; Panama ending its Belt and Road Initiative deal with China; the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. We’ve taken out an ISIS leader in Somalia. You guys are off to an amazing start. And I think that’s why Donald Trump has a high approval rating right now, and why people are so grateful that you accepted this job as U.S. Secretary of State.
Secretary Rubio, thanks for being with us on SiriusXM Patriot today.
Up to $2 Million Reward Offers Each for Information Leading to Arrests and/or Convictions of Malicious Cyber Actors from China
Media Note
March 5, 2025
Today, the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is announcing two reward offers under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) of up to $2 million each for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions, in any country, of malicious cyber actors Yin KeCheng and Zhou Shuai, both Chinese nationals residing in China.
Yin and Zhou were identified as associated with an advanced persistent threat group (APT27), who are also known to private sector security researchers as “Threat Group 3390,” “Bronze Union,” “Emissary Panda,” “Lucky Mouse,” “Iron Tiger,” “UTA0178,” “UNC 5221,” and “Silk Typhoon.” Yin and Zhou are longtime members of the eco-system China uses to perpetuate its malicious cyber activity. They enrich themselves financially as hackers for hire for a myriad of Chinese entities.
An FBI investigation of APT27, which began in approximately 2014, resulted in two separate indictments, announced today by the Department of Justice. Yin is charged individually for cybercrime activity occurring from roughly 2013 to 2015, while Yin and Zhou are charged together in a separate conspiracy related to computer network intrusion activity occurring from roughly 2018 to 2020. Yin and Zhou are each charged with wire fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Today’s reward offers are authorized by the Secretary under the TOCRP, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally. The reward offers also complement the announcement today of a Treasury sanctions action by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) against Zhou and his company Shanghai Heiying Information Technology. The combined actions represent a whole of government effort to combat malicious cyber actors.
If you have information, please contact the FBI by email at yin_zhou_info@fbi.gov. If you are located outside of the United States, you can also visit the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you are in the United States, you can also contact your local FBI field office.
ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards.
HomeOn the 36th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre
On the 36th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre
Press Statement
June 3, 2025
In the spring of 1989, tens of thousands of students gathered in Beijing’s largest public square to mourn the passing of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader who tried to steer China toward a more open and democratic system. Their actions inspired a national movement. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people in the capital and throughout China took to the streets for weeks to exercise their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly by advocating for democracy, human rights, and an end to rampant corruption. The CCP responded with a brutal crackdown, sending the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to open fire in an attempt to extinguish the pro-democracy sentiments of unarmed civilians gathered on Beijing’s streets and in Tiananmen Square.
The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget. Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989. Their courage in the face of certain danger reminds us that the principles of freedom, democracy, and self-rule are not just American principles. They are human principles the CCP cannot erase.
Today, the Government of Canada announced that it will match every dollar donated to the Canadian Red Cross 2025 Saskatchewan Wildfires Appeal to support wildfire disaster relief and recovery efforts across Saskatchewan.
The Government of Saskatchewan will be immediately providing $15 million to the Canadian Red Cross to work with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency to support wildfire evacuees.
Donation matching will be open for 30 days, retroactive to when the appeal first opened on May 30th. The funds raised will be used to assist those impacted by the wildfires in Saskatchewan, including those who have evacuated their homes.
Thousands in Saskatchewan have been displaced as wildfires continue to threaten communities across the province. In response, the Canadian Red Cross is working closely with Indigenous leadership and all levels of government to provide emergency accommodations, personal services, and critical information to people who have been forced from their homes.
The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are committed to doing everything they can to support all those affected.
Canadians wishing to make a financial donation to help those impacted by wildfires in Saskatchewan can do so online at www.redcross.ca or by calling 1-800-418-1111.
The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. Under suspension, floor debate is limited, all floor amendments are prohibited, points of order against the bill are waived, and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote.
At the request of the Majority Leader and the House Committee on the Budget, CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues. CBO has limited time to review the legislation before consideration. Although it is possible in most cases to determine whether the legislation would affect direct spending or revenues, time may be insufficient to estimate the magnitude of those effects. If CBO has prepared estimates for similar or identical legislation, a more detailed assessment of budgetary effects, including effects on spending subject to appropriation, may be included.
CBO’s estimates of the bills that have been posted for possible consideration under suspension of the rules during the week of June 9, 2025, include:
H.R. 188, Amtrak Transparency and Accountability for Passengers and Taxpayers Act, as amended
H.R. 248, Baby Changing on Board Act
H.R. 252, Secure Our Ports Act, as amended
H.R. 1182, Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety and Oversight Improvements Act of 2025
H.R. 1373, Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act of 2025, as amended
H.R. 1948, To authorize the International Boundary and Water Commission to accept funds for activities relating to wastewater treatment and flood control works, and for other purposes
H.R. 2035, American Cargo for American Ships Act
H.R. 2351, To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to update the policy of the Coast Guard regarding the use of medication to treat drug overdose, and for other purposes
H.R. 2390, Maritime Supply Chain Security Act
H. Res. 137, Designating the House Press Gallery (Rooms H-315, H-316, H-317, H-318, and H-319 of the United States Capitol) as the “Frederick Douglass Press Gallery”, as amended
H. Res. __, Denouncing the antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado.
H. Res. __, Condemning the rise in ideologically motivated attacks on Jewish individuals in the United States, including the recent violent assault in Boulder, Colorado, and reaffirming the House of Representatives commitment to combating antisemitism and politically motivated violence
These Landsat 7 images showcase the first and last captures of the Las Vegas area, taken on July 4, 1999, and May 28, 2024, respectively. The images highlight the city, the surrounding desert landscape, and Lake Mead, using shortwave infrared (SWIR), near-infrared (NIR), and red bands to emphasize differences in vegetation, water, and urban growth. The final image, marking the satellite’s 25th anniversary, stands as a tribute to Landsat 7’s quarter-century legacy of Earth observation.
While Landsat 7’s long watch over Earth comes to an end, Landsat 8, launched in 2013, and Landsat 9, launched in 2020, continue to work together to create a complete snapshot of Earth every eight days. Their successor—Landsat Next—is currently planned to launch in the early 2030s and provide even greater coverage and detail.
Launched in 1999 as a joint mission of the USGS and NASA, Landsat 7 significantly enhanced Earth observations and provided a key part of the Landsat program’s five decade-plus record of imaging the planet’s surface. The satellite’s imagery will remain archived at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, continuing to support scientific discovery and decision-making for the future.
“The Landsat satellites have delivered over 50 years of extraordinary science data, economic value and national security benefits by informing decisions in every sector of the economy—from monitoring drought in the West to guiding disaster recovery,” said Sarah Ryker, USGS Acting Director. “For 25 of those years, Landsat 7’s data helped farmers, land managers, city planners, and scientists, as well as communities around the world better understand and manage land, water, and other natural resources.”
Landsat 7 achieved many milestones over its 25 years of operation and was the first Landsat to downlink data to the newly established USGS ground station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was also the first Landsat satellite to be fully operated 24/7 by the USGS after being launched by NASA.
Its Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor delivered improved high-resolution imagery that expanded its capabilities, capturing critical historical events such as the aftermath of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The satellite also contributed to important projects, including the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica, and inspired the “Earth As Art” collection, showcasing stunning visuals of the planet.
After ending its official mission in 2024, the USGS prepared Landsat 7 for decommissioning to follow responsible space practices and U.S. policies on keeping space clear of debris. The final steps included carefully lowering the satellite’s orbit to decrease the risk of collisions and ensuring that all energy sources, such as fuel and batteries, are depleted to prevent the satellite from accidentally turning back on or creating debris. As Landsat 7 begins this decommissioned phase, it will drift silently in orbit for about 55 years before reentering Earth’s atmosphere.
To learn more about Landsat 7’s distinguished mission, visit: LINK TO CENTER STORY
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marcel Plichta, PhD Candidate in the School of International Relations, University of St Andrews
Russia launched its largest single drone attack of the war against Ukraine’s cities on June 1. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that they faced 472 unmanned one-way attack (OWA) drones overnight.
The record may not stand for long. The prior record was on May 26, when Moscow launched some 355 drones. The day before Russia had set a record with 298 Shaheds, which itself surpassed the May 18 tally.
Russia’s enormous OWA drone attacks came as a surprise to politicians and the general public, but it’s the culmination of years of work by the Russia military. Initially purchased from Iran, Russia began building factories in 2023 to assemble and then manufacture Shaheds (Iranian-designed unmanned drones) in Russia. Greater control over production gave Russia the opportunity to expand the number of Shaheds quickly.
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It also helps them gradually upgrade their drones. Investigations into downed Shaheds show that Russia has been coating the drones in carbon, which resists detection by radar by absorbing incoming waves instead of reflecting them back. They have also been adding SIM cards to transmit data back to Russia through mobile networks.
Shaheds also had their warheads upgraded. On May 20 the Ukrainian media reported that Shaheds were using newer incendiary and fragmentation warheads which start fires and spread large volumes of shrapnel respectively to increase their effectiveness.
Russia hit Kyiv with its biggest ever drone strike a few days ago.
These upgrades were simple in order to keep the cost of the drone, its major advantage over a missile, under control. These drones are both inexpensive and long-range.
This means that an attacker such as Russia can launch hundreds every month at targets across Ukraine with little concern about how many are lost along the way. Meanwhile, the defender is stuck figuring out how to shoot all incoming drones down at a reasonable cost indefinitely.
The problem is made even more complicated by the fact that air defence systems are sorely needed at the front line to shoot down hostile aircraft, making it a difficult trade-off.
Adding to the problem is the recent production of decoy Shaheds. While they carry no warhead and pose little threat by themselves, Ukrainian air defence cannot always tell the decoy from the real thing and still need to shoot them down. In late May, Ukrainian officials told the media that up to 40% of incoming Shaheds were decoys.
Consequently, Russia’s 472-drone attack reflects all of Russia’s innovations so far. These have improved the number of drones that survive, increased lethality, while using decoys alongside armed drones to ensure as many as possible reach their target.
What are the challenges for Ukraine?
Ukraine shoots most incoming Shaheds down. Even the 472-drone attack still had 382 claimed interceptions, a rate of 81%. However, the relatively high interception rate disguises the Shahed’s benefits for Russia.
Shaheds are cheap by military standards, so launching constant attacks is a disproportionate burden for Ukrainian air defence units. Kyiv has mobilised an enormous amount of resources to protect its cities, from mobile units in trucks to counter-Shahed drones that function like a cheaper anti-aircraft missile.
That said, these systems often have short ranges, which means that the savings per interception are somewhat offset by the need to maintain many hundreds of systems across a country as large as Ukraine. Ukraine also has the option of trying to strike Russia’s Shahed factories, which they have attempted a few times.
Despite Ukraine’s evolving air defence, Russia still sees military benefits to constant Shahed attacks. In a study I contributed to last year, we found that Russia’s initial OWA drone strategy in 2022 and 2023 did little to force Ukraine to negotiate an end to the war on terms favourable to Russia.
That may still be the case now, but the volume of drones and the high tempo of attacks means that Russian strategy could well be aimed at systematically exhausting Ukrainian air defence.
As Ukraine grapples with unpredictable US military support, Kyiv is more vulnerable to running out of ammunition for its more advanced air defence systems. This means that constant Shahed attacks make it more difficult for Ukraine to stop incoming missiles, which carry much larger warheads.
Ukraine’s drone strike this week.
Of course, Ukraine has its own versions of the Shahed, which it uses to routinely launch strikes against Russian military and oil facilities. Less is known about Ukraine’s OWA drones, but they often use many similar features to Shaheds such as satellite navigation.
For Russia’s Vladimir Putin, using Shaheds is not all about military benefit. Politically, he has increasingly used Shahed attacks to project a sense of power to his domestic audiences. On May 9, Russia paraded Shaheds through Moscow’s streets as part of its annual Victory Day celebrations, which had not been done in years past.
Ukraine has begun employing its own OWA drones as part of the “Spiderweb” operation to attack military and oil infrastructure across Russia.
Russia’s 472-drone attack is unlikely to remain its largest attack for long. Putin has shown a determination to expand the scale and tempo of its drone campaign and resist Ukaine’s calls for a permanent “ceasefire in the sky”, but this week Ukraine’s drone strategy has shown that prolonging the drone war can also have serious and unexpected effects for Moscow.
So long as the conflict continues, Ukraine’s defenders will find themselves facing more, and better, drones aimed at their cities. But increasingly it looks like Russia must worry about Ukraine’s drone capabilities too.
Marcel Plichta works for Grey Dynamics Ltd. as an intelligence instructor.
Damien Hirst is never far from scandal. Perhaps best known for immersing animal corpses into formaldehyde and selling them as art, the “enfant terrible” of the 1990s Young British Artists (YBA) movement seems to court controversy for a living – and has made an extraordinary amount of money in the process. Reputedly worth around £700 million, this working-class lad “easily” topped a recent list of the world’s richest artists.
Money is at the root of a lot of the questions that hover around Hirst’s legacy to the art world as he reaches his 60th birthday. Few artists have stress-tested the question of artistic value (and price) more than him – not least in his 2007 work For The Love of God: a platinum cast of a human skull encrusted with thousands of flawless diamonds.
Last year, Hirst’s money-related motives were called into question again in an investigation by the Guardian which revealed he had backdated three formaldehyde sculptures to the 1990s when they were, in fact, made in 2017. The report also found he had backdated some of the 10,000 original spot paintings from his NFT project The Currency to 2016, despite them being made between 2018 and 2019.
Hirst’s company, Science Ltd, defended the artist by reminding critics that his art is conceptual – and that he has always been clear that what matters is “not the physical making of the object or the renewal of its parts, but rather the intention and the idea behind the artwork”. His lawyers pointed out:
The dating of artworks, and particularly conceptual artworks, is not controlled by any industry standard. Artists are perfectly entitled to be (and often are) inconsistent in their dating of works.
But some of the art world did not respond kindly to this approach. Writing about Hirst’s “backdating scandal”, New York’s Rehs Galleries asked not only if Hirst could be sued by buyers and investors, but whether he was in creative decline. And Jones accused Hirst of being stuck in the past, calling the Guardian’s findings a “betrayal” for the artist’s admirers which could “threaten to poison Hirst’s whole artistic biography”.
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Ever since Hirst burst on the art scene in the 1990s with his macabre readymades (or “objets trouvé”) of dead animals in vitrines, he has divided art critics and the public alike. He has faced – and denied – multiple allegations of plagiarism and been censored by animal rights activists, while also being acclaimed as a “genius” and one of the leading global artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Amid all the eye-watering auction sales, he has donatedartworks to numerous charities throughout his career.
So, was the backdating incident another instance of Hirst mastering the art of the concept – and even offering a sly critique of consumerism and the art world machine, of which he is such a large cog? Or was it really just a big lie by a multi-millionaire artist seeking even more financial gain?
As philosophers of art, we think our discipline can shed light on these complex questions by exploring the nature of conceptual art, aesthetic deception and the ethics of the art market. As we contemplate the legacy of Hirst at 60, we ask: must artists always be truthful?
What only the best art can attain
Hirst had a humble upbringing. Born in the English port city of Bristol in 1959, he was raised in Leeds by his Irish mother, who encouraged him to draw. He never met his father and got in trouble with the police on a few occasions in his youth. His early artistic education was rocky too: he got a grade E in art A-Level and was rejected a handful of times by art schools.
But as a teenager, he had fallen in love with Francis Bacon’s paintings, later explaining that he admired their visceral expressions of the horror of the fragile body, and that he “went into sculpture directly in reaction … to Bacon’s work”. Hirst would also use his work experience in a morgue to hone his anatomical drawing skills.
His love of conceptual art blossomed when he began studying fine art at London’s Goldsmiths University in 1986 – taught by art world legends such as Michael Craig-Martin and catching the attention of collector and businessman Charles Saatchi. Craig-Martin had risen to fame for his conceptual artwork An Oak tree (1973), consisting of a glass of water on a pristine shelf with a text asserting that the glass was, in fact, an oak tree. Hirst has described this artwork as “the greatest piece of conceptual sculpture – I still can’t get it out of my head”.
Hirst’s fascination with death culminated in his most notorious work of art, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991) – a dead tiger shark, caught off the coast of Queensland in Australia, preserved in formaldehyde in a glass vitrine.
We encountered the work, separately and ten years apart, in London and New York. We both felt inclined to dislike and dismiss it. Instead, we were simply overwhelmed. By forcing us to stare death in the face, literally, the work put everything on its edge – awe-inspiring and horrifying, life-affirming and fatal, in your face yet somehow apart and absent.
Like it or not, Hirst’s shark achieved what only the best art can: jolting us out of our everyday registers – making us confront mortality, the value of life, and the human condition.
Video: Khan Academy.
Not everyone agreed, of course. After it was exhibited in the first YBA show at the Saatchi Gallery in 1992, there was a swarm of hate. According to the Stuckist Art Group (an anti-conceptual art movement), a dead shark isn’t art. Of Hirst’s entire oeuvre, the group’s co-founders have said: “They’re bright and they’re zany – but there’s fuck all there at the end of the day.”
After Hirst won the Turner Prize in 1995 for Mother and Child, Divided (a bisected cow and calf in glass tanks) Conservative politician Norman Tebbit asked whether the art world had “gone stark raving mad”. Art critic Brian Sewell exclaimed that Hirst’s work is “no more interesting than a stuffed pike over a pub door”.
But Hirst never seemed to care about such criticism as he tackled controversial themes ranging from death, science and religion to the unrelenting power of capitalism. Along the way, he has used his power to criticise the very art world of which he forms such an important part, and from which he has gained such enormous riches.
You might say his art reached a logical endpoint with The Currency in 2021 – a conceptual experiment in which 10,000 unique, hand-painted spot paintings were reduced to money itself, as they corresponded to 10,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Buyers were given the choice of keeping either the physical or the digital version, while the other would be destroyed. Speaking to the actor and art enthusiast Stephen Fry, Hirst said of these paintings:
What if I made these and treated them like money? … I’ve never really understood money. All these things – art, money, commerce – they’re all ethereal. It relies not on notebooks or pieces of paper but belief, trust.
How Hirst makes his art
It’s not just what Hirst’s art supposedly means that sometimes rocks the boat, but how he makes it.
While he began his career by personally making and manipulating his chosen artistic materials – from paint and canvas to flies and maggots – he now unapologetically relies on a studio populated by numerous assistants to produce the works that bear his name. It is largely these studio workers who pour the paint on spinning canvases, handle the formaldehyde, construct the glass boxes, and source the dead animals.
Hirst has fully endorsed the conceptual artist’s mantra of “the art is the idea”. If the artwork is the idea rather than the material object, then it should suffice merely for the artist to think or conceptualise the objects for them to count as his works of art. According to this perspective, exactly who makes the objects which are exhibited, sold and debated in the media is entirely unimportant.
But to some, this adds to the ways in which they feel deceived or “had” by Hirst. After all, at least in the western artistic tradition, the connection between artist and artwork has for hundreds of years been considered unique, sacred even. If an artist doesn’t actually make the art any more, to what extent can they really be said to be an artist at all?
Except that, in this respect, Hirst is not particularly unusual. Outsourcing the physical act of making an artwork is almost standard among contemporary artists such as Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread and Jeff Koons – all of whom have long relied on trainee artists, engineers, architects, constructors and more to build their large structural works.
And while Andy Warhol was the trendsetter in this regard from the early 1960s – calling his studio The Factory for its assembly line-style of production – the practice predates even him by hundreds of years. The great masters of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, having acquired sufficient fame and fortune, were rarely the sole creators of their masterpieces.
The 17th-century Flemish artist Rubens, for example, would often leave the painting of less central or prominent features in his works to his studio assistants – many of whom, including Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens, went on to highly successful artistic careers of their own. Even 14-year-old Leonardo da Vinci started out as a studio apprentice in the workshop of the Italian sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio.
Unlike Rubens, however, Hirst now only rarely makes any kind of material contribution to his works, beyond adding his signature. The Currency series involved Hirst merely adding a watermark and signature to the thousands of handmade spot paintings.
Video: HENI.
Also, Hirst’s works make no formal recognition of this studio input, whereas for Rubens, the arrangement was fairly transparent. Indeed, the division of labour was sometimes even negotiated with the painting’s buyer – the more a buyer was willing to pay, the more Rubens would paint himself.
But Hirst makes no secret of his lack of physical involvement in the material process, explaining:
You have to look at it as if the artist is an architect – we don’t have a problem that great architects don’t actually build the houses … Every single spot painting contains my eye, my hand and my heart.
Hirst’s social media pages often show the artist arriving at his studio while his team are busy at work. And clearly, not all potential buyers care about his “hands-off approach” – a large part of what they value is, precisely, the signature. In 2020, Hirst told The Idler magazine’s editor Tom Hodgkinson:
If I couldn’t delegate, I wouldn’t make any work … If I want to paint a spot painting but don’t know how I want it to look, I can go to an assistant … When they ask how you want it to look, you can say: ‘I don’t know, just do it.’ It gives you something to kick against or work against.
In the past decade, though, Hirst says he has scaled back his studio, admitting his art life felt like it was out of control:
You start by thinking you’ll get one assistant and before you know it, you’ve got biographers, fire eaters, jugglers, fucking minstrels and lyre players all wandering around.
The product of a specific place and time
Hirst disrupts our beliefs about art to an extent matched by few of his contemporaries. Always in the business of fragmenting the already vague expectations of the art market – and wider general public – he continues the trajectory outlined by fellow experimental conceptual artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Beuys, Adrian Piper, Sol LeWitt, Joseph Kosuth and Yoko Ono – now well over 50 years ago.
When the making of art moves into this level of abstraction, a historical fact like the precise inception date seems harder to pin down – and it becomes much less clear which aspects of the creative process should determine when the work was “made”.
Of course, the same question arises outside the confines of this artistic genre. How should we deal with performative arts such as theatre, jazz or opera? Is it all that important to date John Coltrane’s Blue Train to its first recording in 1957, rather than any of the other dates on which the American jazz legend performed it? Surely some aesthetic and artistic qualities are added on each occasion?
However, art in general, be it Blue Train or one of Hirst’s spot paintings, is always the product of a specific place and time. It is undoubtedly a significant fact about Hirst’s Cain and Abel (1994) – one of the artworks highlighted by the Guardian misdating investigation – that it was “made” in the YBA boom of the 1990s.
Can we engage with these pieces without bringing knowledge of this fact into our experience of them? Yes. Can we grasp at least some of their wider meaning? Almost certainly. But can we fully appreciate them as cultural objects – defining a precise moment in the evolution of art and society at large, perhaps foreseeing a certain shift in our larger value systems including what art means to us? Maybe not.
But there is another possibility we need to consider – one that touches on the worries of some of Hirst’s critics. What if Hirst intentionally misled the public for financial and commercial gain, and that the dating debacle has nothing to do with his cunning conceptual practice?
Jon Sharples, senior associate at London-based law firm Howard Kennedy – one of the first UK practices to advise on art and cultural property law – observed a few reasons why an artist might deliberately fudge or mislead on the origin of their art:
The potential for commercial pressure to do so is obvious. If works from a certain period achieve higher market prices than works from other periods, there is a clear incentive to increase the supply of such works to meet the demand for them.
Another reason Sharples offered is an art-historical one – to make the artist appear more radical: “In the linear, western conception of art history – in which ‘originality’ is often elevated above all other artistic virtues, and great store is placed in being the ‘first’ artist to arrive at a particular development – artists have sometimes been given to tampering with the historical record.”
Here, Sharples referenced the famous example of “the father of abstraction”, Russian artist Kazimir Malevich, backdating the first version of his Black Square by two years.
So, has Hirst just told a big fib about the origins of some of his art?
Philosophers largely agree that lying involves asserting something you believe to be untrue; speaking seriously but not telling the truth. And most of the time, we all assume that people around us abide by the norm that everyone ought to speak truthfully to each other. If we didn’t believe this, we would barely be able to communicate with one another. Lying involves violating this “truth norm”.
Yet, the case of art seems to stand in stark contrast to this. When we ask whether an artist has lied as part of their artistic practice, it is often not clear that there is a straightforward truth norm in the art world to be violated: it’s not clear that the artist is speaking ‘seriously’ in the first place.
I (Daisy) have researched in depth the reasons why lying in the art world is such a tricky business. In many exhibitions, it is the aesthetic experience that is of primary value. If what matters is creating beauty, then straightforward truth is not the point.
Moreover, even in cases where the art is designed to convey a specific message, it’s tricky to say in what sense they ought to tell “the truth”. Many artworks represent fictional scenarios which needn’t be fully accurate.
For instance, it was quite acceptable in the 16th century for painters of religious paintings to give central biblical figures inaccurate clothing – and for portrait artists not to paint their sitter’s flaws and blemishes. And in the perplexing art world of the 21st century, many post-1960 artforms are designed to challenge and critique the very nature of truth itself.
All of which means straightforward “truth games” do not operate as smoothly in the art world as they do in the ordinary world. With its self-reflective and self-critical structure, the art world of today offers a space to think open-endedly and creatively. Do you expect everything you see in an art gallery, or even speeches by conceptual artists, to be straightforwardly “true”? We don’t think so.
The art world is hardly renowned for its straightforwardly communicated messages. To accuse Hirst of lying assumes he is playing the truth game that the rest of us are signed up to in the first place. And it’s not clear he is.
Hirst might be closer to a novelist or actor who plays with and explores the very nature of truth and falsehood. In this way, he’s maybe at most a “bullshitter” who doesn’t play – or care for – the truth game at all.
The real problem?
But this fascination with Hirst’s dating practices may overlook the more important – if equally complex – problem of how his art works were made, rather than when. Are the ethical concerns about the production of Hirst’s enormous oeuvre the real issue in assessing his legacy as an artist?
For instance, Hirst has been criticised for treating his staff as “disposable”. During the peak of the COVID pandemic, he laid off 63 of his studio assistants even though his company had reportedly received £15 million of emergency loans from the UK government.
And while Hirst’s lawyers insist his studios always adhere to health-and-safety regulations, some of the “factory line” workers producing artworks for The Currency were allegedly left with repetitive strain injuries. One artist described their year-long toil as “very, very tedious”. Another commented on the work tables being at a low level, forcing them to constantly bend down.
Hirst has publicly praised assistants such as the artist Rachel Howard, who he described as “the best person who ever painted spots for me”. Likewise, Howard described working with Hirst as “a very good symbiotic” relationship.
Hirst is famous for exhibiting slain animals … and for the use of thousands of butterflies whose wings are torn and glued on various objects. Death and the taste of the macabre serve to attract attention. Then wealthy collectors such as Saatchi and even the prestigious Sotheby’s artificially inflate the prices of Hirst’s junk. It’s a squalid commercial operation based on death and contempt for living and sentient beings.
Video: Channel 4 News.
Indeed, some of Hirst’s macabre formaldehyde pieces are known for rotting a little too much. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living originally deteriorated due to an improper preservation technique, and had to be replaced by another shark caught off the same Australian coast. It’s not clear how many sharks have now been killed – or will need to be killed in the future – to preserve this masterpiece.
Further concerns have been raised about the environmental ethics of Hirst’s art, including that The Currency project incurred a hefty carbon footprint because of its reliance on blockchain technology. While Hirst used a more environmentally-friendly sidechain to release his NFTs, he still received payment via bitcoin, which has a far higher energy consumption.
Traditionally, art historians, critics and investors have championed an artwork’s meaning over any of its moral flaws in its production. But the ethics of artmaking are now being questioned by philosophers such as ourselves, as well as by many influential figures in the art world. Artworks that incur large carbon footprints, cause damage to ecosystems, or use and kill animals, are now considered morally flawed in these ways.
Philosophers such as Ted Nannicelli argue that these ethical defects can actually diminish the artistic value of the work of art. Meanwhile, artists such as Angela Singer and Ben Rubin and Jen Thorp use their art for animal and eco-activism, while doing no harm to creatures or the ecosystem in the process.
As we both acknowledge, Hirst’s shark expressed a laudable meaning in an arresting way. But is this enough to excuse the (repeated) killing of this awesome animal? Do we become complicit in its death by praising it as art? It is a question anybody who was impressed by its sheer aesthetic presence all those years ago should ask themselves.
In this and many other ways, Hirst’s work continues to raise fundamental questions about art – long after it was created, or dated. If nothing else, surely this confirms his enduring position in the British art establishment.
Damien Hirst’s representatives were contacted about the criticisms of Hirst that are highlighted in this article, but they did not respond by the time of publication.
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Elisabeth Schellekens has received funding from Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Funding Council) as Principal Investigator for research into Aesthetic Perception and Aesthetic Cognition (2019-22), and an AHRC Innovation Award on Perception and Conceptual Art with Peter Goldie (2003).
Daisy Dixon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
ACCRA, Ghana, June 4, 2025/APO Group/ —
Industry leaders at the Mining in Motion 2025 summit spotlighted Ghana’s ongoing efforts to formalize its artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.
Participants on an India Gold Metaverse-sponsored session – titled Case Studies in ASGM Formalization: Learning from Successes and Addressing Challenges – emphasized that formalization has the potential to catalyze sustainability, build stronger communities and drive long-term economic growth.
“We need regulatory and legislative changes that support small-scale miners and ensure that revenue from their contributions translates into real economic, social and communal growth,” stated Martin Ayisi, CEO of the Minerals Commission of Ghana.
Ayisi called for bold regulatory and financial interventions in the sector, stressing the urgent need for investment in geological investigations and sustainable technologies to prevent encroachment on protected areas and improve sector-wide outcomes.
From an regional perspective, Cisse Vakaba, Advisor to the President on Mining, Ivory Coast, emphasized the foundational role of geology in building a viable ASGM sector. He stressed that state support must go beyond issuing permits to include geological surveys, professional training, community engagement and digital tools for traceability.
“I really think that the basis for small mines is the geological aspect. This is the aspect where we have to work, to see the areas where they can exploit,” Vakaba stated, adding, “The State must provide support. It’s not enough to issue a title, a permit. We need to support prospecting and geological research.”
Meanwhile, Melissa Correa Vélez, Program Manager, Swiss Better Gold, highlighted the human-centered approach necessary to make formalization efforts successful. Velez – through Swiss Better Gold’s Boots on the Ground initiative – advocates for programs, including technical support and community-oriented training, that extend beyond legal structures to genuinely improve livelihoods and environmental stewardship.
“If you want to work with artisanal miners, work with them. Keep the miners interested in being responsible. If the miners lose interest because of the challenges, they will become illegal,” Velez stated.
For his part, Kwaku Afrifa Nsiah-Asare, Lawyer and Entrepreneur, Typhoon Greenfield Development, emphasized that government support will be a requisite for ASGM formalization in Ghana, speaking candidly on social and financial challenges in the sector.
“By doing everything properly, the Minerals Commission of Ghana has been extremely supportive and made it worthwhile for us to do business. It’s about partnerships and leadership in government,” Nsiah-Asare stated.
Bringing a tech-forward perspective, Lamon Rutten, Managing Director and CEO of India Gold Metaverse, spoke to the transformative potential of digital innovation in the ASGM value chain.
“Blockchain technologies and AI can help improve artisanal and small-scale mining operations. Tools like geo-tracking, radio-frequency identification-equipped machinery and internet-of-things devices allow us to trace ore sources. If you really want to develop small-scale mining, work with local banks. Let them understand the sector and they will help drive sustainable growth,” Rutten said.
During the presentation, the panelists agreed that projects including the Ghana Land Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project – a joint initiative with the World Bank – are setting a precedent. By offering financial and technical support, simplifying license through District Mining Committees, and organizing miners into Community Mining Schemes, Ghana is building an ASGM sector that is increasingly legal, sustainable and community driven.
Organized by the Ashanti Green Initiative – led by Oheneba Kwaku Duah, Prince of Ghana’s Ashanti Kingdom – in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, World Bank, and the World Gold Council, with the support of Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the summit offers unparalleled opportunities to connect with industry leaders.
The Labour government is on the wrong side of history and it has Palestinian blood on its hands
More in External Affairs
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman joined protesters outside the UK Government offices in Edinburgh as part of the Red Line for Gaza demonstration, calling for an immediate end to arms sales to Israel and demanding accountability for the UK’s role in the ongoing violence against Palestinians.
The protest coincides with Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, with catastrophic impacts on civilians.
The UK Government is currently facing a judicial review in the High Court challenging their continued supply of F-35 parts in arms exports used by Israel. Despite mounting evidence the Government lawyer’s have argued no violation of the duty to prevent genocide “can occur unless and until there is actually a genocide”.
European countries such as Spain, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy have suspended arms sales to Israel, however, the UK Government continues to fight the case as aircraft continue to bomb Gaza.
“Gaza has been turned into rubble – hospitals, schools, homes – all destroyed. Over 90% of housing has been wiped out. Families are being displaced and forced into camps with no food, water or shelter. This is not just a humanitarian crisis – it’s a moral catastrophe and the UK Government is helping it happen. The UK Government is complicit.
“It’s shameful that the UK refuses to act. Instead of standing up for peace, the Prime Minister came to Scotland to announce more money for war. Keir Starmer’s expects yet more UK tax money to feed the war machine and his government’s denial of genocide shows he’s more interested in retaining power than defending human rights. This Labour government is on the wrong side of history and it has Palestinian blood on its hands.
“The UK Government is currently defending its position in a high court case, claiming there’s “no evidence” of genocide or intentional targeting of civilians in Gaza. It doesn’t require much thought to reject that argument outright: this genocide is being live-streamed for all to see. We’ve all seen the videos. We’ve seen the bodies. The world knows what’s happening in Gaza – the destruction, the killing of women and children. For the UK Government to say there’s no evidence is not only dishonest – it’s dangerous.
“The Scottish Greens know that genuine security doesn’t come at the end of a gun or aftermath of a bomb. It comes from investing in healthcare, affordable housing and a green economy built on sustainability and compassion.
“We have consistently called for an immediate end to arms sales to Israel, full transparency over any UK or indeed Scottish Government funding linked to Israeli military production, an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, recognition of the State of Palestine, and Israel’s suspension from international bodies, including the United Nations, until compliance with international law is restored.
“Together, outside the UK Government offices, we gathered in protest but we also gathered in hope. Hope for the Palestinian people and hope for humanity.”
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) boasts one of the most secure and stable electricity supply systems in the region. Leveraging its substantial natural gas and oil reserves, among the largest globally, the UAE generates sufficient electricity to satisfy domestic consumption. The nation primarily utilizes its gas for power generation and for re-injection into oil fields to enhance production, while designating a significant portion of its oil for export. Backed by an increase in electricity demand, power capacity in the country is expected to reach 79.1GW in 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4% during 2024-35, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The power sector in the UAE offers abundant opportunities for investors, with the government poised to make significant investments in the expansion and modernization of its generation and supply infrastructure. The anticipated increase in capacity is projected to occur predominantly in gas-based thermal power, as opposed to oil, where capacity is expected to remain stable. Manufacturers of gas turbines stand to benefit from this surge in gas-fired power capacity.”
The UAE’s conditions are exceptionally conducive to solar power generation, prompting the government to allocate extensive tracts of undeveloped land for solar parks, including both photovoltaic (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) installations. These developments will not only meet local demand but also cater to export needs.
Saibasan adds: “Over the past decade, the UAE has experienced a marked increase in electricity demand, necessitating the importation of natural gas from Qatar. In response to this growing demand and to diversify its energy portfolio, the UAE has strategically shifted away from exclusive dependence on natural gas, expanding into renewable and nuclear energy sectors.”
The UAE is experiencing a notable surge in electricity demand, driven by its expanding population and urban development. As of 2024, the current population stands at approximately 11 million and is projected to rise to 11.9 million by the year 2030. A significant factor in this increased energy consumption is the high expatriate population, which constitutes around 88% of the total and contributes to the growth in residential and commercial energy needs.
Saibasan concludes: “Additionally, the development of mega urban projects, such as Masdar City and Expo City Dubai, underscores the necessity for sustainable energy solutions. These smart cities are at the forefront of innovation, yet they also contribute to higher electricity consumption. Consequently, this trend necessitates the expansion of the electrical grid and investment in smart infrastructure to meet the evolving demands.”
Headline: Microsoft launches new European security initiative
As AI and digital technologies advance, the European cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, presenting new challenges that require stronger partnerships and enhanced solutions. Ransomware groups and state-sponsored actors from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea continue to grow in scope and sophistication, and European cyber protection cannot afford to stand still.
That is why, today, in Berlin, we are announcing a new Microsoft initiative to expand our longstanding work to help defend Europe’s cybersecurity. Implementing one of the five European Digital Commitments I shared in Brussels five weeks ago, we are launching a new European Security Program that adds to the company’s longstanding global Government Security Program.
This new program expands the geographic reach of our existing work and adds new elements that will become critical to Europe’s protection. It puts AI at the center of our work as a tool to protect traditional cybersecurity needs and strengthens our protection of digital and AI infrastructure.
We are launching the European Security Program with three new elements:
Increasing AI-based threat intelligence sharing with European governments;
Making additional investments to strengthen cybersecurity capacity and resilience; and
Expanding our partnerships to disrupt cyberattacks and dismantle the networks cybercriminals use.
We are making this program available to European governments, free of charge, including all 27 European Union (EU) member states, as well as EU accession countries, members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the UK, Monaco, and the Vatican.
Together, these efforts reflect Microsoft’s long-term commitment to defending Europe’s digital ecosystem—ensuring that, no matter how the threat landscape evolves, we will remain a trusted and steadfast partner to Europe in securing its digital future.
The need for new steps – the current threat environment
Microsoft continues to observe persistent threat activity targeting European networks from nation state actors, with Russian and Chinese activity being particularly prolific in Europe. Unsurprisingly, Russia continues to be especially focused on targets in Ukraine and European nations providing support to Ukraine. Nation-state actors, including those engaging in malicious activity from Iran and North Korea, are predominantly pursuing espionage objectives in Europe through credential theft or the exploitation of vulnerabilities to gain access to corporate and government networks. Several campaigns, including those from China, have also targeted academic institutions, compromising accounts to access sensitive research data or conduct geopolitical espionage against think tanks. Cybercriminals continue to develop Ransomware-as-a-Service beyond nation-state threats. We have seen the emergence of illicit websites rapidly gaining followings by leaking ransomware insights to be used by criminal groups to conduct attacks across Europe.
The rise of AI is also augmenting and evolving threat actor behavior. Microsoft has observed AI use by threat actors for reconnaissance, vulnerability research, translation, LLM-refined operational command techniques, resource development, scripting techniques, detection evasion, social engineering, and brute force attacks. This is why Microsoft now tracks any malicious use of new AI models we release and proactively prevents known threat actors from using our AI products. This also underscores the importance of secure development and rigorous testing of AI models, leveraging AI to benefit cyber defenders, and close public-private partnerships to share the latest insights about AI and cybersecurity.
Increasing AI-based threat intelligence sharing with governments
Microsoft’s Government Security Program (GSP) has long provided governments with confidential security information and resources to help them better understand our products and the evolving threat landscape, particularly threats from nation-state actors. Building on existing efforts, our new European Security Program will increase the flow and expand access to actionable threat intelligence to European governments. Tailored to discrete national threat environments using AI insights, and delivered, when possible, in real time, this program is designed to help governments stay ahead of advancing cyber threats through:
Leveraging threat intelligence insights – Microsoft tracks the most sophisticated nation-state cyber activity, offering timely insights into evolving global threats. We use AI to support our analysis, which has improved our visibility and accelerated our ability to share the latest intelligence on the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by advanced persistent threat actors, including the malicious use of AI. By providing more information and faster, Microsoft will help European governments strengthen their cyber resilience and enable proactive defense.
Expanding cybercrime reporting – The Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) plays a critical role in detecting and disrupting global cybercriminal infrastructure, generating invaluable real-time intelligence in the process. As part of this new effort, we are expanding the availability of this intelligence to trusted European partners to support rapid response and coordinated enforcement action through the Cybercrime Threat Intelligence Program (CTIP).
Providing foreign influence operations updates – The Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) continues to monitor influence operations in Europe, which are increasingly using AI to mislead and deceive with deepfake synthetic media. MTAC also uses AI to look for commonalities across operations and will provide regular intelligence briefings on foreign influence, offering timely insights into the tactics, narratives, and digital platforms leveraged by state-affiliated actors. These briefings help policymakers and security stakeholders stay ahead of evolving disinformation campaigns and hybrid threats targeting democratic institutions and public trust.
Identifying vulnerabilities and prioritizing security communications – Microsoft is committed to proactive and transparent security communications, particularly in the face of emerging threats and evolving vulnerabilities. We provide customers with timely, actionable intelligence through structured programs such as the Threat Microsoft Security Update Guide, Vulnerability Reporting process, and Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management. As part of this expanded commitment, we will offer prioritized notice of security communications, including vulnerability remediation guidance to our European Security Program partners, helping to enhance situational awareness and enabling faster responses.
Participating governments will have a dedicated Microsoft point of contact to coordinate responses and escalate concerns. These efforts are designed to improve situational awareness and to support faster, more coordinated action across borders.
Making additional investments to strengthen cybersecurity capacity and resilience
Digital resilience—the ability to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to cyber threats and disruptions—requires more than technology. It requires investment in people, institutions, and partnerships. As part of the European Security Program, we are investing additional resources to further our work with European governments, civil society, and innovators to strengthen local capabilities and build long-term resilience. Highlights include:
Strengthening public-private collaboration – Microsoft has launched a new pilot program with Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), embedding Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) investigators at EC3 headquarters in The Hague to enhance intelligence sharing and operational coordination. Through this enhanced collaboration, we will enable joint investigations, identify faster threat identification, and be better positioned to disrupt cybercriminal activity targeting European institutions and citizens more effectively.
Supporting civil society and defending against ransomware – Microsoft has renewed our three-year partnership with the CyberPeace Institute to support NGOs and to promote accountability for bad actors, including nearly 100 Microsoft employees volunteering their time and expertise to help defend the most vulnerable in cyberspace. We will continue to support the Institute’s efforts to trace ransomware origins, identify safe havens, and uncover potential links to nation-state actors.
Expanding cybersecurity support to the Western Balkans – Through a new collaboration with the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C), Microsoft will scale cybersecurity in a region where malicious actors have long sought to destabilize countries bordering the EU. Microsoft stands firmly in defense of Ukraine and is now extending that commitment with WB3C to help scale cybersecurity capabilities in a geopolitically sensitive and digitally under-resourced region, aligning with broader European cybersecurity priorities.
Advancing AI security and innovation – Microsoft is investing additional resources to support research, expand the cybersecurity talent pipeline, and test advanced AI-assisted security tools in real-world environments using Microsoft’s security stack and Azure and Copilot capabilities. We’re working with the UK’s Laboratory for AI Security Research (LASR), a public-private partnership established to advance AI security in support of UK’s national security and economic prosperity. Together, we’re launching a joint research program focused on AI-cybersecurity challenges with a focus on critical infrastructure and agentic AI security, with an initial investment from Microsoft and research-collaboration between LASR and Microsoft Security Research Center.
Securing open-source innovation– Through the recently launched GitHub Secure Open Source Fund, we will support open-source projects that underpin the digital supply chain, catalyze innovation, and are critical to the AI stack. By raising the security posture for European projects such as Log4J and Scancode, which are critical to the IT systems of governments and companies across the continent, the program aims to reduce future security vulnerabilities. Ensuring these tools can continuously withstand and sustainably defend against sophisticated cyber threats is essential to strengthening cyber resilience.
These new and enhanced initiatives reflect our belief that cybersecurity is a collective endeavor—and that Europe’s digital resilience must be built from the ground up.
Expanding partnerships to disrupt cyberattacks and dismantle cybercriminal networks
Finally, as part of our European Security Program we are expanding our partnerships with law enforcement and regional actors to proactively identify new and innovative ways to disrupt malicious and criminal activity.
For instance, last month, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) worked with Europol and others to take down Lumma, a prolific infostealer malware used to steal passwords, financial data, and crypto wallets. In just two months, Lumma infected nearly 400,000 devices globally, many of them in Europe. The operation seized or blocked over 2,300 command-and-control domains. Off the back of this action, we are working with Europol to identify new opportunities to continue to meaningfully disrupt and deter cybercrime.
Lumma-infected devices by country in Europe
To accelerate future takedowns, we also launched the Statutory Automated Disruption (SAD) Program in April 2025. This initiative automates legal abuse notifications to hosting providers, enabling faster removal of malicious domains and IP addresses. Focused initially on Europe and the U.S., SAD raises the cost of doing business for cybercriminals and makes it harder for them to operate at scale.
In addition, we’re working with local internet service providers to help remediate affected users and ensure governments have greater visibility into emerging threats.
The DCU has long played a leading role in proactively combating cyber threats, including those originating from nation-state actors. Since 2016, Microsoft has filed seven legal actions to spotlight and disrupt nation-state threat actors from countries such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, which we refer to internally by the weather-themed names Blizzard, Typhoon, Sandstorm, and Sleet, respectively. Most recently, in September 2024, Microsoft initiated a disruption action against the Russian actor Star Blizzard, mentioned above, known for hacking political targets surrounding UK’s 2022 elections and targeting NATO countries to advance its geopolitical interests involving Ukraine. Microsoft exposed the Russian actors and directly seized over 140 malicious domains in total, substantially blunting ongoing campaigns and forcing Star Blizzard to significantly alter its attack methods to other platforms, which Microsoft Threat Intelligence thereafter publicly exposed in a security blog. We will continue to act against those seeking to harm customers, governments, and individual users. These efforts are part of our broader strategy to partner with law enforcement across Europe. We are already working on coordinated disruptions to protect the digital ecosystem, and we stand ready to provide robust incident response services during crises, ensuring our partners and customers are never alone in the face of cyber adversity.
We also believe that deterrence is a critical pillar of modern cybersecurity. The EU’s Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox plays a vital role in this effort, helping to coordinate crisis response and send a clear message that malicious activity will not go unanswered—legally, operationally, or reputationally.
Taken together, operations like the Lumma disruption, the launch of SAD, and future coordinated disruptions are helping to prevent cybercriminals and state actors from establishing malicious infrastructure in Europe.
* * *
At Microsoft, our commitment to Europe is deep, enduring, and unwavering. We believe that Europe’s digital future is one of the most important opportunities of our time—and protecting that future is a responsibility we share. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with European governments, institutions, and communities to defend against threats, build capacity, and strengthen resilience. We are proud to be a trusted partner to Europe, and we will continue to work every day to earn trust through transparency, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to protecting what matters most.
Tags: Brad Smith, cybersecurity, Digital commitments, Europe
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, participated in the Special Competitive Studies Project’s AI+ Expo in Washington, D.C. Speaking at a fireside chat titled “Winning the AI Race with the CCP,” Ricketts made the case for how America can be the global leader in artificial intelligence (AI).
“What we have to do is create an environment where American innovators are the ones who can continue to innovate,” said Ricketts. “We shouldn’t put up rules so that other countries don’t adopt what we’re doing… Either we’re right or they’re right. Either Communist China’s centralized system, where they’re directing state-owned enterprises, is right or ours is. I believe ours is and that’s why we have to unleash the power of free enterprise and get a critical mass of our friends onboard.”
Ricketts also underscored the importance of AI for various industries important to Nebraska and the United States.
”AI has a huge potential for making us more efficient,” said Ricketts. ”In the first few months, businesses that introduce AI see a 14% increase in productivity. That means we stay ahead in productivity here in the United States. That means we’re able to set our own destiny with how we do things like pharmaceutical research, agricultural research, or defense technology research.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Bill Keating (MA-09), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Becca Balint (VT-AL) are today introducing a resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians in Gaza and to bring about the release of the hostages.
“Innocent civilian lives — children and babies — can be saved by ensuring that much-needed aid gets to Gazans,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “This humanitarian crisis is man-made and can be solved by allowing aid trucks to enter Gaza. Every diplomatic tool in our toolbox must be used to ensure that this happens.”
“Each passing day brings new suffering to people in Gaza, who are experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe,” said Congressman Raskin. “Our Resolution recognizes that America must act now to save countless lives in the region. Just as the time is long overdue to bring all the remaining Israeli hostages home from their captivity at the hands of Hamas, it is time to assure the delivery of desperately needed food and humanitarian aid into Gaza to end the prolonged humanitarian crisis of Palestinians living there.”
“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is dire and devastating. The entire U.S. government must urgently use all diplomatic tools available to bring about the release of the hostages in Gaza, facilitate the delivery of food and humanitarian aid for Palestinians, and work towards an end to the conflict in Gaza which moves us closer to a two-state solution,” said Congressman Keating. “This important bicameral resolution sends a strong message that we believe the U.S. must immediately do more to end the suffering in Gaza.”
“The entire Gaza Strip is facing acute levels of hunger after a nearly two-and-a-half-month blockage on humanitarian aid. Although this blockade was recently lifted, aid groups do not have the resources or food available to properly provide immediate support to the millions of people facing starvation,” said Congresswoman Foushee. “I’m proud to join my fellow colleagues in introducing this resolution that will help address the dire situation in Gaza, and I implore my colleagues to support this critical step towards ensuring an enduring ceasefire that will alleviate suffering, save lives, and return the hostages safely to their families.”
“It is indisputable that death is imminent for hundreds of thousands in Gaza and the level of starvation for children is catastrophic. We cannot waste another minute, aid must get to Gaza now,” said Rep. Becca Balint. “We must use every tool at our disposal to pressure to alleviate this crisis. The United States may not remain complicit in the face of the unimaginable suffering and dire need for aid and supplies.”
The entire population of Gaza, an estimated 2,200,000 people, is facing acute levels of hunger. Over two months ago, Israel began a blockade on aid into the Gaza Strip. While some food is now being allowed into Gaza, it is not being allowed to do so fast enough to save lives. Since the start of the conflict, at least 54,000 Palestinians have been killed and 120,000 have been injured.
The resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Donald Beyer Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), André Carson (IN-08), Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Herbert Conaway Jr. (NJ-03), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Al Green (TX-09), Jim Himes (CT-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Rick Larsen (WA-02), John B. Larson (CT-01), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), James P. McGovern (MA-04), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Gwen S. Moore (WI-04), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Scott Peters (CA-50), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Stacey Plaskett (VI-AL), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).
This resolution is endorsed by 18 Million Rising, 99 Coalition , A New Policy , Action Corps, ActionAid USA, American Friends of Combatants for Peace, American Friends Service Committee, Amnesty International USA, Arab American Institute (AAI), Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Center for Victims of Torture, Charity & Security Network, Church World Service, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), DAWN, Demand Progress, Doctors Against Genocide , Emgage Action, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ, Hindus for Human Rights, Historians for Peace and Democracy, Human Rights Watch, IfNotNow Movement, International Refugee Assistance Project, J Street, KinderUSA, MADRE, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC), Migrant Roots Media, MoveOn, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Advocates, Muslims for Just Futures, Muslims United PAC, National Council of Churches, New Israel Fund, New Jewish Narrative, No Dem Left Behind, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Oxfam America, Partners for Progressive Israel, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Reconstructing Judaism, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, ReThinking Foreign Policy, RootsAction, Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, Sisters of Mercy of the America – Justice Team, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, The Borgen Project, United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR), UNRWA USA National Committee, Win Without War, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section (WILPF US), CAIR Washington, Christian-Jewish Allies for a Just Peace for Israel/Palestine, Church Women United in New York State, Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights , FOSNA Pittsburgh, Harrisburg Palestine Coalition, Historians for Peace and Democracy, Indiana Center for Middle East Peace, MARUF CT, Minnesota Peace Project, Nepa for Palestine, Northern California Friends of Sabeel (NorCal Sabeel)Sabeel), Oasis Legal Services, Peace Action WI, Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!, Progressive Democrats of America – Central New Mexico, Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom DC-Metro Action Group, UPTE Members for Palestine, Valley View Church.
Senator Peter Welch (VT) is leading the resolution in the Senate with the support of nearly all Democrats.
Droughts are becoming more severe and widespread across the globe. But it’s not just changing rainfall patterns that are to blame. The atmosphere is also getting thirstier.
In a new study published in Nature, my colleagues and I show that this rising “atmospheric thirst” – also known as atmospheric evaporative demand (AED) – is responsible for about 40% of the increase in drought severity over the last four decades (1981-2022).
Imagine rainfall as income and AED as spending. Even if your income (rainfall) stays the same, your balance goes into deficit if your spending (AED) increases. That’s exactly what’s happening with drought: the atmosphere is demanding more water than the land can afford to lose.
As the planet warms, this demand grows – drawing more moisture from soils, rivers, lakes, and even plants. With this growing thirst, droughts are getting more severe even where rain hasn’t significantly declined.
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The process of AED describes how much water the atmosphere wants from the surface. The hotter, sunnier, windier and drier the air is, the more water it requires – even if there isn’t less rain.
So even in places where rainfall hasn’t changed much, we’re still seeing worsening droughts. This thirstier atmosphere is drying things out faster and more intensely and introducing more stress when this water is not available.
Our new analysis reveals that AED doesn’t just make existing droughts worse – it expands the areas affected by drought. From 2018 to 2022, the global land area experiencing drought rose by 74%, and 58% of that expansion was due to increased AED.
Our study highlights that the year 2022 stood out as the most drought-stricken year in over four decades. More than 30% of the world’s land experienced moderate to extreme drought conditions. In both Europe and east Africa, the drought was especially severe in 2022 – this was driven largely by a sharp increase in AED, which intensified drying even where rainfall hadn’t dropped significantly.
In Europe alone, widespread drying had major consequences: reduced river flows hindered hydropower generation, crop yields suffered due to water stress, plus many cities faced water shortages. This put unprecedented pressure on water supply, agriculture and energy sectors, threatening livelihoods and economic stability.
My team’s new research brings clarity to the dynamics of drought. We used high-quality global climate data, including temperature, wind speed, humidity and solar radiation – these are the key meteorological variables that influence how much water the atmosphere can draw from the land and vegetation. The team combined all these ingredients to measure AED – essentially, how “thirsty” the air is.
Then, using a widely recognised drought index that includes both rainfall and this atmospheric thirst, we could track when, where and why droughts are getting more severe. With this metric, we can calculate how much of that worsening is due to the atmosphere’s growing thirst.
The future implications of this increasing atmospheric thirst are huge, especially for regions already vulnerable to drought such as western and eastern Africa, western and south Australia, and the southwestern US where AED was responsible for more than 60% of drought severity over the past two decades.
Without factoring in AED during drought monitoring and planning, governments and communities may underestimate the true risk they face. With global temperatures expected to rise further, we can expect even more frequent and severe droughts. We need to prepare. That involves understanding and planning for this growing atmospheric thirst.
Driving drought
Knowing what is causing droughts in each specific location enables smarter climate adaptation. AED must be a central part of how we monitor, model and plan for drought.
Identifying the specific drivers of drought is essential for tailoring effective ways to cope with drought. If droughts are mainly due to declining rainfall, then the focus should be on water storage and conservation. But if AED is the main driver – as it is in many places now – then strategies must address evaporative loss (i.e. the amount of water lost from the surface and plants to the atmosphere) and plant water stress. This might involve planting drought-resistant crops, constructing irrigation systems that use water more efficiently, improving soil health or restoring habitats to keep moisture in the land.
As our research shows, rising AED – driven by global warming – is intensifying drought severity even where rainfall hasn’t declined. Ignoring it means underestimating risk.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Solomon Gebrechorkos receives funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO; grant no. 201880) and the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC; grant no. NE/S017380/1).
A complex investigation by Met detectives has seen a man jailed over a brutal machete attack in Clapham, highlighting the Met’s commitment to cracking down on violence and relentlessly pursuing those who endanger the lives of others.
Nino-Tai Smith, 23 (20.02.2002), of Wandsworth Road, Nine Elms, was jailed for a total of eight years and 10 months at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday, 4 June. This was reduced to seven years and three months after credit. He previously pleaded guilty on Tuesday, 4 March at the same court to charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.
Smith drove a stolen Mercedes into his victim – a man aged 25 at the time – before attacking him with a machete. It is understood that assault was motivated by a gang rivalry.
When officers tracked Smith down, they also recovered a firearm. In connection with the firearm, Smith also pleaded guilty of possessing a firearm at Inner London Crown Court on Monday, 14 November, 2022. He was handed a five-year sentence for this offence, which he is serving concurrently with his most recent sentence.
Detective Inspector Jonathan Summers, who heads the Met’s Central South Gangs Unit, said: “Smith’s victim was left with severe, life-changing injuries and I’m proud of the investigation team’s efforts in bringing this violent offender to justice.
“Brilliant investigative work helped to paint a compelling picture of Smith’s guilt, and led him to plead guilty on the first day of trial.
“Senseless violence has no place on London’s streets, and I hope this case demonstrates our determination to pursue dangerous criminals who threaten the safety of our communities.”
On Thursday, 10 June, 2021, Smith drove a stolen Mercedes into his victim in Cedars Road, Clapham. He knocked him off his moped, before setting upon him with a machete. Smith made off, ultimately crashing the car in nearby Newby Street. He then discarded his machete and left on foot before police arrived at the scene.
Met officers provided emergency treatment to the victim at the scene and he was taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service to receive lifesaving care.
Investigators then began making urgent enquiries to track down the perpetrator, following numerous lines of enquiry, establishing the Mercedes had been driven by Nino-Tai Smith.
Just two days after the incident, police tracked Smith down to the Patmore Estate in Battersea. Following a chase with officers – captured on body-worn video – he was detained and officers recovered an illegal firearm in a bag that Smith had discarded at the scene.
The investigation team spent months analysing complex phone data and evidence. This all added up to a damning case against Smith, who was shown to be an active participant in the assault after data showed he had been near the scene of the incident at the time.
DI Summers added: “This was a heinous, premeditated attack motivated by intergang rivalry. We will always seek to prosecute such matters – even when a victim is unable for whatever reason to support a prosecution.
“Neither intimidation nor any perceived code of silence will prevent us from relentlessly pursuing justice. The investigation team have worked tirelessly for years to achieve this amazing result, and I am again humbled by the investigators’ dedication, detective ability and professionalism.”
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, 4 June 2025 – Days of intense monsoon rains and high winds have triggered landslides, floods, and widespread damage across the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, impacting nearly 16,000 people across 17 IOM-managed camps, injuring at least 14 and leaving many families in urgent need of assistance.
Over 1,900 shelters have been reported damaged, many of them beyond repair, while critical access routes have been blocked and drainage systems overwhelmed. Although the rains have eased off somewhat, intermittent downpours continue to complicate recovery efforts and risk further destruction.
“The scale of devastation caused by these early monsoon rains is alarming, especially in such a precarious setting where people are already extremely vulnerable,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Our teams are working tirelessly alongside community volunteers and partners to ensure that families are safe, with adequate shelter and other vital support. We need to act now to make sure the situation doesn’t go from bad to worse.”
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in coordination with Bangladesh authorities and partners under the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), has launched an emergency response. Over 1,400 community disaster management volunteers and 300 additional community responders have been deployed across the camps to support emergency relocations, rescue operations, and initial damage assessments.
Nearly 5,000 Rohingya refugees have been mobilized through cash-for-work activities to help clear fallen trees, unblock drainage channels, and restore access to essential facilities. Teams are also working to prevent further landslides by covering vulnerable slopes with tarpaulin. In total, over 13,500 square meters of slopes have been secured, dozens of fallen trees have been removed, and nearly 10,000 meters of drainage have been cleaned to reduce the risk of flooding.
Emergency shelter distributions are underway for affected families, including technical assistance for the repair and reconstruction of damaged homes, especially for those identified as extremely vulnerable. Shelter, water and sanitation facilities are also being assessed and repaired, while hot meals are being provided to displaced families sheltering in communal spaces.
IOM continues to coordinate closely with authorities and humanitarian actors to protect lives and restore safe access to services. As the monsoon season advances, slope stabilization, drainage clearance, and promoting awareness of disaster risk reduction will be key to achieving these aims.
Headline: Endangered North Carolina Frog Gets a Head Start
Endangered North Carolina Frog Gets a Head Start jejohnson6
KURE BEACH
Carolina gopher frog populations declining in the wild are getting a leg up through the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) head starting initiative. Led by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), head starting is one focus of their Gopher Frog Conservation Plan with NCAFF and other partners. NCAFFis one of three Aquariums and a pier operated by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR).
The Aquarium implemented the initiative in 2011 to augment wild populations of these state endangered amphibians. The NCWRC team collects small portions of each egg mass and delivers them to the Aquarium team for care until frogs emerge. This year’s crop, now in tadpole stage, is from Southport near the Military Ocean Terminal at Sunny Point. Staff divided 444 tadpoles among12 mesocosms, controlled small-scale ecosystems designed to mimic natural environments.The next step is to release the frogs to this same location.
HEADSTARTING
NCAFF aquarists suggested the plan after monitoring egg masses in Holly Shelter Game Land alongside NCWRC staff for several years. The number of frogs appeared low—as few as six to eight egg masses deposited in some years. Because of drought conditions, the pond had just enough water to stimulate the frogs to breed, but would not hold water long enough for the tadpoles to fully develop.Head starting gives them the right environment to go from tadpole to frog in their journey back into the wild.
“We have continued to receive great support for our head starting work through the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission for the Carolina Gopher Frog and we look forward to a successful release in the coming weeks,” said Ryan McAlarney, husbandry curator, NCAFF. “The conservation of this species is important to the mission of the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.”
HISTORY AND HABITAT
The gopher frog,Rana capito,requires both appropriate breeding ponds and upland terrestrial habitat. Breeding ponds must be large enough to retain water throughout the tadpole stage, but shallow enough to dry periodically, because the gopher frog does not tolerate fish. Additionally, these ponds must be relatively open canopy with plenty of grasses where gopher frogs deposit their egg masses and developing tadpoles feed.
POPULATION DECLINE
The gopher frog was once found in many ponds across the southeastern Coastal Plain, ranging from North Carolina through South Carolina and Georgia, across Florida and into Alabama. However, many of these wetlands, or the uplands they are associated with, are gone. Historically found in at least 23 populations in North Carolina among 53 ephemeral ponds, the species is now only found in seven populations, with only 14 of those historical ponds still being used by gopher frogs. Most of these ponds have been destroyed or altered significantly; for example, deepened and stocked with fish. CALL TO ACTION
Service vehicles regularly to avoid leaking toxic fluid into waterways or wetlands.
Put bug spray on before you go into a wildlife habitat so that you don’t introduce it into the animal’s home.
Don’t touch frogs or toads. Their skin is very thin, and they can absorb anything from your skin, and it may be toxic to them.
Choose environmentally friendly pesticides and herbicides.
Drive extra carefully during and after spring rains, when amphibians are most likely to be crossing roads as they travel to breeding ponds.
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About the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington on U.S. 421 and less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. The Aquarium is one of three Aquariums and a pier that make up the North Carolina Aquariums, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The mission of the Aquarium is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. The Aquarium features a 235-000-gallon sand tiger shark habitat, an albino alligator, a bald eagle, a loggerhead sea turtle habitat and two families of mischievous Asian small-clawed otters.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $12.95 ages 13-61; $10.95 children ages 3-12; $11.95 seniors (62 and older) and military with valid identification; NC EBT card holders*: $3. Free admission for children 2 and younger and N.C. Aquarium Society members and N.C. Zoo members. *EBT rate is applicable to a maximum of four tickets.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
Headline: Bentonville Battlefield’s ‘Heavy Thunder’ Event to Feature Cannon and Musket Demonstrations
Bentonville Battlefield’s ‘Heavy Thunder’ Event to Feature Cannon and Musket Demonstrations jejohnson6
A free, family-friendly living-history event at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site will bring the Civil War era to life.
On Saturday. June 7, Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, a part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, will host its “Heavy Thunder: Summer Artillery and Infantry” program. The event runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Food vendors will be on site.
Historic weapons demonstrations will occur at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Costumed interpreters will perform infantry and artillery drills, while living-history displays offer a deeper understanding of 19th-century battlefield medicine and civilian life
The Harper House, which served as a Union field hospital during the battle, will be open for tours throughout the day. An interpretive talk at noon in the visitor center will provide additional historical context.
The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the largest battle fought in North Carolina and one of the last major battles in the Civil War.The sound of cannonfire during the battle, it was said, boomed with a distinct echo.
“The din of battle roared like one continuous peel of heavy thunder,” wrote one eyewitness to the 1865 battle of Bentonville.
About Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site interprets the battle and the Harper House, a farmhouse used as a field hospital where surgeons treated nearly 600 men wounded in the battle. The site is located at5466 Harper House Rd., Four Oaks, NC 27524, 3 miles north of Newton Grove on S.R. 1008, about one hour from Raleigh and about 45 minutes from Fayetteville. For more information, visithttps://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bentonville-battlefieldor call (910) 594-0789.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)
When lowering costs for Americans should drive every decision we make, this bill needlessly fixates on keeping guns in the hands of those who are potentially a danger to themselves or others and restricts reproductive rights and other cruel and pointless policy restrictions.
Funding Proposal Raises the Costs of Veterans Health Care, Hurts Military Readiness, and Worsens Quality of Life for Servicemembers and Their Families
WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Republicans released the 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which will be considered in the subcommittee tomorrow. The legislation fails to fully meet veterans’ needs and falls short of adequately funding military construction projects.
This bill:
Worsens the quality of life for servicemembers and their families and hurts military readinessby funding military construction $904 million below what is needed.
Enacts the Project 2025 goal to privatize medical care for veteransby transferring billions to private hospitals and clinics which will only lead to higher costs, longer wait times, poor communication and coordination, and diminished quality of care.
Further limits women’s access to abortion, harming women veterans’ health.
Leaves military installations, servicemembers, and their families vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and worsening natural disastersby failing to include dedicated funding to strength military installations against these threats.
Does not fulfill the United States’ commitments to our alliesby providing $188 million less than what is needed on NATO infrastructure.
Undermines the ability to keep guns out of the hands of those prohibited under Federal law from purchasing or possessing firearms.
Repeats the same extreme House Republican tactics attempted last year by including partisan changes to existing law, known as “riders,” that hurt Americans and create chaos. Once again, Republicans are disenfranchising veterans rather than making VA a welcoming and inclusive place for all those who volunteer to serve our country.
“This Republican bill would push our Veterans who sacrificed so much, towards Project 2025 privatized health care schemes and critically break with past PACT Act guaranteed funding commitments in the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) funding levels. When lowering costs for Americans should drive every decision we make, this bill needlessly fixates on keeping guns in the hands of those who are potentially a danger to themselves or others and restricts reproductive rights and other cruel and pointless policy restrictions. I cannot tell those currently serving and those who defended our nation that this is the best we can do, and therefore, I cannot support this bill,”Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) said. “While it avoids deep, across the board cuts, it steers far too many resources into the privatized medical care account and away from vital, VA-based care and it leaves out guaranteed PACT Act funding for the TEF in FY2027, unlike past precedent. We can do far better, and Democrats are ready to do that. But this bill falls short of what our Veterans deserve.”
“While President Trump fires veterans and dismantles the services and programs across the federal government that they depend on, House Republicans have decided to proceed—business as usual—with 2026 funding bills. They have introduced a funding bill that does nothing to remedy the chaos and pain this administration has caused thousands of veterans and instead pushes extreme, partisan Project 2025 goals of privatizing veterans health services, only raising the costs of critical care. Once again, instead of being laser focused on the cost-of-living crisis, President Trump and House Republicans are actually making it worse,”Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “This bill falls short of honoring our commitment to veterans, servicemembers, and their families by underfunding military construction and leaving our military installations vulnerable to the impact of worsening natural disasters. Just like last year, this bill is built on a framework that harms veterans. Veterans rely on programs across the entire federal government. House Republicans’ proposal to slash critical domestic investments in other funding bills will strip away education, job opportunities, housing, and food assistance that veterans and their families depend on. House Republicans cannot claim to support veterans while making it harder for them to find jobs, feed their families, and keep roofs over their heads.”
A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill ishere. A fact sheet of the bill ishere. The full text of the bill ishere. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked on the House Committee on Appropriationswebsite.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
Press release
Government funds scheme to tackle on-farm drought risk
Fully funded expert-led studies to assess water security on farms open for applications.
The Environment Agency have launched applications for a new round of specialist water assessments today (4 June), supporting farmer groups to collaborate on drought resilience measures and delivering on the government’s commitment to food security.
The £1.1 million package will support 12 fresh screening studies across England, known as Local Resource Options (LROs). They will assess the strengths and weaknesses of different water management options such as multi-farm reservoirs, treated wastewater recycling systems, or collaborative irrigation networks.
Last year, the fund provided 106 farms with recommendations and attracted positive responses from farmer groups for helping identify risks and facilitate greater co-operation between neighbours.
Proposals included building rainwater storage and distribution systems for growers of soft fruits like strawberries, wetlands to recycle treated wastewater for potato farmers or shared reservoir and irrigation networks to supply crops and aid peat restoration.
Environment Agency estimates suggest their top recommendations could provide an additional 12 billion litres of low-cost water per year to farmers, worth £53 million.
Philip Duffy, Environment Agency Chief Executive said:
Farmers say responsible access to water is vital for food production and rural economies, particularly during prolonged dry weather.
This scheme will help us draw up plans for on-farm water storage that work for the environment and food production.
Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food and Rural Affairs said:
Every farmer knows you need water to grow. This programme supports farmers to find new ways to manage water collaboratively to protect food security, long term profitability and local communities.
Storing water on wet days for use during dry periods is a great way to sustainably secure our food systems and farming businesses against the threat of drought.
Applications are open now for groups including at least two neighbouring farms and will close at 11:59 PM on 20 July 2025.
End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.
Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Justin Tyson visited Malawi from May 22 to June 3 to hold meetings with the Malawian authorities and other counterparts from the public and private sectors and civil society for the 2025 Article IV consultation. Discussions focused on policies to restore macroeconomic stability, and the structural reforms needed to foster strong, inclusive, and durable growth.
Context, Macroeconomic Outlook, and Risks
The Malawian economy has been buffeted by several shocks. Real GDP growth declined slightly to 1.8 percent in 2024 as a drought affected agricultural production, while foreign exchange and fuel shortages dampened economic activity. Over 20 percent of the population is facing high levels of food insecurity, up five percentage points over 2023. Headline inflation began easing in late-2024 and reaccelerated in early-2025 in the context of maize prices rising to historical levels, elevated money growth and an increasing official-parallel exchange rate spread.
Fiscal and monetary policy has remained too accommodative. The FY2024/25 (April/March) fiscal balance fell short of budget targets and deteriorated relative to the previous year as revenue underperformed and expenditure ceilings were exceeded. Persistent and elevated domestic fiscal financing has fueled money growth and inflation, which in turn exerts pressure on the exchange rate. Monetary policy did not tighten sufficiently in the context of elevated government domestic borrowing. The broader reform momentum has been slowing.
Consequently, domestic, and external imbalances worsened. The current account deficit expanded further to about 22 percent of GDP and gross reserves are critically low, pointing to an overvalued exchange rate. The official-parallel spread is wide and may reflect other factors beyond fundamentals. Malawi remains in external debt distress and domestic debt is growing.
The macroeconomic outlook is subdued and dependent on the agricultural sector output and foreign grant support. Under current policies, the mission expects real GDP growth to be 2.4 percent in 2025 and gradually increase to 3.4 percent over the medium term. Inflation is projected to average 29 percent in 2025 and settle at around 14 percent over the medium term. The current account deficit is projected to improve to about 17 percent of GDP in 2025 based on lower fuel prices and a rebound in key exports. General elections, scheduled for September, have reinforced political-economy constraints to macroeconomic adjustment. After the expiry of the ECF arrangement, the Malawian authorities are designing a homegrown reform program.
Risks are tilted to the downside. Lower-than-anticipated grant inflows and food production, additional global trade tensions, and delayed reforms could deepen macroeconomic instability. Greater-than-expected mining investment and production constitute an upside risk.
Fiscal Policy
Returning to a sustainable fiscal adjustment path is a priority. Tackling the rising interest bill will create space for domestically-financed investment and pro-poor spending, while also ameliorating the sovereign-bank nexus.
Domestic revenue mobilization is urgently needed to achieve fiscal sustainability in an equitable way. This could be achieved through a combination of broadening the tax base and tax policy instruments (e.g., reducing exemptions, and personal and corporate income tax reform). Improving wage bill efficiency and rebalancing expenditures towards human capital and social protection could support these efforts.
Staff welcomes public financial management improvements, which remain critical for strengthening fiscal governance and building public trust. The authorities have made progress in expanding the coverage of the Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS), bank reconciliations, and increasing the efficiency of public investment. Reform efforts should continue to, inter alia, enhance budget development, execution, and reporting, improve the procurement system, and strengthen State Owned Enterprises (SOE) oversight.
Decisive steps are needed to restore debt sustainability. The authorities have achieved some progress with their bilateral creditors and continue to engage with their external commercial creditors to ensure that external debt is sustainable. Tangible progress on external debt restructuring could pave the way for new concessional inflows. This should be supported by steps to reduce the cost of domestic borrowing.
Price Stability and Exchange Rate Policy
Tighter fiscal and monetary policies would support disinflationary efforts and ease pressure on the exchange rate. High inflation hurts the economy in general, but especially the poorest and most vulnerable. A combination of more restrictive monetary policy and an urgent fiscal adjustment, including enhanced reporting on budget execution, could reduce broad money growth, support policy credibility and re-anchor inflation expectations. Structural constraints may also be contributing to entrenched inflation expectations.
A unified and market clearing exchange rate is critical to reducing imbalances and supporting the authorities’ growth objectives. The current regime with a large and volatile spread between the parallel and official rate creates distortions, impedes exports, subsidizes some imports, and encourages informality and tax avoidance. Foreign direct investments and official aid flows are discouraged, and domestic revenues reduced. Eliminating these imbalances requires unifying the official and parallel exchange rates, at a level reflecting fundamentals and discounting speculative factors, and stabilizing the foreign exchange market. Consistency between the de facto exchange rate regime, the monetary policy framework and fiscal policy are needed to ensure sustainable growth.
Financial Sector Policies
The banking sector’s credit and foreign exchange risks should be monitored to preserve financial stability. While the sector is well-capitalized, liquid, and profitable, its significant exposure to government borrowing and the net foreign liabilities position within the banking sector require continued careful monitoring.
Increased banking sector credit to the private sector would support economic growth. Fiscal adjustment would reduce crowding out of private sector due to public borrowing and support export-oriented investment. In addition, a lower inflation and interest rate environment would further support credit to businesses.
Structural Reforms
Improving the investment climate would help attract investment, diversify the economy, and move up the value chain. Sustained multi-year prudent fiscal policies and removing price distortions (e.g., re-activating the automatic fuel price mechanism) would bolster policy credibility and strengthen external competitiveness. Addressing key structural impediments to growth would durably support efforts to raise productive capacity, reduce inflation and improve self-sustainability, as envisaged under the authorities’ Agriculture, Tourism, Mining and Manufacturing (ATMM) policy umbrella.
Further strengthening governance measures will support confidence in public service provision. Despite government reform efforts, including the two National Anti-Corruption Strategies, gaps persist. For example, the public procurement process and SOE operations would benefit from greater transparency and less discretionary decision-making.
The IMF mission team thanks the Malawian authorities and all other interlocutors for the candid discussions and their hospitality.
Gaza: Minister for the Middle East statement, 4 June 2025
Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer made a statement to the House of Commons on Gaza.
Madam Deputy Speaker,
We are appalled by repeated reports of mass casualty incidents, in which Palestinians have been killed when trying to access aid sites in Gaza.
Desperate civilians who have endured 20 months of war should never face the risk of death or injury to simply feed themselves and their families.
We call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events, and for the perpetrators to be held to account.
It is deeply disturbing that these incidents happened near the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites.
They highlight the utterly desperate need to get aid in.
The Israeli Government says it has opened up aid access with its new system.
But the warnings raised by the United Kingdom, the United Nations, aid partners and the international community about these operations have materialised and the results are agonising.
Israel’s newly introduced measures for aid delivery are inhumane, foster desperation and endanger civilians.
Israel’s unjustified block on aid into Gaza needs to end. It is inhumane.
Israel must immediately allow the UN and aid partners to safely deliver all types of aid at scale to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity. It must ensure food and other critical supplies can reach people safely where they are across the whole of the Gaza Strip. Civilians, medical and humanitarian workers and facilities must be protected.
We will continue to be steadfast in our support for the UN and other trusted INGOs as the most effective and principled partners for aid delivery.
Our support has meant over 465,000 people have received essential healthcare, 640,000 have received food, and 275,000 people have improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Just two weeks ago, my honourable friend, the Minister for Development, announced £4m additional funding to support the British Red Cross, enabling the delivery humanitarian relief in Gaza through their partner the Palestinian Red Crescent. Th was part of our wider £101m support package for this financial year. Aid must be allowed in so this support can continue.
Today, the UN Security Council is expected to consider a resolution for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all the hostages and the lifting of all Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid, and supporting delivery by the UN.
And we will once again use our vote in support of these goals.
Following our leadership in coordinating dozens of countries to address the humanitarian situation, the joint statement from the UK, France and Canada, as well as the actions announced by my Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary on 20 May, we will continue to convene international partners to increase the pressure and take further steps to address the catastrophic situation on the ground.
We will continue to strongly support the efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. As the Prime Minister has said, a ceasefire is the best way to secure the release of all remaining hostages and achieve a long-term political solution.
This Israeli Government’s decision to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict aid undermine all these goals.
Madam Deputy Speaker,
We repeat our utter condemnation of Hamas, our demand that it releases all the hostages immediately and unconditionally. They can have no role in the future governance of Gaza.
A two-state solution is the only way to bring the long-lasting peace, stability and security that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve. We welcome France and Saudi Arabia’s leadership in chairing an international conference later this month.
